‘Then why did he go ahead and do it?’ Ty asked.
‘I’ve often asked myself the same question.’ He waved an arm through the air. ‘Things were already fraught between us at that time and I think David knew that if we split up then he wouldn’t be able to make it alone.’
‘He tried to force you into staying the distance?’ Drew suggested.
‘Yeah, but I don’t respond well to blackmail. Anyway, that was the beginning of the end. We had a big falling out and I said I was quitting at the end of the initial year. Cutting my losses, if you like. That’s when I decided to come here. David threatened legal action, but I didn’t take him seriously, simply because I didn’t think he had a case. Then he got some ambulance-chasing lawyers who thought our email exchanges wouldn’t stand up in court. Personally, I think they’re just in it for the glory. David and I are both well-known and they want to cash in.’
‘How can they cash in if you were losing money? Ty asked.
‘The restaurant was losing but I still had funds of my own. I’m not daft enough to put all my eggs in one basket. David knew that and must have told his lawyers I was worth going after. They know they’re onto a loser.’ He spread his hands. ‘Truth is, David’s a decent run-of-the-mill chef but he doesn’t have the flair, the secret ingredient if you like, to stand out in an increasingly crowded marketplace. With all due modesty—’
‘Which is not your style,’ Cheryl reminded him, grinning.
‘Right, so I’ll say it straight.’ They were treated to a brief glimpse of the old, cocky Marcel as he winked at Cheryl. ‘I know how to make a statement, both with my food and with my behaviour, that keeps people coming back for more. They either love me or hate me. What they can’t do is ignore me.’ He sighed. ‘Anyway, what made you go to see David?’
‘We figured the animosity between the two of you had reached the stage where David might be desperate enough to want the final word,’ Alexi explained. ‘Did you know he was in line to be the chef on What’s for Dinner? until they decided upon you instead?’
‘Hell, no I didn’t!’ Marcel sat a little straighter. ‘That really would have pissed him off.’
‘More to the point,’ Ty added, ‘he had two meetings with the production team. Who’s to say he might not have hooked up with one of them and concocted this scheme? Or even with Graham Fuller’s son?’
‘To murder a contestant just to get back at me?’ Marcel’s eyebrows disappeared beneath his hairline. ‘He’s angry and bitter but I can’t see him going that far. He doesn’t have the balls. Besides, even if he did, it’s a pretty extreme way to exact revenge.’
‘He said the same thing about you,’ Alexi replied. ‘Not the angry and bitter part. He chose other adjectives to describe your behaviour—’
Marcel chuckled. ‘I can well imagine.’
‘He commented on your temper but said he didn’t think you’d resort to murder; especially when you had so much going for you.’
‘He’s right about that.’ Marcel shook his head. ‘If I wanted to kill someone, I’m hardly likely to frame myself.’
‘The point is,’ Ty explained, ‘unless and until we can expose the real killer, it’s in your best interests if we present the police with as many alternative possibilities as we can. Far Reach Productions are closing ranks around their nearest and dearest. We need to do the same with you. Vickery must know about your dispute with David Rowe but since he hasn’t been in touch with David yet, he probably doesn’t think it’s relevant. I shall have a word or two in his shell-like and see if I can change his mind. I might even throw Fuller’s son’s name into the ring while I’m at it.’
‘I really appreciate what you’re doing for me,’ Marcel said, encompassing Ty and Alexi with one gaze. ‘And you two for standing by me,’ he added to Cheryl and Drew.
‘We’re only doing that because you draw the customers in with your appalling behaviour,’ Drew assured him.
‘Yeah, don’t go all soft on us when this is over,’ Cheryl warned. ‘We’ve got used to your tantrums and might even miss them.’
Marcel grinned. ‘You can’t gild a lily, darlin’.’
‘Do we have any viable alternative suspects?’ Cheryl asked. ‘I serious doubt if it was this David chap, or Fuller’s son.’
‘Our money’s on Dakin,’ Alexi replied. ‘He had means, motive and opportunity but so far we haven’t got a hope in hell of getting him to incriminate himself, especially now that the production company’s big guns have his back.’
