‘You’re very sure of yourself.’
‘Ah, be nice to me, Red. I need comforting. I’m being turned out of my flat again tonight. I’m a poor homeless waif.’
‘You’ll be able to sleep in your car and finish off the picnic for dinner, then,’ she said.
‘You’re heartless. I’ve got things to tell you,’ he offered beguilingly.
‘So you said.’
‘Be nice and I’ll tell you.’
‘I am nice. Look, I’m smiling.’
‘Fair enough. Have a glass of wine.’
‘Thanks. Have a sandwich. Prawn, ham and salad, egg and cress, or – some dubious-looking red stuff. I’ve forgotten what it is.’
‘Chinese-style chicken,’ he said. ‘I’ll have one of those.’
Jenna took an egg and cress. ‘So, what’s the big news?’
‘Caroline and Xander have had a big row,’ he said, pleased with himself.
‘Really? When? How do you know?’
‘Thursday night, it happened, apparently. After he’d been to that dinner party – the Buckminsters, was it? He rang her up and one thing led to another.’ He held up a hand to stop her asking another question. ‘Wait, all will be revealed. I was over at Dad’s on Friday morning, and Caro turned up, spitting tacks. Dad asked what was wrong, and she said Xander had rung her up and asked her “all sorts of impertinent questions” – I quote. Then she said, “This is getting ridiculous,” and Dad gave her a sort of look that meant not in front of the infants, and took her into his study. They were talking in there for ages, but I couldn’t hear what about.’
‘Why would she tell your dad about quarrelling with Xander?’ Jenna said, puzzled.
He shrugged. ‘Search me. But I think there’s something devious going on between her and Dad, something in the business line, because he wouldn’t take her into his study to discuss affairs of the heart. To begin with, he hasn’t got one, and to go on with, neither has she.’
‘So you never found out what it was about?’
‘Not entirely, but I’m pretty sure it was about Kitty and you and your scheme to save Holtby House. Because later on, when she was sitting out on the lawn, Xander rang her on her mobile, and I was up in my old bedroom and the window was open and I could hear bits of what she said. And at one point she said, “I think she’s a lot more frail than she lets on. It would be a big mistake.” Which has got to be Kitty, don’t you think? And then later she got angry and said, “I resent that. Of course I don’t. No one would be happier than me if she could stay.” Which might be Kitty, or might be you. Then she looked up so I had to duck back, and I couldn’t hear any more, except that she sounded angry, and then after that she seemed to be trying to make it up with him.’ He looked at her hopefully. ‘So, what do you think? Wasn’t that worth coming for?’
‘I met him on Friday afternoon,’ Jenna said slowly, ‘and he apologized for thinking I was a crook. He seemed depressed, a bit.’
‘You’d be depressed if you’d suddenly woken up to what Caro’s really like, but you were still stuck with her,’ Harry said.
‘He could get out of the engagement, surely?’ Jenna said.
‘He wouldn’t do it. Not Xander,’ Harry said. ‘Very old-fashioned sort of bloke. He wouldn’t let Caro down, if she still wanted to go through with it. Which she does. I asked her on her way out how things stood, and she gave me one of those manufactured smiles and said everything was fine between them and why wouldn’t it be.’
‘Xander’s gone away on a buying trip for a few days,’ Jenna said. ‘I wonder if that’s a last minute thing, to give him time to think?’
‘No, it isn’t, because even I knew about it. Caroline said last week he was going away this weekend. But he might be glad about it now – chance to get away from her for a bit. Poor geezer.’ He topped up their glasses. ‘And poor me, too, chucked out of my flat, and for a rat like that. I’ll have to get the place fumigated afterwards.’
‘A rat like who?’
‘Oh, didn’t I say? Dad told me yesterday when I was over there. Derek rotten Sullivan is using the place tonight. I have to get it ready for him this afternoon – stock the fridge and change the sheets and so on.’
‘Using it for what?’ Jenna asked.
Harry shrugged moodily. ‘The usual, I suppose. Some girl, or girls. I wouldn’t be surprised if Dad was supplying them. He’s married, you know – Sullivan – so it has to be discreet.’
‘Sullivan’s using your flat for an illicit love-fest?’ Jenna said.
