The Feud

by James, Amanda

  ‘What, so he just gets away with attempted murder and the manslaughter of Jessica Blake?’

  ‘As I said, I’ll look into it, have a word with my superior officer and see what we can do.’

  Lavender can tell by the tone in Price’s voice she is just placating her. Damn it. Morvoren decided to top herself, so she’s got away without suffering humiliation and being vilified by everyone she knows. The easy way out, some say. And Jamie Penhale gets off scot-free. So unfair.

  Matt’s waiting outside. She tells him what’s happened and he’s furious too. Then he says, ‘We did everything we could. I think it would do us both good to get away for a few days. Fancy a trip to London? We’ll do all the touristy things and perhaps visit my family before coming home. What do you say?’

  Lavender says, ‘I think that would be perfect. Right now, I want to be as far away from all this as possible.’

  Chapter 36

  London is everything Lavender dreamt it would be. Her first time in the capital has been amazing and in four days, they’d managed to get all the main sights on their list seen. Matt took more photos of her looking enthralled, excited and amazed than he did of the tourist attractions themselves.

  Outside the hotel, she helps Matt load the suitcases in the car. They are due to visit Matt’s parents for dinner later and his grandparents will be there too. Lavender is thrilled Matt thinks so much of her that he wants her to meet his folks, but her stomach is churning on a sea of nerves. What if they don’t like her? She’s just a young Cornish girl from a small village – what does she have in common with them? Okay, his grandparents are from that village, but they’d been away for many years.

  Lavender looks at her hands and splays her fingers. Not for the first time she wishes she’d been born without the extra skin between them. She mentions this to Matt and he says he wouldn’t have her any other way. Mostly she never thinks about it – just when she meets new people. He also says not to worry about meeting his folks because they would love her. Lavender smiles, she knows he’s just trying to reassure her, but she feels a bit better about the visit now.

  On the drive to Hackney, a text comes through from her dad to say that the post-mortem results came through quicker than they expected. Morvoren died of a heart attack due to the ingested poisons. Nothing was found in the freezer. Lavender knew that was a long shot and she also knows both plants slow down the heart rate and can bring on paralysis and heart failure. Morvoren would have suffered and death wouldn’t have been immediate.

  Even though Lavender feels sorry for her, as she would any person who’d had a tough passing, she feels mostly distant and cold about Morvoren. It’s to be expected given the circumstances. And all those years they were so close. But had they been? Was it all really about Lavender being under her thumb? Scared to go against her? Had she confused love with fear? Whatever the answer, she was under her control enough to believe all the nonsense about Matt. If she hadn’t been, they’d be in a better place now. But it’s no use going over the past. What’s done is done.

  Johnny and Maria, Matt’s parents, are so welcoming, Lavender wonders why she was nervous. They’re down to earth, funny and warm and she feels likes she’s known them for years. His grandparents aren’t here yet, but she’s less worried about meeting them – they’re Cornish after all. And if truth be known, she’s excited about meeting Elowen in particular – she’s the woman who incited the wrath of Morvoren and got away with it. Must be quite a character. She’s on her second glass of wine and hoovering up the nibbles when they arrive. Terry’s an older version of Johnny and Matt, and still handsome. She can see why Morvoren fell for him. Elowen comes in behind and makes a beeline straight for her.

  ‘Lavender! My God, maid, you’re beautiful!’ Elowen says, and pulls Lavender into a hug. Then she holds her at arm’s length and scrutinises her face. Lavender does the same and is amazed at how the woman’s eyes are so like Matt’s. Maria’s are too, but Elowen’s have notes of the ocean on a sunny day in their depths. Her hair is styled into a no-nonsense dark bob, shot through with streaks of white. A trim figure too. Matt said she was seventy-seven the other day, but she looks a lot younger.

  ‘Thank you. You’re not so bad yourself,’ Lavender says with a smile, and allows herself to be led into a large conservatory which overlooks a long rambling garden.

  ‘That’s it now, Matt.’ Terry chuckles and slaps his grandson on the shoulder. ‘Two Cornish women having a chat – we won’t see them for the rest of the evening!’

