Rina smiled. Of course. Pinsent was only forty miles or so away; it was quite likely Alec Freidman would be able to discover something, and at least they then had a trusted outsider ensuring they would not be forgotten.
She twitched back the curtain and looked out on to a white world. Soft fields of snow were overhung by fat bellied clouds from which the occasional flake escaped. Would it hold off long enough for the cavalry to arrive? she wondered, though there was no way of knowing what drifts blocked the roads.
‘There’s no television here,’ she said suddenly. ‘No radio, for that matter. At least, not that I’ve seen.’
‘I expect Melissa has both in her room,’ Miriam said. She shrugged. ‘I’d not given it any thought.’
Mac finished his call. ‘He’s looking into it for us,’ he said.
‘Good,’ Rina approved.
At that moment, the lights went out and plunged them into the dark.
THIRTY-THREE
The sound of the handbell ringing in the lobby drew everyone downstairs. PC Brown met them at the foot of the stairs. ‘Boss says everyone should gather in the big room,’ he said. ‘We’ve got the lanterns. Power’s out,’ he added unnecessarily.
‘We should go and switch on the generator.’ Terry’s voice sounded from deep shadow by the kitchen door.
‘Right you are.’ Brown sounded quite cheerful about the whole thing. ‘Boss is calling round to see how local the power outage is,’ he added. ‘Likely, the lines are down. It happened last winter and the one before.’
He went off with Terry to see what lights could be restored, and Mac, Rina and Miriam joined the others in the main room.
Viv and Robin were already there. Rina smiled at the girl, nodding encouragingly to indicate that it would all be all right. She hoped.
‘Can we make toast?’ Robin said. ‘By the fire?’
Viv laughed. ‘What?’
‘Isn’t that what you do in a power cut?’
Silently, Rina blessed him for breaking the tension. ‘Toast sounds good,’ she said, ‘and I think I saw some crumpets in the kitchen. I’ll go and find us something to use as a toasting fork.’ Chandler met her as she crossed the dark reception hall, lantern in hand. ‘Power is out for a ten-mile radius,’ he said. ‘Lines are down.’
‘Just as well we have the generator.’
He nodded. ‘Ah, good.’
The lights flickered and began to shine, albeit dimly. ‘Robin will be disappointed,’ she said. ‘He wants to make toast in a power cut.’
‘He obviously didn’t live through the three-day week,’ Chandler observed.
Terry and PC Brown emerged from the kitchen looking triumphant. ‘We should just use what lights we need,’ Terry said. ‘So someone should go and check what’s on upstairs.’
As he and PC Brown loped off up the stairs to do that, Rina foraged in the kitchen, finding bread and a barbecue fork that would do for toasting. A sound behind her caused her to turn, startled. It was only Mac.
‘Sorry,’ she said. ‘I’m more jumpy than I thought. What is it?’
Mac glanced behind him and then came close, speaking quietly. ‘Alec called,’ he said. ‘Chandler didn’t lie about problems with reinforcements, though he does seem to have downplayed what went on here.’
‘How can you downplay three murders?’ Rina wondered out loud.
‘And he is under investigation. There are big rumours that he’s been on the take, that he knew exactly what was happening here.’
‘But you still aren’t sure?’
Mac shook his head. ‘We both know what a few well-placed rumours can mean to a career. I’ll wait and see how this turns out before making judgement. In the meantime—’
‘In the mealtime, grab some bread, we are making toast.’
THIRTY-FOUR
It was not until everyone had settled by the fire and Robin had taken on toast-making duties that they noticed Rav was missing. No one seemed to know when he had left.
A search of the house; Rav was not there. Footprints led from the boot room door out across the yard and into the grounds.
Mac, Chandler, PC Brown and Tim took torches and prepared to follow.
‘He was here when we all came down,’ Terry said. ‘I spoke to him. He lit a lantern in the kitchen and took it through into the hall. Then Paul – PC Brown – and I, we went to sort out the genny.’
‘You didn’t see anyone, hear anyone go past the outbuilding?’ Mac asked.