‘You’re talking like a tabloid,’ Harry noted with interest.
‘Sorry, it comes from working in the magazine trade. But this could be big.’
‘Big? How?’
‘Because he’s standing in the next election, and that sort of thing is frowned on in an MP.’
A slow smile spread over Harry’s face. ‘You’re right. You’re absolutely right. Now, I wonder whether we can’t make use of that handy little fact.’
Twenty-Two
‘What do you mean?’ Jenna said.
‘I mean, prepare a welcome for him. Electronically. Film what he’s doing. See who he meets.’
‘Can you do that?’
‘Me? I’m an electronics wizard. Besides,’ he added, ‘the whole place is wired up already. Apart from all the home entertainments, some of the people who borrow the place from Dad like to film themselves having fun.’ Jenna looked disgusted, and he shrugged. ‘That’s life. People get their jollies in different ways. But it makes it easy, in the present case. I only have to alter some of the wiring and feed it through to a recorder hidden somewhere he won’t look and – Bob’s your uncle. I can track his every movement.’
‘Don’t these people ever wonder if your dad won’t do the same thing?’
He scowled. ‘Are you suggesting my dad’s a blackmailer?’
‘God, no! I’m sorry – that’s a terrible thing to say.’
Harry grinned. ‘Just yankin’ your chain. It wouldn’t surprise me in the least, except that I reckon the people he lets use the flat must have as much on him as he has on them, otherwise they wouldn’t trust him. So, shall we do it? Get a little something on old Derek Sullivan?’
‘Absolutely not,’ Jenna said. ‘Apart from the idea of watching him have sex being nauseating in the extreme, it’s wrong.’
‘OK,’ he said, suspiciously easily.
She looked at him narrowly. ‘You’re going to do it anyway, aren’t you?’
‘Well if I do, I won’t tell you, so you’ll never know. But I’ve found out some stuff about Sullivan, stuff you wanted to know. About this Benson business. Shall I tell you, or are you too virtuous?’
‘Depends how you found out,’ she said warily.
‘Dad told me.’
‘Oh, well, that’s different. Tell away.’
‘OK. First, it was Dad’s firm that was going to buy Benson’s land with the planning permission. It surprised me a bit, because Beale Cartwright doesn’t usually go in for Mickey Mouse little developments like ten holiday chalets. But anyway, Dad was doing it under the name of BC International – that’s the holding company – because it wouldn’t have made him very popular locally.’
‘You can say that again,’ Jenna exclaimed. ‘It would have finished Caroline’s reign as county belle, too, given that she’s his stepdaughter. He was wise to keep it secret. And he told you that?’
‘I found some papers in his desk when he was out. Well, that’s a kind of telling me, isn’t it?’ he protested at her stern look. ‘But he did tell me the rest. When he said Sullivan was getting my flat, I said, “What’s that in aid of? Has he done you a favour over this Benson land?” Just guessing, you see, to make him think I knew. And he said, “ECH is buying it, if that’s what you mean.” That’s English Country Homes, Sullivan’s firm. Then he said, “But the favour’s the other way round. He’ll make plenty on it.”’
‘How will he, without the planning permission?’ Jenna aske
d.
‘Dunno. But I do know that ECH has been buying up all sorts of bits of land – banking them, it’s called. Tesco do it, partly in case they can ever get planning permission, and partly to stop anyone else buying it. I was looking at Yew Tree Farm in Wenham St James for Dad’s firm just recently, because the Coopers are selling up, but the planning officer said there was no way we’d ever get permission to develop, so I left it alone. Then I heard that ECH had bought the land for a very low price, because obviously without planning permission it’s just farmland.’
Jenna shook her head. ‘I don’t get it. Your dad said he did Sullivan a favour letting him buy Benson’s land? But how was that a favour? And if he had done him a favour, why would he have to bribe him with use of your flat?’
‘God knows. They’re as crooked as a pig’s tail, the pair of them. But I’ll tell you another thing – Dad’s firm’s given Sullivan big money for campaign expenses.’
‘I suppose he told you that, too?’ she enquired ironically.
‘His desk told me,’ Harry said. ‘I wish I could have a good poke round in his office one day, but he doesn’t often leave it unlocked. I only managed to nip in that time because he was in the loo.’