‘Anyway, my business partner’s digging into his background, finances, stuff like that to see what pops up,’ Ty said. ‘We’ll know more, if there’s anything to know, when she gets back to me.’
‘We still need to talk to Anton and John,’ Alexi said. ‘Anton especially. We know he borrowed a massive sum from a loan shark who charges one thousand per cent interest.’
‘Bloody hell!’ Drew breathed.
‘Would that really get him thrown off the show?’ Cheryl asked. ‘I don’t think it would. I hate to say it but I suspect that Anton got through the qualifying rounds not only on the basis of his cooking but because of his ethnic background.’ Several heads nodded in agreement. ‘Nowadays big organisations like to make a big show of not being racist. Besides, if Hammond’s people found out about the loan, I reckon the studio must have done their homework too and decided that Anton’s looks and personality were more important than a questionable financial decision. Dakin might even ask him questions about it live on air. A lot of people get themselves into similar pickles and would sympathise. If I’m right about that, Juliette couldn’t blackmail him to perform badly in exchange for keeping his secret.’
‘Look at the broader picture,’ Ty said. ‘The guys that do the lending aren’t in the charity business and wouldn’t lend so much to someone with no means of making repayments. Threats, intimidation, broken limbs won’t see them get their dosh back. So why lend to someone like Anton in the first place?’
‘Because he can be of help to them in some way,’ Alexi suggested, catching on to where Ty was going with this.
‘Right, that’s my bet. Repayment suspended in lieu of services rendered. And you can bet your last penny that the type of services blokes like that need are on the dark side of the law. Anton’s young, fit and intimidating to look at. Just the sort of person to persuade people to pay up. All Juliette would have had to do was threaten to drop a word or two in the right ear about Anton’s suspicious activities and it would be enough to have him thrown off the show.’
Alexi nodded. ‘And would leave Anton with no alternative but to keep Juliette quiet. Permanently.’
‘Where does he say he was when she was killed?’ Cheryl asked.
‘In his room,’ Ty replied. ‘The cameras prove that he was most of the time but he left it for varying lengths of time. Now John was in his room, no question, so talking to him is really just a formality. With regard to Anton, as we don’t know the actual time of the killing to within a few minutes, any one of his absences would have been enough to get the job done.’
‘You’d best leave speaking with him until the morning,’ Drew said. ‘This evening is one of the periods when they all have to hang out in the lounge and the cameras keep rolling. He can’t leave.’
‘Tomorrow will be fine,’ Ty replied.
Alexi’s mobile rang and she moved to the side of the kitchen to take the call. ‘Hey, Fay,’ she said. ‘How are you?’
Fay was full of questions about the case, most of which Alexi couldn’t answer. ‘We’re taking one step forward and two back right now,’ she said.
‘Would you and Ty like to tell me all about it this evening over one of my beef stews?’
‘Hold on, I’ll ask him.’
Ty agreed at once. ‘I look forward to it, Fay,’ he shouted so she’d hear him.
‘Okay, we’ll see you in about an hour,’ Alexi said, ending the call. ‘Fay sends you her love,’ she told Marcel. ‘Although how anyone c
ould love you when you make no effort to play nice is beyond me.’
Marcel treated her to a heated smile. ‘I might be prepared to make an exception in your case.’
Ty frowned at him, making everyone laugh and lightening the mood.
‘Go and take your frustration out in the kitchen, Marcel,’ Ty said, standing. ‘Alexi and I are off out to dinner.’
Alexi needed to stop off at home for a shower and to change. She raised a brow but made no comment when Ty extracted a holdall from the car that contained clean clothes and toiletries. When they were both spruced up they travelled the short distance to Fay’s in Ty’s car, stopping at the local off-licence to pick up some wine. Naturally, Cosmo tagged along.
‘It’s been too long,’ Fay said, engulfing Ty in an expansive hug the moment she opened her door. She then repeated the process with Alexi. Cosmo didn’t wait to be hugged but shot through the door ahead of everyone.
‘It’s great to see you too, Fay,’ Ty said.
