Murder at the Old Abbey

by Pippa McCathie

  “Think about it. You always say you’d much rather be involved than not. If he kept you at arms’ length when it comes to his work, I’m sure you wouldn’t like that one bit.”

  “You’re probably right,” Fabia had had the grace to admit.

  “I think this is more to do with your personal relationship with Matt than anything else.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, it’s only six short months since the two of you met up again and renewed your relationship.”

  “We’re not in a relationship,” Fabia insisted.

  “Friendship then,” said Cath. “Quite apart from anything else, you got so used to being angry and hurt by Matt’s behaviour, and not trusting him, that it’ll take a while to get out of that mindset.”

  “But I’m not angry with him anymore!” Fabia had exclaimed.

  “I’m sure you’re not, but you were for two years; it’s like breaking a habit. And it’s not been the easiest time for you. You went through the sort of experience that would traumatise even the strongest person. What’s more, he may have cleared your name, but you told me there’s been some pretty nasty stuff posted online, in spite of the fact everyone should know the truth by now. Matt’s been supporting you through all that, hasn’t he?”

  “Oh yes, bless him. Did I tell you he actually managed to arrest one of the trolls?” Fabia said.

  “Yes, and as I remember you said he was like a dog with a bone over that. You must accept that you can’t run before you walk. Give it time.”

  Fabia could hear the smile in Cath’s voice as she went on. “Anyway, you told me you only wanted a platonic relationship with Matt.”

  For a moment Fabia was silent then she said, “I lied.”

  “Well, I knew that.”

  “But I do value my independence,” Fabia insisted.

  “For goodness sake, Fabia, he doesn’t have to move in. Just enjoy each other and see how things go. A bit of sex would do you both a world of good.”

  Fabia laughed. “Cath, you’re a wicked woman.” But she was soon serious again. “There’s nothing I can do about me and Matt at the moment. It’d be impossible while Anjali is staying here.”

  “I suppose, but she won’t be playing gooseberry forever, will she?”

  “I suppose not, and she’s a lovely girl, no trouble.”

  “But you haven’t known her very long,” Cath said. “It must be stressful looking after someone you hardly know who’s going through what she is. Poor girl, she must feel very far from home.”

  “I’m sure she does. Megan keeps phoning to ask her to go to the Abbey.”

  “Well, why don’t you encourage her to do so? Would the rest of the family welcome her?”

  “I’m not sure. Rodric was certainly stand-offish when they met, but then, finding out about the will must have been a hell of a shock. As to Delma, I think she’d probably give her a hard time because of the stables. I don’t really know what Rhiannon Giordano would feel about it, she’s a devout Roman Catholic so she’d probably take a dim view of Caradoc having an affair with a Hindu woman.”

  “But she can hardly blame Anjali for that.”

  “Of course she can’t.”

  “Until Anjali actually meets them all, neither of you is going to know how they’ll react. It’s such a complicated situation. I don’t envy her.”

  “Well, if she does go to the Abbey it won’t be until next week now,” Fabia had told her. “She has to go up to London tomorrow for a meeting with someone interested in her designs, and she did suggest she should stay in London and wait until the rest of the family decide to meet her, but when she mentioned that to John Meredith, he said he thought it would be best if she was on the spot until the business with Caradoc’s will is clarified.”

  “Is that absolutely necessary? You said he seemed quite smitten with her. Maybe he just wants to keep her close.”

  “That had occurred to me, but he’s a pretty professional bloke, John. Anyway, London isn’t that far away.”

  “I know, but still,” Cath had added, and Fabia could hear the smile was back. “To go back to what we were talking about just now, if you’re going to be on your own, why don’t you invite Matt round?”

  “Cath! That’d be a bit obvious, wouldn’t it?”

  “Yes, but who cares, go for it.”

  “For a vicar you’re a very bad influence.”

  “Coward,” Cath had said.

  Now Fabia read through her notes again. She realised that, as she’d tapped away at her keyboard, certain things had begun to emerge as particularly relevant. She scored through them with a yellow highlighter. But soon Fabia felt as if she was getting bogged down in petty details and it was a relief when her phone rang. She stretched her arms above her head then answered it, pleased to see that it was Bella.