Terry laughed. ‘The din that thing makes, he wouldn’t have heard if you’d all walked past. I didn’t notice footprints either, but I wasn’t looking, if I’m truthful.’
Brown hadn’t seen anything either. Rina had the impression that both men were in a hurry to get back into the warm, and she couldn’t blame them for that.
‘He could have left at any time this evening,’ she pointed out. ‘Why now?’ Then she considered that it was close on midnight. In the usual run of things, the household would probably have been asleep, or at least in their rooms.
She watched the four men leave, hoping that Mac’s faith in Chandler was justified.
Viv came over to her. ‘Did you tell Mac?’ she asked anxiously.
‘Yes, I did. Don’t worry, my dear, this will soon be over.’
‘I should have gone with them,’ Viv said.
‘No, no you shouldn’t. What you need to do now is to get on the phone to your handler and let them know just how urgent the situation is.’
‘I’ve left messages,’ she said.
‘Then try again now. Mac has contacted a friend of ours, and he is doing what he can too, so don’t worry. This will all turn out well enough.’
‘Will it?’ Viv was wide eyed and clearly scared, and Rina felt for her. Gently, she hugged the younger woman.
‘Yes,’ she said. ‘Mac and I have been in tighter corners than this. Believe me, dear, it will all be fine.’ She just hoped she would not be caught now telling an outright lie.
It was only a few minutes later that they noticed Melissa had also left. Rina was furious. How could she have missed that the woman was no longer there?
‘Dammit,’ Rina said. ‘I don’t like this at all. This is not good.’
‘What’s going on?’ Joy asked. ‘None of this makes sense. Where would she have gone?’
‘There are clearly things we don’t know yet,’ Rina said. ‘Things Melissa omitted to tell. Right. I’ll get my coat.’
‘You can’t be serious?’ Joy said. Then, when Rina nodded: ‘Then I’ll come with you.’
Rina shook her head. ‘I need reliable people here to keep an eye on everyone else. Terry, Viv, get yourself wrapped up, we’re going out.’
‘Why Viv?’ Robin demanded. ‘You go, I go.’
‘We can’t all go,’ Rina told him sharply. ‘Robin, please, explanations later.’
He seemed about to argue, but Viv handed him her phone. ‘See that number there? Keep trying it until someone answers, and then tell them what’s happening, OK?’
‘Viv?’
She kissed him lightly. ‘Love you,’ she said. ‘Just hang in there. I’ll explain everything when I get back.’
There were other minor protests, but Rina could see no one else really wanted to venture out or to risk getting more involved in something they did not understand.
‘Joy, Miriam, keep everyone in one place and lock the doors, OK?’
‘OK.’
Minutes later they were heading out into the snow.
‘You do know I’m not a real action hero, don’t you?’ Terry said. ‘I mean, there’s no stuntman tonight, is there?’
‘I know, but you’re the closest I’ve got handy right now.’ The footprints in the snow were clear. Rav’s, and then those who had set out to follow him, and weaving unsteadily through all of these were smaller steps that Rina knew must be Melissa’s.
‘What’s the woman playing at?’ Terry asked.
‘I’m not sure,’ Rina said. ‘But
I suspect she’s after revenge.’
In the cottage where Toby’s body had been found, crime-scene tape hung limply by the door. Rav glanced at the place where Toby’s body had lain, at the bloodstained carpet and a stray evidence marker, forgotten in the race to pack up before the weather closed in again.
‘You’ve got them?’ The man stepped out of the shadows by the stairs.
‘Of course. Let’s get going.’
‘Show me first.’
‘I’ll show your boss. They’ll have noticed I’m gone by now. We should leave.’
‘And my instructions are to make sure you’ve got the goods. Show me now.’
Rav sighed. He dug into the pocket of his overcoat and withdrew a table napkin. Unfolding it he revealed—
‘Are they the real thing?’
‘Of course they are. You think I could fake something like this?’
