by Wonny Lea
Quickly covering up with a silk robe she sat at the dressing table and began applying makeup. Mirrors had always been her friend, but now this one was highlighting lines and age spots that she was sure hadn’t been there yesterday. In a fit of temper she swept bottles of face cream and perfume off the dressing table and onto the floor.
She made her way back to the kitchen, settling for some toast and another cup of coffee – generously laced with whisky! There was only one more bottle left and she made a mental note to ring her suppliers for some more.
Catherine heard the intercom for the main gates click and poured yet more whisky into her coffee before putting the bottle back in the cupboard. Whoever it was had used the entry code and it was only the family and her ‘special’ colleagues who knew it. They also had their own keys to the house, so there was no need for Catherine to let anyone in.
She decided that whoever it was she would greet them perfectly presented, finishing the make-up job she’d started and teased her expertly cut hair into shape. From her lavish wardrobe she took a pair of white linen trousers – and then changed her mind. Even if she didn’t feel like a grieving widow, she should probably look like one. The white trousers were swapped for a long black skirt and a deep purple sweater topped it off. This time when she looked in the long mirror she was pleased with what she saw.
It suddenly occurred to her that she hadn’t heard much sound from her visitor, but she could suddenly hear drawers being opened and closed in the room just below – the one she used as her office.
Why would anyone be in there? It was her domain and was where she kept her personal stuff.
She wanted to see what was going on before giving the person time to cover their tracks and so quietly she walked down the stairs and opened the door to her study.
‘
You !’ she shouted. ‘What the fuck do you think you’re doing?’
Chapter Twenty
‘This is just perfect,’ announced Charlie. ‘It’s strange to think I’ve never been to the cottage. Alex often talks about the weekends he’s had here before but I guess you won’t be using the wetsuits tonight. It’s cold enough on land, but if you set foot in the sea it’d freeze your balls off!’
‘Ever the lady!’ laughed Alex. ‘I hope you’re not going to teach our daughter such common Irish expressions.’
Charlie protested that she’d probably picked that one up from him, but it wasn’t that which Shelley had homed up on.
‘Daughter! You’re having a baby girl – did it show up on the scan? I thought you said you didn’t want to know.’
Alex looked a bit sheepish but Charlie’s smile lit up her face and he knew he was off the hook. She detached her handbag from the back of her wheelchair, fished out a pink leather wallet, and handed it to Shelley.
‘We didn’t think we’d want to know and when we had the twelve-week scan we told the sonographer that she wasn’t to tell us. When we went for the twenty-week scan it was supposed to be the same, but the baby was lying on her back and when eagle-eye here couldn’t see any extra bits between the legs he said it had to be a girl!’
Alex looked over Shelley’s shoulder and pointed out the various parts of the baby that could be seen in the scan photograph.
‘My God, this is amazing! The last time I saw a scan picture was years ago when a schoolfriend got pregnant and we all looked at it in the classroom. Some kids reckoned they could make out arms and legs but I just thought it looked like something from outer space. This is so clear – and what’s this?’
Shelley had taken a DVD from the other side of the pink wallet.
‘It’s my birthday present from Alex. Margaret, the sonographer at the Heath, was brilliant and when we told her that we’d changed our minds about not wanting to know our baby’s sex she made some suggestions. We kept the image where it’s obvious she’s a girl, but then I wriggled around a bit to get the baby to move and she came up with a picture where the baby’s leg is raised and you can’t see the area that shows what sex she is.’
‘And it was that photo you showed me and everyone else in the dining room at work.’ laughed Shelley. ‘But you didn’t mention a DVD.’
‘Well, that’s my birthday present. Margaret told us that although the hospital wasn’t able to provide a DVD of the scan there were private clinics that did and she gave us a few contacts. It wasn’t that expensive and we came out of the session with this pink leather case and the most amazing film of our baby. You can see her heart beating. Oops, there I go again! I get emotional just talking about it. It’s the best birthday present I’ve ever had, I could just sit and watch it all day.’
