4 Camera ... Action ... Murder!

by Faith Mortimer

  “Anyway, I had a bad headache the next day, and I seem to recall blaming you for it. So how have you been? I hear from Sebastian and Russell that you’ve just had a nasty stomach bug? I take it you’re quite recovered and not contagious?”

  Sebastian stood up from the swing hammock to make room for Diana who sat down with a smile of thanks in his direction.

  “Yes, I did have a bug—or food poisoning, anyway. I really should have gone to the doctor, but I felt too ill to even stir and call the surgery. And since my wife was away on holiday, she wasn’t there to bully me into going either. I can’t remember ever having such a nasty illness before. I suffered with a terrible headache and kept being as sick as a dog. Luckily no one else in the party was ill that night.”

  “Oh? Were you at a restaurant with a group?”

  “No. I was at Seb and Russell’s place. Anyway, I don’t know where I caught the bug from, but luckily I didn’t pass it on to anyone else that night.”

  “That was lucky,” Diana murmured.

  “Worst of all, I missed out on the photo shoot—at least, I say worst of all. Listening to everyone else who was there, it was a bloody awful afternoon. That girl who drowned, she must have been crazy to— sorry, Seb.” He looked contrite. “I forgot she was a friend of yours.”

  “It’s all right, Barry. We have to talk about Caroline. We can’t just pretend she never existed. If you remember, my dad did that over my mother when she died. I wasn’t very old, and I couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t talk about her. He shut himself off in that study of hers for hours on end, never speaking, never saying anything and certainly never explaining to a young kid what to do. I spent days on my own, living off baked beans and soup, which must have been when I learnt to cook. When he finally came round, even then he never said a word of comfort to me. He just got on with life. Went back to work, came home, and cooked us simple meals. We occasionally went out together at the weekend, but he wasn’t interested in doing many things with me as father and son. It seemed as if when Mum had her accident and died, a part of him died too, and he’s never let go. I can see that clearly now I’m older, and that’s why I say we must keep Caroline’s memory alive.”

  Diana was surprised at Sebastian’s outburst. It was the longest speech she had heard him give and certainly the most personal. She glanced at him and saw he was barely keeping it together. She gently squeezed his hand lying next to hers on the padded cushion of the seat.

  “You’re absolutely right, Seb. Even though I didn’t know Caroline well, I thought she was a lovely girl and certainly didn’t deserve to die like that. We must remember her. I’m sure all your friends will agree and be willing to help you get through this.”

  Barry looked from Diana to Sebastian with a surprised look on his face and leaned forward with one hand on his hip. “Am I missing something here? Was Caroline more to you than a friend? I thought she and Duncan were, you know, lovers.” Barry looked bothered by this turn of events. “Perhaps it’s none of my business, but I’ve known Duncan a long time, and apart from him being a friend, he’s also paying my fee. Is there something I should know?” He ended sounding thoroughly disgruntled.

  Sebastian ran his tongue over his dry lips before replying. “I’m sorry, Barry, but there’s nothing to tell you really. Caroline and I were just good friends. We’d seen each other a couple of times in town. We literally bumped into one another and decided to have a coffee in Montpelier. I think the second time, we found ourselves in the same pub early one evening. She was on her own and we got chatting. There was nothing more in it than that.”

  “That’s all right then. I know Duncan was pretty smitten with her, and if you’ve done anything to jeopardise my company’s position, well I’d have to think again. I didn’t tell you earlier, but last week Duncan hinted there might be a lot more work coming our way. So be warned. Stay clean.”

  Sebastian looked relieved as he nodded at his boss, and Diana felt quite sorry for the young man. When Barry stood up, she too felt thankful; she could see he was one who wouldn’t mince his words.

  “I’m going to get myself another drink and more food. Nice to see you again, Diana. I’ll catch you later, Seb.”

  Sebastian watched Barry as he walked away and then turned to Diana with what could only be relief in his eyes.

  “Thanks for not giving me away, Diana.”

  Diana had mixed feelings about what had just been said. Barry obviously felt more inclined to side with Duncan because he was paying his fee than caring whether his employee was affected over a pretty girl’s death, romance or no romance.

  “I’m sorry, Seb, but I dropped you in it I’m afraid by mentioning Caroline. I should never have said that, because I made Barry jump to conclusions.”

  Sebastian looked glum. “It’s not your fault. I have to come clean sometime. It’s just that I couldn’t bring myself to talk to all those others yesterday. Her death felt so raw to me.” Di studied his face which was a picture of misery.

  “Would you like to talk to me now? It might help, and I promise not to tell anyone if it’s personal.”

  Sebastian sighed and put his face in his hands before sitting up and looking her squarely in the face.

  “You’re absolutely right. Caroline and I were an item. It’s true what I told Barry. We did bump into each other in Montpelier and we did go and have coffee. But it didn’t end there, of course. We met as often as we could. Sometimes we’d go a couple of days when she couldn’t get away or Duncan was taking her off somewhere. She kept a little flat in London, and I visited when I knew he was down here. It was all a bit cloak and dagger, but it was what she wanted. Caroline said we had to be patient.”