  “Hallo, Bella, are you in Castellgwyn?”

  “Yes, I am.” Three short words, but Fabia could tell that something was wrong.

  “What’s up?”

  “It’s– oh God, Fabia, I need your help – advice. I don’t know what to do.” Bella’s voice shook as she spoke.

  “Just tell me what the problem is,” Fabia said, her voice calm, “and I’ll help as much as I can.”

  “I’ll try to begin at the beginning. Did you know that Delma’s brother, Mike Cotter, was killed in a car accident?”

  “Oh lord, no I didn’t.”

  “Megan and David came in while we were in the back lounge,” Bella told her.

  “Who was? In the back lounge, I mean.”

  “Sorry, Garan, me and Sheryl, I’d just arrived. And while we were sitting there, the two of them came in and we heard them talking about it.”

  “When did it happen?”

  “Yesterday morning, but it looks as if it wasn’t an accident, he was drugged.”

  “Drugged?” Fabia exclaimed. “Who by?”

  “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. You see, he came to the pub yesterday, early.” Fabia heard Bella take a deep, shuddering breath. Her heart sank. “Sheryl was out. He told Garan he wanted to talk about some money my boy owes him. He’s been hounding him for days, even sent a couple of heavies who threatened to beat Garan up and torch the pub. Luckily the brewery van arrived and the men helped Garan see them off.”

  “Good for them.”

  “That’s what I thought. Anyway, Mike Cotter demanded Garan make him a coffee and Garan says he refused, but they had this enormous row and the bastard hit him. Garan’s got one hell of a black eye.”

  “Yes, and what else?” Fabia asked quietly.

  “But, oh Fabia, I have this dreadful feeling he may have, you know, made the coffee and drugged it.”

  “Why on earth would you think that?”

  “I don’t know. It’s just the way he reacted when he heard what Megan said. I’m sure there’s something he’s not telling us.”

  “You mean you and Sheryl.”

  “Yes.”

  “And what does Sheryl think? Does she agree with you?”

  “I haven’t mentioned it to her, I didn’t want to upset her. All I could think of was to come outside and phone you. What should I do?”

  Fabia thought for a moment. “You haven’t asked Garan direct?”

  “No, I daren’t.” Bella sounded anguished. “I’m so scared of what he might say.”

  “He’ll probably say he didn’t, and that could well be true. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he’s pleased Mike Cotter is gone, given the crap he’s put Garan through, but don’t mistake that for guilt.” She tried to sound as reassuring as she knew how. “Has he spoken to the police?”

  “Sheryl and I were trying to persuade him to, or at least tell Rodric about what’s been going on, and then Megan dropped this bombshell.”

  “Look, Bella, the best thing he can do is tell them all about it, as soon as possible,” Fabia urged. “They need to know about those two thugs for a start. You never know, they might be able to identify
them, and he’s got witnesses, which is all to the good. Get through to Matt Lambert and ask him to talk to Garan.”

  “You think?” Bella sounded uncertain, but then went on, “I know you’re right. Okay, I’ll go and tell Garan now.”

  “Let me know what happens,” Fabia said.

  “I will.”

  * * *

  It was only half an hour later when Fabia’s mobile rang once more. “It’s me again,” Bella said, when Fabia picked up. “We rang them, they’re coming now. Fabia, I know it’s a hell of an imposition, but would you come?”

  “What? Now?”

  “Yes, it would help so much to have you here.”

  Fabia wasn’t at all sure her presence would go down well with whoever arrived to interview Garan, but she couldn’t resist the pleading in Bella’s voice. “Okay, I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

  “Oh, thank you, thank you.”

  Fabia ended the call and sat for a moment trying to assimilate what Bella had told her. If it was proved that the drugs had been the cause of the accident and that Garan was responsible, and found guilty, he was probably looking at a custodial sentence for manslaughter. What would that be? Eight, ten years? If he had drugged the coffee, he’d have to take responsibility for what he’d done. But it just seemed so out of character. Then another thought came to her which made her feel cold to her bones. What if this wasn’t the first death he was responsible for? Had he killed Caradoc? He may have thought his inheritance would enable him to clear his debts. But she found it hard to believe Garan would have gone to such elaborate lengths, it just didn’t connect up in her mind.