Shelley hugged her friend. ‘Is it just for you and Alex, or do we get a look?’
‘I want to show it to the world – even put it on YouTube – but I’m restraining myself. Of course you can see it, but should we wait for Sarah and then have a girlie session without the men?’
‘Talking about Sarah,’ said Alex, ‘are they coming? Is everything OK with the two of them?’
‘I spoke to Matt, and he told me Sarah is thinking of moving to Australia and that he didn’t feel able to stop her. Apparently Sarah’s auntie lives in Perth and she’s been trying to get Sarah to take a job there for ages.’ Martin hesitated. ‘I think Sarah’s really good for Matt and I for one would be sorry to see her go.’
Shelley interrupted. ‘When Martin told me what Matt had said I’m afraid I couldn’t let it rest.’
‘What do you mean? – you haven’t said anything to me.’
Shelley blushed slightly. ‘I don’t tell you everything! And, well, as you’d already labelled me as an agony aunt I thought I’d stick my oar in.’
‘Sounds like something I’d be guilty of,’ said Charlie. ‘What happened?’
‘Well, I hope it’s more of a question of what’s happening, but let’s get some drinks and nibbles and then I’ll tell you my guilty secret.’
Shelley stepped into the kitchen and moments later returned with a tray of appetisers and glasses. She asked Martin to get the drinks while she explained the origin of some of the things she’d prepared.
‘I’m not a natural cook like you, Charlie, and generally I only get it right if I stick to a recipe – and not always then! But things are on the up. Martin got me a one-day cookery course at Llanerch Vineyard and opted to do a curry thingy. You remember Llanerch? We had that fab evening on my birthday. Well, I didn’t stop at the one session, and I’ve done two more short courses and got myself booked onto a few more.’
Martin sorted out the drinks and suggested they all sit around the fire and sample some of Shelley’s efforts.
‘I was a bit embarrassed at the start of the day, I thought everyone would be better than me, but to be honest we were all pretty useless to begin with. It’s amazing how much you can learn in just one session. Still, as they say, the proof of the pudding is in the eating – so tuck in and tell me what you think.’
Alex helped Charlie get out of her wheelchair and settle herself into three large cushions he’d moved into an armchair shape.
‘As I said just now, this is just perfect. It’s really good sometimes for me to lounge around at the same level as everyone else instead of having people towering over me.’
Alex leaned over to kiss his wife and the four of them watched as the fire gave a cosy glow to the cottage.
‘There’s something magical about an open fire. Though the magic dies a bit when you have to clean out the grate in the morning!’ said Alex.
Charlie crumpled a paper napkin into a ball and threw it at him. ‘Trust you to spoil the moment! Anyway, Shelley, these samosa-type things are scrummy – can I just keep eating them or do I have to leave room for a main meal?’
‘Keep eating if you want! I’ve got a series of small dishes that we can have as and when we like during the evening – nothing formal.’
‘Getting back to where we were about ten minutes ago, perhaps our self-appointed agony aunt would li
ke to tell us what she’s done with Matt and Sarah,’ teased Martin.
Shelley poked her tongue out at him. ‘Well, none of us know Sarah that well, but Martin said that Matt was smitten from the off.’
‘I did and it’s true. I’ve lost count of the number of women he’s gone out with over the years, but with Sarah I could see from the beginning that it was different. It wasn’t the most auspicious start to any relationship – you remember, we were in the middle of that case, the care home patients where Sarah worked were being killed for their money – awful case, but I’d never seen Matt so happy!’
Charlie interrupted. ‘So has she ditched him or what? I agree with what everyone’s said – they just seem so right for each other.’
‘It’s all to do with the fact that when they met Sarah was on the rebound. She was besotted with some guy she worked with at the Heath Hospital, and although I’m sure Matt has more than taken his place in her heart he hasn’t been able to heal her pride.