‘So we know there’s some kind of connection between Sullivan, your dad and the Benson land,’ Jenna said.
‘And I did see the planning officer get into Sullivan’s car after the meeting,’ Harry said. ‘But what it all means I haven’t worked out. And I’m sure there’s a connection as well with Holtby House, and that maybe Caro’s in on it. Because she’s been very suspicious of you from the moment you arrived. I thought at first it was because of Xander, but then she encouraged me to go out with you, which I’m sure was to find out what you were up to. And she seems to be against the rescue plan you’ve worked out. Enough against to make Xander quarrel with you over it.’
Jenna nodded. ‘There’s something else,’ she said. ‘Something you don’t know.’ And she told him about Patrick’s visit. ‘I can’t prove it, of course, but it looks as though she tracked Patrick down to convince him that I was longing to go back to him, in the hope that he’d come and fetch me away.’
‘Before you did any more damage,’ Harry concluded. ‘Phew. Lucky escape, Red! And poor old Caro, thwarted at every turn! But I didn’t like seeing her go into my dad’s office for a private chat. That girl’s too ambitious to be let loose around a rogue like my dad.’
‘You don’t mind talking about him like that?’
He shrugged. ‘I’ve got used to it. He’s a bad hat. But he provides me with the necessary, and I’m not qualified to do anything else.’
‘You could break away. Give up his money and make your own way in life.’
He looked sulky. ‘You don’t know what it’s like. Once you’ve been rich it’s hard to face not having things. I’m not cut out to be poor. Anyway, what else could I do?’
‘Become an estate agent.’ He made a face, and she said crossly, ‘I don’t know. Work behind a bar. Anything, so long as it’s respectable.’
‘I could be a political researcher for an MP,’ he said. ‘That’d be an interesting job.’
‘I said “respectable”.’
He grinned. ‘Never mind, Red. You can reform me another time. For now, there’s our plot to film Sullivan and his shocking antics at my flat.’
‘You’re not to tell me about that,’ she said. ‘Have some cake.’
‘All right, but I will say this. Watch out for Caroline. She was really mad yesterday, and since she definitely wants Xander for some reason, she might turn her anger on you.’
‘What, you think she’s going to attack me with a hatchet or something?’
‘Don’t laugh. She might do. If she’s determined to stop you saving Kitty’s house. But it would be more her sort of speed to find something out about you and ruin your life.’
‘I’ve never done anything.’
‘Everyone’s done something. Or if not you, someone in your family. You asked if Dad was a blackmailer – well, I’d definitely not put it past old Caro. So just keep your wits about you, that’s all I’m saying.’
‘If she harms anyone in my family . . .’ Jenna growled menacingly.
‘Thattagirl. Keep that snarl handy.’
On Sunday Kitty went out for the day with Jim. Jenna did some more work in the morning, then took the afternoon off to sunbathe and read in a secluded part of the garden, the only fly in the idyll being Barney’s desire to lie right next to her, and preferably with his great heavy head resting on her stomach. He was growing increasingly devoted to the only person who regularly took him out for walks, and no degree of heat could dissuade him from pressing his hot furry body up against hers, if she ever descended to his level.
Eventually she was too hot and sticky to enjoy it any more, so she went in and had a hot and then a cold shower, put on the lightest cottons she had, and went to see about fixing herself a salad. She ate it, accompanied by a chilly glass of Chablis, on the terrace. It was quite nice to be alone for once, and she was just contemplating a spot of telly on the sofa when the phone rang.
It was Harry. ‘Are you alone?’ he asked in a sepulchral voice.
Jenna snorted. ‘You sound like an ad for a dating agency.’
‘I’m serious. Are you alone in the house, or is Kitty there?’
‘No, she’s out for the day.’
‘Or anyone else?’
‘I’m alone, Mr Smiley,’ Jenna said patiently.
‘Good. I’m coming in.’
‘Where are you?’
‘Just outside.’
‘Right. Will I recognize you, or will you have one of your devilish disguises on?’
‘Ha-very-ha,’ he said, and rang off.
