Tragedy at Two (35 page)

“God knows. Maybe he was testing them? He could have had some plan, and it didn’t work out. Or perhaps it did,” Lois said. She closed her eyes, seeing again Alf on the floor of the storeroom, tear streaks still on his face.

“Mum? Are you all right?” Josie said, and turned to glare at Cowgill.

“Don’t worry love,” Lois said, “it’s best we get this over, then we can go home. This is the most important bit,” she continued. “So listen carefully, Inspector. Alf knew all about Sam and Edwina. I don’t know how long he’d known, but in hospital, just before he died, he talked to the gypsy lady, Athalia Lee. It was so sad. . . .”

Cowgill glimpsed a Lois he had rarely seen. Her face crumpled and she sniffed, searching in her pocket for a tissue. “Take your time, Lois,” he said, desperately wanting to gather her up and comfort her, but he maintained his official demeanor, softening only to give her a large handkerchief. “As you say, we’ll get it all done, and then you and Josie can go back to Farnden.”

Lois straightened up, cleared her throat and told him about Alf’s confession to Athalia, how he had been taunted by a drunken Rob until he lost control. “Alf may have had suspicions before, but Rob confirmed it that night. Oh yes, he made sure Alf knew for certain that Sam was having a passionate affair with his wife. No wonder the poor bloke lost it.”

“So Alf
killed
Rob?” Cowgill said.

“Alf was doing him a favour. Rob was paralytic. Alf intended to give him a lift to see him safely home, but when the idiot wouldn’t shut up, Alf tried to push him out of the car. Maybe he thought the night air would sober him up. Rob resisted and they fought. Alf kicked him into the ditch, and left him. I don’t know if he meant to kill him, but that’s what happened.”

There was a moment’s silence, then Cowgill said he had one more thing to ask, and then that would do for the moment. “When you found Alf round the back of the baby shop, was he able to speak at all? Did you hear him say anything?”

“No, nothing. He was out cold,” Lois said.

“But his mobile phone, Mum,” Josie interrupted, “don’t you remember we found it on the ground beside him. It was still switched on, though there was nobody at the other end. Your chaps will have it, Inspector. It’d be interesting to know who he was talking to. Maybe Edwina? Something she said caused his heart attack?”

Cowgill said that this was a useful point to follow up. Then he thanked them both, and was about to wrap it up when Lois said she had a question for him. “What happened about them two ugly gypsy brothers who weren’t in the camp proper? They were prime suspects for Rob’s murder at one time, weren’t they?”

“Ah yes, them,” Cowgill said. “Yes, it did seem likely. They were seen around the pub in Tresham that night. The dog had had a go at somebody. But there was no obvious motive. Now it looks like it was just coincidence. We also reckoned they had a hand in the fire, but can’t be sure. Why would they want to foul up their own camping ground? Once again, no apparent motive. We still don’t know the answer to that one, but are working on it. It could’ve been a careless accident, or that gang of kids.

“Anyway,” he continued, “the brothers left the others and went off on their own. Ended up in Lancashire, and one of them killed the other. A quarrel, apparently, over a dog. The killer was arrested and spilled out a whole lot of stuff about being on the site in Farnden. He said his brother had seen Smith’s wife and another man hand in hand, and blackmailed her. He blamed his brother for everything. Nasty business, but we’ll get at the truth.” He stood up and said that was enough for today. He dismissed his assistant and walked over to the window, looking down into the square, saying nothing more.

Josie began to feel uncomfortable in the silence. “Mum, I need the loo,” Josie said, looking from one to the other. Lois nodded, and contemplated Cowgill’s back. She looked at her watch, and waited.

Finally Cowgill turned to her. “All right?” he said.

“Yep, more or less.”

“You know what I want to say, don’t you, Lois?”

“I can guess. But go on. Say it anyway.”

“Right. This is it. I’m not sure I can allow you to involve yourself in future cases,” he said formally.

“
Allow
me? Since when did I need your permission?”

He looked away again. “All right then, how about this?” he said in a muffled voice. “You mean more to me than solving a few difficult cases. I can’t stand seeing you upset, nor can I bear the thought that I might be sending you into danger.”

“Well, tough,” said Lois, taking his hand and turning him to face her. She kissed him lightly on the cheek, and added, “because I intend to carry on. Besides, if you shut me out, who will cheer you up on gloomy mornings?”

THE STORY OF ALF SMITH’S DEATH WAS NOW THE MAIN SUBJECT for conversation in the village, and when Lois and Josie returned next afternoon in the New Brooms van, curious eyes followed them all the way down the street.

Derek was standing by the gate, and his face lit up as they approached. He waved them in, and the minute Lois got out he hugged her tight. Then it was Josie’s turn, and Lois said lightly that they must go away more often. Absence certainly makes the heart grow fonder, she and Josie agreed, and followed Derek into the house where Gran was waiting. In spite of reminding herself that she was a grown woman with a family and a business, Lois was nervously anticipating what her mother would have to say. Gran’s first words lived up to expectations.

“I should think that’ll teach you to think more carefully before you go off gallivanting without your husband!” she said, banging cutlery down on to the kitchen table. “And taking your only daughter with you, getting her into your silly games!”

Derek saw that Josie was near to tears and Lois had a mutinous look, so he said that what had happened in Appleby was in the past, and anyway, until Lois told them all about it, they were just relying on gossip and rumour. Gran sniffed and tutted, but put a large fruit cake on the table, set out the best cups and saucers and plates, and made the tea. When they were settled, Derek took Lois’s hand and said, “Now, me duck, let’s have the whole story. We’re all very sorry about poor old Alf, and his Edwina is a real mess.”