‘I’ve been shopping with Sarah a few times, and whenever we’ve met people she used to work with they’ve all said how much she’s missed and what a great senior nurse she was. She wouldn’t have walked away from a job she loved unless she’d reached an all-time low. Maybe Matt came on the scene just that bit too soon. The Australia thing has been on the cards for years, and in fact if it hadn’t been for her affair with that bloke she’d have gone last year. Ironic, isn’t it? If that had happened she and Matt would never have met.’
‘Not only that!’ interrupted Martin. ‘It would have meant she’d never have worked in the Parkland Nursing Home. It was Sarah who suggested to Matt that some deaths there were worth looking into. If she hadn’t been working there who knows how many more would have died at the hands of that doctor?’
‘So maybe we should be grateful to Sarah’s cheating doctor – not sure she’d see it that way, though! I know I wouldn’t, I’d want to kill him! Matt and Sarah are great together but I don’t think she’s got faith in her judgement of men any more. She’s been here before and I can understand her dilemma.’ Charlie snapped up the last of the small parcels filled with spicy chicken. ‘These are really good.’
‘Ta.’
‘What she really means,’ laughed Alex, ‘is are there any more?’
‘Well, I’m not soaking mine up with alcohol like some I could mention, so I’ve got room for more food and I’m eating for two.’
‘It was forever so!’ Alex laughed. ‘I didn’t think you’d have the cheek to blame your love of food on your pregnant state, but I can’t say I blame you for trying.’
Shelley picked up on the banter and placed plate two of her offering, chicken pakoras and dips, on the centre of the rug. Martin threw a few more logs on the fire.
‘This is just perfect,’ Charlie said again, causing a wave of companionable laughter.
‘No, I mean it! Eating out is great but you can’t beat a night in with friends and in such a warm cosy setting – it’s …’
‘Just perfect,’ finished all four of them in unison.
Shelley made herself comfortable propped up against Martin. ‘Anyway, to cut to the chase, when Martin said that Sarah was practically on the way to Australia I decided to find out if it really was what she wanted. We met for coffee and at first she seemed upbeat about the thought of a new life Down Under but there reached a point – after the second cappuccino – when we both realised that she was trying too hard.’
‘So she’s not going?’ asked Charlie.
‘It’s not that simple. There are two issues really, but although Sarah worries about the first I don’t really see it as a problem. This is the second time her aunt has made arrangements for Sarah to live in Perth, things like a job and all the necessary paperwork. The first set of plans were axed when Sarah met the infamous surgeon and believed that her life would be here in the UK with him. She doesn’t feel able to let her aunt down again, and especially as her reason sounds so much like the last one – she’s found a man and wants to be with him!’
‘And does she?’ asked Charlie. ‘Does she want to be with Matt?’
‘We eventually agreed that although her aunt might be cheesed off with having to cancel another set of preparations, it wouldn’t be the end of the world and it was her second issue that really mattered.’
‘So she does want to be with Matt?’
‘She told me Matt is the best thing that’s ever happened to her. His sisters have welcomed her with open arms and made her feel part of the family – apparently something she’s not known before. Contrary to what men think, not all women go into details about our love life, but I got the impression that the physical side of their relationship is A1.’
‘So what’s the problem – sounds to me like she wants to be with him, doesn’t it?’
‘We need to remember how badly she was treated and what that’s done to her confidence. She can’t trust her judgment anymore when it comes to men. On top of that, Matt isn’t helping! She says he seems to have just accepted that she’s going and hasn’t once said he wants her to stay or will miss her or anything.’
Charlie looked exasperated.
‘Bloody men – brains in their trousers as usual! When will they realise we need to hear how they feel? Actions don’t always speak louder than words. Someone needs to tell Matt before it’s too late. Martin you’ve known him the longest – why don’t you have a word?’
