‘I will.’
‘Emily, take my horse from the stables,’ Reverend Pascoe said. ‘I know you do not enjoy riding but you have bags to carry and it is a long way.’
‘Thank you,’ I said. I felt that riding held no fear for me now.
Arthur and I loaded up the horses and, riding side by side, we set off towards Plymouth. We had not long left the village behind, though, when I looked across towards the sea at the roof of the inn, which I could just see in the distance.
‘I need to say goodbye,’ I said. ‘I need to see Mam.’
Arthur, bless him, nodded as though he had been expecting me to say this. And without a word to convince me otherwise, he tugged on his horse’s reins and turned it around. I followed.
We tied the horses up in the stables and quietly headed into the inn. The door was open and inside to our great surprise, was Petroc. He jumped to his feet when he saw us.
‘Good Lord,’ he said. ‘Good Lord. I thought you would be long gone.’
‘We were on our way, but Emily wanted to say goodbye to her mother.’
Petroc patted my arm. ‘You are a good girl, Emily Moon.’
‘Emily P …’ Arthur began but I shook my head at him to quiet him. There was no time for explanations now.
‘Where is my mother?’
‘Upstairs,’ Petroc said. He gave me a wink. ‘Everyone thinks you’re dead and that your ghost is walking the cliffs.’
‘I got some of your paint on my cloak,’ I told him. ‘Morgan saw me.’
Realisation dawned on Petroc’s face. ‘I heard him shouting and bawling,’ he said. ‘I thought he just wanted me to show myself to the revenue men.’
‘No awkward questions?’ Arthur said.
Petroc shrugged. ‘Not so far,’ he said. He shifted on his feet. ‘Janey said she’d speak for me if the revenue men come calling.’
I looked at him, stern-faced. ‘You take care of her.’
‘I truly will.’
Satisfied, I left the bar area and climbed the stairs to my mother’s bedroom. She was sitting on her bed, with her back to me, staring out of the window at the sea.
‘Mam,’ I said softly. She turned around and looked at me in disbelief.
‘Emily?’
‘It’s me.’
Mam got up slowly and came round to where I stood. Her hair was wild and her eyes swollen with tears. She looked at me and then reached out her hand and touched my face and my shoulders and my waist. ‘Emily,’ she said again. ‘They said you were dead. They said you’d fallen from the cliff and died.’
‘Petroc said that, so Morgan didn’t come for us,’ I explained.
Mam gathered me into her arms and I felt her tears on my neck. ‘Oh, my girl,’ she said. ‘My girl.’
Eventually I untangled myself from her embrace. ‘We can’t stay, Mam,’ I said. ‘It’s too dangerous and we have a new life to live.’
She nodded. ‘Where will you go?’
I took a deep breath. ‘America.’
Mam’s eyes widened. ‘But that is so far.’
‘A new life in a new world.’
‘I always knew you would do great things, Emily,’ she said.
‘Not great. A farm perhaps? Some fruit trees. Maybe a baby. Ordinary.’
‘Wonderful.’
‘Will you be all right?’
‘I believe I will,’ Mam said. ‘Petroc says people will drink in the inn again now Morgan is gone.’
‘It wasn’t your fault.’
Mam looked ashamed. ‘Don’t make it easier to live with.’
‘Put it behind you,’ I urged her, gripping her hands. I wanted her to realise that the best way of getting revenge was to make The Ship the best inn in Kirrinporth.
I kissed her and she hung on to me for a moment, then let me go.
‘Wait there,’ she said.
She dropped to her knees and I watched in surprise and bewilderment as she disappeared under the bed. There was a creak and she pulled up a floorboard. ‘Here we go,’ she muttered. ‘Here it is.’
She backed out again and triumphantly held up a small bag made of sackcloth. She thrust it at me and wiped her hair away from her face, leaving a streak of dust on her cheek. ‘It’s for you.’
Not understanding, I took the bag and looked inside. It was money. A lot of money. More money than I’d ever seen in my life.
‘What’s this?’
‘It’s Morgan’s,’ Mam said. She looked defiant. ‘He never told me about it, but I saw him hide it under there a couple of weeks ago. He thought I was stupid, but I’m not. I knew he was up to no good. I was planning to leave.’
