The Deadline Series Boxset

by Wendy Soliman

  ‘Not if I have any say,’ Tyler said aloud, grimly determined.

  His next call was to Athena at Mayfair Escorts, warning her that Natalie was dead and she would undoubtedly receive a visit from the police sooner rather than later. Athena was grateful for the advance warning, and said as much.

  ‘I’m glad Alexi’s okay,’ she said, when Tyler had brought her up to date.

  ‘I’ll send her your regards. Thanks for thinking of her.’

  ‘She made quite an impression upon me.’

  Me too.

  Tyler had some time to kill before the police arrived so decided to dig a little deeper into Fuller’s background, just to get a better handle on the guy. Everyone had skeletons and because Fuller was in the public eye he might have tried to bury his as effectively as he’d managed to make Natalie disappear. Tyler thought about talking to Fuller’s lads living in Drew’s annexe. They must be as curious as hell about Fuller’s arrest and would know a lot about what went on behind closed stable-doors. Whether or not they would be candid when questioned was another matter. Fuller’s place would be buzzing with uncertainty, rumour and speculation about the future of the yard. The lads wouldn’t be human if they didn’t worry about indiscretion costing them their jobs. Besides, if the police discovered Tyler had interfered in the investigation by talking to the lads before they could, he would only piss them off unnecessarily.

  Abandoning that idea, at least for now, Tyler absorbed himself in some of the endless articles he found online about Fuller. And very interesting reading they made too.

  ‘Well, well,’ he muttered, reaching for his phone and calling Cassie. ‘Hey,’ he said when she answered. ‘If you were serious in your offer of help, can you do some digging for me?’

  ‘Sure. What do you need?’

  Tyler told her.

  ***

  When Alexi, dressed in a simple sheath dress and flat shoes, re-entered the kitchen, Tyler was the only person in it. He had Cosmo on his lap and was stroking his back with smooth swoops of his large hand. Alexi, feeling in need of a little tender loving care, wouldn’t have minded swopping places with her cat.

  ‘Hey,’ he said, looking up and smiling at her. ‘Feel better?’

  ‘A little.’ She was drawn by the smell of fresh Arabica and poured herself a cup from the pot sitting on the counter.

  ‘He was trying to open the kitchen door when I got there,’ Tyler said softly, nodding in Cosmo’s direction.

  ‘I left it open. Fuller must have come in that way and closed it behind him.’

  ‘Right. It’s one of those handles that you push down. Cosmo was leaping up at it. I figure he was trying to land on the handle and force it down.’

  ‘You’re not serious?’ Alexi widened her eyes. ‘I heard thumps and bangs. I thought he was hurling himself against the door, using brute force to…well, to force it open.’

  ‘He was trying to open the door, but in an intelligent way.’

  ‘I think he must have been a human in a previous life. He certainly thinks like one.’

  ‘He loves you. Wants to protect you.’ Tyler regarded her with absorption. ‘Can’t fault him for that.’

  Alexi didn’t know how to respond, so she took a sip of her coffee and said nothing. The warm, rich liquid trickling down her throat was soothing. ‘You’ve read Natalie’s diaries and I haven’t,’ she said, taking the chair next to his. ‘Are you going to make me guess what Natalie had on Seaton?’

  He grimaced. ‘Her diaries were touchingly naïve, up until the day that changed her life. She was excited about going to that do with her dad and critical of her mum for not attending because she had a clashing commitment to do with gardening. Natalie couldn’t understand how anything could be more important than a glamorous awards event in a posh hotel but was really stoked about taking her mum’s place. She had a new dress and all her friends were envious.’

  ‘Poor kid.’

  ‘Right. Her description of what happened that night is as harrowing as it is detailed. She really was an innocent and believed Seaton when he told her afterwards that she’d brought it on herself. She hated herself after that and I don’t think she ever really got to like who she became. Well, perhaps not until recently and then, as we know, her every action was guided by the DNA of human motivation—’

  ‘Otherwise known as revenge,’ Alexi said softly.

