by Mona Marple
“What happened that night?” Sandy asked.
Rob stood from his seat and moved across the room, where he sat cross-legged on the floor in front of Anastasia. “You’ll feel better when you’ve shared this burden.”
Anastasia nodded and let out a long shaky breath. “I went out to confront him, but she was there. It made me sick seeing the two of them there, together. She even looks like him. Not in the photo really, but in the flesh, the way she moved her body, the way she smiled, all of her mannerisms were his. And it made me furious.”
Sandy felt her eyes water and forced herself to stare at a patch of the curtains to regain composure.
“I couldn’t speak to him with her there, I knew she’d think I was pathetic. And maybe he’d have to choose between us and he’d choose her. I couldn’t stand the thought of that. So I waited, and eventually she started crying. She was screaming at him, and that’s what did it really. I realised she was angry too, and it hit me how much he’d let her down. I hated him then, and I’m ashamed to admit it. He’d had the thing I wanted most, all along, and he’d abandoned it. Her.”
“He made that choice for you.”
“I didn’t care. The woman from the Manor walked by then, and she gave the girl a handkerchief, and the girl left after that. Gurdip just stood there, looking out over Black Rock, and I went out to confront him.”
Anastasia closed her eyes and her fists clenched as her mind relived the night. “I told him I knew and he didn’t try to deny it. He was scared of me, I could see that. I must have looked like a madwoman. I was so angry, and soaked through. I kept getting closer and closer and…”
“It’s okay.” Rob murmured.
“He was backing away from me, but I was too angry to see that. He was backing away and I was screaming questions at him and he wouldn’t answer me. He wouldn’t bloody answer. I kept screaming, begging him, to give me answers. I deserved answers! And he wouldn’t even give me those. So I shoved him. I pushed him in the chest. I just wanted him to realise, he had to talk to me. He had to explain. But I shoved him and he went over, he went over the ledge and I knew, I knew straightaway that was it, he was… he was dead.”
Anastasia collapsed into tears, her breath ragged. She covered her face with her hands and her whole body shook as the sobs racked through her.
“It wasn’t even investigated. You were the one suggesting he hadn’t fallen. Why would you do that?”
Anastasia removed her hands and scoffed. “Look at the trouble secrets have caused. I need to own up to what happened, but I didn’t have the courage to hand myself in. I needed someone else to work it out. It had to be you, Sandy.”
Sandy let out a sigh. “You know we have to call the police.”
“I know. I’ve been preparing for that. I redid my Will so the house proceeds can go to her. I’m ready.”
Sandy nodded and pulled her phone from her handbag.
“Sandy.” Rob said. “Make the call in the other room, please. I’d like to spend a few moments praying with Anastasia.”
Sandy nodded and left the room.
Anastasia watched her, her eyes red raw. “Thank you, Sandy.”
15
Anastasia’s house sold quickly once word spread, and the villagers’ bets were on it being an investment buyer with an interest in ghoulish properties.
Anastasia herself made full admissions in interview when the police arrived, and Jim Slaughter got to announce the news himself to a crowd of journalists outside the local police station. Dorie’s head had been almost too big to fit inside Books and Bakes since.
Manslaughter.
Not murder.
Not that it would make much difference to Anastasia, who had lost the person she loved most in the world.
The mysterious daughter, with the dark eyelashes and Bindi spot, never made an appearance in Waterfell Tweed, although rumours began that she had attended the funeral. Sandy put those down to the usual village gossip until Rob Fields himself, who had led the service, agreed that he believed she had quietly taken a seat in the back pew and left before the service had finished.
“Penny for them?” Cass asked, looking down into Sandy’s eyes. Sandy smiled and shook her head.
“Am I done?”
“You certainly are, I threw in a cheeky five minutes more than I should have but the next customer’ll be here in a minute.” Cass said. She had offered Sandy a massage, perhaps realising that Sandy wasn’t cut out for the pain of eyebrow waxing.
“That was Heaven.” Sandy admitted, although she wasn’t sure if she’d stayed awake for the whole thing.
“You’d got some real knots, you know. You carry lots of stress. It’s not good for you.”
“Tell me about it.” Sandy scoffed.
“I’m serious. You need to start having more fun, lady. In fact…”
“Oh, dear, I should have known there was a motive. You’re not going to try and get me to run a 5k with you again, are you? Because that is not my idea of fun.”
“No! I couldn’t agree more about the running, by the way, it’s torture. I was actually going to see if you and Tom fancy a night out.”
“Hmm… tell me more.” Sandy asked, suspicious.
“Tonight.” Cass said, eyelashes fluttering. “Bomber’s asked me out, and he suggested you guys could join us… like a double date?”
