Suzy’s pulse quickened.
If Nathaniel’s father used to supply diamonds to top London based jewellers what was to say he hadn’t supplied any to Eastcove’s very own top jeweller?
She jumped off the bed and pulled on an extra cardigan. Now all she had to do was to break into Cove Jewellery and search Gerard’s records for Nathaniel’s father’s name and address. She gulped, maybe she should call Julian, the police had probably already explored this avenue of thought.
Deciding she simply had to find out to settle her own mind, Suzy quietly unlocked the bedroom door and tiptoed down the stairs. The light from the television flickered patterns against the hallway wall and its sounds helped to muffle her footsteps. Gently she unhooked her coat from the coat rack, selected Arabella’s heavy wood handled umbrella, picked up her boots and slipped into the early Christmas morning darkness.
Considering she couldn’t risk starting her car and attracting attention, Suzy hurried on foot into town. It would only take her thirty minutes if she kept up a steady pace. Her breath steamed from her mouth as she puffed down the hill towards the main road. Shoving her hands into her pockets she wished she’d had the sense to pick up a pair of gloves. Stars twinkled overhead in the blue-black sky and festive lights shone from many properties she passed along the way. The silence, broken only by the crunch of snow under her boots, was eerily surreal. Ice on the roads probably served as a deterrent for most but it was Christmas morning and most likely people were tucked up with those they loved. A stab of grief pierced at Suzy, reminding her of what she’d lost. She would find the Vydrina Diamond and return it to her father Rodion, it would be selfish of her to keep it all to herself. She thought of Alyona and her quest to find her family’s ring.
The Vydrina Diamond may be worth an awful lot of money, Suzy thought, but more than it it signified her real father had always loved her. Considering all the trouble the ring had caused there was no way she was giving up on finding the blasted thing.
Reaching the end of the road leading to town just twenty minutes later, Suzy heard a scrunch of snow out of beat with the rhythm of her steps. She froze and slowly glanced over her shoulder. Nothing. Maybe it had been a fox. Picking up pace, she turned the corner onto the High Street and scurried down to the jewellery shop before edging cautiously down the side alley which abounded it.
Comforting light from the streetlamps failed to illuminate the side of the shop and Suzy trembled, feeling her way along the wall, her back pressed against it, eyes darting from side to side, until she located the side door. Just in case she tried the handle. No luck, it was locked. Prepared for this, Suzy pulled Arabella’s umbrella from her coat pocket and using the handle, which was formed truncheon like from a solid piece of wood, bashed the wooden panel covering the already broken glass, from where Gerard’s attacker had entered, several times until it broke. She took a minute to listen, afraid someone had heard her. The door was easy to unlock and Suzy took care to ensure the jagged glass didn’t touch the soft skin of her hand.
The office was surprisingly tidy and a blood stain on the carpet was the only indication something awful had happened there. Suzy hurried over to the desk which had been Gerard’s and hunted through the papers on his desk until she found what she had hoped would still be there; his contact book.
She flicked through several pages until she reached the D section. Running a finger down the page she spied the name Drinkwater and scribbled the address on a piece of paper. Her new mobile phone served useful and she was able to telephone for a taxi.
The street was still silent when she ventured back on to it and slunk into the doorway of a shop further down to await the taxi’s arrival. Suzy knew the police had probably spoken to Nathaniel’s father, David Drinkwater, but she had to try knowing there was no way she could live her life with the regret of not.
* * *
Suzy waited until the taillights of the taxi had disappeared from view before creeping up the driveway to the softly lit house. It was almost as large as Stephen’s property but the driveway was a mere quarter of the length in comparison. A light glowed from a room at the front and Suzy couldn’t decide if she wanted someone to be awake to answer her knocking or not. She swallowed, her tongue suddenly stuck to the roof of her mouth, and tapped the door knocker.
The glossy black door creaked open to reveal a rakish, pale man with a shock of intensely thick raven coloured hair. ‘Yes?’ He squinted behind his half-moon glasses.
Suzy’s nerves crumbled and she panicked, tripping over her words. ‘I’m Suzanna Harte, I wanted to talk to you about a diamond ring.’