In half a minute he was there, coming through the gate from the yard. He flung himself down on the seat next to her and said, ‘I left the car down the road, just in case there were any visitors.’
‘So what’s all the cloak and daggery?’ Jenna asked. ‘Are you being followed?’
‘I hope not,’ he said seriously. ‘Boy, have I got news for you!’
‘Oh, is that programme on? I was just wondering what to watch tonight on TV. Glass of wine?’
‘Oh, why not,’ he said, frustrated. ‘I can see I can’t get you excited.’
‘Never stop trying,’ she told him solemnly, and went to fetch the bottle from the fridge and another glass.
‘OK,’ she said, when she had settled again, ‘what have you got to tell me? Is it about Sullivan staying in your flat?’
‘Yes, and I know who his visitor was. He left this morning so I was able to get in and retrieve the tapes this afternoon. I made you some stills – don’t say I never give you anything. These are just from the security system.’ He slapped a black-and-white print down in front of her. ‘Ta-ra!’ he trumpeted triumphantly. ‘The camera never lies.’
Jenna picked it up and stared. It showed the back view and part profile of a silver-haired man holding open the front door to Harry’s flat, but the person he was admitting was full-face. It was the usual grainy, poorly defined image you get from CCTV, but there was no mistaking that the man’s female guest was Caroline Russell.
‘Wow,’ Jenna said. ‘And yet, somehow I’m not surprised.’ She looked up at Harry. ‘But this isn’t incriminating. She could have called on him for any reason – anything from taking a message from your dad to collecting for the Salvation Army.’
‘There’s more,’ said Harry, slapping down number two. ‘He kisses her.’
‘That’s just a social peck on the cheek. Everybody does that.’
‘He gives her a drink.’ In number three, they were sitting on the sofa, each with a glass in hand and a wine bottle on the coffee table in front of them.
‘Just being polite,’ she said.
‘They canoodle.’ Silver Fox’s arm was round Caroline, and they were kissing properly, on the lips.
‘Ah. That’s a little harder to explain.
’
‘Why bother?’ said Harry, and slapped down the fifth picture. ‘Here they are going into the bedroom.’
Jenna was relieved to see it was the last. ‘Maybe he had something he wanted to show her,’ she managed feebly.
‘Oh, he did,’ said Harry.
‘Don’t tell me you filmed in the bedroom as well!’ Jenna exclaimed.
‘All right, I won’t tell you,’ said Harry, ‘but the film in there is much better quality than this CCTV stuff, proper movie film. I told you some of Dad’s pals like to film themselves and sometimes Dad makes them copies.’
‘And did they – Sullivan and Caroline—?’ Jenna didn’t really want to ask, but she had to know.
Harry nodded. ‘The lot. In colour.’
‘Oh God. Poor Xander.’
‘Lucky Xander, I should have thought,’ said Harry. ‘It’s his perfect get-out. And if he doesn’t want to get out – well, that girl’s a bit of a goer. Amazing when you think how she presents herself to the world.’
‘You haven’t watched it?’ she said reproachfully.
‘Purely in the interests of research,’ he assured her. ‘I closed my eyes a lot of the time. But this film is dynamite, you do realize that?’
‘I don’t understand,’ Jenna said. ‘If it’s so dangerous to Sullivan, why would he take it?’
‘He didn’t. There are two camera set-ups in the bedroom. One out in the open, for the punters, and another secret one for my dad’s eyes only. I found it in the course of trying to set up exactly the same thing for myself. Obviously Dad likes to have a little something in reserve in case of necessity. I told you I was an electronics wiz, only I don’t think you believed me.’
‘I’m sorry. I do now. But what on earth are we going to do?’
‘Oh, it’s “we”, is it? You’re on board now?’
‘Well, you’ve told me about it. I can’t un-know it, can I?’ She thought. ‘Won’t your dad expect to take the film away?’
‘Of course. I told him I was going to be out tonight, so he’ll be there now, retrieving it for his archive. But I’ve already made a copy.’
‘Cunning devil. To do what with?’ A thought came to her. ‘You’re not going to blackmail Derek Sullivan, are you? Because that’s just a bit illegal, in case you didn’t realize, and I couldn’t have anything to do with it.’
Country Plot Page 28