“A double date?” Sandy asked, raising her eyebrows. “Really?”
“See what I mean. Anyone needs a murder investigating and you’re all over it, but a fun night out and you’re suspicious. You’re officially insane.”
Sandy let out a laugh. “You know what?”
Cass glanced at her.
“You’re right. I’m sorry. Let me speak to Tom, but if he’s free, sure, we’d love to. And if he’s not free, I’m not coming alone to play gooseberry so don’t even suggest it.”
“Oh, I won’t, don’t worry.” Cass said as the salon door opened. A well-presented woman of an unguessable age, with a small dog stuffed in an oversized handbag, removed her sunglasses and took a seat in the reception area. Sandy glanced at Cass but said nothing.
“I’ll let you know. Thanks again.” Sandy called as she left her best friend to see to her next client.
**
To Sandy’s surprise when she popped into The Tweed and raised the idea, Tom loved it.
“We should go out more often. This is a great idea.”
“You heard the bit where Cass and Bomber are there too, yeah?”
“And?”
“Well, just, nothing I guess. I didn’t expect you to fancy it.”
Tom rolled his eyes. “It’s a night out with you, of course I fancy it. And it’ll be fun to get to know Cass better, she’s been a bit of a ballbuster to me but I think she’s starting to warm to me.”
“Bomber can be… interesting.”
“Sandy, wasn’t the guy practically your second best friend at one point?”
“Has he been talking to you?” Sandy asked.
“I’m a barman. Everyone talks to me.” Tom said with a cheeky grin.
Sandy threw him her best withering look. “I don’t want to know what he’s told you.”
“It doesn’t matter if you do, I couldn’t tell you anyway.”
“Excuse me?”
“Client confidentiality.” Tom said, his expression serious.
“Client confidentiality? I don’t think that applies to your conversations with drunk men.”
“Better to be safe than sorry.” Tom said.
“You’re infuriating.” Sandy said.
He leaned over the bar and planted a kiss on her lips. “And you love me.”
“Yes I do.” Sandy said with a grin. “I’ll see you later then?”
**
The evening flew by in a whirl of old stories, told by the three of them while Tom listened and laughed along with an indulgence that made Sandy adore him even more. The wine flowed freely and although they all agreed the food was overpri
ced and overrated, they didn’t let that dampen their spirits. Bomber insisted on remaining sober so that he could drive them all home, and he spoke openly about his struggles finding work.
“I always need bar staff.” Tom said.
“Really?”
“Absolutely. Especially now I’ve got Sandy in my life. We’re like ships that pass in the night with her working day time and my busiest times being evening.” Tom explained.
Sandy felt her stomach flip at his words. She had felt the same way, but hadn’t vocalised it as she didn’t see a solution. He was a pub landlord, it went with the territory.
“Don’t suppose you’ve got any experience in the pub trade?” Tom asked.
“Well… a little.” Bomber said.
Cass elbowed his side. “Tell him the truth.”
“I used to own a chain of bars.” Bomber said with a shrug.
“Oh wow, you’d probably be bored stiff in my little pub then.”
“Don’t be too impressed, they went under so I’ve hardly got the magic touch.”
“He’s told me all about it and I think he just expanded too quick.” Cass said. She had quite the business brain underneath her war paint.
“She needs to be my business partner when I get back up and running.” Bomber said with a grin. He gazed at Cass with admiration. “Beauty and brains. I tell you what, Tom, you and me are lucky guys.”
“I’ll drink to that.” Tom said. He raised his glass and gave a tipsy grin towards Sandy, who help up her own glass and winked at Cass. Finally, they managed to align all of their glasses, which seemed to be much harder than it should have been and may or may not have been due to the wine they’d consumed, and chinked their glasses.
“To beauty and brains!” Bomber called, a little too loud. The group on the next table turned to see what the fuss was about.
“To old friends.” Sandy said.
“To second chances.” Cass said, her voice thick with emotion.
The three of them, and the people on the next table, all looked at Tom, eager for his own toast.
“To my new pub manager, Bomber!” Tom cried out with a grin. “You’re hired so I can spend more time with this beautiful woman… and don’t worry, that’s not the wine talking.”
THE END
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About the Author
Mona Marple is a mother, author and coffee enthusiast.
When she isn’t busy writing a cozy mystery, she’s probably curled up somewhere warm reading one.
She lives in the beautiful Peak District (where Waterfall Tweed is set in her imagination!) with her husband and daughter.
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Also by Mona Marple
Once Upon a Crime
A Tale of Two Bodies
A Valentine’s Kill
Murder Most Remote
Bang! You’re Dead
Box Set 1 (Once Upon a Crime, A Tale of Two Bodies and A Valentine’s Kill)