‘One agony aunt in this house is more than enough, and to be honest I’ve always steered clear of Matt’s romantic entanglements.’
‘I hope there’ll be no need for any of us to get involved, as when I left Sarah she was determined to find out exactly where she stands with Matt.’.
‘Matt got a call from Sarah just as I was leaving work so hopefully they’ve sorted something out. He’s doing OK on his case and his first media conference went well. Did you see it?’
‘Yes,’ replied Martin. ‘He looked to be taking it all in his stride. And I absolutely agree that his potential killer looks remarkably like mine. I hope it gets good coverage and he gets some results from it.’
‘Me too! But as I was saying, he got a call from Sarah and the last thing I heard him saying was he’d pick her up in ten minutes.’
‘That was hours ago! They were supposed to be coming here tonight, weren’t they? Charlie fidgeted as she spoke and Alex pulled her forward and put an extra cushion behind her.
‘Yes, I happen to know she’d bought a birthday present for you and Martin – she had them with her when we met for coffee. We laughed over them because they both will have been a nightmare to wrap but she said they were Matt’s idea of a joke. Can’t tell you any more or I’ll ruin the surprise.’
Martin refilled everyone’s glasses and looked at the clock.
‘It’s getting late, so it’s looking unlikely that they’ll be handing out gifts tonight. I can’t make up my mind if the time gap is a good or a bad thing but on balance I think it’s good – they’ll have a hell of a lot to talk about.’
They’d all been so busy talking, eating, and drinking that they hadn’t heard the car that had parked a little way down from the cottage and were startled when the doorbell penetrated through their chatter.
Martin jumped up and the others waited anxiously.
‘Come in, Sarah – is Matt with you?’
‘No.’
Sarah struggled through the cottage door carrying two strange shaped parcels that she handed to Charlie and Martin.
‘Happy birthdays! Next year it will be books for both of you or else Matt will have to wrap his own strange presents.’
Not all the four people hearing her words were detectives but they all picked up on her words: ‘next year’.
‘Matt may or may not get here later. He got a call from someone in Wiltshire and said he’d no option other than to follow it up. Don’t ask me what it’s all about because I’ve no idea. But, anyway, I don’t want to get you all talking about work so open your presents and
give me a drink – looks like I’ve got some catching up to do!’
Seeing Shelley’s quizzical look, Sarah smiled.
‘Don’t worry – things have a way of sorting themselves out!’
Chapter Twenty-one
‘I asked you a question.’
Catherine got the same stony silence as before. It was as if her visitor didn’t even know she was there, until without warning he turned. Suddenly she felt less able to shout obscenities at him.
‘Where is it?’ he demanded.
‘Where’s what? What the hell are you looking for?’
‘Not even you can be that thick! How long did you think it would be before Samatar sent me to look for it? Even your own son thinks you’re a disposable commodity, but we’ve got to tie up a few loose ends before the fun starts.’
Catherine was now terrified, knowing only too well that Ahmed’s idea of fun was not likely to be hers. She desperately wanted to make use of that last bottle of whisky, and it was as if he’d read her thoughts.
‘Go ahead.’
He knew she wouldn’t call the police, and if she phoned her beloved son he’d be disappointed because he was anticipating never hearing from her again.
Catherine didn’t even bother with a glass, and took a large swig directly from the bottle. It immediately made her feel she had a friend and after a couple more mouthfuls she felt able to go back to her study. She still believed that she was more use to Samatar and the organisation alive than dead – and anyway, Ahmed was looking in the wrong place for her insurance policy. If she just told him that he’d go away – wouldn’t he?
She hardly recognised her study when she returned, as every drawer had been ransacked and every movable piece of furniture turned upside down.
‘You know what I’m looking for, so why not save yourself from any more aggro and tell me where it is? If I don’t find it I’ll give you the same treatment as I’ve given this lot.’ He kicked the upturned desk to prove his point. ‘Come to think of it, that would give me a great deal of pleasure.’