  ‘Right. If she hadn’t gone to that damned navel-gazer and if he hadn’t encouraged her to explore her past, things might have turned out very differently.’

  ‘Hmm, perhaps.’

  ‘I agree Natalie’s past would have been better left alone. But don’t lose sight of the fact that Seaton did ruin her life and she didn’t want to let go of her anger. Something had to give. I’m just glad she had the stamina to run away when she was still a teenager, even if she did finish up doing what she did. At least that was on her own terms.’

  ‘So, how did she get Seaton to pay up?’

  ‘It’s like we suspected. A personal characteristic. He has a mole on the underside of his cock in the shape of Africa.’ He paused, his face a mask of disgust. ‘But it only takes on that shape when it’s erect.’

  Christ!’

  ‘Yeah. Natalie said the sight of it would be emblazoned on her psyche forever.’

  ‘And only someone who’d had the evidence waved in front of her face from above, would know about Africa.’

  Tyler grimaced. ‘Precisely.’

  ‘We absolutely can’t tell the police about that.’

  Tyler touched her hand. ‘I don’t plan to.’

  Alexi placed an elbow on the table and leaned the uninjured side of her face in her cupped hand. ‘I keep worrying that Fuller will use his influence to wheedle his way out of this.’

  ‘The same thought occurred to me, so I did a little digging. I found some interesting stuff, so I got Cassie to dig deeper still.’

  ‘I know that look.’ Alexi smiled. ‘I take it all is not what it seems in the Fuller household.’

  ‘When are things ever what they seem? Okay, here’s the short version. Fuller’s father—’

  ‘The one who wanted Laura to abort her baby?’

  ‘Yeah, that charmer. He was a very successful trainer back in his day, and ruled his yard with a crop of iron. He was a bully who had no time for personal weaknesses and everyone was scared of him, including his kids.’

  ‘Which is why Graham Fuller walked away from Laura and toed the parental line.’

  ‘That’s the way I see it. Anyway, the prodigal son obviously redeemed himself because Daddy dearest passed his business over to Graham. But Graham has slowly run it into the ground because—’

  ‘Because he has a drinking problem. I smelled it on his breath when I saw him…blimey, was it only yesterday morning? Anyway, it was early and he’d already had a fortifier or six.’

  ‘There’ve been some problems. Horses not being entered in races, or being entered in the wrong ones. Owners stuck with him because of his reputation but talk has spread about booze, a short fuse and some fairly public rows during which Fuller reputedly lost the plot. Quite a few of them have now taken their horses away.’

  ‘I noticed a few of the boxes in his yard were empty. I assumed the horses were out on the gallops, or wherever it is that they go.’

  Tyler grinned, presumably at her ignorance.

  ‘We can’t all be experts on every subject, Maddox. Give me a question on sabre-toothed tigers and I’ll make up lost ground.’

  He shot her a look. ‘You have got to be kidding me.’

  ‘My head’s a minefield of useless information. Sometimes I surprise myself.’

  ‘Let’s not go there now.’

  Alexi sent him a smug grin. ‘Whatever you say, dear.’

  Tyler shook his head. ‘Fuller married a rich American, and they have two grown kids. A daughter who works in Newbury as a management consultant. Doesn’t want anything to do with horses and seldom returns home. The son is
following the family tradition and being groomed to take over the training yard…if it survives.’

  ‘They have financial problems, don’t they?’

  ‘Yeah. Fuller was asked to look at Super Nova on behalf of one of his owners, but knew a good thing when he saw it and used the last of his wife’s money to buy the colt for himself.’

  Alexi sniffed. ‘Very ethical.’

  ‘Quite. The owner in question got into a big bust-up with Fuller over it and removed his horses from Fuller’s yard.’

  ‘But I’m guessing Fuller didn’t care because Super Nova would restore his fortune and his reputation and there would be a waiting list of owners wanting him to train for them again. Then Natalie came along and demanded money with menaces, as they say in your old profession. She left him with no choice but to try and sell a share or two in his talented horse so that his wife didn’t have to find out about the blackmail.’