  Elowen sits on a big blue leather sofa and pats the seat next to her. ‘I can’t tell you how pleased I am to meet you at last. I’ve heard lots about you – my boy is quite smitten I think.’ She gives Lavender a wink.

  ‘Oh, I hope so.’ Lavender laughs and feels her cheeks heat up. ‘I’m pleased to meet you as well. I’ve heard quite a lot about you over the years too.’ Lavender laughs again and then wonders if it was the right thing to say because the conversation will automatically turn to Morvoren, won’t it? Matt told Elowen she’d died over the phone the other day. Not the happiest of topics.

  A few clouds scud across Elowen’s blue eyes and she sighs. ‘I’m sure you have. Me and Morvoren had a dodgy history, as I’m sure you know… and I won’t pretend I’m sorry she’s no longer with us either. Hope you’re not offended.’ She puts a hand on Lavender’s.

  How refreshingly honest. Lavender smiles. ‘I’m not offended because I feel the same.’ She goes to pat the other woman’s hand and notices a dressing on her thumb. ‘Oh, you hurt yourself?’

  Elowen looks at her thumb. ‘Burnt it on the cooker. It’s not too bad. Anyway, tell me about yourself. I hear you’re a champion picker! Can’t tell you how much I miss the Cornish countryside. In fact I might have a bit of a surprise to spring on you lot after dinner.’

  * * *

  Johnny puts down his knife and fork and stares at his mother. ‘Bloody, hell, Ma. Moving to Cornwall…That’s a bit of a shock.’

  Terry nods. ‘It was to me too, when she came back from her jaunt to that yoga retreat and said she’d made her mind up about going back home. I thought she’d gone a bit gaga at first, didn’t I, El?’ He gives his wife a wink. ‘I said, “What do you mean? You are home, love.” Didn’t I?’

  Elowen smiles. ‘You did. Being at the retreat made me think about my life… what I really wanted. And you soon came round to my way of thinking, I noticed.’

  Terry pushes his plate away and rubs his tummy. ‘Arr. That’s because I’ve a hankering for windswept beaches and rolling hills. We always said we’d return to our beloved Cornwall one day.’

  Matt raises his glass. ‘Well I for one can’t tell you how happy this news makes me. Here’s to a swift homecoming!’

  They all clink glasses and repeat the toast. Lavender’s pleased too, but notices Maria and Johnny aren’t as thrilled as everyone else.

  Johnny takes a big glug of his wine and says in a voice full of emotion, ‘I know it’s what you both want – but we’re gonna miss you, aren’t we, Maria? First Matt, now you two old sods.’

  Elowen says, ‘And we’ll miss you two. Nothing stopping you following in our footsteps, is there? We’ve talked about it in the past.’

  ‘Just our jobs. I know we talked about it, but talking and doing are a bit different,’ Maria says, and pulls a face at her husband. He nods and sighs.

  Terry says, ‘You’re a shop assistant, Maria, and you’re an electrician, Johnny. They have those types of jobs in Cornwall, you know.’

  ‘Yes, it’s so easy, isn’t it? Just sell a house, buy another and get a job – move nearly three hundred miles,’ Johnny says.

  ‘Didn’t say it was easy, lad. Things that’s easy aren’t generally worth having.’

  After dinner, Lavender, Matt and Elowen are having coffee in the living room. They’d offered to help with the dishes and been refused. The others are clearing things away in the kitchen and talking about the logistics of a move to Cornwall. La
vender asks Elowen where they plan to move and if they have any properties in mind.

  ‘Nothing specific in mind yet. But we are definitely moving back to St Agnes. We’ve been looking on Rightmove and there seems to be some lovely properties to choose from. House prices here are ridiculous, so we’ll be able to buy a lot for our money back home.’

  Matt nods. ‘I need to think along the buying lines soon. As you know I rented until I decided St Agnes was a place I’d want to stay. Which it is, despite all the crap that’s happened since I moved there. Bloody arson, murder and mayhem. Who’d have thought it? I’m effectively homeless. Or I would be if it wasn’t for this lovely lady.’ He inclines his head to Lavender and smiles.

  ‘And we all know why so much crap has happened to you, don’t we?’ Lavender says, feeling partly to blame. She can feel Elowen’s eyes on her and it makes her uncomfortable. ‘I’m sorry Morvoren was able to trick me so easily.’