I stared at her in surprise.
‘When you told me you were worried I’d hang,’ she said. ‘I’d already planned to go. I thought we could leave the night Morgan brought in his cargo. Go to Devon, perhaps. Or further.’
‘Mam,’ I breathed, remembering how adamant she’d been that everything would be fine. I was filled with admiration.
‘But then they said you were dead,’ Mam went on. ‘And I didn’t have the energy to go. So I left the money where it was.’ She grinned at me suddenly. ‘He’d want you to have it,’ she said.
I laughed out loud. I was fairly sure Morgan would want anything but. I looked at Mam, then I paused and opened the bag again, shaking out some of the coins and notes on to the bed. ‘We’ll share it,’ I said.
Mam nodded and I tucked the pouch into my skirt for safekeeping.
‘We need to go,’ I said. I pointed to the bed. ‘Check under your pillow.’
Mam grabbed me and kissed my face all over. ‘Goodbye,’ she said. ‘Goodbye, Emily Moon.’
Without looking back, I turned and went back downstairs to find Arthur. ‘Let’s go,’ I said. We waved to Petroc and headed outside to the horses.
‘All right?’ Arthur said.
I nodded. I pulled out the bag and showed him the money. ‘Look.’
Arthur’s eyes were like saucers. ‘Where did your mother find that?’
‘Morgan’s,’ I said in delight.
‘Tainted money,’ said Arthur.
But I shrugged. The way I saw it, it was better we had it than it stay hidden under the floorboards at the inn. Like I’d said to Mam, I believed that us living well and having a good life was the best revenge we could have. Morgan had tried to destroy everything we loved, but we had won.
‘Morgan is gone,’ I said. I shook the bag so the coins jangled. ‘We won, Arthur.’
Arthur frowned for a second, then his face cleared. ‘We’re going to America,’ he said. He picked me up and spun me round. ‘We’re going to America,’ he said again.
Once more, we climbed on to our horses and headed towards the road to Plymouth and our new life. As we passed the inn, I looked back. Mam was in the window looking out, the pictures I’d left under her pillow clutched to her chest. She lifted her hand to wave and I waved in response. I put my fingers to my lips, reminding her to stay quiet and she nodded.
‘Goodbye,’ I whispered.
Chapter 42
Phoebe
2019
The pub was quiet and dark when I finally got home, hanging with tiredness but still buzzing with adrenaline. I crept upstairs and into my bedroom, where I switched on the light and jumped out of my skin to see Liv sitting up in the other single bed.
‘Jesus,’ I said.
She pushed back the duvet, came over to me and squeezed me tight.
‘I’ve been so worried, Phoebe. What’s going on?’
I peeled her off me and she got back into bed.
‘Tell me,’ she demanded.
‘Ewan’s part of some big organised crime ring,’ I said, unzipping my hoodie and taking it off. ‘Jed’s in the police and he’s been undercover, getting all the details, and now Ewan’s been arrested.’
‘Shit,’ said Liv. ‘Jed’s in the police? What will happen now? Am I in trouble? Did you know about this? Are they my trainers?’
&nb
sp; I grinned, feeling under my pillow for my pyjamas.
‘Erm, yes Jed’s in the police, he’s called Jeremy really. I’m not sure what will happen now, I’m meeting Jed tomorrow. I will work hard to make sure you’re not in trouble. I didn’t know anything but I was suspicious. And yes, they’re your trainers. Sorry.’
Liv shrugged. ‘Doesn’t matter. Can you tell me everything?’ She patted her bed. ‘Get in.’
So I got under the duvet with her and told her all my suspicions about Ewan and what he was up to, how I’d seen them on the beach and put two and two together, thanks to my research into Emily Moon.
‘And you didn’t know Jed was undercover?’ she said.
‘Not a clue. Not until I saw him on the beach.’
‘Shit.’
‘I could have blown the whole thing,’ I said.
‘But you didn’t. You helped him.’
‘I had to go and meet his DCI,’ I told her with a shudder, remembering the hard stare DCI Richardson had given me at the top of the cliff.
