Murder in Time (21 page)

‘No, you didn't, dear.'

‘Yes, I did. I told you when I collected little Evan the other day. The au pair has gone down with toothache and is insisting on flying back to visit her own dentist in Germany, can you believe? I told her, I'd pay for her to go my own man, but she's determined, and when I said I didn't expect her to leave me in the lurch like this, with a business to run as well, she was, well, not to put too fine a point on it, she was extremely rude.'

Ellie thought, but didn't say,
Good for her
.

‘So I've shot her out of the house and I can't get a replacement till Monday, so I shall need cover. The simplest thing would be if you were to move in here to look after him. The au pair's room is in a bit of a mess but I'm sure you can clean it up and put clean sheets on the bed, there's plenty in the cupboard, at least there should be, although you can't trust anyone to do even the simplest things for you nowadays, can you?'

‘Sorry, Diana. That is absolutely out of the question. I'm up to here in—'

‘I did think you could do just this one thing for me! I don't often ask you to help me out, now, do I!'

‘I'm sorry, Diana. That really is out of the question.'

A put-upon sigh. ‘Then there's no help for it. I'll have to bring baby over to you first thing tomorrow on my way to work. I can pick him up at the end of the day and bring him home for the evening, but then on Saturday I'll need you to look after him again. He's got a touch of the runs, nothing serious, but please don't let him catch another cold as it tends to go to his chest and then we can never get a proper night's sleep …'

Ellie didn't hear the rest of her daughter's diatribe. How was she going to get to the bottom of the doctor's murder with a baby hanging round her neck? Much as she loved him. Well, of course she loved him. But at times like this she did feel a little, well, tired.

Little Evan was teething. And grizzly. On the plus side, he loved being with Rose, who in turn adored him.

Ellie had got up early to receive Evan and to bake her solicitor his favourite Victoria sponge. Rose could sometimes still bake the most wonderful light cakes, but every now and then she'd forget to put in the eggs or the baking powder and then she'd weep and say she was no good for anything any more. So Ellie baked while Rose amused Evan, sitting in his high chair. Now and then Rose read out bits from the local paper. Fortunately, the little boy fell asleep a few minutes before Gunnar arrived.

Ellie's solicitor was a big man with a big presence. Ellie took him into the sitting room and outlined what had been happening, indicating the pile of papers Vera had left for him to see. Gunnar picked up the first one and concentrated. His lips pinched in and out. In and out. He frowned.

Ellie offered cake. He ignored her.

He inspected the rest of the paperwork, seated himself with a huff and a shake of his head. ‘Ellie, where is your friend Vera now?'

‘At college, but she's letting me act for her.'

Gunnar said, ‘This paperwork … I am not amused. Dear lady, rest easy in your mind. I have heard of this so-called solicitor, a semi-educated, foolish young man, picking up work where he can, mostly dubious claims for whiplash injuries and inflated claims for repairs to cars which have been involved in minor accidents. In short, an ambulance chaser. He parties all night and stumbles through his work all day. No doubt he met up with your Abdi at one of his all-nighters and registered pound signs in his eyes without having the intelligence to check the status of those concerned. If this matter ever comes to court, a half-decent barrister would rip his case apart. Vera did well to return his cheque.'

‘Abdi can be forceful. And, perhaps, a little careless with the truth.'

Seeing Gunnar relax a trifle, Ellie offered cake and tea. This time he accepted but perused each piece of paper again, one by one.

Ellie kept quiet.
Danger, men at work
.

Gunnar held one sheet of paper at arm's length, as if he feared it might infect him. ‘This threat to have Vera exposed as a murderer. It claims that someone saw a person answering to Vera's description, arguing with the doctor. The private detective's name is not given, for a start. A copy of the witness's statement is not included. His so-called “witness” has not been named, his address has not been given, the reason why he was in that street in the early hours of the morning is not stated, nor the hour at which the encounter is supposed to have taken place. Phooey.'

‘But the police would be bound to follow it up if Abdi sent them that report.'

‘That is so. Can Vera produce an alibi?'

