No Stranger to Death: A Scottish mystery where cosy crime meets tartan noir: Borders Mysteries Book 1 (34 page)

‘I don’t think she likes me.’

‘Who cares? No one likes her.’

‘I’m working tomorrow morning.’

‘No problem. You finish about one, don’t you? I’ll pick you up from here the back of two.’

As soon as Kate had left, Zoe sat down and stared at her mobile.
Should she call Neil back?

Mac’s barking made her jump. Someone was at the front door.

‘Have you been lurking outside, waiting for Kate to leave?’ Zoe asked when she saw who her visitor was.

Neil’s brow furrowed and he juggled his keys from hand to hand. ‘Can I come in? We need to talk.’

Chapter 43

Neil stood watching Zoe until she moved aside to let him in. He pulled off his hat and coat and hung both on a spare hook. Light from the naked bulb bounced off his head.

Seconds later, after resolving to sidestep any attempt he might make to touch her, Zoe was leant against him, feeling his chest rise and fall. But she pulled away as his face neared hers, drawing the line at kissing him.
For now
.

‘Come through to the warmth.’

He reached into his coat pocket and brought out a bottle of red wine. ‘Can I fetch a couple of glasses first?’ Without waiting for an answer he went towards the kitchen, while Zoe returned to the sitting room and squeezed another log into the woodburner.

‘Time was,’ Neil said, opening the bottle a few minutes later, ‘when no wine worth drinking came in a screw-top bottle. Things have changed.’ He poured them a glass each and they sat down.

Zoe waited to hear what he had to say.

Neil swept a hand over his head. ‘You’re angry with me, aren’t you?’

‘I hate it when people don’t return my calls.’

‘Sorry about that. I’ve been busy.’

‘Me too. With work, the coach house, a funeral and an encounter with a psychic. Not to mention a row with your brother.’

‘Ah, that.’ Neil put his glass down. ‘I’m curious to hear about the psychic, but let’s deal with Pete first. He’s really sorry he mouthed off at you. He says he didn’t mean anything by it.’

‘And you believe him?’

‘Yes. Of course. He was being a bit childish, that’s all. Pete hates change, always has. You and me getting together means things will be different for him too. He’ll be living on his own, for a start.’

‘Not necessarily.’

‘Eventually.’

Zoe let that one pass. She had already wasted enough time trying to convince Neil she would never marry him.

‘He spoke out of turn and he’ll apologise next time he sees you. Can’t you leave it at that?’

‘Another interpretation could be that Peter was warning me to stop seeing you because he knows something I don’t. His exact words were, “It’s for your own good”.’

‘You’re reading far too much into this.’

‘I don’t think I am. Look at it from my point of view. I have no idea how you’ve treated other women in the past, if you’ve ever been married, or even how many serious relationships you’ve been in.’

Neil leaned back in his chair. ‘My life’s an open book. Ask me anything you want and I promise to tell you the truth.’

Zoe studied him, trying to disentangle the complicated feelings he stirred in her. She had known Russell for so long before agreeing to marry him, she could not remember when and how they had revealed the important things about themselves to each other. Neil, on the other hand, seemed intent on conducting their relationship backwards, ignoring the natural order of things. A stilted question-and-answer session would scarcely help.
But maybe it was better than nothing
.

‘What other brothers and sisters do you have?’ she asked eventually.

Neil looked surprised; wherever he expected her to start, this was not it. ‘We had a sister, Louise.’

‘Had?’

‘She died from a drugs overdose when she was twenty-two. We don’t know if it was on purpose or an accident. She’d been clean for six months.’

‘I’m sorry.’

‘Me too. It was a waste.’

They sipped their wine.

‘Well, have you ever been married?’ Zoe asked.

‘No. Though I was engaged once.’

‘What happened?’

‘She broke it off. Don’t ask me why. She said – and I quote – “I can’t go through with it”. Like it was a some sort of operation.’

‘Were you both very young?’

‘Not particularly. It was before Pete and I moved up here.’

‘But not why you moved here?’

He smiled one of those annoying smiles people use when they know something you don’t. ‘Hardly.’

‘And since then, has there been anyone else?’

Before Zoe realised what he was doing, Neil put his glass on the table and fell to his knees in front of her. ‘No one. Until you.’

‘Can we please have fewer dramatic gestures and more talking?’ Zoe motioned to him to stand up, but he took no notice. ‘I have it on good authority you’ve not exactly led a monk’s life since you came to the Borders.’