‘Ah, I see.’ A slim hand extended in her direction. ‘David Drinkwater, do please come in.’
Suzy glanced nervously behind her; realising no-one even knew where she was. Quickly she tapped out a text message and sent it, unthinkingly to Arabella’s number.
‘I won’t bite,’ David continued in his well-spoken tones, ‘I’ve already eaten. I’ve been expecting you.’
Suzy checked the message had sent and stepped inside. David locked the door behind them and gestured for her to follow him. The foyer smelt of wood polish and a large, heavily adorned tree commanded attention in the corner next to where stairs swept down from a galleried landing. Lights glowed dimly from wood panelled walls, the floor shining where their soft fall illuminated its sheen.
‘Why have you been expecting me?’ Suzy asked.
David, leading her from one room to the next, stopped for a moment. ‘Gerard told me all about you the evening he was murdered.’
‘What? Why?’
David merely smiled and struggled to lift a painting from the wall, his thin arms shaking. Suzy rushed to help him and between them they lowered the framed oil painting to the floor, exposing a safe. Suzy watched excitedly as David tapped in a series of numbers.
‘I’m assuming the police questioned you about the Vydrina Diamond?’ she asked. ‘You were a diamond dealer and rumours are flying that you are in trouble financially.’
David nodded. ‘They did and here’s what they saw.’
Suzy peered into the large safe space. ‘It’s empty.’ Disappointment fell heavily into her stomach.
‘It would appear so,’ David chuckled. He reached into the safe, head and shoulders disappearing into the cavernous space. With a precise press, the back of the safe swung backwards like a second door.
Suzy held her breath. David reached inside and withdrew a small, velvet box.
‘I believe this is yours.’ He smiled.
Suzy gasped, lifting the lid on the box to reveal the Vydrina Diamond in all of its glory. ‘How did you come to have it?’
David closed the secret door and swung shut the outside safe door. ‘I knew Gerard from years ago. He was one of my first customers when I began dealing in diamonds. I didn’t cheat him out of money and in turn he only bought his diamonds from me. I often let him store precious items here for security reasons. I happen to have an extensive security system.’
‘So you knew it was me at the door before you even opened it?’
‘Of course, my dear, I saw you leave the taxi and opened the gates in anticipation.’
Suzy hugged the ring box to her chest. ‘Thank you. I didn’t know what to expect when I knocked on your door.’
David patted her shoulder. ‘I am a decent man, Suzy. I am honest to the core, cut me open and the word would run through my body like a stick of rock. Would you care to join me in a glass of something before I call you a taxi? It’s been a lonely time for me.’
Suzy nodded. ‘I would like that very much.’ She touched his hand, the skin paper-thin and dry under her fingertips. ‘I am so sorry about your son.’
David swallowed, tears clouding his eyes and misting his glasses. ‘Thank you. I knew his involvement with the Prendergasts would lead him into trouble. I just didn’t anticipate the trouble being murder.’ He removed his glasses and folded them before slipping them into his shirt pocket. Rubbing his e
yes he walked stiffly from the room, motioning from the door for Suzy to follow.
He had just stepped from the room when there was a dull, thudding sound. Suzy screamed as David’s unconscious rakish body crashed to the floor, a crack signalling the breakage of his glasses. Suzy shrank back in fear as a foot appeared around the doorframe, followed by a leg, and then a body she instantly recognised.
‘You!’ she accused. ‘What have you done? Is he dead?’ Her voice rose. ‘You’ve killed him!’
Conciliatory gloved hands gestured at her to calm down. ‘He is knocked out, that is all. Now, give me the Vydrina Diamond.’
‘It’s my ring.’ Suzy clasped the box tighter.
‘Give me the ring!’
‘No!’ Suzy bravely stood her ground. ‘It’s my ring from my father and I’m keeping it!’
Heavy booted feet stamped on the wooden floor. ‘For fuck’s sake, Suzanna Harte, give me the goddamn ring and I won’t have to hurt you!’
‘You killed Simon...I won’t let you hurt me!’ She danced out of reach of the advancing feet.
‘I did not kill Simon. I just want the ring.’
Suzy evaded the outstretched hand again. ‘Why?’
