THIRTY-ONE
‘The solicitor will claim intimidation, threats, coercion, what have you.’
We were halfway to London, comfortably seated in a first-class carriage, courtesy of David. ‘Of course he will,’ I replied. ‘But the video is perfectly clear, and perfectly damning. All the police did later was clarify bits of that wild statement, what he said about his grandparents and about his betting on the horses. Do you think his insistence that Nathan’s death was an accident will stick?’
‘Don’t know. Doesn’t matter. He admitted to murdering Armstrong, in front of witnesses and on tape. He’s not going to be endangering the public for a very long time.’
I watched the sheep in the passing meadow. Not quite full grown, but no longer frisky lambs, they nibbled grass in their stupid, placid way, paying no attention to the monster speeding past them. I wondered what their future held? Were they doomed to appear on someone’s dinner table before too long, or would they provide scarves and sweaters for many years?
‘Alan, do you think prisoners can really become rehabilitated?’
‘Some do. The ones who want to change, who fell into crime because they had no other way to live.’
‘Colin isn’t like that. He’s just a surly, selfish boy who thinks the world owes him a living. You know who I feel sorry for?’
Alan smiled and patted my hand. ‘The grandparents, of course. You always have to find someone to feel sorry for. What do you want to bet they’re thoroughly nasty, stern, judgemental people, just as unpleasant in their own way as Mrs Elliot?’
The drinks cart came up the aisle. Alan got us each a bottle of wine, poured it, and raised his glass. ‘Here’s to someone worthy of your sympathy: Aunt Amanda, now free to live out her days in peace!’
‘Aunt Amanda!’ I echoed. ‘And I’ll throw in David, settled in a home of his own with a terrific lodger, and Tim’s lawyer, who thinks he can prove undue influence and get Tim’s inheritance back. And, with great love: to home!’
Death Comes to Durham Page 24