  Anyway, speculation was pointless. She must get going. Fabia called up the stairs to Anjali, who was working in her room, to say she’d be out for a couple of hours, then made her way quickly to her car.

  Chapter 17

  As Dilys drove slowly through the narrow lanes that ran between Manor Farm and White Monk Abbey, there was silence in the car until Matt’s phone rang.

  He answered it. “Yes, Chloe? Hold on, give me that again, Dilys needs to hear this as well.” He switched to speakerphone.

  “We’ve just had a call from someone called Bella Price at the Mynach Arms, she’s the publican’s mother.” Chloe’s voice echoed clearly in the car. “She asked for you specifically, said Fabia Havard told her to do so.”

  Dilys glanced at Matt, eyebrows raised, but he didn’t comment.

  “Mrs Price wants you to talk to her son. She says he has some important information about Mike Cotter.”

  “Okay. Sounds interesting. Dilys and I are on our way to White Monk Abbey, but we can make a detour and pop into the pub first. Did she give any other information?”

  “No. Just that.”

  “Thanks, Chloe, we’re on our way.” He ended the call and looked at Dilys. “I wonder what all that’s about. And how come Fabia’s involved?”

  “She seems to know everyone round here.”

  “Never mind seems. She does.”

  Dilys couldn’t quite work out whether he thought this a good thing or not. “Ah well, we’ll find out soon enough,” she said as she turned down Cwmbach Road and away from the lane that would take them to the Abbey. Not long afterwards they turned into the pub car park and, as they did so, a bright red Skoda pulled in next to them.

  “That’s Fabia’s car,” Matt said as Dilys switched off the engine.

  “So it is,” Dilys said, suppressing a grin at his tone.

  Matt noticed that Fabia was looking worried as she got out of her car. “Hallo,” he said, “what brings you here?”

  “Bella asked me to come.”

  “And I gather you advised her to get hold of me, us.”

  “I did. Let’s get inside, Matt. Best they tell you what it’s all about.” She strode towards the back door of the pub and, as they got to it, a woman with flowing dark hair came to meet them.

  “Fabia,” she said, and Matt watched as the two women hugged, then Fabia turned to him and Dilys. “This is Bella Price, Garan’s mother.” She introduced Matt and Dilys. “Shall we go in?”

  Matt felt a little irritated. It was as if Fabia was in charge. She glanced at him and noticed the tightening of his lips. “Sorry,” she said, holding her hands up in surrender.

  Matt nodded acknowledgement of the gesture. “Mrs Price,” he said to Bella, “we got your message.”

  “Come in,” she said, “we’re upstairs.”

  They followed her and Fabia up the creaking stairs to a room on the first floor of the pub. It was a messy, comfortable living room. Garan and Sheryl Price were sitting close together on the sofa, hands clasped. They looked up, concern tinged with fear in their eyes, as the four of them trooped in. Matt noticed the bruising and the black eye immediately – they were hard to miss. He took charge.

  “Your mother tells us you have some information about Mr Cotter.”

  No-one spoke for a moment and the silence was heavy in the room, until his mother said, “Do you want me to tell them, Garan?”

  Matt noticed Fabia glance at the other woman and shake her head very slightly. Maybe having her here wasn’t such a bad idea after all, she might help to keep things under control.

  “No, Mam, I will,” Garan said, and slowly the story emerged, ending with the confrontation that morning.

  “I refused to make him a cup of coffee. I was damned if I was going to take orders from that– from him, so he hit me then helped himself to some of my best malt,” Garan said. “I swear I didn’t drug him. I swear it.”

  “I’d like to get a full statement from you, and I think it’s best if we do that at the station.”

  “Why?” Sheryl protested.

  “Because that’s where we have all the appropriate recording equipment, Mrs Price,” Dilys told her calmly.