‘I thought we were talking about serious relationships.’ Neil sat back on his haunches, all the time keeping his eyes fixed on Zoe’s. ‘I admit I’ve played the field. There’s a shortage of eligible young men round here, or hadn’t you noticed? But I’ve never led anyone on with false promises.’

Before Zoe could respond, her attention was caught by Mac, who walked over to Neil and sat down beside him. She looked from man to dog and back again, then burst out laughing. The similarity between them, both in posture and facial expression, was striking.

‘Woof!’ Neil said. ‘Now you have two faithful mutts.’ He scrambled to his feet, took hold of Zoe’s hands and pulled her out of her chair. ‘Although I do have some advantages over your funny-looking roommate.’

He kissed her on the lips, and after a moment’s hesitation, Zoe responded. As his mouth moved slowly down her neck he started to undo the buttons on her blouse. His head felt more like silk than velvet; he must have shaved before coming to see her.

The doorbell rang. Mac raced into the hall, barking.

‘Leave it. Please.’ Neil’s breath was hot against Zoe’s skin.

‘Sorry.’ She freed herself from his grasp and struggled to do up her blouse with uncooperative fingers. ‘I’d ignore the phone, but I can’t leave someone standing outside.’

Paul Ryder was straightening his tie as she opened the front door.

‘My dear, I wasn’t far away, so I thought I’d drop in rather than telephone. I hope this isn’t an inconvenient time.’

‘Of course not. Come in.’ She pushed away some strands of hair that had come loose from her plait.

Neil stood up when he saw Zoe was not alone.

‘I expect you know each other,’ Zoe said.

‘No.’ Paul approached Neil with his hand outstretched. ‘Paul Ryder.’

‘Neil Pengelly.’

‘I’ve heard very good things about your kitchens,’ Paul said. ‘Sadly, I don’t cook enough to justify one.’

Neil smiled politely, then looked at his watch. ‘I’ll be on my way, now we’ve got that misunderstanding sorted out, Zoe.’ And despite Paul’s protestations and Zoe’s offer of supper, he left.

Paul looked embarrassed, pulling at the waistband of his trousers as if they were in danger of falling down. ‘I’m so sorry, my dear. I should have phoned first.’

‘No, Paul, your timing was perfect. Can I get you a drink?’

‘Thank you, but no. I’ve got a couple of things to tell you and then I plan to pop in on old Mrs Gardner on my way home.’

‘Sit down at least.’

Paul sat, crossing his legs to reveal one blue sock and one brown. ‘Walter’s back. He wants us all to meet at four o’clock tomorrow. Can you work in the afternoon rather than the morning?’

‘No problem.’ Zoe waited for him to tell her what the meeting was about, but instead he changed the subject.

‘I was in the BGH earlier, seeing how one of my old ladies is doing after her hip operation. Young Lisa is still there.’

‘They’ve kept her in this long?’ Zoe felt a pang of guilt. With everything that was happening, she had forgotten to check on Lisa’s progress.

‘They did a D and C after her miscarriage. She’s recovered sufficiently, physically anyway, to be discharged, but I think the police would rather she stayed in hospital while a decision is made about what to do with her.’

‘Can’t she be released on bail?’

‘Where would she go? The poor girl has no friends, no relatives. She’s being well cared for at the BGH, getting the kindness she needs. It has to be better than being kept somewhere under lock and key.’

‘Now I’m not working ‘til later, I could go to see her tomorrow morning.’

‘That’s what I was hoping you would say.’ Paul rose, accidentally kicking Mac. The dog looked up, perceived no threat and put his head back between his front paws with a sigh.

After seeing Paul out, Zoe returned to the sitting room and texted Kate, postponing their trip to see Alice. Maybe if it was put back often enough she would abandon the idea altogether.

Chapter 44

Her only previous experience of Borders General Hospital having been as a patient, Zoe was glad to arrive this time by car rather than ambulance. She walked past the information desk and coffee shop up the stairs to the gynae ward, and half-expected a policeman to be stationed outside the room she was directed to. Instead, the only uniforms in sight were those worn by nurses.

She was not Lisa’s only visitor. Two women, one on either side of the bed, looked up as she entered the room. The one on the left, holding Lisa’s hand, had cropped black hair and the lean body of an athlete.