  Tyler nodded. ‘That’s my take. Cassie took a peep at his bank accounts. He’s up to his eyes in debt. Overdrawn to the limit, blah, blah. And he had no idea how often Natalie would come back for more, or if she would decide to go public with what he’d done once she’d bled him dry. He couldn’t let it go on.’

  ‘Oh, Natalie!’ Alexi sighed. ‘She should have come to me. I’d have got justice for her.’

  ‘She didn’t trust anyone but herself. Life hadn’t given her any reason to.’

  ‘I suppose not.’

  ‘I suspect Fuller’s wife knows he’s been arrested by now, and probably some of the details. Whether or not she chooses to stand by him is another matter. There’s speculation that she’s been having an affair, or has done in the past. Anyway, I don’t think there’s much love lost there anymore. She might stick it out for the sake of her kids, or she might cut and run. If she runs, without her money Fuller can kiss bye-bye to his expensive lawyer.’

  ‘Let’s hope that happens then. If it does, there’s more chance of him pleading guilty and telling the police where he’s hidden the body.’

  ‘With what they have against him, his best bet is to cut a deal in return for a lighter sentence. At least that would avoid the additional embarrassment of a trial.’

  Cheryl and Drew joined them and Tyler updated them on his findings regarding Fuller’s financials.

  ‘There was a lot of talk when his stable lads’ accommodation mysteriously burned down and the fire didn’t touch anything else,’ Cheryl told them.

  ‘Arson was suspected, as opposed to the guy he’d rowed with taking revenge?’ Tyler asked. ‘An insurance scam?’

  ‘Yes, and the fire investigators were all over it but couldn’t prove anything, especially because they knew about his argument with the other trainer and his public threats to take revenge. In the end the insurers had to pay out.’

  ‘And Fuller is always behind in paying us for the accommodation we now provide for his lot,’ Drew added. ‘If we didn’t need the dosh so badly I’d tell him to take a hike. I’m sick of constantly chasing him for it.’

  ‘We’re gonna have to think of an easier way for you to make ends meet when this is all over,’ Alexi said.

  ‘Believe me,’ Cheryl replied with feeling. ‘If you can do that, you can live here rent free forever.’

  Alexi laughed. ‘Beware what you wish for.’ She fiddled with her empty cup. ‘Oh, by the way, with all the excitement, I forget to mention that Seaton turned up at Natalie’s cottage yesterday.’

  Tyler gaped at her. ‘You have got to be kidding me.’

  ‘He claimed concern about Natalie—’

  ‘And you fell for that?’ Tyler looked horrified.

  ‘Of course not, but subsequent events have convinced me he didn’t kill Natalie. All he wanted was to recover any incriminating evidence she had against him.’ She explained to the Hopgoods the precise nature of that evidence. ‘It was a stupid risk for him to take because if she’s still alive, and he has no reason to suppose she’s dead, she could still describe Africa.’

  ‘But Africa’s existence could only be confirmed by a person who’d seen him…er, excited,’ Cheryl pointed out. ‘Presumably his wife, and she couldn’t be forced to testify against him. Probably wouldn’t, even if presented with the opportunity. She sounds a bit downtrodden to me.’

  ‘Oh, I’m not so sure about that,’ Alexi replied. ‘She really loved Natalie and has never stopped wondering what drove her away. If she finds out she’s been co-habiting with the reason for her absconding there could be fireworks.’

  ‘I think our visit must have prompted Seaton to act,’ Tyler said pensively. ‘He started to wonder if Natalie was actually dead, which is what we implied. If she was, the police would get involved eventually and might find that evidence, which would put his name squarely in the frame. He had to get it back to keep himself in the clear and to stop his wife from finding out.’

  Alexi nodded. ‘I think you’re right.’

  ‘That’ll be the police,’ Drew said, standing to answer the front door bell. ‘Use the upstairs lounge to talk to them, Alexi. You won’t be disturbed there.’

