A Cornish Revenge (The Loveday Ross Cornish Mysteries Book 1)

by Rena George

  If Sam had instructed the local police to pick it up then they should be here in minutes, but if it was to be one of his investigation team from Truro then who knows how long it would take them to get to Marazion.

  Her mobile rang and she grabbed it. The number was not familiar, but the voice was. She froze. ‘Abbie?’

  ‘Oh, Loveday. Thank God I’ve found you. It’s Kit. She went out walking this morning and hasn’t come back. I’m really worried about her.’ She paused, then… ‘She said something about the cliff path near here, but it’s been raining and…well…it’ll be dangerous out there.’

  Her words were coming in gulps as though she was fighting for breath. ‘Can you come, Loveday…at once?’

  The hammering in Loveday’s chest was her heart. Kit’s letter was on the table. She could see the words from here… ‘I can’t let her live if she knows about me’.

  ‘Are you all right, Abbie? Where are you?’

  ‘In the car park at the Miner’s Lamp. I’ve called the emergency services.’

  ‘Well stay there until they arrive. Don’t leave the car park. Do you hear me, Abbie? Don’t attempt to go on the cliffs by yourself.’

  Loveday squinted up the drive, but there was still no sign of any police car. She was beginning to panic. What if Kit wasn’t really missing? What if this was an elaborate hoax to entice Abbie onto the cliffs? She couldn’t wait any longer. I’ll be right with you, Abbie,’ she called. ‘Wait there for me.’

  Grabbing her jacket from the peg behind the kitchen door, she stuffed her phone into the pocket and picked up the car keys before running to hammer on Cassie’s back door.

  Cassie came out, wiping wet hands on her apron. ‘Heavens, Loveday. Where’s the fire?’

  ‘Haven’t got time to explain,’ Loveday said breathlessly. 'The police are on their way. The letter they want is on the kitchen table. Tell them I’ve gone to meet Abbie Grainger in the car park at the Miner’s Lamp. I think she’s in some kind of danger.’ Her words tailed off into the wind as she slammed the car door and sped away down the drive.

  Cassie frowned. Loveday was always in such a hurry. She checked to make sure her friend had locked her back door. She hadn’t. Cassie went in and saw the pages of a letter scattered over the table. If it had been private, then the pages would have been folded back into the envelope. Her hand flew to her mouth as she read the words. ‘Oh my God, Loveday. What have you got yourself into now?’

  Loveday’s grip was tight on the steering wheel as she sped along the seafront. If she could believe Kit’s letter, then the woman truly was deranged. She knew it was reckless, rushing off like this, but Abbie’s life could be at risk and if she waited for the police then it might be too late. Surely they wouldn’t be far behind her?

  The car park at the Miner’s Lamp was crowded. The pub’s lunch menu was popular. She spotted Abbie’s familiar red jacket at once, but today the woman’s face, devoid of its usual careful make-up, was drawn and grey. Her hair was disheveled and straggly, but she didn’t seem to care. She waved and Loveday hurried to meet her, glancing back anxiously for any sign a blue flashing light. The police couldn’t be far away now, could they? Loveday focused all her concentration on staying calm.

  ‘There’s still no sign of her,’ Abbie screeched, hurrying across the car park. She pointed out across the fields, to where the breakers would be crashing onto the rocks at the foot of the cliffs. ‘Kit’s out there, somewhere. What if she’s fallen and broken her leg…or worse?’ She ran a hand over her tousled hair. ‘I’ve been nearly frantic with worry.’ She gripped Loveday’s arm. ‘We have to look for her.’

  ‘That’s not a good idea, Abbie. We should wait for help.’ But her words were too late. Abbie had turned and was already running in the direction of the cliff path. She tore after her, trying to keep up. The weather was closing in and Loveday’s eyes were stinging in the sharp wind. ‘Stop, Abbie,’ she yelled, but the woman was running like a creature possessed. Loveday’s breath was coming in gasps. This was the same rough farm road that she and Lawrence had walked. Had that only been a few days ago? It felt like a lifetime ago now.

  She shot another desperate look back towards the car park, but still the police were nowhere in sight.

  At last, gasping for breath, she caught up with Abbie and grabbed her arm, making her stop. ‘What makes you think Kit would have come out here?’ she panted.

  Abbie was sounding remarkably calm now. ‘This is her favourite walk. It’s the solitude. She loves the sound of the sea…the cliffs…all of that.’

  The words in Kit’s letter came back to her. ‘She believed me when I told her I went for long, solitary walks. She’d no idea about the car, or the boat and trailer I had hidden in a lock up near here.’

  They had reached the exposed cliff top, where the wind was even stronger. Loveday could hear the thundering waves as they crashed into the caves below, and wondered if the weather had been like this the night Bentine died. The shocking image of his body in the cove that had haunted her since that awful morning came surging back.

  Where was Sam for heavens sake? Surely he must be speeding to her at this very minute? Where the hell was he?

  It was then that Loveday realised something was missing. She stopped to listen. There was no sound of a helicopter. From here she could see a wide expanse of ocean, and there was definitely no rescue helicopter in sight. Nor was there any sign of a lifeboat. Surely if Abbie had called the emergency services, as she had said, then they would be here...out there searching. But there was nothing. They were all alone!

  She bit her lip and forced herself to take long breaths. She needed to take stock of the situation, try to work out what was going on. ‘We should call the police again…or the coastguards,’ she said, but her words came out strangled.

  Abbie’s eyes narrowed, strands of hair were plastered across her face. ‘Not yet,’ she said, ‘we might find her ourselves.’