‘Sorry about Cosmo’s manners,’ Alexi said as she watched her cat head straight for the kitchen. ‘But given how good those smells are, I can’t really blame him.’
Alexi handed her the flowers that Ty had picked up along with the wine. ‘It seems a bit like coals to Newcastle,’ she said.
‘Nonsense, the garden is barren at this time of year so flowers for the house are especially welcome. Thank you. I shall put them in water at once.’
‘And I’ll open one of these,’ Ty said, pointing to the carrier with two bottles of wine in it. ‘I think we could all use a drink.’
Alexi still had trouble entering this cottage without shuddering. It was the place where Graham Fuller had cornered her and almost strangled her to death. But at least it had happened upstairs and Alexi didn’t plan on going anywhere near the room in question. The lounge on the other hand was toasty with a roaring log fire and thick curtains closed against the cold winter’s night. A table had been laid for three and Fay suggested eating at once.
‘You could give Marcel a run for his money,’ Alexi said, closing her eyes as Fay’s wonderfully rich beef stew literally melted in her mouth.
‘Nonsense! I can cook for a few people. But trying to juggle it so a whole restaurant full of people got different things all at the same time is my idea of a nightmare. I can’t imagine why anyone would put themselves through that torture.’
‘Me neither,’ Alexi agreed. ‘But then, there’s no accounting for taste.’
They talked about general things while they ate, mostly Fay’s new life and burgeoning business.
‘With Christmas just around the corner,’ she said, smiling, ‘I’m getting lots of pre-orders for table arrangements and so forth. It’s very kind of local people to give me the business.’
‘But you’ve thrown yourself into village life,’ Alexi said. ‘Unlike me. Of course they’ll support you.’
‘The W.I., flower arranging clubs and church charities aren’t your sort of thing,’ Fay replied. ‘Leave that to us oldies who have nothing better to amuse ourselves with.’ She sent Ty a sparkling smile, as though she thought she knew precisely how he and Alexi were amusing themselves. Alexi shook her head at her.
‘You’re a wicked old matchmaker,’ she said. ‘Ty and I are simply friends.’
‘Of course you are, dear,’ she said, standing up to clear the plates. ‘Who’s for homemade strawberry shortcake?’
Cosmo meowed, even though he’d just consumed his own very large portion of stew. Alexi groaned. ‘I think I love you, Fay.’
‘Ah ha!’ Ty flashed a wicked smile. ‘Now I know where I’m going wrong.’
Fay laughed. ‘Making you wait, is she?’
‘Fay!’ Alexi was horrified.
‘Don’t suppose you’re used to rejection, Ty. It will do you good.’
Alexi shook a finger at her. ‘Go and get the dessert and stop interfering, you annoying woman!’
‘Hit a raw nerve, have I?’
While Fay was out of the room, Ty reached across the table and captured Alexi’s hand. ‘See,’ he said smugly. ‘Even Fay thinks we should be together.’
‘You paid her to say that.’
‘Actually, I didn’t but now that you mention it…ouch!’
Alexi, who’d just kicked him under the table, smiled serenely and said nothing. Now wasn’t the time to tell Ty that she’d made her mind up.
‘So, tell me all about the goings-on at Hopgood House.’ Fay said later as they sat beside the fire with their coffee. ‘I feel so sorry for poor Drew and Cheryl. They don’t deserve this.’
‘That’s true,’ Alexi replied.
She proceeded to tell Fay everything they knew and whom they suspected.
‘So poor Marcel is being made a scapegoat,’ Fay said thoughtfully. ‘How very unpleasant for him.’
‘He’s worried, Fay,’ Alexi said, ‘and frankly, so am I. For him and for the future of Hopgood House. Tainted by association and all that. It’s only a matter of time before details of Marcel’s possible involvement leak out. These things always do and even if the police don’t have enough to bring charges, it could be enough to kill off Marcel’s career.’
‘Yes, I can quite see that. It might help when they get the results of the DNA test on Juliette’s foetus. The father is the most likely suspect, I should have thought.’
