The House Party

by Mary Grand

  ‘The box is the same as one that I saw in Kathleen’s room. It had a coin with a butterfly in a heart on it. Did she get the coin from you?’

  Alex blushed, cringed. ‘I gave it to her around Christmas time. It’s quite rare.’

  ‘I’m sure she treasured it.’

  His face clouded over. ‘Possibly.’

  ‘But you never wanted to follow on from your father, carry on the business?’

  ‘No. He left me his collection, but I sold the whole lot at auction.’

  On the mantelpiece was a picture of Alex and Amy on their wedding day. The woman he was marrying had short blonde hair, pretty, quiet features, and smiled shyly at the camera. She looked very different to the poised dancer she’d seen photographs of at the London house.

  ‘Amy?’

  ‘Oh, yes. She looked radiant that day. We never had children, which is sad. If we had, I might have caught a glimpse of her smile, her laugh, in them, but it wasn’t to be.’

  They walked up the road to Beth’s house, where they were greeted by Ollie.

  ‘Are you OK with dogs?’

  Alex replied by bending down and stroking Ollie. He looked out of the front window. ‘Great view of the castle. Better than the view from my London house.’

  ‘I don’t know. I saw a fox from Amy’s bedroom window—’ Beth paused, felt herself blush.

  Alex scowled, his face hard and cold. ‘You went into Amy’s bedroom?’

  ‘I’m so sorry. I just went in and out. I know you asked us not to.’

  His face relaxed. ‘It doesn’t matter.’

  Beth swiftly tried to move on, establishing that Alex had not had lunch, and suggested she take something with them. Beth departed to the kitchen, cringing: what an idiot to let that slip. She grabbed a few items from the fridge, put them in her bag, and put the lead on Ollie.

  As they approached Freshwater, Alex pointed out a camping site. ‘My caravan’s in there,’ he said.

  ‘I’d not realised how close you were to Patrick’s,’ replied Beth. ‘It’s an amazing location. Gemma was telling me they had some objections when they applied for planning permission. They were lucky. It’s quite unique.’

  They parked at the foot of Tennyson Down and Beth had a pang of regret as she puffed her way up. However, the grass was soft, the tiny wildflowers peeped up at her, the air was fresh and, as they climbed higher, the views were wonderful. The chalky cliffs swept down to meet the vast expanse of twinkling blue sea. They didn’t talk.

  At the top, by the huge granite Tennyson monument, Beth sat next to Alex on the bench, and took out the picnic.

  She asked, ‘Do you feel you are settling down here?’

  ‘Slowly. It’s a big change, mind you, after you’ve lived on the mainland.’ He grinned. ‘See: I’m calling it that already.’

  ‘You and Sami have a lot of plans, don’t you?’

  ‘I know Sami is a bit daunted by some of it, but we must change. I’m battling to save the high street pharmacy. I feel remarkably fortunate to be doing it with Sami. He’s a very good pharmacist and much better with people than me. It’s rare to have that combination of empathy and skill.’

  They left the bench and walked towards the cliff edge. The view across the sea, to the white chalk cliffs was stunning.

  ‘If you’re lucky you can see dolphins or seals.’

  ‘Not a bad place to live,’ said Alex, breathing in the air.

  ‘No, I love it here. William was saying he likes the gentler pace down here as well.’

  ‘I was wondering again why he was talking to you about Amy?’

  Beth looked away into the distance: she had to be brave.

  ‘We’d been talking about Kathleen. It seems pretty clear she had an affair or some sort of fling with someone.’

  ‘What has that to do with Amy?’

  Beth cringed again. ‘William suggested that maybe you were lonely after Amy died, and he knew Kathleen was unhappy when they went away—’

  Alex went deep red. ‘He assumed that meant I slept with Kathleen?’

  ‘Um, yes. I suppose he did.’

  ‘But I only lost my wife a few months ago. That’s an awful thing to say.’

  ‘I’m sorry, but it’s hard to think who it could have been. You see, I know now it was someone she saw at work.’

  ‘It doesn’t mean that William can pull my name out of a hat. I have to say I find it extremely offensive. I suppose he thinks he’s in the clear.’

