by Poppy Blake
‘Ah, yes, her elusive boyfriend. Where was he, anyway?’
‘That’s what I’d like to know too.’
‘Actually, if I had to put my money on someone having something to hide, it would not have been William,’ mused Rosie. ‘He’s the most straightforward person amongst all of them. And why would he work so hard to get Suki a record deal if he intended to slip a dose of poison in her throat spray so she couldn’t perform? It doesn’t make any sense. If he loses his star performer, he loses everything. But Matt’s right, the perpetrator has to be one of Suki’s friends – someone who knew she relied heavily on her throat spray and chose that as their way to deliver the poison. All we have to do is find out who and why.’
‘Yeah, that’s all!’ laughed Freddie.
‘Hang on, my phone’s ringing.’ Matt stood up and extricated his mobile from the pocket of his jeans. ‘Hi Carole.’ He paused, his eyes resting on Rosie, the sides of his lips twitching as he listened to the vicar’s wife.
‘Carole…’ Another pause.
‘Listen, Carole…’ She was clearly in full flow.
‘Yes, it’s true. It seems Suki was poisoned, but it was in her…’
‘No, Carole…’
‘Stop! No one suspects the WI’s Victoria sponge cakes… or your egg-and-cress sandwiches with horseradish sauce.’ Then Matt laughed. ‘It’s okay, Carole, I know why you’re hesitating – neither was it my mother’s home-made sausage rolls!’
Chapter 15
They left a very disgruntled Freddie behind at Ultimate Adventures with promises to meet him later in the Drunken Duck to relay every detail they managed to uncover. Rosie had agreed with Matt that if they were going to take their investigations seriously the first thing they needed to do was dig deeper into Suki’s friends’ backgrounds. Butterflies were having a disco in her stomach on the drive back to the café as she wondered if the inspectors might have turned up early, but when the car park came into view she saw with relief that the only vehicles there belonged to their guests.
‘Hey, is that William?’ asked Mia pointing through the windscreen of Matt’s SUV.
‘Perfect,’ said Matt swinging the steering wheel towards the parking space next to William’s dark green MG. ‘Never look a gift horse in the mouth, as my mum’s so fond of saying! Looks like we’ve got our first interviewee.’
Rosie understood what Matt had in mind. She jumped down from the passenger seat and strolled over to where Suki’s business manager was loitering, his forehead creased into parallel lines. She saw him shoot an impatient glance towards the veranda of the lodge he shared with Nadia, the expression on his face making it obvious they’d had a row.
‘Hi, William. Are you on your way out somewhere?’
‘Not really, just needed to get out for some fresh air. Our lodge has suddenly become a little claustrophobic.’
‘Well, it looks like it’s about to rain. Fancy joining us for a coffee in the windmill? We’ve still got some of Suki’s scones left from earlier.’
‘Great.’
Matt and William settled down on the over-stuffed sofas in the café whilst Rosie helped Mia assemble a tray of coffee. She added a bottle of French brandy she’d been given by Graham as a welcome-to-your-new-home gift when she’d arrived in May. She loathed the taste, but it seemed like this was the perfect time to give it its first outing. From the way the men slung it into their coffee mugs she knew she had been right.
She took a seat on the adjacent sofa, her stomach churning with rampaging nerves. But she couldn’t chicken out now, not when the future of the Windmill Café was at stake. She longed to talk to her father, to ask his advice on what she needed to do in order to elicit the right information in such circumstances. How she wished this was simply another one of the murder mystery parties they used to drag her mother and Georgina to at Christmas, where she had fun pitching her mind against his in an effort to be the first to solve the crime and steal the prize.
However, this was real life – yet, weren’t the principles the same? They had to narrow down the suspects and one of the ways to do that was by seeking out possible motives, which meant delving into their backgrounds.
‘William, would it be okay if Matt and I asked you a few questions? We really want to find out how this dreadful incident could have happened.’
‘Do you think I don’t? When I get my hands on the person who did this, well, let’s just say you wouldn’t want to be in the vicinity!’
