Deadfall

by Lyndon Stacey

'And who was it? Jim Pepper?'

  'Mr Pepper, yes. But Junior, not Senior. Davy Pepper, his son. We searched the house and came up with two unlicensed firearms, and ballistics found a match with Jim Pepper's .243 rifle and a cartridge case found at the scene. However, the fingerprints on the cartridge were Davy's and he's made a confession of sorts. He claims he was out ferreting and the gun went off by mistake when he tripped.'

  Linc snorted. 'Since when did anyone need a rifle to go ferreting? Poaching would be nearer to the mark, if you ask me! He had no right to be on Farthingscourt land anyway, he's been warned off countless times.'

  'Well, my guess is that the opportunity presented itself and he took it. He was probably trying to win some brownie points with his father. He seems to be somewhat in awe of him. He was in a dreadful state when we turned up with our warrant. Fingerprinting him wasn't much more than a formality.'

  'Poor kid. I don't think he's the brightest,' Linc said. 'What did Pepper Senior have to say?'

  'He was spitting! I'd keep out of his way for a day or two, if I were you. Anyway, I thought you'd like to know.'

  'Thanks. I'll tell my father.'

  'Right. And you? No more threatening notes or murderous incidents? Do you remember any more about last Saturday?'

  'No, no, and no,' Linc replied succinctly.

  'Well, you've got my number . . .'

  'Yep. Nine, nine, nine.'

  'Quite,' Rockley said.

  Rather than try to organise a formal get together of the two families, which would have given the game away anyway, Linc and Josie decided to announce their engagement over coffee one morning at Farthingscourt. The younger children were back at school, and as Abby continued to improve, Linc had the idea of inviting Josie's parents and Ruth on a private tour of the house, making sure it would be a day when his father was in.

  He suggested it when they rode out the next morning, on Magic and Cromwell.

  'They'd love that,' Josie told him. 'But are you going to warn your father in advance – about our engagement, I mean? Just in case he reacts badly.'

  'Don't worry, he won't. And besides, it's a done deal. You're not getting out of it now!'

  'Well, I know my family will be over the moon.'

  Linc looked pensive. 'All of them?'

  She turned to look at him.

  'You're thinking of Abby.'

  'Mmm. I'd hate to upset her, just when she's finally getting better.'

  'She's growing stronger every day. But I suppose we could wait and tell her later . . .'

  Linc shook his head. 'No. If anything, I think we should tell her first. Will I be allowed to come and see her soon, d'you think?'

  'I don't see why not. I'll ask when I go in this afternoon.'

  'Thanks, I'd like that.'

  On Wednesday afternoon, in complete contrast to Linc's last visit, the hospital room was filled with colour and light. Gone was the hushed atmosphere of unspoken dread, the monotonous beeping of the life-support equipment and the 'there but not' presence of the girl in the bed. Now the room was awash with sunlight, flowers and get-well cards. It was also, Linc saw with mild irritation, awash with members of her family. Not only Josie, who he'd arranged to meet, but also her parents and Hannah – who should by rights have been at school. He and Josie really wanted to speak to Abby alone.

  Abby herself, though still white and frail, was talking to her mother when Linc let himself in. Her hair had been washed, someone had painted her nails, and around her neck hung a pretty crystal on a chain, which Linc knew had been a present from Ruth who believed in the healing power of such things. Josie looked up with a smile which was half-welcoming, half-apologetic, and Linc moved forward with his own gifts of flowers, a huge card and a book on advanced pony driving.

  'Hi, Abby. You don't look as though you need these,' he joked, holding the flowers out. 'I think you've got a better stock here than the florist had!'

  Her thin face turned towards him, brows drawn down over her dark-circled eyes as if she couldn't place him for a moment. Then, inexplicably, she drew back against her pillows with a look of panic, reaching out blindly for her mother at her side.

  'No!' she whispered. 'Mummy, what's he doing here? Why's he here?'

  Rebecca Hathaway's face reflected the shocked bewilderment Linc was feeling.

  'It's Linc, darling. He's come to see how you are. He's been worried . . .'

  'No!' Abby cut in sharply, grasping Rebecca's hand with her own emaciated one. 'He was there! I saw him. Please don't let him near me! Make him stay away!'

  'Abby?' Linc took a step closer, completely mystified by her reaction. 'What's the matter? You remember me, surely?'

  His approach seemed to unnerve her still further. Her voice rose higher. 'Stay away! Mummy . . .'