‘Not really. Her father had waited up for her and could have given her an alibi, but unfortunately he's dead. The only possible defence must be that of the gang rape – which would open a different but equally distressing can of worms.'

‘Humph. What is your opinion of this man, Abdi?'

‘He's from a moneyed background and accustomed to thinking he can have whatever he fancies. He wants the boy to back up his position in his family, not because he loves him. Mikey is like him in many ways, though neither of them have yet understood that.'

‘Does this Abdi respect the law?'

‘Judging from past behaviour, no. Oh, perhaps I shouldn't say that, because the rape happened twelve years ago, and he might well have matured since then. “I don't know” is the right answer.'

‘Your tone betrays doubt?'

‘If Abdi thought he could get away with something, I think he would do so. I imagine he has no compunction about fiddling his taxes. That is, if he pays any.'

Gunnar leaned back in his chair, which creaked under his weight. He frowned. ‘There have been a number of disturbing incidents concerning the children of mixed parentage. Let us say that the court rules a child is to live with this parent or that. If the parent who's lost the case whisks the child out of the country, it is difficult if not impossible to get an international warrant in order to trace the child and get him or her returned.'

Ellie hadn't thought of that. ‘Ouch. I've read about such cases. Heart-rending.'

‘You understand that if Mikey were taken abroad, Vera would have little chance of seeing him again?'

‘In such a case I would give her money to have him traced and brought back.'

‘Somalia is not party to the Hague Convention and therefore there is no legal framework to resolve parental abduction cases. Vera would have no legal case for the return of her child under Somali law, so if she wanted to see Mikey again she'd have to move there herself – once she'd found him, of course. The boy is only twelve?'

‘Half-grown. Not particularly tall.'

‘Has he his own passport?'

‘No, there's been no money for holidays abroad. How would Abdi manage to take him abroad, without a passport?'

‘Dear lady, let us enter the realms of conjecture. Would it be beyond a man of Abdi's resources to acquire the passport of a boy with a passing resemblance to Mikey? Some cousin's passport, perhaps?'

‘Mikey would fight not to go.'

‘He might be made too drowsy to object.'

Ellie shivered. Gunnar meant the boy would be drugged into acquiescence.

Gunnar nodded. ‘That is the worst case scenario. Let us now consider how we ourselves might handle the situation. You could ask me to deal with the matter through the courts. You could instruct me to hire a barrister to represent Vera and the boy. The barrister would discover what the boy's wishes were. If, as you say, the boy wishes to stay with his mother, then the barrister would suggest a compromise. He would argue that the father should have access to the boy for, say, holidays, but that he continue to live with the mother for the rest of the time. He would suggest that the father should pay the mother a certain sum of money, backdated, etcetera, and make her an allowance, etcetera.'

‘You think that there is a very real danger that Abdi would ignore the court's ruling and run off with the boy?'

‘Don't you?'

‘Not till you mentioned it, no. We're not going to have a minute's peace from now on, are we?'

Gunnar finished his glass. ‘The other way is simpler. Vera must go to the police and have Abdi arrested for rape.'

‘She doesn't want to do that. Rape victims – particularly gang rape victims – are not treated well by the courts, and she'd have to name the other men as well. She's reluctant to destroy them.'

‘She's more forgiving than I would be.'

‘Agreed.'

He sighed. ‘Charging Abdi with rape is the only foolproof way I can think of to stop him, though even then …' He lumbered to his feet. ‘I must get on, I suppose. Tell your Vera to ring me for an appointment as soon as she likes, and we'll talk it through.'

‘The bill comes to me.'

He inclined his head. ‘Understood. Meanwhile, warn the boy to be on the lookout. Perhaps arm him with a pepper spray? It's illegal, and you haven't heard me mention it, but it might save him from a nasty experience.'

As Ellie showed Gunnar out, noises from the kitchen informed Ellie that little Evan was now awake and demanding attention. He always started with a faint mewing, ‘pp' for very soft. They could ignore that. The next step was a sort of growling squawk. Not exactly ‘p' for soft, and – for those who knew what it portended – a signal that worse was to come.

