The Determined Widow (The Matthew Holland Mystery Series)

by Adam Melrose

  Bella froze. There in an A4 sized photo of two men laughing was her husband.

  She let out a loud, ‘It’s Pete and with his tattoo’s.’

  The team came closer to have a look. It was indeed Pete sitting with another man. Both had polo shirts on and both had tattoos showing on each arm.

  ‘Look,’ said Bella, ‘I wonder who that is with my husband. They seem to have slightly similar looking tattoos.’ Still looking at the photo on the back wall, Bella continued talking, but to no one in particular, ‘I would really like to meet this man.’

  From behind Bella a deep and unfamiliar voice provided a reply, ‘You can, I’m right here.’

  Bella swung round quickly. Before her stood the other man from the photo.

  ‘I’m Mark.’

  Bella walked towards him and shook his hand. He was about five foot eleven inches tall and thick set. He had brown eyes and short cropped brown hair.

  ‘I’m pleased to meet you Mark; I’m Bella, Pete’s wife.’

  ‘I know. It’s nice to finally meet you Bella. Please everyone, take a seat.’

  They all did. Water was passed around.

  Bella caught herself wondering what she should say, so she decided to introduce who the team were, and why she had hired them. The hotel staff waited and listened while she did so. Mark in turn briefly explained that he and Pete had worked together long ago, and that he saw Pete in the hotel car park one day. They had a good catch up and ever since that day, when Pete was up this way he would pop in and see them. After that, the conversation did not have any real path to follow so it went silent for a moment.

  Bruno noticed Mark had tattoos on his arms and had a sudden idea to try something. His plan might backfire, but he reckoned it was worth a shot. Seizing the moment and making eye contact with Mark he made a nod towards his arms.

  ‘Nice ink you have there, it looks similar to Pete’s.

  Mark shook his head, ‘Well yes and no. Pete didn’t have any tattoos.’

  ‘But…’ Bella had gone red in the face and her eyes were as wide as they would go. Before she could get going with her protestations, Mark interrupted her.

  ‘Yes, I know… You saw them. Well, you did and you didn’t. What you saw were removable tattoos, did he never change them in front of you?’

  Bella’s eyes were wide once again but this time with delight not concern. Was she about to finally get one of her most pondered questions answered?

  Mark continued, ‘Pete and I were in the military together. I’m not going to talk details about where we were or what we were doing as its not relevant, and more importantly, I can’t. Suffice it to say, there were four of us, and when we had succeeded in what we had set out to achieve, we all wanted to mark it with something memorable that we could have around us every day that had meaning. We settled on tattoos.

  Mark took a drink before continuing.

  ‘We found this brilliant tattoo artist who designed all our tattoos to be part of a set. The key feature of the design is when we are together in t-shirts or polo shirts, the story of our mission together is told across our eight arms. Whenever we are together, our story is complete. We liked that idea a lot after what we had been through. That sentiment summed up how we all felt about each other and the bond we had after all we had been through together.

  Mark paused for a moment, ‘You obviously were aware of the large number of pretty sizeable moles on both your husband’s arms Bella?’

  Bella shook her head, ‘No I’m afraid he never told me his tattoos were fake. He never took them off in front of me, so I have never seen his bare arms. Maybe he wasn’t as open with me as I thought he was.’

  Mark gave Bella a knowing smile.

  ‘In all the years I have known your husband; I have never seen him so happy… never. He was so much in love with you. He was probably embarrassed at wearing fake tattoos and was wondering how to tell you. That’s all.’

  Bella’s eyes were showing signs of tears. Mark did not want to cause her distress. They looked at each other as Bella reached into her pocket and withdrew a hanky.

  She dried her eyes, ‘Thank you.’ she whispered.

  Mark thought it best to continue.

