Amanda Cadabra and The Hidden Depths

by Holly Bell

  ‘You didn’t correct me,’ Trelawney pointed out.

  ‘You wouldn’t want me to treat you as less than you are and give you all of the answers, now would you, Inspector? Besides, she wasn’t the family man of business. She was a young solicitor starting out. She knew who the Cardiubarns were and I happened to be the one that, for some reason, created the most alarm. I offered her sufficient funds to send out the letters and to maintain strict confidentiality.’

  ‘But had the Flamgoynes already got to her? Or was that afterwards?’

  ‘I am quite sure that, at the time of our meeting, she had had no contact with them. They may have used divination, of course, to attempt to spy on me.’

  ‘Or you were seen meeting Mrs Fordh.’

  ‘Regardless, I forgive her,’ Senara uttered magnanimously. ‘The end result was the desired one. The entire parcel of Cardiubarns was disposed of. I expect she used the money I paid her to escape over the border and start a new life elsewhere. I do not begrudge it.’ She picked up a second slice of saffron cake. ‘This is excellent, Amanda. Do tell your friends. My recipe, of course.’

  ‘That’s odd, Granny, I thought it was Grandpa’s,’ replied her granddaughter, with a gleam.

  ‘It came to me through your dear grandfather,’ responded Senara smoothly.

  ‘That’s right, love,’ replied Perran equably, with a wink at Amanda.

  That was all the information the grandparents were to give. Shortly thereafter, they said how nice this had been but they were meeting friends, and disappeared.

  ‘So …,’ commented Amanda, ‘Elizabeth Fordh became Elizabeth Ford. An easy enough adjustment on documentation, I’d have thought. Do you think Ryan knows anything of this?’

  ‘Probably too young to remember, but if he does know what happened it just may explain his presence here in Sunken Madley. I think we need to pay Mr Ford a visit. At least he’s in the land of the living!’

  Chapter 45

  Coming Clean

  Back on their own plane of existence, on route to their rendezvous, Perran suggested mildly,

  ‘You could just tell them there are rules — well, guidelines — about how much we can reveal.’

  ‘Certainly not,’ replied his wife, stoutly. ‘We want them to start relying a bit more on each other and their own intuition. Besides …’

  ‘Yes, love, you’d rather be thought of as just plain difficult than obedient!’

  She beamed affectionately at him. ‘How well you know me.’

  ***

  ‘Can I offer you anything?’ asked Ryan, sitting on the sofa opposite his guests.

  ‘We’re fine, thank you,’ Amanda assured him. ‘Just had tea and cake.’

  ‘Ah. Good … Listen, I told Detective Constable Nikolaides about my connection with South America. Friend at uni from Lima. Very keen cricketers there, you see, with a long tradition. He invited me to stay with his family and play with the local team. It was a wonderful time … I never …’

  ‘That’s quite all right, Mr Ford … Ryan,’ relented Trelawney. ‘That matter is now resolved.’

  ‘Oh … well … glad to hear it … So …?’

  ‘Ryan,’ said Amanda kindly, ‘we’re hoping that you can help us with something else. It’s something from my past. It would mean a great deal to be able to put that to rest, if possible.’

  ‘Of course, but I don’t see —’

  ‘When you were a baby, you lived with your parents in Cornwall, yes?’

  Ryan’s eyes widened just a trifle, but he answered calmly,

  ‘Yes, for a time, I believe so. Too young to remember.’

  ‘Something happened to my family at that time.’ Ryan looked troubled and, thinking it was misplaced sympathy, Amanda hastened to add,’ Oh I don’t mind at all that it happened to them. They were the most unpleasant people imaginable.’

  This frankness took him aback, and he almost smiled. Trelawney gave away his own amusement only by a slight twitch of the lips. He intervened,

  ‘Ryan, let me assure you, no one is in any trouble. No one is going to be arrested, charged, or accused in any way. We simply need to know what happened regarding the Cardiubarn van going over the cliff. So that the case can be closed, and everyone can be done with it.’

  Ford shifted in his seat uneasily.

  ‘I didn’t know … until about a year ago.’