‘What?’
‘Why do you want it? You’re supposed to be upholding the law not breaking it!’ She jumped back, her feet as light as air. ‘You’re a police detective!’
Julian’s dark eyebrows knitted together. ‘Don’t question me, just give it to me!’ he bellowed.
Suzy, afraid of his darkening features, determinedly shook her head. ‘No. I won’t.’
‘I don’t want to have to knock you unconscious.’
Suzy laughed. ‘What will you do once I’m out? Steal the ring? You know you’ll be caught.’
Julian advanced menacingly towards her, the thick lump of wood he had hit David with, glistening wetly with blood. ‘The ring will have been sold and I’ll have the money to leave this poxy place. With that amount of money a man and his family can disappear without a trace.’
Suzy, stalling for time, asked, ‘You have a family? You never said.’
Julian nodded abruptly. ‘A mother and a sister.’
‘So what? Everyone has family, what I don’t understand is why you want to steal my ring.’ Suzy had stopped moving without realising.
Julian’s breath was hot against her face. ‘My mother worked for that sick bastard Stephen Prendergast for over twenty-five years and now he’s set to spend the rest of his life in prison she’ll lose her home, her job, her security. My sister, who is blind, will be turfed out of the only home she’s ever known, the only place she knows well enough to have her own independence. She can negotiate her way around that house faster than I can; now she’ll have to relearn a whole new layout. It’s not fair! She’s says she’s more than capable but I hate it that, once again, we are losing out. Why should our Christmas be ruined? When you told me about the Vydrina Diamond I knew it could end all of our problems.’
Suzy gasped, springing away. ‘Simon was your half-brother...you are Harriet’s, Stephen’s housekeeper’s, son!’
‘Not that you’d know it. That pampered prince got everything he ever wanted and what did my sister and I have? Nothing.’
‘But Stephen wasn’t your father,’ Suzy pointed out.
‘No, my father was a good for nothing scumbag who’s never been out of prison for longer than a week since I was born. That ring.’ He pointed at the box in Suzy’s hands. ‘Will give my family a secure future.’
‘What about my family? This ring came from my father.’
For a moment Julian looked contrite. ‘It’s all Stephen’s fault!’ he snapped. ‘If the unhinged psycho hadn’t started killing everyone then my mother and sister wouldn’t be losing their home and I wouldn’t need the ring!’
Suzy nodded. ‘I understand but I’m still not giving you the Vydrina Diamond.’
Julian howled. ‘I don’t want to have to hurt you. I had hoped we could be more than this,’ his voice softened. ‘Haven’t you been able to tell how much I like you? Didn’t you realise from the way I keep finding excuses to see you?’
‘Really? I thought you were just doing your job.’
Julian crossed the gap between them until he was mere millimetres from her. ‘You don’t know how hard it was for me not to kiss you after our time at the restaurant. I thought you felt it too but I didn’t want to push you, I wanted to allow you time to grieve for Simon.’
His mouth neared hers and from the corner of her eye she spied the wood in his hand lifting into the air. She forced herself backwards, crashing against a side table. Julian brandished the lump of wood like a club. Using her right hand, Suzy felt behind her until she found a hard, cold item.
‘You’re not having it!’ she screamed, whipping a crystal bowl from the table and clunking it over Julian’s head.
Julian’s eyes widened in surprise and he staggered backwards. ‘I can’t believe you hit me.’ He groaned. The lump of wood slipped from his grasp, thudding on the floorboards. He clutched his head and dropped to his knees. ‘It really bloody hurts.’
‘Now you know how David will feel when he wakes up but you’re not unconscious so I obviously didn’t do it hard enough.’ Suzy held the bowl threateningly. ‘And the bowl’s not broken so if you come any closer, I’ll do it again. If I learnt anything from Stephen it’s that a fighter always wins.’ She cautiously shoved the ring box into her coat pocket with one hand before pulling out her mobile phone and asking for the police plus an ambulance for David.
‘Well,’ an amused voice remarked from the doorway. ‘You do not need rescuing as I feared!’
‘Sevastian!’ Suzy’s face creased in relief, the familiar fluttery feeling she felt when seeing him returning. ‘No I don’t but you can help me keep an eye on him until the police arrive.’