  ‘Well, we formed such a brotherhood on that mission that Pete was determined to be part of the inking. He did lots of research into how safe it was to tattoo over his moles. The consensus was you shouldn’t, and the tattoo artist strongly advised him against it. The artist suggested a design for Pete that worked around his moles; but Pete wanted his to be part of our story, and not stand out as different. We were all heading on to new lives, and Pete happened to mention he had landed a job working on a massive hydroelectric dam construction project somewhere in Europe; and that consequently, he would be spending much of his time underground in very damp, humid conditions for the next six months. The tattoo artist also strongly advised him to wait or not bother on the grounds that the scab would not heal. He was told he stood the very real chance of a serious infection.

  Mark paused to clear his throat.

  ‘We were all sat in the pub and Pete looked very downhearted. It was one of the lads who just told him to stop moping, and pointed out that with his engineering brain, Pete should easily be able to come up with a solution. A couple of months later, and he had. He had found some clear tubular breathable plastic that was used in some laboratory or medical process; it shrinks and binds to the skin. Then somewhere in Asia, he found a firm that would print or transfer the tattoo designs onto the sleeves. The only problems were, they would fade over time and need replacing, so he used to carry a spare sleeve for both arms in his pocket; and if they were wet for a long period of time; days not hours, they would slowly dissolve. Thing is, they are so cheap to manufacture he just ordered a couple of hundred every six months, or earlier if needed. Also, he couldn’t ever see a time when he would ever be days in the water.

  ‘That was just typical of your level headed, intelligent husband. The things he could engineer and adapt; well, it never failed to amaze us. He saved all our lives a few times with his mad contraptions.’

  Matt allowed a moment to pass before he changed topic.

  ‘Did Pete ever tell any of you why he was up here?’

  Mark spoke first.

  ‘I did ask him, and he said best I didn’t ask again, so I left it. I assumed his telling me not to ask, meant he was doing some sort of private security job.

  Matt moved his head to look straight at Mark.

  ‘So it was work then?’

  Mark nodded.

  ‘I assume so. Pete was a very easy going guy, he liked the simple life, and he was very much in love with Bella. I know that much, so he wasn’t up here for anything other than work.’

  Not looking at anyone in particular Mark spoke out loudly, addressing the entire gathering, making sure that he was heard even in the back room.

  ‘Anyone know anything about why Pete was up here?’

  One of the younger women who had come in when Mark was talking stepped forward.

  ‘I don’t know what he was doing up here, but I do know where he was going when he was up here. It’s on my way home, so I have seen him going in there a few times as I passed by.’

  Ava spoke in a conversational tone so as not to alarm the woman.

  ‘Are you happy to tell us where it is?’

  The woman nodded, ‘Yes, he was turning down a single-track country road that only led to the manor.”

  Ava looked up, ‘The Manor?’

  ‘Yes, that’s right, Nalebury Park; it’s the big house for the village of Upper Nalebury.’

  Ava looked up again, ‘Thank you, that’s great.’

  The woman nodded and smiled.

  Matt stood up and put his glass down on the makeshift table-top, which was a disused fire door.

  ‘Well we should let you guys get about your business. Thank you very much indeed for giving us your time, it has been invaluable.’

  Everyone got to their feet. />
  ‘Yes, thank you so much,’ said Bella, ‘I have deliberately not held a wake for Pete yet. I will do when the mystery of his death is finally solved. I would like you all to come. Can I get hold of you here via the hotel number?’

  Mark acted as spokesman for the group.

  ‘We will be here Bella, and I think I can speak for everyone; we would love to come.’

  Since the team’s arrival in the pub more members of staff had come in for their break. Every single person in the room nodded. Bella was delighted to see how well liked her husband was.

  Max looked back towards the group as they headed out of the old pub.

  ‘Shall we go back to the room and make a plan? Bella are you coming? I would like a word with you anyway.’

  Matt said he thought that was a good idea and Bella smiled and nodded. She was beginning to hold herself a bit higher now. Max noted this steady, continued improvement and hoped the necessary talk he was about to have with her was not going to put a dent in her happier spirit. He had decided to listen to his gut, and give her one last chance to explain herself. He felt with everything she had been through on her own, her behaviour could be explained away. He would see what she had to say.