  Fabia was standing by the door, looking worried. Matt walked over to her and spoke quietly, “I’m going to contact the station, get them to send a car to pick Garan up. Can you stay until they arrive?”

  “Of course.”

  He and Dilys went out into the passageway and, without thinking, Fabia followed them.

  “Could you phone and get Dave and Chloe to come and collect him?” Matt said to Dilys. “We really can’t put off that interview with Delma.”

  “Will do,” Dilys said. With a quick glance at Fabia, she stood aside and took out her mobile.

  “Matt, I– I feel as if I’m in the way. Sorry.” She wasn’t used to apologising and it came out sounding resentful. She was relieved when Matt gave her a rueful smile.

  “Having asked for your help when I came round, I can hardly complain about you being here now, can I? Particularly as these people are friends of yours too.”

  Fabia was delighted with this endorsement but tried her best to hide it. They went back into the sitting room leaving Dilys muttering into her mobile.

  “We’re contacting the station, they’ll send a car for you, Mr Price. We’re grateful for your cooperation and helping us with our enquiries.”

  “Doesn’t that mean you’re going to arrest him?” Sheryl protested.

  “No,” Matt said, “it means just what it says, he’s helping us.”

  Sheryl bit at her lip as if she was trying to stop herself saying anything more. Bella said nothing, but Fabia’s heart was wrung by the fear in her eyes.

  Garan, looking utterly defeated, said, “I understand.”

  “I want to go with him,” Sheryl burst out.

  “I really don’t think that’s necessary,” Matt said firmly.

  “But it would save you having to bring him home after.”

  Bella intervened. “You’ve got the pub to see to, Sheryl. Best to keep busy.”

  Sheryl, in tears now, flung her arms round her husband and Bella put her arms round them both as Fabia stood on the sidelines, feeling helpless. It seemed from their reactions that they both expected Garan to be arrested, and she found that disturbing.

  * * *

  Half a
n hour later, Matt and Dilys left the pub and made their way to White Monk Abbey. At first neither spoke, then Dilys glanced at Matt and said, “Do you think he drugged the coffee he denies having made?”

  “I don’t know, but I’m pretty sure there’s more to it than he’s telling us.”

  “Maybe he’s protecting someone else?”

  “I hadn’t thought of that.” Matt frowned. “And we still don’t know how much the drugs had to do with it. By all reports, Cotter was a lousy driver. We’ll just have to wait for the result of the PM and the witness statements.”

  “What was that Fabia said about an analysis of the Mansell family?” Dilys asked a moment later.

  Matt glanced across at her, but she had her eyes firmly on the road ahead.

  “I– er– I asked her to make some notes about them.” He felt slightly embarrassed at having to admit this to Dilys. “Just to help me get an idea of the personalities, you know, background and all that, and anything she might have noticed when she was at the Abbey.”

  “She’s been there a lot?”

  “She and Megan Mansell are working on a project together. She spent a weekend there recently.”

  “Good idea to co-opt her then,” Dilys said.

  “You think?”

  “Definitely. She’s a great asset is Fabia.”

  “I know, but I have to be careful, it can be a bit awkward at times.”

  “In what way?”

  “Well, I know that, since we met up again, I’ve been inclined to take advantage of her experience, and the fact she knows people in this area, but she’s no longer my boss, and that can be hard to forget; and she does interfere, at times, in ways she shouldn’t now she isn’t a police officer.”

  “But I don’t think we would have solved those two murders in Pontygwyn nearly as easily, or as quickly, if she hadn’t been on the spot – it was her local knowledge that did the trick.”

  “We could have sorted it ourselves,” Matt protested. “And she nearly got herself killed in the process.”

  “I know, and that was awful, but she’s fully recovered now, isn’t she?”

  “I’m not sure. She talked about having frequent nightmares soon after, but she hasn’t mentioned them recently, and I think she’s been easier in her mind since we dealt with that bastard who was trolling her, but then I catch an expression on her face, a sort of haunted look, and I wonder. I must ask Hari Patel about it. I wouldn’t like to think she was suffering from some form of PTSD and I hadn’t picked up on it.”