Elizabeth’s diamonds glinted in the low light of the cottage. ‘He’d locked them away,’ Rav said, ‘after she left. ‘No one’s worn these in more than a hundred and thirty years.’
His companion was unimpressed. ‘Very romantic.’
‘Everyone assumed that George Weston had taken them, but they were there all that time, just locked inside that room.’
The other man was uninterested. ‘Like I said. Romantic. Car’s down on the road. It’s a long walk.’
Chandler and Mac watched the cottage closely. Tim had moved down towards the road, with instructions to keep well back from anyone emerging from the cottage. PC Brown had crept towards the window. Dimly, they could see his outline as he watched what went on inside. He jerked back and ducked down, and a moment later two figures emerged. Rav and a stranger, roughly the same height and build.
‘Let them go, and we’ll follow,’ Chandler whispered. ‘We don’t know if he’s brought company.’
Mac nodded, his attention on Brown, willing the young man to keep very still. The night was now clear and cold – ideal conditions for the slightest sound to travel – and Brown’s position at the side of the cottage was very vulnerable should either Rav or his companion look directly back from the path they were now taking.
Mac could see no sign of Tim, who he guessed was probably now close to the road.
He and Chandler began to move, preparing to follow. The sound of the shot came out of nowhere. Mac hit the ground. ‘What the—!’
Chandler lifted his head slowly. ‘Fucking hell.’
‘Whoever it was, they missed,’ Mac said.
Rav and the other man had retreated towards the cottage, and Mac could see now that the stranger held a gun.
Chandler saw it too and swore again. ‘But he wasn’t shooting, so who the hell was?’
‘I don’t know.’ Mac was still watching Brown, willing him to hold his nerve and keep still. He felt Chandler move.
‘This is the police,’ Chandler shouted. ‘You are surrounded. Put your weapon down.’
‘What the hell are you doing?’ Mac hissed. ‘Let them go! We can’t do anything on our own.’ But it was too late for second thoughts. A shot fired in their direction, hitting the bank a few feet away, told them what the stranger thought of losing his gun. And at the same moment, Brown moved back and Rav spotted him.
The gunman grabbed Brown and hauled him out of his hiding place. ‘Who the bloody hell are you?’
Chandler and Mac could see the gunman staring out into the night, searching for whoever was out there, and now he had a hostage . . .
‘What the hell is she doing?’ Terry stopped in his tracks, stunned as Melissa raised the shotgun and fired. ‘And where did she get the gun?’
‘This is the countryside,’ Rina observed tartly. ‘Every farmer and his dog needs access to a shotgun. My question is: where did Melissa get hers? I thought Aikensthorpe had been properly searched.’
‘And who is she shooting at?’ Viv asked.
Rina started forward again. ‘Oh, that would be Rav,’ she said.
Melissa spun around as they came closer. She was clearly distressed, waving the shotgun dangerously in their direction. ‘I missed,’ she said. ‘I missed him.’
‘You think Rav killed Toby?’ Rina asked.
‘Melissa, put the gun down, why don’t you?’ Terry said. ‘Come on, you don’t want to shoot either of us, surely?’ He spread his hands wide and smiled at her.
‘They killed Toby.’ Melissa was crying now. ‘They killed Toby, and Rav is with them.’ Tears poured down her cheeks, and Rina gently took the shotgun from her hands. She gestured to Viv to take Melissa away from the scene and then moved slowly forward, keeping in deep shadow. She could see the cottage now, Rav and a stranger and—
‘Oh, good Lord,’ Rina breathed. ‘This is a real pickle. Another gun.’
Terry moved up behind her. ‘That’s Paul Brown,’ he whispered. ‘They’ve got Paul.’
‘I can see that. Terry, does your action hero self know how to shoot?’
‘Shoot, yes, hit the target—’
‘Right. Well, I guess it’s up to me then.’
‘Rina?’ Terry was horrified. ‘OK, look, what do you want me to do?’
‘Can you see down there, just behind the cottage? Two figures.’
‘Mac and Chandler.’