‘Was she angry?’
‘Weirdly, no. She was nice, actually. She said thank you.’
‘Do you think DI Blair will be angry?’
‘I’m signed off,’ I said. ‘I’m really not supposed to be doing any sort of police work. I might get into trouble for that.’
‘Will you have to go back?’
‘Probably.’ Having spent weeks feeling decidedly meh about rainy old Cornwall, the thought of going back to London suddenly didn’t seem as appealing as it might have once done.
‘I guess I’ll come back with you,’ Liv said.
‘But you’re here until the end of the year, aren’t you? Can you break your contract?’
She snorted. ‘I imagine I’ll be fired.’
I took her hand. ‘Tell me what happened.’
‘Promise you won’t hate me?’
‘Of course.’
‘Ewan came to see me. He said he’d heard money was tight and he could help with some extra work. He made it sound totally legit at first. I said I was interested, obviously. But then when it became obvious that it wasn’t above board, I said no.’
‘Why didn’t you tell me?’
She paused, folding the duvet cover in between her fingers.
‘I was scared. He put more and more pressure on me, and then he showed me printouts of my credit card bills, Phoebe. I was scared what he might do if he knew you were in the police.’
‘Did Ewan pay your credit card bill?’
‘You know about that? You should be a detective.’
I nudged her again, more forcefully this time. ‘You shouldn’t leave your phone lying around if you don’t want people to read your messages.’
‘I didn’t ask him to pay it,’ she said, biting her lip. ‘He just did it. And then I owed him and there was nothing I could do to get out of it.’
‘It’s not your fault. He saw a weakness and he exploited it.’
‘I’ve got no idea how he knew so much about me, but he knows everyone.’
‘I was lucky he didn’t pay me any attention,’ I pointed out. ‘Imagine if he’d found out who I really was.’
Liv shuddered. ‘I bet he’s mates with that PC in Kirrinporth who was rude to you. Honestly, he’s got friends everywhere.’
‘Des Lincoln,’ I told her, remembering. ‘He’s one of them.’
‘No way!’
‘Apparently. And the Watson family are in witness protection. DCI Richardson said it was the wife who acted. The husband was going along with it, letting them use the tunnel and whatnot because they had something on him – like they had with you. She thought he was cheating on her, did some digging and found out the truth, and basically went and sat in the police station with the kids until they agreed to help.’
‘Bloody hell.’
‘I think you got off lightly,’ I said.
Liv looked like she wanted to be sick. ‘I was so ashamed, Phoebe. I even took off your bracelet because every time I looked at it, I felt like I’d let you down.’
‘No,’ I said firmly. ‘You could never let me down.’
Liv looked at me. ‘You took your necklace off too.’
‘Because I saw your bracelet on your bedside table and I was cross with you.’
‘Where is it?’
I put my hand in my pocket and pulled it out. ‘It’s right here.’
‘Can I?’
I unfastened the clasp and put it round my neck and Liv did it up for me. Then I helped her with the bracelet.
‘I’m so sorry,’ she said.
I put my arm round her and hugged her. ‘It’s all going to be okay.’
‘Do you think so?’
‘You’ll probably have to pay the money back,’ I said. ‘And be a witness. But none of this is your fault.’
Liv squeezed me tightly. ‘I’m so pleased we’re friends again.’
We both fell asleep like that, squeezed into the same single bed, like we used to spend sleepovers when we were kids. I was woken late the next day with the sun – actual sun – streaming in the window and my phone buzzing madly on the bedside table. I snatched it up before it woke Liv, though she was dead to the world, and I took it into the kitchen. I had a gazillion emails, from DI Blair and from colleagues in Lewisham. I made myself a cup of tea and scanned through them. Everyone was being really nice, saying that they’d heard what I’d done, and that I’d done a good job. DI Blair even said I was being considered for an award, which was exciting. But then he added: ‘Unfortunately we can no longer support your sick leave. Please call me to discuss your return to work.’