  ‘Didn’t you wonder,’ asked Amanda, ‘why your family kept moving?’

  ‘They used to do a lot of DIY at the weekends on whatever house we were in, improving it. And then they’d tell me we were selling up and going somewhere else. They said it brought in extra money, for holidays and cricket gear and coaching for me. You know? Sort of property development. I came to accept it, I suppose. I always made new friends at the new school through sports and … and then …’

  ‘Things changed?’ she prompted him gently.

  ‘Not back then. But about a year ago. A man came to see me. Told me my mother had been responsible for the Cardiubarn murders, said he had proof, but he wouldn’t tell the police, on one condition. All I had to do was watch this village. And send him reports.’

  ‘And that’s why you bought Madley Towers?’

  ‘Yes. I asked my mother and she told me what happened all that time ago in Cornwall, and that that was why we’d left and tried to make a new start. Except every now and then there’s be a rumour, a suggestion that that family —’

  ‘Flamgoyne?’

  ‘Yes, — that they’d found us. So we’d move. Once I knew, I agreed to the man’s terms. I’m so sorry Amanda. At first, it was just the village but then he told me to watch you too … and I … I saw some odd things, only … hm … I don’t remember now what any of them were. They probably weren’t really odd at all. I was just desperate to have things to report so he wouldn’t … so Mum would be safe.’

  ‘I understand, Ryan,’ Trelawney assured him. ‘You acted under duress. Just as your mother did. All I need now, and then your family can draw a line under this affair, is to hear from your mother exactly what took place. Could you ask your parents to visit you here? It will be an off-the-record conversation, I promise.’

  Ford looked doubtful. Amanda nodded.

  ‘You can trust the inspector, Ryan. And I am sure your parents will feel so much better knowing that this is all over. Your mother’s name will not appear in any official report.’

  Ryan sighed. ‘You’re right, of course. But the Flamgoynes … I did hear …’

  ‘The Flamgoynes are brought low, their clan is broken. They will never again have the power to threaten you or your family,’ Amanda promised.

  She should know, thought Trelawney, with wry accuracy.

  The next day, anxious to put the strain of 30 years at last to rest, Elizabeth and Edward Ford arrived at Madley Towers, and gave Trelawney the off-the-record testimony he needed.

  Elizabeth, however, was unable to answer one question. How the Flamgoynes knew about her meeting with Senara Cadabra, which had been made after dark and in secrecy. She had waited in her car until she was sure no one was around. No, Mr Flamgoyne would not tell her how he knew that she had been with Mrs Cadabra.

  Amanda and Trelawney left the Towers, with the final link in the chain from Senara to the Flamgoynes still to be found.

  Chapter 46

  The Glass Speaks

  Amanda, putting on her seatbelt in the Mondeo beside Trelawney, asked, ‘So what do we do now?’

  ‘Go back to Pasco is all I can —’

  Amanda’s phone rang: Aunt Amelia inviting them over urgently. In fifteen minutes they were at her door.

  ‘Sweeties!’ she greeted them, eyes alight with excitement. ‘Come in, come and sit at the round table.’

  They hurried out of their coats and sat one on either side of Amelia. The great globe of crystal sat before her.

  ‘The glass has begun to show me … Look! Are you seeing?’


  ‘Yes,’ answered Thomas, in surprise.

  ‘Er, …’ replied Amanda, ‘it’s a bit cloudy … oh … ah … yes, I see it!’

  The story began playing out before them:

  ‘It’s my cottage,’ commented Amanda. ‘Must be the past. The wisteria is smaller … and that’s me in my little booster chair Grandpa made me. It’s still in the attic.’

  Observing bacon, eggs and mustard on the dining-table, she went on, ‘It’s breakfast time — Granny still had a bit of red in her hair then, look at that — Granny’s looking around towards the hall … I wish you could get sound on this thing, Aunt Amelia.’

  ‘Make the most of what you can see, my dear.’

  ‘Granny’s getting up … she’s got letters … I suppose people wrote more in those days … She’s opened that greyish — Can we zoom in, Aunt?’

  ‘Just ask it, Ammee.’