‘Hello, Doctor.’ Lisa’s habitual pallor was still evident, even against the white of the pillows propping her up.
How had they all been fooled into believing this tiny creature was in her twenties?

‘Hello, Zoe.’ Lisa’s other visitor was Etta Mackenzie.

The stranger offered Zoe her hand. ‘You’re Doctor Moreland? We have a lot to thank you for, I believe.’

‘This is Lisa’s Auntie Anne,’ Etta said. ‘She’s come up from London.’

‘My sister Jane was Lisa’s mother.’ Anne pumped Zoe’s hand. ‘When the police got in touch, I came up as soon as I could. It was a terrible shock, hearing what’s happened, but I’ve been so desperate for news about Lisa that it was a relief too.’

‘I’m glad the police were able to find you. Are you staying long?’

‘As long as it takes,’ Anne said. ‘I’m not going home without her.’

Zoe turned to Lisa. ‘I was sorry to hear about your baby. How are you feeling now?’

‘It was probably for the best.’ Lisa’s words were all the more sad because they so obviously echoed everyone else’s reaction to her miscarriage. She was unlikely to believe it herself.

‘You’ve been through such a lot, sweetheart.’ Anne said, and hugged her. ‘You’ll feel better when you’re back home with me.’

‘I must go,’ Etta said, getting up. ‘I’m so pleased to have met you, Anne. Don’t forget now – you have my number, and if there’s anything I can do to help, please phone me. I mean it.’

‘Everyone’s being so kind. Thank you.’ Anne embraced Etta.

‘I’ll walk out with you,’ Zoe said. ‘Can I get you anything from the hospital shop, Lisa?’

Lisa shook her head and sank deeper into the pillows, closing her eyes. Anne sat down beside her again.

As they walked along the corridor, Zoe asked Etta how she had known Lisa was still in hospital. Unsurprisingly, it turned out one of the Mackenzie cousins was a nurse on the gynae ward.

‘Kate didn’t mention you were coming over. I could have given you a lift.’

‘I haven’t told her. She’d only ask why I’ve come all this way to visit someone I hardly know.’

Zoe came to a halt in front of the cafe. ‘Why did you?’ she asked.

Etta did not answer.

‘It was you, wasn’t it?’ Zoe said. ‘You overheard Lisa and Brian in the shop that evening. That’s what you’ve been so upset about, not the Bairds’ deaths. And why you tried to talk to me alone in the churchyard.’

‘It was dreadful,’ Etta said. ‘Brian was the lassie’s father and he’d got her pregnant? I tried to convince myself I was mistaken but I couldn’t get it out of my mind.’

‘And then you heard she’d killed him.’

‘I feel so guilty. If I’d done something, Brian might still be alive and poor Lisa wouldn’t be in such trouble.’

‘It’s not your fault. Even if you had confronted him, a man prepared to do what he did to his own daughter would never have listened to you.’

‘But I should have told someone.’

‘You certainly need to now.’

‘Why? It’s too late.’

‘Lisa mentioned someone had overheard her and Brian talking about the baby just before Chrissie Baird died. DCI Mather is wondering if the two things are connected.’

‘Oh no!’

Alarmed at how pale the older woman had suddenly become, Zoe linked arms with her and led her to a nearby table. ‘Sit down and I’ll buy us both a coffee.’ She walked towards the counter without giving Etta a chance to argue.

‘Please don’t tell Kate any of this,’ Etta said when Zoe rejoined her a few minutes later. ‘She’ll only worry.’

‘Of course, if you don’t want me to.’

‘Why can’t they use proper milk?’ Etta struggled to open a tiny plastic container. ‘I’m the daughter of a dairy farmer. This smells and tastes nothing like the real thing.’

‘Is your family from the Borders too?’ Zoe asked, keen to chat about less emotive subjects for a while.

‘A few miles the other side of Galashiels.’

‘How did you meet Mr Mackenzie?’

‘At a Young Farmers ceilidh. I was only seventeen and he swept me off my feet. I expect you’ll find that hard to believe.’

‘Not at all.’

‘We married a year later, and Richard came along a year after that.’

‘Then Robert, Douglas and finally Kate – have I got that right?’

‘Yes. I was determined to keep going until I had a girl.’

‘Seriously?’

‘Of course. The relationship between a mother and her daughter is so special.’ Etta took a sip of coffee and made a face. ‘I lost my mother at about the same age you lost yours. I’ve tried to be as good a mother as she was.’