  ‘Is it right he had a vasectomy? He told me I could ask you to confirm it.’

  Alex nodded. ‘I wouldn’t have said anything, obviously, but yes, he did. But it doesn’t give him the right to go around pointing the finger at others.’

  They put the picnic away in silence and started to walk back.

  ‘How did you find working with William in London?’ Beth asked, hoping to reach out, and thankfully Alex responded.

  ‘He was a lot less sociable up there. We didn’t talk much. I know he went through a messy divorce. I think he was glad to move away.’

  ‘Did his wife leave him?’

  ‘I think so. I think she met someone else. She had a wealthy family, but she seemed to get a lot: the house, most of the money, I heard, but then I also heard he had family money behind him so, I guess it worked out fairly in the end.’

  Beth stopped to take a small piece of bracken away from Ollie’s leg and they started to make their way back down the hill.

  Alex asked, ‘So, how are you feeling now about Kathleen’s death? Do you feel at peace with it yet?’

  ‘No. Not at all. There are quite a few things not answered.’

  ‘Such as?’

  ‘Well, I still haven’t worked out the person who was there at the house party who might have threatened to expose her over the affair—’

  ‘Do you still think this person could be linked to her death?’

  Beth looked at Alex, but he appeared quite relaxed. There was no urgency in his voice. ‘I do. The fact I had an unpleasant anonymous phone call makes me even more sure I’m on the right track. Someone doesn’t want me digging around—’ Beth paused.

  ‘The police are sure it was an accident, aren’t they?’

  ‘But I’m not.’ She hesitated before asking, ‘Is it right that Kathleen stole some of Amy’s earrings?’

  Alex paused; his eyes screwed up tight. ‘How did you know about that?’

  ‘William mentioned it.’

  ‘I did go to him. I considered it to be a confidential matter. I don’t want to discuss it.’ Alex frowned.

  There was a silence, but Beth suddenly thought about the missing drugs at the pharmacy.

  ‘Sorry to go back to it, but do you think it’s possible she stole the pills they found missing at the inspection?’

  ‘No, definitely not. Kathleen was meticulous at work with drugs and I don’t think she would have done that.’

  He’d closed the subject: that was obvious, so as they walked on a bit further, Beth said, ‘I wonder if you could help me with something?’

  ‘What’s that?’ Alex sounded weary.

  ‘You told me there’s CCTV at the car park. What does it cover?’

  ‘Quite a lot; the entrance to the car park, the entrances to the main building, including my flat. There’s only one way in and out, as you know, so a record is kept of everyone that enters or leaves. Why do you want to know?’

  ‘I need to know if someone used the pharmacy car to go over to Kathleen’s. The pharmacy staff and the doctors all have keys. A silver car was seen near Kathleen’s. Well, it could be this one.’

  ‘I suppose it could; seems a long shot. Still, it’s all on the computer. I’m not sure which dates we’ve deleted. It might still be on there.’

  ‘Would you show it to me?’

  Alex nodded. ‘If it sets your mind at rest, you can come and see it any time, although Sami could show you.’

  Beth smiled back. ‘I’d rather not ask him. He thinks I’m ob
sessive enough as it is. Could I come tonight?’

  ‘Yes. Just ring the bell. I’m in all evening.’

  ‘Thank you. I feel I owe it to Kathleen. I know I’ve found out new things about her, but it hasn’t changed my view that she was an angel. Really, she was such a lovely person.’

  ‘That’s a good memory. Don’t let anything spoil that for you. But for all that, be careful, Beth. All this digging about. You’ve already uncovered a lot of things. It’s like the metal detectorists who send me coins to sell. They scan whole fields, never knowing what they might find. Sometimes it’s a bottle top, sometimes treasure, but then, one day, if they are in the wrong place at the wrong time, who knows, they may find an unexploded bomb, so be careful.’

  Beth shuddered. She wasn’t sure if this was one friend advising caution to another, or something darker, a threat.

  32

  That evening Beth made everyone tea, and at about eight said she was going for a walk but that she wouldn’t take Ollie.