Rosie watched William lean forward and rest his forearms on his thighs, his back arched to the ceiling. When he raised his head, she noticed the dark smudges beneath his eyes and how untidy his collar-length hair was from the way he dragged his fingers through the waves as he struggled to put his brain into gear to answer her question.
‘Ask away! What do you want to know?’
‘Well, we thought if we could gather as much information as possible, it might help us to understand how such a deadly poison found its way into Suki’s throat spray, who put it there and why. So, can I ask you, whose idea was it to come to Norfolk?’
William knocked back his coffee and refilled his empty mug with neat brandy before levelling his eyes at Rosie and heaving a long, ragged sigh.
‘Suki wanted to have one last big get-together with the people she loves before things got manic. She and Jess spent some of their childhood in Norfolk and Felix knew about this place. Suki thought it sounded perfect and insisted on paying for everyone to come for the week. Bill and Angela left her financially secure and she wanted to share it with her family and friends. She’s an amazing woman!’
There was now no doubt in Rosie’s mind that Freddie had been right – there was definitely more than a business relationship between William and Suki.
‘How long have you and Nadia known Suki? You’re clearly very close?’
‘We all met at university. We took the same music degree course in Sheffield. It was my second degree. I’d already fulfilled my parents’ dreams by graduating from Oxford and I thought it was about time to start focussing on my own ambitions. We kept in touch after uni, though. Not only did we have our love of music in common, but I live in Artà, in Majorca, with my parents – they run a tennis academy there – and Suki’s uncle and aunt also live there for half the year. Kenneth Richards is Suki and Jess’s paternal uncle. He pays the rent on their villa when Suki and Nadia are working in the resorts for the summer. So, whenever they come out, we get together. I can usually manage to pull a few favours and get them a couple of gigs in one of the bars for the summer season in Majorca, but this year they got bookings in Ibiza.’
‘So how did you and Nadia get together?’ Rosie pressed, starting to feel more confident in her role as examiner-in-chief, keen to know more about the state of their relationship and only a little uncomfortable that it was really none of her business.
‘Been together since Christmas. I sort of fell into managing both Nadia’s and Suki’s music careers, even when they were back in the UK. My first degree is in law and business studies. I handle my parents’ tennis academy business, too. My family all adore Suki and Jess – welcomed them both into our lives, especially as their own parents aren’t around. Jess even stays with them sometimes in the holidays. She’s studying for an English Lit degree – says she wants to be a children’s author and illustrator, but my brother, Antonio, thinks she has the potential to make a great tennis player if she’d put a bit more effort in. Or she did until she met Lucas. Pain in the butt, he is. Talks about nothing else except becoming a famous chef and living the “celebrity lifestyle”. I know I shouldn’t say this, but if you want my opinion, he’s only with Jess for her cash.’
Rosie wondered if it was the desire to find the instigator of Suki’s suffering or the alcohol that was loosening William’s tongue. Should she persuade him to go back to his lodge in case he regretted his honesty the next morning? Would that be the right thing to do? It seemed her initial opinion of William was the right one – he was one of the most strai
ghtforward and candid people she had met. However, before she could say anything, Matt had snatched the enquiry baton from her hands.
‘You mean the Richards family trust fund?’
‘Yes. Jess isn’t due to inherit her share for a few years, but Suki has hers so she spoils Jess. Of course, why shouldn’t she? She’s her little sister and she lost her parents when she was only eleven. Jess is hopeless when it comes to finances; well, anything that requires a cogent thought process, actually. Suki is really worried about what will happen when Jess turns twenty-five and she inherits her share of the trust fund capital.’
‘So what’s your theory on what happened?’
William paused, his eyes resting on Matt.
‘Well, didn’t we all see her drag your friend off to her lodge?’
Matt ignored the implication. ‘And you didn’t see her again until we found her in her lodge in agony?’
‘No.’
‘Are you sure?’
William stared at Matt for what seemed like an eternity. Then, to Rosie’s astonishment, he burst into tears.