  This last was an entreaty, quickly followed by a collapse into tears as she twisted round to bury her face in Rebecca's jumper. Her mother put a comforting arm around Abby's shoulders, looking up at Linc with troubled eyes and a tiny, confused shake of her head. On the other side of the bed Josie reached out to stroke her sister's hand, and Hannah sat with her mouth open, drinking in the scene with round-eyed fascination.

  It was Abby's father who got to his feet and faced Linc at the end of the bed.

  'I think you'd better go.'

  He opened his mouth to protest, but David Hathaway's gaze was uncompromising. Linc gave way. After all, it was Abby's wellbeing that was important.

  'All right,' he said quietly. 'I'll go. I'm sorry I've upset her. I've no idea why.'

  He placed the gifts on a vacant chair and turned away, baffled and not a little hurt.

  'Linc, wait!' Josie called. 'Let's go and have a cup of coffee.'

  As the door shut behind them she caught hold of his hand and pulled him round to face her.

  'She's confused, Linc. She doesn't know what she's saying. Don't let it get to you.'

  'Did you see your father's face?' he demanded. 'He believed her.'

  'No, he didn't. At least, he won't when he's had time to think about it. They know you. They know you'd never get mixed up in something like that. Why would you? It's crazy! Daddy's reaction was just instinctive.'

  Linc stood for a moment trying to marshal his thoughts.

  'You'd better go back in. I'll go home and ring you later.'

  'You will not!' Josie told him. 'You're coming downstairs for a cup of coffee. I'm not going to let you shut me out, so don't try it.'

  They had, in fact, two cups of coffee each in the hospital lounge before Josie would let him go. None of the other Hathaways came down to find them, for which Linc wasn't sure whether to be grateful or sorry. Josie sat close to him with her hand on his thigh, not attempting to cheer him with any further reassurances, just comforting him by her presence. When he left her at the hospital door he put his arms round her and hugged her as if he would never let go.

  'Thank you,' he murmured.

  'For what?'

  'For not asking me – you know . . .'

  'I don't have to,' she said simply.

  Linc was in his office the following morning when Mary tapped on the door and announced DI Rockley.

  'Okay, show him in,' he said, standing up to greet the policeman, who came in, followed closely by DS Manston.

  'Linc,' Rockley acknowledged him gravely as they shook hands.

  'Have a seat,' Linc offered. Then, with a ghost of a smile, 'I'm afraid there's only one of those leather ones. You'll have to fight over it. There's an ordinary one over there.'

  'Oh, no, I'll just pull rank,' Rockley responded. 'But actually I won't sit, thank you. I'm afraid I've got some rather disturbing business to discuss with you. Abby Hathaway has remembered, in part, the events of Friday the twentieth of April. And she has, I'm afraid, made an unexpected allegation.'

  Linc's heart sank. 'She thinks I was there,' he stated. 'I know. But I have absolutely no idea why.'

  'I'm afraid it's a bit more serious than that,' Rockley informed him
. 'She was extremely distressed when I spoke to her but one thing was very clear. According to Abby, it was you who lashed out and hit her, knocking her to the ground. In short, she's accusing you of assault.'

  TWELVE

  LINC LOOKED AT THE two detectives bleakly.

  'So, have you come to arrest me?' he asked Rockley. 'Is that why you brought back up?'

  'No, I'm not here to arrest you – though, strictly speaking, I should, given an accusation of this sort. I just want to go over the details of your statement again, to see if you've anything to add. DS Manston is working on another case with me and came along for the ride. Now, we can either do it here or you can come back to the station.'

  Linc looked at his watch. 'I can give you twenty-five minutes. Then I'm afraid I've got an appointment. But – I warn you – I shall sit down, even if you don't.'

  'Twenty-five minutes should be adequate,' Rockley agreed, sinking into the favoured chair opposite Linc. With a resigned sigh, Manston drew up the remaining seat.

  Asking Linc to recount everything he could remember about the night of the attack, the two detectives proceeded to check this against his original statement with meticulous care.

  'And you've absolutely no idea what kind of van or lorry it was?'

  'No, how could I? It was dark, his lights were blinding me and it was as much as I could do to avoid a head-on collision,' Linc protested. 'You saw what he did to my car.'

  'What the wall did to your car,' Manston said softly.

  Linc had had enough.

  'Look, why the hell would I want to take the tack from the Vicarage? My own saddle and bridle went too, remember? And the business with the bit – it doesn't add up.'

  'Insurance? New for old. Or just plain greed. You'd be surprised the lengths some people will go to, to cover their tracks. Speaking generally, of course,' Rockley said. 'I'm not suggesting you did.' He observed Linc long and hard, frowning heavily.

  'You've obviously been thinking about this since last night. What have you come up with? Why should Abby be so sure that you were her attacker?'