  ‘But why not?’ asked Sami.

  ‘I just need to be on my own.’

  ‘Shall I come with you?’ asked Sami.

  Beth gritted her teeth. He never offered to go out walking with her. ‘No. I’m fine.’

  Beth went down the Castleford Shute, but not up to the castle. Instead she walked along the lane, and then back over another ford. She stood for a moment on the bridge over the ford watching one of her favourite birds, a little white egret, brilliant white, feathers once more valuable than gold. The clock on the church struck eight. She made her way into the village, past the shop.

  She was about to cross the road to the pharmacy when she saw someone else knocking on the door to Alex’s flat. She froze as she realised it was Imogen. She was waiting for Alex to answer but she was glancing around, trying to get as close to the door as she could. Beth saw Alex open the door, and Imogen go inside.

  The whole thing had a furtive look. Feeling greatly unsettled, Beth turned and walked home.

  Next day when she went into school, Imogen’s car was not in the car park. The receptionist told her that Imogen hadn’t come into work but had not sent in any messages.

  ‘I’ve been trying to get her on her mobile. I hope she’s all right. She’s never done this before.’

  ‘Have you tried her husband? I have his mobile. Shall I ring him?’

  Beth rang William. ‘Hi. They’re a bit worried at school. Imogen hasn’t come in. They can’t get an answer from her mobile.’

  Beth listened as William told her he would follow it up and get back to them. Beth explained it to the receptionist, adding, ‘I guess I’d better get to my class. Let me know, won’t you, if she’s not well. I can pop in after work.’

  At break Beth enquired at reception.

  ‘Imogen’s husband rang back. She’s not well. He said he’d call you soon. He did say not to expect her in for a few days.’

  Beth was anxious now. She sent a text to Sami and returned to work.

  As she was leaving at lunchtime, she received a message from Sami to call in at the pharmacy. Beth was growing increasingly nervous. Sami never asked her to visit him at work. What was going on?

  At the pharmacy, Beth saw the queues of people so waited in the corridor. She overheard a patient being told that Dr Parker-Lewis was not in today.

  Sami called her into the consultation room. ‘Imogen is in hospital again.’

  Her heart sank but, in a way, she wasn’t surprised. ‘Oh no. It’s not the pain killers again, is it?’

  ‘I’m afraid so, but this time is a lot more serious. William thinks it’s an overdose of strong opioids. He went home after you phoned him. She was unconscious, the empty packet lying next to her.’

  ‘I thought she was coming off them. Her doctor would have had to prescribe them, wouldn’t he?’

  ‘These were not from her GP. Going by the packaging, William is pretty sure she bought them illegally, probably online.’

  ‘Like the dark web thing Layla told me about?’

  ‘It could be. He has no idea what she has taken all together, but she is critical, in intensive care.’

  ‘Oh no. Oh, Sami.’ Beth burst into tears. ‘You don’t think she did this on purpose, do you?’

  ‘Why do you think that?’

  ‘Guilt over Kathleen?’

  ‘Oh no—’

  Beth’s mind, however, was still racing on. ‘Last night I saw Imogen go into Alex’s—’

  ‘He mentioned that to me this morning. Apparently, Imogen went around because she’d found some loose pills, asked him if he could identify them. Alex was able to identify them by the codes on them. They were strong opioids. He took them away and destroyed them.’

  Beth collected her car and drove to the hospital. William came to meet her at reception. He looked completely different to last time she saw him: grey and older.

  ‘It’s all my fault,’ he said.

  ‘No. William, you were trying to look after her.’

  ‘I should have made her take leave, get help, but she was so determined to keep working. I’ve been watching her, you know. I never thought to check her laptop. The police have searched the house, found pills in brown envelopes hidden away, places I’d never have thought to look. Now, of course, this means she was illegally in possession of controlled drugs. Even if Imogen pulls through, I don’t know what they will charge her with.’

  ‘I can’t imagine Imogen being so desperate. How would she know how to contact these people? I knew nothing about it until Layla told me.’