Ellie hastily made a phone call, noting that ‘p' was working rapidly up through the decibels. By the time she put the phone down, Evan had progressed to a full-blown, you'd-better-pay-me-attention yell at ‘f' for forte meaning ‘loud'.

By the time Ellie reached the kitchen, he was at double forte, eyes fast shut, mouth open so wide that you could see his tonsils. Rose had managed to pick him up, but it was no good. Evan wanted attention, NOW!

He was also very smelly. Ugh. What had Diana said about him having the runs? Oh dear.

Ellie coped as best she could. She set about changing him while Rose tottered about trying to get a bottle to the right temperature for him. Ellie tried to master his wriggles. He was big and strong for his age, and his favourite trick was to wait till his nappy was off before squirting wee as high as he could into the air, preferably getting his unfortunate attendant in the eye. And then, as soon as he had a clean nappy on, to perform again, both ends at once.

By the time he'd been spoon-fed some of his favourite dinner and had his bottle, he had to be changed again. Both Ellie and Rose were wrecked. And so was the kitchen.

Evan was still not a happy bunny. He was winded, burped and crooned to. They took it in turns to walk him up and down while the other had a quick bite to eat. Evan quite liked the soothing movement of being walked up and down, but the moment they stopped, he squirmed and yelled.

Rose was ready to drop. She usually had a nap after lunch.

Ellie said, ‘The only thing is to keep him moving. I'd walk him round the block in his pushchair if I wasn't expecting a visitor.' She put him in his buggy, strapped him in despite his protests, and jiggled it up and down till he subsided, great eyes staring up at the ceiling. The moment she stopped jiggling, his mouth opened.

Rose was fighting to stay awake. She said, ‘Shall I take over?'

‘You go and have your rest.'

Ellie rocked the buggy to and fro, keeping an eye on her watch. If she could only get Evan to sleep before her visitor arrived! He'd said he was going to be in the neighbourhood, something to do with a local archive that he needed to consult. Evan was almost quiet, sucking his lips on the air. A pity Diana didn't believe in dummies. Well, Ellie didn't, either. Except in emergencies. And this was an emergency.

The doorbell rang, and Evan started awake and yelled. Was he smelly again? No? Thankfully.

Ellie got the door open, continuing to jiggle the buggy with one hand.

A tall, spare, pleasant looking man with a beak of a nose stood there. ‘Mrs Quicke?' His eyes went to the baby, but he was too polite to remark on his existence.

‘My grandson. My daughter's busy today, and he … Oh dear, the moment I stop moving …'

He had a nice smile. ‘I remember it well. My first was a contented little chap, but the little girl … Let me.' He took the pushchair from her and somehow – was it the male touch? – Evan directed his gaze at the newcomer and seemed to approve what he saw. He even managed a smile.

‘I'm Sam, by the way. Dan's cousin. You wanted to see me, and I said I'd be in the area but I'm afraid I really haven't time to stop. I'm due in the Broadway in fifteen minutes, and I haven't the car today.'

Ellie had an inspiration. ‘May I walk along with you? Evan's a little angel when he's being walked around.' Grabbing her coat and handbag, she checked that she had her keys with her. ‘That is, if you don't mind?'

He was amused, rather than annoyed. ‘Why not? You said it was about Dan and what happened to his father, but I don't think I can be of any assistance. I was in hospital that night, and we don't see much of one another nowadays.'

I
t wasn't raining for once. Good.

Ellie said, ‘You and Dan don't see much of one another nowadays. Because of his divorce? He gave me the impression that you were like a big brother to him in the old days.' That was stretching the truth a bit, but not too much.

Sam seemed flattered. ‘I suppose I was, in a way. Our mothers were sisters, and although Dan and I aren't at all alike, my sister Daphne was the spitting image of his mother. Still is, as a matter of fact. I believe they get together every now and then to discuss fashion and film stars.'

‘I like Dan.'

‘So do I.'

They eyed one another. How much to say? If she pressed him to speak of his relatives, would he think her impertinent? How loyal would he be to his aunt?