  Linc had been thinking of little else.

  'I told you, I've no idea. Unless she wasn't completely unconscious when I found her. I certainly thought she was – I mean, she didn't respond in any way but I suppose if she heard my voice . . .'

  'That wouldn't explain why she's convinced that it was you who hit her,' Manston pointed out. 'She says she saw you.'

  Linc shook his head. 'I can't explain that. I can only ask you to believe me when I say I didn't do it.'

  Rockley favoured him with another long look. 'I do believe you,' he said eventually. 'But professionally I have to keep an open mind. A judge isn't going to be interested in my hunches, so we have to get to the bottom of this as quickly as possible.'

  'Well, it can't be quickly enough for me!' Linc assured him. 'Quite apart from the fact that my girlfriend's family are now looking at me as though I'm a leper! And who can blame them?'

  Rockley got to his feet. 'Oh, I don't think it's as bad as all that. I spoke to David and Rebecca this morning and they're confused by this – as we all are – but they'll come round, I'm sure.'

  There was a tap on the door and Mary leaned round it.

  'Linc, Saul's here. Do you know how long you'll be?'

  'Only a minute or two, Mary. I think Inspector Rockley is just leaving?' he replied with a questioning glance towards the officers.

  'Yes, we are,' he confirmed. 'We'll be in touch if there are any further developments.'

  'In the meantime, don't leave the country?' Linc suggested, without smiling.

  DI Rockley held his hand out. 'Goodbye, Mr Tremayne.'

  When Linc had finished his business with the millwright, he was about to leave his office when Nikki came in with the news that Jack Reagan was looking for him.

  'Can't Geoff deal with it?' Linc asked with a touch of irritation. Amongst other things, Saul had brought unwelcome news of possible subsidence in the bank alongside the weir, and he was anxious to get to the mill and see the damage for himself.

  'He particularly asked for you,' Nikki said. 'Something about Jim Pepper, he said, but I'll see if I can find Geoff, if you like.'

  'No, that's all right. Where is he now?'

  'He's outside in the yard, talking to Crispin. I'll get him, shall I?'

  'Okay.' With a sigh, Linc sank back into his chair and closed his eyes. In spite of Saul's worrying report, he couldn't get his mind off the shock of Abby's accusation. How could she even think he'd hurt her?

  There was a step in the doorway.

  'Sir?'

  Linc opened his eyes.

  Hesitating on the threshold, one weathered hand trying in vain to smooth his rebellious dark curls, the forester looked ill-at- ease.

  'Ah, Jack. What can I do for you?'

  Before he could answer, Nikki came in. 'Anyone like a coffee? I'm just making one.'

  Two affirmatives and she'd gone again, calling the same query to Crispin as she crossed the yard.

  'Nikki says it's something about Jim Pepper,' Linc prompted. 'Sit down, man, why don't you? You know his son's been arrested, of course?'

  Reagan sat, still looking awkward.

  'Yes, sir. That's what started it.'

  'Started what?' Linc strove to remain patient.

  'Well, he's been making threats again. Phil Sutton told me that Pepper went absolutely ballistic the night Davy was arrested. Apparently he blames you.'

  'Well, there's a surprise,' Linc murmured.

  'Phil says Pepper was completely out of his skin by nine o'clock and when Pete at The Wheatsheaf suggested he went home to sleep it off, Pepper started throwing his dustbins around. Anyway, last night he was there again and drinking like there was no tomorrow. One or two of the lads escorted him home and apparently he was shouting the whole way about how it was your fault and that he was going to get even with you in a big way. They told me. They thought I should warn you.'

  Linc sighed once more. The morning had started badly and was getting steadily worse. This he could definitely do without.

  'Has anyone told the police?'

  'Er, no. I don't think so,' Reagan said uncomfortably. 'The thing is, Jim Pepper has a nasty way of finding out who says what around here, and he particularly doesn't like snitches. Things happen to people who cross him, if you know what I mean?'

  'Yes, I think I probably do,' Linc said heavily. 'Well, thanks for telling me. I'll have a word with Rockley sometime, but not just now – I've had enough of him for one day.'

  'Two coffees,' Nikki announced brightly, coming back into the office. As it was a non-public day she was wearing hipster jeans and a figure-hugging lambswool jumper, and Linc noticed with amusement an appreciative gleam in Reagan's eyes as they followed her hip-swaying progress round the desk. Nikki's body language always became a couple of degrees more eloquent whenever there were admiring male eyes around.

  Linc accepted his coffee and thanked her, then turned his attention to the forester once more as she gathered up some empty mugs on her way out.