Lois told herself that she had yet to find out if Edwina deserved to be a real mess, but began to explain what had happened. When she reached the part where Alf had had his heart attack and was carried off to hospital, she asked Josie if she’d like to tell the rest. But Josie shook her head. “You carry on, Mum,” she said. “It’s your party.”

This brief remark pulled Lois up short, and for a long time afterwards she pondered on just how much she really rated these jobs with Cowgill. Still, this time the reason had been family, finding out who had attacked Rob. Was this the whole truth? She decided to think about it more seriously next time Cowgill got in touch, and was shamefaced at her prevarication.

“I don’t know about Josie,” she said, “but I began to have a nasty idea that Alf had some secret reason for being in Appleby. Something to do with us. He sort of shadowed us around the place. Why was he really there? I know that he had this thing about having gypsy ancestry, but he didn’t look as if he was enjoying himself much. I reckon he suspected we were on to something.”

“Well, what
were
you on to?” Gran said impatiently.

Lois told them then, all about Athalia and George, and Alf’s confession to his old gypsy friend, and Athalia relaying what he’d said to her.

“I can’t believe that Alf Smith murdered our Rob for no other reason than being teased about Sam Stratford and Edwina!” Gran shook her head. “Him and those gypsies!” she said.

Josie cleared her throat. “It had nothing to do with the gypsies, Gran,” she said. “Rob had gone off after a row with me, and Alf gave him a lift into Tresham and kept an eye on him in the pub. By the time they were on the way home, Rob was drunk witless. And when he was like that, he was a different person. I’ve seen him out of control a few times,” she added, biting her lip.

Lois frowned and wished she could do something, anything, to spare her daughter this ordeal. But it had to be told, and it was probably better for Josie to tell it.

“There was this time, Dad,” she said, now looking straight at him. She continued with the story of her twisted wrist, and Derek pushed his chair back and clenched his fist. “I’ll . . . I’ll . . .” he began, and then sat down again, remembering that there was nothing now he could do to Rob.

“That still doesn’t excuse Alf Smith,” Gran said. She came from an unforgiving generation, living by stricter codes. “And anyway,” she added, “is it true about Sam and Edwina? D’you know the truth, Lois?” she asked.

“Not for certain,” Lois said. “I know Sheila has been very upset lately, but she was poorly and it might have been that. But I shall find out. Sheila’s one of my girls, and I owe it to her.”

They were quiet for a while, digesting what Lois and Josie had recounted. Then Josie said, “It’s rough justice, if it
is
true, isn’t it?”

“What d’you mean, duckie,” Derek said.

“Well, if Edwina was carrying on with Sam, and it has led to the death of her husband, who wasn’t a really bad man, then she’s got her desserts, hasn’t she?”

Lois did not answer, but asked Derek if he had heard whether Edwina was back home yet. Derek said he did not know, but Gran said she had been told that Edwina would be back tomorrow. There would be the funeral to arrange, and then all the enquiries.

Josie said, “Then it’s just beginning for her, isn’t it. For me and Rob, it’s finally over. Maybe we should remember that, eh, Mum?”

Lois managed a smile. “You’re a great girl, Josie Meade,” she said. “Me and your Dad, we couldn’t be more proud of you.”

“And me!” Gran said loudly. “Now,” she added, “who’s going to do the dishes while I feed the dog. You haven’t said hello to her yet, Lois.”

Jeems was released from the scullery, and bounced all over Lois and then Josie, and Lois could not help feeling that now they could start again, especially Josie. She made a mental note to contact Edwina Smith tomorrow, and then have a talk to Sheila. But for now tomorrow was another day, and she gave Jeems a hug. “Let’s go walkies,” she said. “A breath of Farnden air is just what we need.”

IN THE EVENT, IT WAS SAM STRATFORD WHO KNOCKED AT THE Meade’s door very soon after breakfast. Gran opened it and was shocked. Sam looked a good ten years older, and she noticed that his hand shook as he asked if Lois was in.

“Yes, she’s back,” Gran said. “But she’s only just sorting herself out, Sam. Couldn’t you come back a bit later?”

He shook his head. “I’ve got to go to Tresham later,” he said. “I really would—”

“Morning Sam,” Lois said, coming through from the kitchen. Then to Gran she said, “It’s all right, Mum. I need to talk to Sam anyway.”

Gran disappeared, looking disapproving, and Lois showed Sam into her office. When they were settled, Lois said, “Now, Sam. Do you want to tell me what’s been going on? Don’t forget I’ve known you and Sheila for years. I’ve always reckoned on both of you as my friends. No secrets between us, eh?”

“If only,” Sam said. “Everybody has secrets, Lois,” he added, then continued, “I just need to put you in the picture before you get the wrong end of the stick from other people. Now I’m retired, we need Sheila’s money from New Brooms, and I don’t want her getting the push because of me.”

Lois bridled. “I’m not likely to do that!” she said. “You can’t think much of me if you think I’d do a thing like that.”

“It doesn’t much matter what I think,” Sam said. “But Sheila thinks a lot of you, and so I want you to hear the truth of it all from me.” He paused, and then said, “I warn you, it ain’t easy for me. I don’t come out of it very well.” He looked weary, and Lois could see this was a big effort for him. “It began a long time ago,” he said by way of introduction. “Edwina and me were at school together, sort of a twosome. But then we went our separate ways, and I didn’t think nothing more about it. She married Alf, an’ Sheila and me got together. I never thought much of Alf, but we got on. Then I was working in Junuddle one summer. It were hot and I’d stopped under a tree for some shade for a bit. Edwina suddenly appeared. She was takin’ some tea to Alf across the fields and havin’ a walk at the same time. We sat down and had a chat, and then—p’raps it was the heat—we were kissin’ and it didn’t stop there. It all came back, all that we’d had at school an’ that.”