‘Okay, okay. I went to see her in her lodge. I’m so sorry, the charade at the party was a cover. Suki and I, well, we’re in love. She planned on telling Felix as soon as he arrived from Colchester. I was going to break it off with Nadia when we left here so she could go to her parents in Cambridge instead of back with Suki and Jess to Ibiza. The bottle of champagne she snagged on the way to the lodge was for us to celebrate.’
‘Well, I don’t think Freddie’s going to be in a hurry to forgive you when he hears that confession,’ muttered Mia. ‘You could have saved him a great deal of anguish if you’d spoken up earlier.’
‘I’m sorry about what Suki and I put your friend through, I really am. I will make sure I apologize to him when I see him. I’ve been attracted to Suki since I met her at uni, but there was always some guy lurking around so I never made a move. Suki came over to Artà without Jess at the beginning of May and we spent an idyllic two weeks together playing tennis and taking the bikes to the beach. We didn’t mean it to happen, but we fell in love. Then she was spotted by a contact of mine from Mountside Records and the recording deal followed. I couldn’t dump Nadia right after that and take up with Suki. How would that have looked? I’m not that cruel, even though the offer of a contract came weeks after we got together. We wanted to celebrate in secret because Nadia was crushed.’
‘And did you celebrate?’
‘Yes, Suki cracked open the Moët and we toasted our future together, made a few plans. I swear she was the happiest I’ve ever seen her when I left the lodge. At last, the world was smiling on her and she deserves it after everything she’s been through. She’s beautiful, a talented performer, a wonderful friend and a fabulous sister to Jess.’ William drew in a steadying breath. ‘Do you really think someone wanted to hurt Suki?’
‘I’m not sure. Maybe they just meant to incapacitate her so she couldn’t sing for us on the terrace that night. She did seem to recover quickly after she had emptied her stomach.’
For the first time since they had bumped into William in the car park, Rosie saw his features relax and his face morphed into the attractive and athletic man that Suki had fallen in love with on the sun-filled tennis courts of Majorca. She watched him drain the contents of his mug and pushed himself to his feet a little unsteadily – after all, he had consumed almost a mugful of Cognac.
‘Can I ask you one last question?’ asked Rosie. ‘What time did you leave Suki’s lodge?’
‘I watched Freddie leave and I went straight in. We were together for about thirty minutes, then I left so she could get some rest before getting changed for the promised gig and our dinner afterwards.’
‘Did anyone see you leave?’
‘I shouldn’t think so. We were keeping our relationship secret.’
‘Did you see anyone, anyone at all, loitering around?’
‘No. I went back to my lodge for a quick shower, and then joined Nadia, Jess and Lucas on the terrace. Felix had just arrived and was letting his mouth go. I think he was drunk. The sooner Suki ditches the moron, the better.’
William must have had enough of the interrogation spotlight because he purposefully strode towards the French doors, turning back to the threesome sitting on the sofas, their eyes fixed on his agonized expression. ‘Find out who did this, please. For Suki’s sake.’ And he was gone.
‘Well, I think we can strike William from our list of suspects,’ said Mia. ‘Which leaves us with four people – Felix, Nadia, Jess and Lucas. Who’s next on your hit list, Monsieur Poirot? Felix? Can’t say I like the guy, and if it’s true that he was just about to be dumped…’
‘He wouldn’t try to poison Suki just because she was going to dump him – that’s crazy,’ spluttered Matt.
‘This whole situation is crazy!’
Rosie stared out of the French doors through which William had disappeared. Twilight was beginning to send fissures of scarlet and mauve through the sky and the starlings had embarked on an evening sonata which gave the deserted terrace a rather sombre feel.
‘I’m exhausted. I think we should call it a day,’ declared Mia. ‘Are you sure I can’t talk you into coming to stay with me?’
‘Thanks, but I think I’ll be fine here. I’ll see you tomorrow.’
After thanking Matt for the archery lesson, Rosie turned to encircle Mia in an appreciative hug. Her time in Willerby had taught her that there was no greater magic than the acceptance and support of friends. She couldn’t prevent herself from running her eyes over Matt’s retreating figure as he made his way back to his SUV in the Windmill Café car park. Every inch of his physique rippled with muscular strength and a surprise fizzle of interest shot through her veins, spreading into her fingertips like pins and needles.