  They were half way across the car park when the woman who had given them the info about where Pete was going came running after them. They all stopped and waited. As she ran towards them, the woman did not pay attention to a large green car that was leaving the car park. It had to swerve and brake. The driver glared out of the windscreen at the woman. She apologised and continued until she made it to the group.

  ‘Sorry,’ she said a little out of breath, ‘I should have added; a friend of mine worked up at the manor I have told you about. I thought I should just let you know, they are not nice people, in fact they are very nasty people. The man there, the owner, he is exceptionally rude and ungracious to his staff. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know before you went in there.’ With that, she turned and began to walk quickly back towards the old pub.

  ‘Thank you.’ Ava called out.

  The woman raised an arm in a gesture of no worries, then reached the willow coppice and was gone from sight.

  The seven turned back towards the hotel and continued their journey to the room in silence. Seven brains were engaged in analysis of what they had learned. It was certainly food for thought.

  When they got back to the room, Norton was the first to speak.

  ‘So should we inform Detective Chief Inspector Stimpson of our findings?’

  There was some discussion, but they decided after ten minutes of talking it over that for now, they would hold off. Stimpson made it clear he already had his mind made up, and any information or evidence that was going to change that would need to be substantial. Bella agreed, that they must continue; she Max and Matt discussed terms to which they all agreed. Bella felt it necessary to explain that she had some life insurance money from Pete’s death; and that she could think of no better use for it than getting to the bottom of what happened to her husband for once and for all. It was agreed that Bella’s being there had actually been very beneficial. Both Matt and Max were convinced the staff at the old pub would never have told the police any of what they had shared with the team that afternoon. Probably, if Bella had not been there, they would not have shared it with the team either. Them all meeting like that had been a serious stroke of luck.

  They agreed that tomorrow, Bella would return to London; and the team would focus on finding out who Pete really worked for, what he was doing up here in the Cotswolds, and what the deal was with his supposed work location being in Reading. They would give the case another two days, then re-assess.

  Before it got too late, Max wanted to get his conversation with Bella out of the way.

  ‘Bella, can I have a quick word?’

  Bella’s stomach lurched; something in Max’s voice was different. She had thought everything was going well, they had just as good as confirmed that. What could suddenly be wrong. Max walked out on to the balcony; as Bella followed him out through the door, she saw he had walked to the far end, and out of earshot of the others. Her pulse was quickening.

  ‘I’m sorry Bella, but you and I need to have a serious conversation. Before we get any deeper into whatever it is that’s going on here, I need to know why you have explicitly lied to me and the team. We know you have, don’t deny it. Just tell me why.’

  Bella fell against the balcony railing and grasped it for support.

  ‘Shit Max, I am so genuinely sorry. I shouldn’t have denied coming here I know. I have begged you for help, and then lied to you, it’s unforgivable, and I don’t know what to say.’

  Max looked out over the water without turning around to face her; his voice was steady and professional.

  ‘The truth Bella…you tell the truth.’

  ‘There’s no excuse… I know; but the genuine truth is that for some reason, I felt Pete’s not being able to swim would add enough of a hook to get you to investigate the case. It was just an afterthought; I couldn’t gauge how well the meeting had gone, I was desperate, I admit it. I’m sorry.

  Bella took a moment to compose herself before continuing.

  ‘And about not having ever been here; I lied about that because I thought if you knew how much I’d been down here, it might make me look obsessive. I didn’t want any of you to think of me as obsessive when I was asking for your help. Once again, I am so sorry.’

  Max turned to look directly at her.

  ‘And you give me your absolute word that’s why you lied, and that you are not hiding anything else?’

  Bella hung her head in shame.