  ‘They might want to talk to you two as well,’ Tyler warned. ‘You reported Natalie’s disappearance and they’ll want you to confirm you asked Alexi to look into it.’

  ‘No problem,’ Cheryl replied. ‘But I can’t guarantee I won’t tear them off a strip for not taking us seriously.’ Her expression sobered. ‘If they had, Natalie might still be alive.’

  Alexi knew that wasn’t the case, but understood her friend’s frustration, her need to blame someone else as well as Fuller, and so didn’t put her straight.

  ***

  A detective inspector and a constable, neither of whom was known to Tyler, conducted the interviews. Procedures would preclude anyone he’d worked with from being involved. Expensive defence lawyers like the one Fuller had retained didn’t miss a trick and would use such an obvious slip to get Tyler’s evidence dismissed. Crouched beneath a chair close to Alexi, Cosmo reverted to form and hissed at Reading’s finest for the duration of their stay.

  ‘Are you feeling better, Ms Ellis?’ the inspector asked, giving Cosmo a wide berth and wincing when he caught sight of her necklace of bruises. ‘I hear you had a lucky escape.’

  ‘I feel okay,’ she replied cautiously, shaking the man’s outstretched hand.

  ‘Before we start, do you mind if we get photographic evidence of those bruises? I know some pictures were taken yesterday, but I think they’ll look more impressive now they’ve had a chance to mature a little.’

  ‘Be my guest.’

  The detective constable produced a digital camera and took some close-ups of her neck, and then the interview started. They didn’t separate Tyler and Alexi, treating them as victims and would-be witnesses. They went over everything several times, recording the conversation, having first received Tyler’s permission to do so. They weren’t aggressive, and implied the case was wrapped up. They were just tying up loose ends.

  ‘What’s Fuller’s reaction?’ Tyler asked when the tape was switched off. ‘Off the record.’

  The inspector shrugged. ‘He’s lawyered up and isn’t talking. The arrogant sod seems to think he can walk away from all this.’

  ‘Ain’t gonna happen,’ Tyler replied, flexing his jaw.

  ‘Count on it.’ The inspector stood and shook each of their hands. ‘I’ll call you and arrange for you to come in and sign your statements. But it can wait until Ms Ellis is properly back on her feet.’

  The moment the detectives went downstairs to speak with Cheryl and Drew, Cosmo came out from beneath his chair and jumped onto Alexi’s lap.

  ‘What now?’ Alexi asked, absently stroking him.

  ‘How about a drive to Woldingham?’

  ‘I like the way you think,’ Alexi flashed a slow smile of understanding. ‘It’s not a journey I relish the thought of, but I think we should be the ones to break the news to Fay Seaton before the police get around to her.’

  ‘Right.�
�

  ‘Okay, but how much are we going to tell her?’

  ‘All of it,’ Tyler replied. ‘We owe it to Natalie.’

  ‘I agree we owe Natalie. But, I don’t know.’ She looked off to one side as she thought it through. ‘The poor woman’s suffered enough. Should we dispel her notions about her upstanding husband as well?’ Alexi used her fingers to make quotation marks around the word upstanding.

  ‘Better she hears it from us than we leave her hanging. In my experience, these things always have a way of coming out eventually.’

  ‘She does need closure regarding Natalie but once she knows, things will never be the same for her again.’

  ‘I know.’

  Alexi nodded. ‘Okay, let’s go to Woldingham.’

  They waited for the police to leave. Then they went back downstairs and told Cheryl and Drew what they planned to do.

  ‘Poor woman,’ Cheryl said sadly. ‘Still, in her position, I would want to know.’

  ‘We’ll see you later,’ Alexi said. ‘Wish us luck.’

  ‘Call me if you hear anything new about Fuller,’ Tyler added.

  They walked outside and Tyler opened the passenger door of his car for Alexi. Then he opened and the rear door for Cosmo, who had made it crystal clear he had no intention of being left behind.

  Chapter Nineteen