‘Can you get to them without being seen? Tell them what’s happening?’
‘Yes. What are you going to do?’
‘Tell them to keep back, out of the line of fire. Melissa only fired one shot – that means I’ve got one left.’
With one last disbelieving look, Terry did as she asked.
‘He’s just a local copper,’ Rav was saying. ‘There’s no backup. Chandler, Mac,’ he shouted. ‘Bloody idiots.’
Paul Brown knelt upon the ground. The gunman had his weapon pointed at Brown’s head. He glanced wildly around, trying to figure out if Rav was telling the truth. The fact was that a shot had been fired.
‘He’s just a local copper,’ Rav insisted. ‘It’s a bluff! Can’t you work that out, you idiot?’
For an instant the gun wavered between Brown and Rav. ‘Who the fuck are you calling an idiot?’ His eyes still on Brown, he took a mobile phone from his pocket. The number he wanted must have been on speed dial. He listened, then swore again.
‘No way he’ll get a signal,’ Chandler muttered.
Lying prone on the snowy ground, Mac was disinclined to comment. He was annoyed, anxious, and completely at a loss.
‘Mac.’ Terry dropped down beside him.
‘What the hell are you doing here?’ Mac hissed.
‘Rina sent me. She’s up there with Melissa’s shotgun. She’s sent Melissa and Viv back to the house, and she says you’ve got to stay put, out of the line of fire.’
‘Out of the what?’ Chandler demanded in a low voice.
‘Just try and get his attention so she can take the shot.’
Rina could hear Chandler’s voice. He was talking to Rav and the gunman, urging them to let Brown go, telling them that he was just a kid, that it was Chandler’s fault he was even here. To let him go and Chandler would take his place. The gunman had retreated further towards the cottage, taking Brown with him.
Rina hesitated. It had been years since she had handled a firearm of any kind, though she’d always been a pretty good shot.
Not that ‘pretty good’ was enough now. It had to be bloody good. She’d only get the one chance.
She took a deep breath and held it, said a brief prayer to whatever gods had jurisdiction over such acts and a brief supplication to her beloved husband, and then she pulled the trigger.
The gunman fell, shot peppering both legs and the gun falling from his hand. Rav made a grab for it, but PC Brown kicked it away, and then Terry, action hero moment come at last, was on top of Rav and wrestling him to the ground.
Rina released the held breath and closed her eyes. ‘Oh Fred,’ she whispered and fancied that she felt his hand briefly clasping hers.
EPILOGUE
Rina sat i
n the kitchen sipping tea. Bone weary, all she wanted to do now was go home, but she knew there’d be questions first and statements and all sorts of palaver before she was free to leave. Her victim had been transported to the local hospital, and Rina anticipated that it would take a while to remove the shot from his legs. Nothing life threatening, she thought, but it had certainly distracted him.
‘The diamonds were in the rose bowl,’ Joy said wonderingly. ‘Can you believe that?’
Rina nodded. ‘Apparently, Melissa found them when they opened the room. She didn’t let on to Toby; selling the books to cover his debts was one thing, but selling what she saw as her birthright for his benefit was quite another.’
‘But she told Rav?’
‘She knew Rav was involved with the criminals that owned this place and thought he could get her a good price for the jewels. Melissa was naive; for that matter, so was Toby.’
‘They were way out of their league,’ Joy said softly. Rina knew she was thinking about her father. ‘And Chandler?’
‘I don’t know,’ Rina said. ‘He was photographed here, talking to the caterers, but it might simply be that. As he says, he was curious. Not our problem, Joy.’
Robin sat on the stairs beside Viv, watching the to-ing and fro-ing from the police incident room and the CSIs donning over-suits and moving off towards the cottage in the woods. It was nine in the morning, and his world was upside down. ‘So, did you ever—’
‘Like you, care about you, or were you just part of the job? That what you’ve been trying to ask for the past hour?’
‘I suppose it is.’
‘Robin, you are such an idiot sometimes.’ She took his hand and held it tight.
The Dead of Winter Page 21