Sevastian strode over to her, enveloping her in a bear hug. ‘You,’ he said. ‘You have fire in your belly. You hit a detective over the head!’
* * *
Chapter Eleven
‘Thank you for coming to rescue me,’ Suzy said to Sevastian as he drove them back to her house. ‘Even if you were too late!’
Sevastian took one hand off the steering wheel and squeezed Suzy’s thigh. ‘I told you I love you.’
‘No, you didn’t.’
‘Yes, I did.’
‘Not in those exact words.’
Sevastian eased the car to a stop. Twisting in his seat to face her. ‘I do, Suzanna, I love you.’
Suzy squirmed delightedly. ‘I love you. Now take me home. I want to peel your clothes from your body and make love to you.’
Sevastian grinned, restarting the engine. ‘I like this dominant side of you.’
Suzy reached over and slipped her hand on Sevastian’s thigh, rubbing his leg over the soft denim of his trousers. ‘You haven’t seen anything yet!’
It was Christmas midday by the time Suzy woke Sevastian. ‘Merry Christmas,’ she murmured, trailing kisses across his firm chest.
He opened one eye. ‘It is not my Christmas yet.’
‘If we’re going to be together we’ll have to have two Christmas celebrations.’ Suzy straddled him, pinning his hands to the bed. ‘Do you agree?’
Sevastian pulled an undecided face. ‘You will have to convince me.’
Suzy kissed him. ‘I thought you understood how this relationship is going to work. I tell you what to do and you do it. You behaved yourself perfectly well, I thought you’d learnt!’
Sevastian flipped her on her back, causing her to squeal with laughter. ‘I think we will take turns in the telling.’ He raised an eyebrow, his blond hair flopping to meet it. ‘And right now I am telling you we will celebrate your Christmas today and mine, in thirteen days, back in Koravkovia.’
‘You’ll show me your home?’ Suzy wriggled excitedly.
‘It will be our home.’ Sevastian kissed Suzy. ‘Like two Christmas times, we will have two homes. Together. You will ma
rry me.’
Suzy stopped wriggling like a puppy. ‘I know,’ she replied seriously, captivated by the emotion in his clear eyes. ‘It’s all I want.’
* * *
‘Hooray!’ Arabella shouted as Suzy and Sevastian trailed into the lounge where she and the others were watching a Christmas carol service on television.
Suzy kissed the three of them in turn. ‘Are you ready for a surprise?’ She withdrew the small, velvet box from her pocket and opened it to reveal the Vydrina Diamond.
Arabella jumped to her feet and grabbed the box. ‘The ring Stephen wanted so badly.’
Suzy nodded.
Rodion lifted the ring from the box. ‘Still as beautiful as I remember.’ He took it over and showed it to Tatyana, who was resting with her feet up on the sofa.
Tatyana, the colour having returned to her hollowed cheeks in the time she had been in the house for, smiled. ‘It is,’ she agreed.
‘Where was it?’ Rodion asked.
‘It’s a long story,’ Suzy flapped the question away with her hands. ‘Sevastian and I will tell you about it over food. I just wanted to give it back to you.’ She swallowed a lump in her throat. ‘Dad.’
Rodion’s eyes flooded with tears. ‘I have dreamt of you calling me that!’ He wrapped her in his arms, kissing the top of her head. ‘My daughter!’
Suzy felt a light touch on her shoulder.
‘Can I join in?’ Tatyana asked tentatively.
‘Oh, Mum!’ Suzy’s face softened. ‘Always!’
For a moment the three of them stood in their own bubble, hearts beating as one until Suzy gently pulled away and swooped on Arabella.
Arabella, crying quietly into her hands, wailed. ‘I am alone without my Richard!’
Suzy pulled her to her feet, cuddling her. ‘Well, you’re not. You have us and we want you. Besides,’ she added cheerily, ‘who makes the most delicious Yorkshire puddings ever? You do, so come on and help me in the kitchen and we’ll make the Christmas dinner together the same as we’ve always done.’
Unveiling Lies (Eastcove Lies Book 2) Page 12