I made a face at my phone. It was slightly disconcerting to realise that while I had missed police work, I’d not missed London at all. Doing something different had got me fired up and I couldn’t imagine going back to Lewisham and investigating the same crimes I’d been investigating my whole career. I typed a reply asking to use all the annual leave I’d accrued while I was off, and sent it off just another email landed in my inbox, from DCI Richardson. I read it with a certain amount of surprise. It seemed I had a lot to think about.
My phone rang in my hand and I answered it straightaway. It was Jed.
‘Did I wake you?’
‘No,’ I said. ‘Been up for hours.’
‘Really?’
‘About ten minutes.’
He chuckled. ‘Wondered if you fancied a walk?’
‘Definitely.’
‘I can be at the pub in half an hour, if that works for you?’
‘Perfect.’
I ended the call and dashed into the shower and then spent ten minutes asking a bleary-eyed Liv her opinion on different outfits.
‘This top?’ I said, holding up a floaty blouse covered in little flowers. ‘Or this one?’
‘The first one,’ she said, pointing to the second one.
I tutted. ‘Which trousers? Jeans? Or shorts?’
She looked straight at me. ‘Is this a date? Or is it work?’
‘It’s work,’ I said. ‘Definitely work. Sort of.’
‘Do you want it to be a date?’
‘No. Yes.’
She grinned and knelt up on the bed. ‘That top, those denim shorts because your legs look great in them, and your Converse, because you might go for a walk and you don’t want to be scuffing about in your flip-flops. What are you doing with your hair?’
I frowned. ‘I’ve done it.’
‘Nope,’ she said. ‘Put it in a messy bun so it looks like you’re not trying, and also it makes your neck look all long and elegant and maybe he’ll want to kiss it.’
‘It’s not a date,’ I said, suddenly nervous.
‘Just in case.’
Liv helped me do my make-up, because I found my hands were shaking and I couldn’t put mascara on. She twisted my hair up for me and checked my outfit. Then she nodded approvingly. ‘Good.’
Heart thumping, I blew her a kiss and went downstairs to wait for Jed. He was there al
most instantly, looking handsome in jeans and a plain black T-shirt. I found that I couldn’t stop smiling as I looked at him. And, much to my surprise and delight, he seemed to be the same, grinning broadly at me.
‘How are you today?’ he said. ‘None the worse for the adventure?’
‘Actually I feel really good,’ I said. ‘Back to my old self. My pluck has been restored.’
‘I’m glad to hear it.’
‘What’s the latest on Ewan?’ I asked. ‘Fancy a coffee? Though I must warn you, I’m not so good with the fancy milk frothing.’
‘Yes please. And just normal milk is fine,’ he said. ‘He’s in magistrates’ court later. I don’t think he’ll get bail.’
‘I hope not.’ I felt a tiny trickle of fear down my back, as I turned on the coffee machine and waited for it to warm up.
‘We’ve raided lots of locations this morning,’ Jed went on. ‘We’ve got the beginning of the whole network.’
‘That’s amazing,’ I said. I poured the coffees into takeaway cups. Jed picked up his cup and I took mine, and together we went out into the sunshine. Without discussing it, we walked towards the clifftop and sat down where we’d kissed that day.
‘So it’s all worked out,’ I said. ‘You’ve caught all the baddies.’
‘Some of them. But now we’ve got those, we’ll get more,’ Jed said. ‘It’s like Jenga. If you pull one bit out – and this is an important bit because it’s the supply bit – it all falls apart.’
‘You’ve done an amazing job getting all the information,’ I said. ‘How long were you undercover for?’
‘Almost a year.’
‘Shit.’
He took my hand. ‘I’m so sorry about what happened,’ he said. ‘I was such an idiot.’
I nodded. ‘That’s true enough.’
‘I’d worked so hard getting Ewan’s trust. Making myself useful. I even drove some delivery routes, you know. That was all true. And then you turned up and distracted me totally.’
I grinned. ‘Sorry,’ I said, not meaning it in the slightest.
‘When we kissed that night I thought I’d totally blown it. I had no idea what to do. That’s why I legged it. And why I was ignoring your messages. I thought if I could just get through the arrests I could tell you the truth. Little did I know you were conducting your own bloody investigation.’
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