  Matt shakes his head. ‘Don’t you dare blame yourself. Morvoren used you. Used Jamie too – though he didn’t need much encouragement by all accounts. Not sure he’s the sharpest tool in the box, either. Bastard looks like he’s going to get away with it through lack of evidence.’

  ‘Let’s hope not. And Matt’s right. Morvoren was always a manipulative… person.’ Lavender could tell Elowen wanted to use another word, but perhaps thought it disrespectful. ‘She was clever, spiteful and cruel. Nothing you could have done would have prevented it. You mustn’t feel responsible.’

  ‘Thanks, Elowen. I can tell you knew her well,’ Lavender says, with a lump in her throat.

  ‘I did.’ Elowen sips her coffee and makes herself more comfortable on the sofa. ‘We were the best of friends as girls. Such a damn shame it all ended like it did. And a shame she decided to end her life in that painful way. God knows what she was doing drinking a potion like that… because suicide’s the only conclusion I can come to.’

  Lavender sits forward, eager to hear more. ‘Me too. The police tried to suggest she was poisoned by someone!’

  Elowen’s eyes grow wide. ‘There’s no way that would happen. Morvoren would have put up a fight once she tasted the tea. But why put it in her tea and in the cranberry juice? It’s as if she wanted a choice of drink. Maybe the potion mixed with juice wasn’t as bitter?’ She shrugs. ‘Anyway, we’ll never know now.’

  * * *

  On the way home the next day in the car, something’s bugging Lavender and she can’t shake it. It’s an idea that’s been buzzing around ever since their conversation with Elowen last night, but it’s too ludicrous for words. And she saw something too. Something she wishes she could unsee. In the end, she can bear it no longer and says to Matt, ‘When you phoned Elowen to tell her Morvoren was dead, did you say which drink the poison was found in?’

  Matt frowns. ‘Er, yeah. I said tea and fruit juice. Why?’

  Lavender feels a chilly finger trace its way down her spine. In a trembling voice barely louder than a whisper, she says, ‘Yes, that’s what we were told. Tea and fruit juice. Price and Vincent just said fruit juice.’

  Matt checks his mirrors and indicates into the outside lane. ‘Right… not sure where you’re going with this.’

  ‘Because last night Elowen said it was cranberry juice…’

  Matt frowns again and comes out of the fast lane. ‘Was it cranberry, then?’

  ‘Matt, pull into the services ahead. I’ve got a theory that’s not safe for you to hear while driving at seventy-odd miles an hour.’ He sighs and does as she asks.

  * * *

  In the services, Matt’s raking his fingers through his hair so hard Lavender’s worried he’s going to pull it out by the roots. ‘But this is bloody ridiculous!’ he says, glaring across the table at her. ‘You’re sat there suggesting that my gran killed yours. What, because she knew what kind of fruit juice the poison was in?’

  ‘But how could she have guessed? It’s not like saying orange juice or Ribena, is it?’

  Matt opens his hands in exasperation. ‘No, I guess not – but it’s not that uncommon, is it?’

  ‘No. But–’

  ‘And if the police didn’t tell us what type of fruit juice it was, how do you know it was cranberry juice? Gran might like cranberry juice herself and just said it by mistake.’

  Lavender swallows hard. She hates hurting him like this, but he has to know. ‘Because Morvoren only ever drank cranberry juice these past few years. She said anything else gave her heartburn. Your gran couldn’t have known that. She also has a dressing on her thumb which she says was a burn from a cooker… but…’

  Matt covers his face with his hands and says through his fingers, ‘But what?’

  ‘But later, as we were about to leave and she stretched her arms up to hug you, I noticed her sleeve ride up above the dressing. There was a fading rash, Matt. It looked a lot like skin does if you brush it against wolfsbane.’

  Matt’s hands fall away from his face. ‘And there’s no other explanation for it then? It has to be a wolfsbane rash?’

  ‘No. It could be perfectly innocent. But I think–’

  ‘I think you think too much. I don’t want to hear any more, Lavender. My gran would never do something like this, no matter what Morvoren had done. Besides, how could she have got her to drink the stuff? You and gran both said it had to be suicide because of that.’