‘Matt does ooze a certain rugged charisma, doesn’t he?’ mused Mia, standing next to Rosie on the terrace to swell the members of the Matt Wilson Appreciation Society.
‘Mmm, maybe.’
Rosie waved her friends off and went back inside, careful to lock the door behind her. She cast her eyes around the Windmill Café, a place that should, under happier circumstances, have reverberated with the clatter and chatter of culinary activity and animated conversation. Silence wrapped its insidious fingers around the room in a way that was somehow hypnotic and served to calm her anxieties. She cleared away their coffee mugs, washed them slowly in soapy water and put them back in their allocated places, then sprayed the benches with disinfectant.
She climbed the stairs to her circular studio, her bones weighed down with a heavy lethargy, and slumped onto the sofa. She couldn’t stop her brain from spinning with a merry-go-round of emotions and a migraine threatened, so she grabbed one of her favourite cookery books – The Great British Baking Bazaar – and began leafing through the glossy pages.
Both her parents had adored books, but their favoured genres occupied opposite ends of the reading spectrum. Rosie remembered the first time she was allowed to choose her own book from the local library in the Hampshire village where she grew up, and her mother had told her the story that every one of the precious tomes contained a tiny fragment of the author’s heart so Rosie had to treat them with respect and reverence, irrespective of her personal preference as to subject matter.
In the dark days after her father’s death, her mother’s love of Mills & Boon was one of the few things that had pulled her through. Rosie too had relied on the stories she read to transport her to another place, far away from the clutches of reality, but recently, with the little peppermint-and-white windmill in her life and Mia by her side, she had let her reading habit slip.
She decided to curl up in bed with one of her father’s old gardening books that accompanied her everywhere. Yet, despite her determination to sink into a good book, Rosie slipped into the oblivion of sleep within seconds of her head hitting her silk pillowcase.
Chapter 16
Rosie awoke feeling refreshed and
eager to attack the day ahead. As the early morning sun splashed its rays through the windows causing dust eddies to bounce across the room on beams of light, she felt her creative juices flowing. For once, it was not the usual tingle in her fingers to grab the nearest dishcloth and disinfectant spray, but an unscratchable urge to delve her hands into a bowl of flour. Food preparation – be it baking, roasting, poaching, scrambling or sautéing – had become her solace in the place of flower arranging and she loved every single stage of it, not just the cleaning up.
For some reason, her thoughts lingered briefly on Harry. Of course, things hadn’t always been so hostile between them. The initial blossoming of her love for Harry, and being allowed to work alongside him in the flower shop, had helped to chase away her past anxieties and she found she was able to rekindle her passion for plant-based activities once again. Over time, she had got used to the daily contact with dirty water, soil and mould and slowly but surely, she managed to suppress the hygiene beasts too. Okay, she knew they were lurking in the darkest, grimmest corners of her mind, but she had been determined not to feed them with tasty morsels of her emotional wellbeing. She had been happy, relaxed and content with her life, which was why discovering Harry with Heidi had been such a shock.
Georgina had reported visiting the little flower shop when she had been shopping for her birthday present in the capital in July, but there had been no sign of the woman who had replaced her in Harry’s affections. Maybe she could have come to terms with Harry’s infidelity sooner if he’d chosen a different person to share his bed with. The scandal had just been too much to bear at the time. However, if Heidi hadn’t decided to slot her size eights into Rosie’s bejewelled sandals, she knew she would never have relocated to Norfolk, which meant she would never have explored her flair for culinary enterprise, nor met Mia, Matt and Freddie.
Rosie’s fear of relationships had not completely evaporated, but her belief that she had lost her identity, her place in the world and everything she held dear, had diffused. She now possessed the burgeoning conviction that she would survive, and not only that, but that she could enjoy whatever the director of her destiny had mapped out for her. Instead of standing back and letting life happen around her, Mia had inspired her to take control, to move forward, to seek fulfilment in a different version of her dreams with the same passion, hope and expectation she’d had for her flower business until Harry had burst her bubble.