  “I see. Did Duncan suspect anything?”

  “Not at first. We were very careful. I got cross one day and demanded why she didn’t tell him to get lost. He was over twice her age, and the thought of them together turned my stomach. She told me not to worry, since their relationship didn’t involve sex, but I still felt unsettled and wondered if she was just lying to me. You see, he paid all her bills. Despite being a great up-and-coming actress, she was often out of work and needed to eat. My pay isn’t brilliant, and I couldn’t afford to sub her like that.”

  Di considered Sebastian’s words. Duncan had told her he was up to his neck in debt. Should she mention this to Sebastian?

  “I see,” Diana said. “I wonder how he managed it. I’d heard Duncan didn’t have any money of his own. It was all Isabelle’s.”

  “I don’t know anything about that. All I know is Caroline was often wearing a new dress or clutching some expensive-looking handbag and matching shoes. The presents didn’t come from me. I was spending more than I should on petrol up and down to London each week.”

  “Maybe Duncan borrowed it.”

  “More than likely he did. Anyway, I was madly in love with Caroline, and I’d have done anything to keep her. She said she loved me, and we discussed moving in together somewhere. She wouldn’t give me a date, though, because she wanted to get the film behind her. She probably knew Duncan would have thrown a wobbly once he realised she was seeing someone else. He was very jealous.”

  “So if Duncan and Caroline weren’t lovers, what type of relationship was theirs? Purely platonic? Over the years he’s always been attracted to younger women, and I and everyone else always assumed they were all mistresses of one kind.”

  Sebastian pursed his lips before replying. “She said it was and I believed her. I don’t think she would have lied about that, do you?”

  Diana paused before answering, since the question was tricky. Caroline might just have said that to keep Sebastian happy but slept with Duncan to keep him sweet to pay her bills. He must have got the money from Isabelle, which was why she was so incensed over yet another young woman being involved with her husband. For the first time, Diana felt sorry for Isabelle. It couldn’t have been easy living with someone who took such an active interest in younger flesh.

  D
iana gave a slight shake of her head, which was what Sebastian was hoping for. “You said Duncan didn’t suspect anything at first. Did he later?”

  Sebastian looked down at his feet before replying. “Yes. It was a few days ago. I arranged to meet Caroline in a country pub over Gloucester way. She’d come down to Cheltenham for a final fitting for her costume—you remember that beautiful dress she was wearing?” As Diana nodded, he continued. “There’s a shop in town which sells antique costumes, and Dad’s one of the partners. He’s always loved everything old and theatrical. He’s more a sleeping partner because he has nothing much to do practically with the shop, except help pay the rent and occasionally visit auctions when costumes are on offer. A few of the costumes the stars were wearing for the photo shoot came from there, which was great, because it meant revenue for the shop. Caro went there for her fittings. There’s a sweet old lady who does alterations and that sort of thing. Duncan phoned Caroline just after she’d left the shop and was on her way to meet me. He couldn’t or wouldn’t understand why she wasn’t having lunch with him. She made some sort of excuse, but they had a row later. He said, since he paid her bills, he expected one-hundred-per-cent commitment from her. We both believed he suspected she was meeting someone. During the photo shoot, he watched her like a hawk, and I think I may have overdone it when she got nervous about going in the boat. I couldn’t help myself.”

  “But I didn’t think he was around when she first went to try the boat? Steve and I were watching you and Caroline. Duncan and Isabelle came down much later on to watch.”

  “Well, then maybe someone told him. There’s always someone ready to gossip and spread things around. Anyway, he was very surly later that afternoon towards me and you. Remember how he was at breakfast?”

  “Yes. I thought he was going to hit you. If what you say is true, then I wonder who it could have been.”

  Sebastian’s face darkened. “I’ve no idea. There are too many things which have happened to make it a coincidence.”

  “That’s funny.”

  “What is?”

  “Your father said much the same earlier this evening when we were having a chat down by the stream.”

  Sebastian raised his eyebrows. “I expect you mean about his suspicion of Duncan over Isabelle’s murder. He’s convinced he killed her. Dad’s always hated her, and I don’t blame him. She could be a right old bat by all accounts.”

  Diana looked around her before replying. “Yes, he does think that, I’m afraid, but I’m not altogether sure he’s on the right track.”

  “What do you know, then?”

  Sebastian leaned over and peered at her closely, making her hesitate again. There was a murder enquiry going on, and Adam trusted her to keep her mouth shut. “Oh, nothing much. I’m just curious like everyone else, I guess.”

  Sebastian looked at her as if he wasn’t sure he believed what she had said. He fidgeted and sat up stiffly in his seat. “I hope the police catch the bastard who did these murders.”

  Diana’s views echoed Sebastian’s, and then she had a sudden thought. She wondered if Seb knew about Caroline’s pregnancy. If he did, why hadn’t he mentioned it?