  Lavender has no answers there. ‘I don’t know. Perhaps we never will… and Matt. If it does ever come to light that it was Elowen, I wouldn’t blame her. She’s a good woman and would do anything to protect her own. Especially her “beautiful boy”.’

  Matt shakes his head in bewilderment and stares out of the window at the traffic.

  Chapter 37

  ‘Matt! Matt! You’ll never guess what!’ Lavender yells, as she runs outside the cottage to where Matt’s balancing on a ladder, busy putting up Christmas lights.

  ‘Um… the end of the world is nigh and we’re all going to hell in a handcart?’

  ‘No, but Jamie Penhale is!’

  Matt looks down at her and the wind whips his hair across his eyes. ‘Eh?’ He pulls it free. ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘DI Price just phoned. She tried to phone you, but you obviously didn’t hear up there in the wind. Jamie Penhallow has been arrested and has confessed to his part in the fire and the night you were drugged. He’s trying to implicate me, too, but they’re having none of it.’

  Matt comes down the ladder. ‘That’s fantastic!’ he says, his eyes shining. ‘But how come they arrested him? Did new evidence come to light?’

  ‘Not to do with our case, no.’ Lavender can hardly contain herself, but she wants to make her announcement even more dramatic than it already is. ‘Oh, Matt. You’ll never believe it, but he murdered Annie! He murdered his grandmother.’

  Matt drops the bundle of Christmas lights. ‘What?! Why?’

  ‘Come inside and I’ll tell you.’

  Inside, in front of the fire, they drink brandy and eat mince pies while Lavender explains that poor Annie’s little holiday away had been only as far as a hole in the ground in her own back garden. The neighbour who’d told the police she’d gone away on holiday heard it from Jamie. She hadn’t seen Annie herself. It was the same neighbour, a Mrs Fairchild, who’d let her dog off the leash a few days ago, and it had scooted down the side of Annie’s house and started to dig furiously at a patch of lawn.

  Mrs Fairchild tried to pull the dog away, but it kept running back. On closer inspection, she could see the turf looked loose, and the ground disturbed. Something didn’t feel right, so she allowed the dog to keep working away until he’d uncovered a hand sticking out of the soil. She then phoned the police and later, in questioning, she’d explained that Jamie was the one who told her his gran had gone away.

  They’d arrested him, and he said he’d nothing to do with it. But apparently his dad had later come forward and said he suspected Jamie of killing his mother-in-law. He’d been acting weird for days an
d kept saying odd things. His dad retracted his alibi for the fire and everything else.

  ‘Bloody hell!’ Matt says, knocking back the brandy and pouring another.

  ‘I know,’ Lavender says, holding out her own glass for a refill. ‘Apparently, Jamie then confessed he’d killed Annie because she was going to tell the police about him when he’d popped round to her house to see her one day. Morvoren had apparently told Annie that Jamie helped her set the fire and placed my bracelet in Jessica’s hand. She was appalled at what he’d done and ashamed of him. She was also going to retract the alibi for the night you were drugged. He tried to convince her not to, but she wouldn’t listen. So, in a fury, Jamie pushed her and she fell, cracking her head on the edge of the kitchen table. Death was instant. Then he buried her in the back garden.’

  Matt shook his head. ‘Not the sharpest tool in the box, as I said the other day.’

  ‘Nope. But this all this is fantastic! Apart from poor Annie of course.’

  ‘Why?’

  She looks at him, bewildered. ‘Because it means your name is cleared for the night you were drugged! He’s admitted it was him and Morvoren. You can hold your head up in the village now. You might even get your job back if there’s still a vacancy.’

  Matt covers his mouth as if he’s just realised. ‘My God. Yes! My head was too full of all this to even think straight. Hallelujah!’

  She laughs, and they embrace and he plants brandy kisses all over her face. Then they sit back in companionable silence. Lavender sips her brandy and looks into the flames. The whole thing is still sinking in.

  After a few minutes Matt says, ‘I had a call earlier too. Not sure you’ll want to hear from who though.’

  Lavender’s heart sinks. What now? ‘Just tell me.’