  ‘I didn’t exactly lie about Pete and the swimming. I don’t know whether he could swim or not; but yes, I solemnly promise that’s why I lied, and that I have not lied to you about anything else; there are no more secrets.’

  Max’s body language softened.

  ‘OK then, fine, thank you for your honesty. I will have to tell the others about this at some point; you do understand I can’t keep anything from them?’

  Bella nodded, ‘I do Max.’

  Max made a motion towards the door.

  ‘In that case, let’s all go and eat.’ He was glad she had mentioned the two subjects she had lied about without prompting. Max had deliberately not said what the lies were that he was referring to in case she disclosed another one. His stomach had been tight at that point in case she had exposed more lies, and his relief when she had not was palpable. He could now be confident the matter of Bella lying was closed.

  As they headed back into the room, Bella smiled to herself. Her heart had sunk when the missing tattoos were explained. She was tired and fragile from the last sixteen months, fighting everyone, a lone voice against the official machine. The simple practical truth that the missing tattoos probably just dissolved, and there was nothing more to that particular aspect was shattering. She knew if she was still on her own, it would have been the last straw, she would have given up. It was all too much; but she was not alone, Max and his team were with her, supporting her, and they didn’t seem to think the tattoo explanation was the end of the story. The nonsense with the steps was enough for them to consider it worth pushing on with for now. Bella smiled again.

  She headed down stairs and booked herself a room for the night. Max updated the team on his conversation with Bella. Everyone said they were fine with the apology and agreed to move on, even Norton which Max was not expecting given his performance since the initial meeting with Bella. Still, Max was emotionally knackered; for tonight at least, he would take the win of Norton’s support, and give Bella the benefit of the doubt one more time.

  They all headed down stairs, met up with Bella, and enjoyed a pleasant evening meal in the restaurant; buoyed by the fact they were, for now, making some progress.

  As they all entered the restaurant and waited to be seated, Bella had a thought. Is that a ray of light I see at the end of the tunnel, or just a synapse misfi
re in my brain? Please let it be a ray. Please.

  Chapter 10

  The evening was still light when they had finished eating. Norton excused himself and went for a wander around the hotel lake to walk off some of the calories he had just consumed. There was also someone he wanted to call.

  Once he was out of sight of the hotel, he took a smart-phone from his pocket and dialled the number stored in his contacts. It was answered quickly.

  ‘Hi, how’s things? All good?’

  ‘Yes, I know we agreed I wouldn’t call whilst we are down here, but you are going to want to hear this…’

  ‘I think you are going to get a visit from the team in the very near future…’

  In one ear Norton could hear the lake water lapping against the shore; the other his friend’s voice was talking in a concerned tone. Norton realised he was tuning out of the conversation; all he wanted to do was give his friend a heads up, it was late and he was tired, he didn’t want a long drawn out discussion. He waited for a break in the talking before butting in.

  ‘It wasn’t anything I said, I promise. That bitch of a wife of his turned up; uninvited I might add, and was spotted and recognised by some of the hotel staff. It was one of them that told the team about you I’m afraid. Yeah of course I will keep you posted. Which reminds me, she mentioned Pete’s calls to Sharon at work. Yup, I know… if they pick up on that clue we have a major problem; but they won’t, not a chance – you know that, you know why. Chill, just…chill. Trust me; Matt and I have grown up together since we were kids. It’s not like I am a new employee to be suspicious of or anything. I have sown enough seeds of doubt about Bella bloody Stone to be going on with. Like I say, trust me, none of them suspect at thing…’

  Norton hung up his phone, wishing he hadn’t bothered making the call in the first place. He looked out across the lake and the setting sun, the warm evening breeze washing over his face. He tried to feel the warmth and happiness that others talked of when experiencing such evenings. He thought there was a flicker of a memory from his childhood where he could connect with such feelings, but the flicker vanished as quickly as it came; simply to be replaced with the disconnected emptiness that seemed to have taken up a permanent residence in his soul. Norton turned and began walking back to the hotel.