  ‘Zoom in.’

  No change.

  ‘Show us the letter,’ said Thomas, without thinking. At once the page in Senara’s hand was magnified.

  ‘Wow,’ remarked Amanda, impressed. ‘How did you do that?’

  ‘I really don’t know. Look … it’s … it must be from your parents …’ The glass had homed in on one particular sentence:

  We demand the return of our daughter Amanda by the end of the month.

  ‘Oh, my word!’ she exclaimed.

  The scene had changed. Amanda was now in Perran’s arms, the two of them waving off the blue Austin estate as Senara drove away.

  ‘That’s the Tamar Bridge.’ Trelawney pointed out. ‘She’s crossing into Cornwall.’

  Now the ball showed an interior scene.

  ‘That’s one of Dad’s holiday cottages,’ Thomas remarked.

  ‘And Granny’s at her old Imperial typewriter. I’ve still got that in the attic.’

  ‘Don’t you ever throw anything away?’ he asked.

  ‘You’re right, Inspector. I should give my old chair to Amir. Can you ask it to show us what Granny’s typing?’

  ‘Show us —’ Before Thomas could finish his request, it was done.

  Amanda read quickly. ‘It’s the exact wording that Granny said was in the poisoned letters she and Grandpa got, isn’t it?

  Transport will arrive at your address on 9th September at 9 o’clock in the

  morning. From there you will be taken to a location, where you will learn something to your advantage. It is essential, however, that all members of your family be present.’

  ‘Yes,’ agreed Trelawney.

  Suddenly, the ball went dark.

  Amanda was alarmed. ‘Is that the end? Aunt Amelia!’

  ‘It’s all right, Ammee. Just wait.’

  Sure enough, a streetlight appeared, and then another: a line of them. On the left, a soft glow emanated from a window. A car arriving … parking near the house. A woman … in black hat and coat, a gleam of blonde hair on the collar … looking left and right … going to the door. It was opened by Senara. Quickly, they vanished inside and the door shut.

  The globe appeared to rotate across the street to a bus shelter. A couple, from deep in the shadows, unwind from an embrace. A girl leans out into the amber glow from the streetlamp and stares across at the house. For a moment, the crystal ball showed her clearly:

  A mass of dark curly hair falling onto a red-collared coat, matching lipstick, a little turned up nose and long eyelashes. She was at least a head shorter than her companion. She withdrew once more into the shadows, and the glass clouded.

  Amelia leaned back.

  ‘That last bit must be important.’

  ‘Who is she? Do you recognise her, Aunt?’

  ‘No, but you must remember that I left Cornwall a very long time ago. Mean anything to you, Thomas?’

  ‘No. But I’m hoping she will to someone.’ He was thinking of asking his grandparents. Amelia was already on her phone.

  ‘Kyt? Yes, I’m fine, my dear … Yes, yes, we’re all fine ... all here. Look, I need to give you a description so you can go and ask old Pasco if it rings any bells, OK? Got a paper and pen? ...’ She reeled off an accurate depiction of the girl at the bus stop.

  There was a pause. Then Amelia put Kyt on speaker and his voice came through.

  ‘Thomas? You there?’

  ‘Yes, Dad.’

  ‘No need to ask Pasco. I know who she was.’

  Chapter 47

  Closing the Case, Beginning the Aftermath

  Fortunately, Ryan’s parents were still at Madley Towers, when Trelawney called. He had news, good news, the inspector assured them, that he would like them to hear in person.

  Seated on the sofa between her husband and Ryan, Elizabeth with her golden-haired, boyish cut, looking remarkably like a delicate version of her son. Edward, Ryan’s father, a tall pepper-and-salt-haired man with spectacles and a mild air about him, held her hand as they waited nervously for the inspector to begin.

  ‘Mrs Ford, we now know that you did not betray Senara Cardiubarn,’ Trelawney assured her. ‘In spite of, no doubt, your best efforts, you were seen entering the cottage on the beach where she was staying.’

  ‘But I was so careful,’ Elizabeth protested.

  ‘There was a couple in the bus shelter. It was unlit, they were in deep shadow. The girl, the young woman, saw Mrs Cadabra open the door to you.’