‘We think Dakin killed her,’ Alexi said, ‘but haven’t got a hope in hell of proving it, unless Cassie comes up with something incriminating in her background checks. Or, of course, if he proves to be the father of the baby.’
‘Have all the men been asked to give DNA samples anyway?’ Fay asked.
‘A very good question,’ Ty replied. ‘And one that I didn’t think to ask Vickery. I assume that they have but I’ll make sure. And if anyone declined it will arouse my suspicions.’
‘What about the other contestants?’ Fay asked. ‘It sounds as though Juliette rubbed them all up the wrong way.’
‘John is pretty much in the clear. He was in his room, on camera, for the entire period when Juliette was killed,’ Ty explained. ‘Greta was in the lounge, also on camera. Anton, on the other hand, was in and out.’
‘We’re going to try and talk to Anton sometime tomorrow,’ Alexi said.
‘We’re going back to school as well,’ Ty added.
‘We are?’ Alexi permitted her surprise to show. ‘First I heard of it.’
‘I meant to say. I rang the headmistress of Eversham School today. She’s been following the show and remembers both Greta and Juliette when they were pupils there. I thought she might be able to shed further light on the animosity between the two of them.’
‘Doubt it,’ Alexi replied. ‘Teachers are usually the last ones to know what issues the kids have. Besides, Greta was under the camera’s eye the entire time. She couldn’t have done it.’
‘Even so, there’s something about their early relationship that’s bugging me,’ Ty said pensively. ‘I’ve learned to follow my instincts, especially when I have bugger all else to go on. Mrs Bagshaw, the headmistress, can spare me fifteen minutes at eight-thirty in the morning.’ He glanced at Alexi. ‘Like you say, it’s probably a waste of time, but do you fancy tagging along?’
‘Sure. If nothing else it might throw up more doubt about Marcel’s involvement, which is what we’re trying to do.’ Alexi yawned, then apologised. ‘It’s been a long day.’
‘Then get yourselves home. Sounds like you have an early start in the morning.’
‘I hate to eat and run,’ Alexi protested. ‘At least let me help with the dishes.’
‘Nonsense.’ Cosmo, stretched full length in front of the fire, got up and stalked to the front door. ‘How does he do that?’
‘He’s clever,’ Alexi said in a proud tone that made Ty and Fay laugh.
‘There’s no denying that,’ Fay agreed.
It took just a few minutes to drive back to Alexi’s cottage. The temperature had dropped to zero and she huddled deeper in
to her sheepskin jacket, aware that the car’s heater wouldn’t get up to speed before they reached home.
As soon as she unlocked the door, Ty set to work banking up the fire. He must have been a pyromaniac in a previous life, Alexi decided, because he had it crackling away in no time flat.
‘You’re wasting your time,’ she said.
‘I thought I did a pretty decent job, all things considered.’
‘Oh, you did.’ She threw off her jacket and walked towards him in a deliberately provocative fashion. ‘But it seems to me that since everyone, including Fay, thinks we’re an item, we shouldn’t miss out on the benefits.’
Hope flared in his eyes. ‘You’ve decided?’
‘Looks that way.’
Ty skewered her with a look. ‘You sure?’
‘Changed your mind, Maddox?’
‘Hell no, but I don’t want you to feel pressured.’
‘Stop prevaricating. It’s time to live up to the hype.’
With another of his devastating smiles he closed the distance between them, pulled her into his arms and kissed her like a man with a point to prove.
‘Do you know how often I’ve dreamed about doing that?’ he asked in a husky voice when he finally let her up for air.
‘Is that all you’ve dreamed of doing?’
‘Hmm, it’s a start.’
His hands roved up her sides, cupped the edges of her breasts and then travelled down again, finishing up on her backside as he pulled her against his erection.
‘Come on,’ he said, sounding suddenly like he was in a tearing hurry. ‘Let’s take this somewhere more comfortable.’
Chapter Sixteen
Ty woke early with a naked woman draped over his body. The naked woman whom he’d fantasised about sharing a bed with for more than six months. The wait had been beyond worth it. Having decided to take their relationship on a stage, Alexi didn’t hold back and let him know what she wanted. Ty was more than happy to deliver.
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