  ‘When we stayed with Alex, I remember him talking about it. Imogen was full of questions, but I had no idea then the level of her problem. She must have taken note and used that information to find her way online. They would have been arriving in innocent brown envelopes, but I should have checked her post. Of course, it’s illegal for these things to be sent through the post, but these people don’t care, do they? It’s all about money. That’s all.’

  ‘How is Elsa?’

  ‘She’s in with Imogen. It’s too much for her, but she won’t come out.’

  Beth suddenly pictured the neat pile of brown envelopes in Alex’s room. A crazy thought flashed through her mind: what if that coin business was a cover for something much darker? William had said some pharmacists were involved in it. It was all frighteningly possible. And yet Alex seemed such a reliable, trustworthy person. Sami was no fool, and he trusted Alex completely.

  William’s face was ashen. ‘I can’t bear to lose her. I love her. She’s the best thing that happened to me. She and Elsa were my new start. When my first wife left me, my life fell apart. They saved me.’ William hit his fist against the seat. ‘How could anyone do this? Destroy lives: how could they?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ said Beth.

  William looked at her and his face melted. ‘I’m sorry. You don’t need me sounding off at you. I just keep thinking of all the things I should have done.’

  ‘You could only do so much. Imogen knows how much you love her. That’s the main thing.’

  William gave her the saddest smile. ‘Thank you, Beth. You’re a real tower of strength. I’m going to go back in now. They’ll only allow family—'

  ‘Of course. I’ll go now but, well, I’ll keep in touch.’

  Beth walked back to the car feeling numb, bereft. It was as if someone had turned off the sound and she was walking through a tunnel alone. ‘You are so lovely, but the world isn’t.’ That is what Kathleen had said, and maybe she was right.

  Beth drove to the pharmacy. Sami, seeing her, gestured towards the consulting room and she followed him. Beth felt a huge lump in her throat. It hurt to talk. ‘It’s serious this time, really serious.’ She burst into tears and Sami put his arms around her.

  There was a gentle knock at the door. Alex appeared, but started to back away.

  ‘No, come in,’ said Sami.

  ‘I do hope I’m not intruding, but I’m concerned about Imogen. How is she?’

>   Beth wiped her eyes and went through everything.

  ‘William was saying the pills would have been delivered in ordinary brown envelopes like you buy in the post office. He had no reason to suspect anything.’ Beth glanced at Alex. She saw nothing but normal concern.

  Sami sighed heavily. ‘How could they get away with it?’

  ‘I don’t think some of the dealers see this as any different to selling, I don’t know, clothes or books online,’ said Alex. ‘It’s a commodity that people want, and they are providing it. They claim people have the right to choose.’

  Beth was horrified. ‘But they haven’t got a choice, not once they’re addicted. You have no right to say that.’

  She felt Sami’s hand gently placed on hers.

  Alex stood up. ‘Of course, I agree with you. I’d better get back to the pharmacy. If you see William, send him my regards. I hope Imogen comes round soon.’

  When he’d gone, Sami squeezed her hand. ‘I’ll come home with you now. Come on.’

  Beth found refuge sitting on the floor cuddling Ollie.

  ‘Is this how it is all going to end, Ollie?’

  33

  It was a relief to cook tea, to talk to the kids about normal things. It wasn’t until Beth was loading the dishwasher that her phone rang. Her heart leapt when she saw it was a text from Alex, asking about Imogen.

  She replied that she had no more news, then he asked if she still wanted to look at the CCTV as he was free that evening.

  Beth thought before she answered. She dreaded looking at the video and seeing Imogen driving the car. However, there was also the matter of Alex. William’s suggestions about the affair, the worries about Amy’s medication, and now there was the possibility of him being involved in selling drugs illegally online. If Kathleen had suspected Alex of messing with Amy’s medication or even providing drugs illegally, it had to be possible that Alex threatened her, even killed Kathleen. She needed to look inside the envelopes, the safe, maybe she would find something.

  Beth felt her heart racing, Alex had said to be careful. Had he been warning her? Her hands shook as she put on her coat and she had to steady her voice as she told Sami she was going for a walk. She walked down to the village and was entering the car park for the pharmacy when she saw William getting into his car.