  ‘Who was this young woman?’

  ‘She was Bezzie, Lady Flamgoyne’s maid. She relayed what she had seen to either her mistress or her mistress’s son.’

  ‘Oh … I’m so glad … and I really didn’t know what those … letters were. I was just given a stack of sealed envelopes by Mr Flamgoyne,’ Elizabeth explained anxiously, ‘each with a post-it note with the address on. I just had to print out each address and stick it onto each envelope, add a stamp and then post them all.’

  ‘Thank you for explaining that, Mrs Ford. I assure you once again, that your name will not appear in my report, except in passing.’

  ‘We truly appreciate that,’ said her husband. ‘There is just one thing.’ He and his wife looked at Amanda. Elizabeth spoke.

  ‘I took the payment from your grandmother in good faith, Miss Cadabra, but I did not carry out her instructions. It was a great deal of money, even then, and we would like to pay it back to you.’

  ‘Oh Mrs Ford, I wouldn’t hear of it,’ responded Amanda warmly. ‘For I am sure you have paid many times over, in all of these years of watching and waiting and … and I promise you, I know for certain, that my grandmother bears you no grudge whatsoever and wants — would want you to keep the money.’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘Yes,’ declared Amanda with certainty. ‘And if you’ve got some savings, I know what Granny would say.’

  They looked at her expectantly.

  ‘Exactly what my grandparents did: go on a cruise!’

  They laughed. ‘Perhaps we shall.’

  ***

  ‘There was something I forgot to tell you,’ said Amanda, back at the cottage, putting Trelawney’s plate of shortcake on the table before him.

  ‘Oh?’

  ‘The Oracle. It was something she said. Only it was half in Cornish or old British, and I couldn’t really understand it. I just remembered the sounds and tried to make sense of it with the dictionary later.’

  ‘But you think it was important?’

  ‘I know it was. She said, “Go and do not return,’ and then it was something like unless you solve or answer the riddle or question or puzzle of the place above or she might even have said sinking crazy – you know, Sunken Madley.’

  ‘Let’s go with “Solve the riddle of Sunken Madley”. Any idea what she meant?’

  ‘No. Let’s face it, all f – three cases you have investigated in the village were quite separate. At least, I thought so.’

  ‘How can we say without more information? So far, yes, they have all been I would say unconnected incidents.
That is, all of the ones I know of,’ Trelawney added with the merest trace of acerbity.

  ‘Hm. Well … I just thought I’d tell you.’

  ‘Yes. Good. Well … thank you for the tea and shortcake, Miss Cadabra,’ said Trelawney, putting his mug down on the table. ‘Perfect as always. But … I must be going now.’

  So this is it, thought Amanda. It’s finished.

  ‘Of course,’ she replied. ‘Admin to do. Now it’s all over.’

  ‘Thank you for your part and your grandparents’ part in bringing the Cardiubarn case to a conclusion.’

  ‘My pleasure. Truly. Although I didn’t do very much.’

  ‘Well, I doubt Mr and Mrs Cadabra would have talked to me without you.’

  ‘Possibly not,’ she agreed.

  ‘Yes …’ he stood up.

  ‘You’ll always be welcome, you know,’ said Amanda hurriedly, suddenly not wanting him to go. ‘Both here and in the village.’

  ‘I know.’

  ‘You’ll come to the Equinox Ball, won’t you?’

  ‘Yes … yes, why not?’

  ‘I know it’s not on any official duty here now, but … well, you’ll still be visiting your mother and Amelia and you could pop in and … see us all.’

  ‘Of course. Well … thank you again … for everything.’

  They shook hands. Somehow it was feeling all wrong.

  Thomas looked around the cosy sitting-room … surely he’d see it again… sit here by the fire with tea and …

  Surely, thought Amanda, this isn’t the last time we’ll sit here together, chatting and working things out, having revelations and …

  And now suddenly they were at the door. Thomas found himself walking down the path, getting into his car, winding down the windows. Amanda was on the doorstep … the sound of the engine ... the Mondeo moving inexorably away … a last wave.