  Chapter 22

  Diana’s head was aching from the bombardment of information she had collected since finding Isabelle’s body that day. She caught her breath. Was it really only this morning she had walked into the maze and found Isabelle strangled, stripped naked, and lying spread-eagled on the picnic table? So much had happened between then and now. Beginning with the arrival of the police forensic team in their cars, Isabelle’s body being photographed, swabbed, bagged, and taken away, the search around the area for clues leading up to the interruption from the incensed writer, Sydney Graham, to now: a gathering of supposedly long-standing friends who wished nothing more than a relaxed evening with good food and a glass or two of wine. The past few days seemed surreal, and in some ways, Diana would have been happy to walk away and let Adam do the detecting. But as always, her thoughts kept returning to the snippets she had discovered, and she realised there was a fragile thread running through everything, if only she could grasp the end of it. The trouble was, she was tired from the stress, and she needed a quiet hour or two to sit down and unravel the mess into something coherent. Diana eyed the array of bottles in Clare’s kitchen. She picked out an interestingly labelled Rioja and deftly uncorked it before pouring herself a large glass of the rich Spanish wine.

  “You certainly look like you’ve had some practice doing that,” said Adam, stepping in from the garden. “I’ve always liked a woman who can wield a corkscrew. Now, that bottle looks promising. I had to toss the last glass into the bushes. Something foul from Romania, I believe.”

  Diana turned and smiled at his banter. “I’m not sure I was aware Romanians even made wine.”

  Adam snorted. “I believe they do, but we mustn’t knock it all. They probably have some good vintage stuff tucked away which they don’t export. It was my own fault because I knew I shouldn’t try anything with a label entitled Dracula’s Nectar.” When he lifted a sardonic eyebrow while speaking, Diana knew he was teasing.

  “Can I interest you in a glass of this, then?” she asked gesturing with the bottle in one hand.

  “Thought you’d never offer. Thank you. So what have you learned this evening? Everyone seems remarkably twitchy, I must say.”

  It was Diana’s turn to laugh. “What do you expect? Everyone here has been within spitting distance of a murderer or murderers. Besides, not all of them have perfect alibis. Plus there’s a senior policeman at the party who’s keeping everyone under close scrutiny, while pretending not to, and if we didn’t know you, I expect Steve and I would also feel the same.”

  “Mmm. I see what you mean. I think it does the public good to know that no one’s immune when it comes to capital offences.”

  “Have you been asking more questions or keeping a low profile this evening, Adam?”

  “I’ve been keeping pretty low, actually. When we interviewed everyone the first time, we were thorough but almost softly-softly in our approach. The second time I was much more severe. I believe those tactics have more effect in the long run. Tonight, I’ve been gratified by the few people who have waylaid me.”

  “Really? That’s interesting. Who have you spoken to?”

  “Mostly Clare, but also Patrick and Jo. I’ve yet to buttonhole Russell and his son, Sebastian. That boy has been ensconced with his boss most of the afternoon and latterly with you. He’s an odd one. I think he’s a bit of a slippery character and will only say what he feels he can get away with.”

  Diana looked surprised at his statement. “Why do you say that? He’s been pretty open with me so far.”

  “I don’t know. There’s something about him I don’t trust. Perhaps it’s because he won’t look me in the eye. I’m not suggesting he is a murderer, but I’m sure he is mixed up in this whole affair in some way.”

  “Perhaps you’ve been too harsh on him, and he’s not very old. Russell says he takes after his late mother, Emily. From what I remember of her, she was placid and a sincere person. By the way, he and Caroline were seeing each other. Sebastian admitted it to me earlier.”

  Adam grinned in a raffish fashion. “Mrs Rivers, I knew you’d try the gentle touch with him. Nevertheless, I suspected as much after talking with Clare. She’s convinced they were a couple. The question is, why was he hiding this fact earlier? Was he afraid of Macpherson and what he might do to him if he suspected he was seeing his young mistress?”

  “It was partly that. He said he was in love with Caroline and she with him. They kept their affair a secret from Duncan and anyone else because Caroline wanted it that way.”

  “I’m not surprised. We know Macpherson has a temper, and if he’d found out about them, he could well have done something stupid.” He looked pointedly at Diana. “And that is certainly what I believe the bugger did. He unearthed their little love nest, wherever that was, and plotted revenge aga
inst the girl. Some older men just can’t handle getting old and having to move aside for a younger man. Sad but true.”

  “Ah! You can think what you like, but I don’t believe that.”

  “I know you don’t, but trust me, Diana. This time I’m right. Duncan Macpherson is our man. We just have to be even more thorough. We checked through his bank accounts. There’s been a lot of activity—cheques coming in and plenty of withdrawals. On average, his accounts have run on empty over the years. It appears Isabelle was supporting him most of the time, but this year he went too far. He’s overstepped himself. Did you know he’s a gambler?”

  Diana looked up sharply, and she saw that Adam had a gleam of satisfaction in his eye. “No, I never knew that, and I’m sure Steve doesn’t either or he’d have told me. I can’t believe it.”

  “It’s nice to catch you out, darling girl. I love it when your ears go pink.”