  Loveday kept her eyes on Abbie’s back as she picked her way along the precarious cliff path. The first drops of rain were in the air, with more great sheets of it blowing across the sea. Then she saw it!

  The pink jacket was spread over the rocks below. It was Kit’s jacket. Why was it here? Then Loveday froze, staring down in horror. Kit’s body lay face down, suspended on a jagged rock above the surging foam. Her right hand flung out, as though in some desperate bid to save herself. She looked like a hideous broken doll.

  ‘She’s dead, isn’t she?’ Abbie’s voice was chilling. ‘I warned her not to come out here, but she was so stubborn.’

  Loveday swung round to face her. Abbie was shaking her head, her eyes glittering, but there was no sign of shock - nothing of the horror Loveday was feeling at the sight of Kit’s poor broken body down there on the rocks.

  …And Abbie had known where to find Kit. She’d led her to the very spot. Loveday tried to push away the thoughts that were now crowding into her head. To the left of the footpath the ground had been disturbed. The earlier rain had made it muddy and the impressions of footprints could be clearly seen. Loveday had a fleeting mental image of the two women struggling. Maybe Kit hadn’t been as tough as her letter suggested. She could see Abbie’s strong hands on Kit’s shoulders…one last push and…

  She felt a touch on her arm and recoiled. ‘Are you all right, Loveday?’ It was Abbie. ‘You’ve had a shock. We both have. We must be strong for each other now.’

  An involuntary shudder swept through Loveday’s body. Had she got this all wrong? She couldn’t have misunderstood Kit’s letter…if it was Kit’s letter. But it had been typed. There hadn’t even been a hand-written signature at the end. Why hadn’t she been more suspicious? A chilling horror was beginning to seep into Loveday’s bones. She drew back from the edge, but not before Abbie had noticed her glance at the spot where she had struggled with Kit more than an hour before.

  ‘We need to get help,’ Loveday said quickly, turning back, but Abbie caught her sleeve.

&nb
sp; ‘You know, don’t you?’ Abbie said. The control in her voice was disturbing.

  Loveday frowned. ‘Know?’

  ‘That Kit didn’t fall.’

  Loveday felt her blood run cold.

  ‘Poor Kit…life just got too much for her. She suffered so badly from depression.’ She turned to Loveday. ‘Well, you saw it for yourself that day at your house.’

  Abbie was shaking her head. ‘Her sister dying like that was just too much for her.’

  ‘You think she killed herself?’ Loveday asked incredulously.

  ‘I know she did.’ Abbie’s jaw had tightened and her gaze darted back to where Kit’s body lay. ‘I know, because I was here.’

  Loveday stared at her.

  ‘I followed her out here…saw her getting off the bus…held back until she had got past the pub…then I pulled into the car park and went after her.’

  She looked up into Loveday’s eyes.

  ‘She was standing on the edge, staring down. I called out and ran forward to grab her. But she was like a wild thing, screaming that she had murdered Bentine and had nothing to live for. We struggled and I desperately tried to keep a hold of her, but she just slipped away.’

  Abbie was staring over the edge now. ‘Poor little Kit,’ she said quietly, and then… ‘We can’t leave here down there on her own. I’ll go for help.’

  ‘I thought you had already called the police?’ Loveday said.

  ‘No…I don’t think I said that. But I’ll go now.’

  But Loveday wasn’t listening. She was staring at something glinting in the stubble just ahead. It was half embedded in the mud, where it had been trodden in. She bent to pick it up. It was a button, a cheap brass button with an embossed anchor on it. It was just like the ones on Kit’s jacket. She held it out in the palm of her hand.

  ‘But this was nowhere near the edge Abbie. If you were telling the truth then Kit had been nowhere near this spot.’

  Abbie swayed closer, her face contorted into a sneer. ‘So my letter didn’t fool you? You just don’t know when to leave things be, do you Missie? …Going around like some kind of cheap amateur detective. Don’t think I haven’t been on to you. But there is nothing you can prove, is there? So you might as well know. Yes, I killed Kit. She was becoming a liability.’ Her lips curved in a grotesque grin. ‘She was getting guilt trips about Bentine. But we had to do it. We both knew that. He thought he had got rid of me, but it was him we got rid of.’

  She advanced on Loveday and made a grab for her. ‘And you’re going to join your little friend right now.’

  Loveday ducked and she felt Abbie’s hands brush her shoulders as she stumbled. Loveday edged back and tried to get off the path, but the gorse on the banks was slippery after the rain. Abbie grabbed at her ankles.

  ‘Say your prayers, journalist woman,’ she rasped, her breath coming in short gasps as Loveday struggled to free herself.

  ‘There’s another letter!’ Loveday screamed, praying the lie would buy her more time. ‘Kit wrote to the police, telling them everything.’

  Abbie released her grip and stared wide eyed at Loveday.

  ‘You’re lying,’ she hissed.

  ‘It’s true. The police have it…they’re on their way here right now…they’re coming for you, Abbie, so there is no point in killing me.’

  ‘You’re lying…you bitch…you’re lying.’ Her face was contorted with rage as she moved closer. Loveday could feel the woman’s breath on her cheek. She made a grab for Loveday’s hair, but Loveday ducked out of reach and Abbie caught her collar. ‘Why are you lying? Her words came out in a shriek that was instantly torn away by the wind.

  Loveday struck out, caught the other woman a sharp blow to her face. She seized her shoulders and forced her to the ground. Abbie tried to wriggle out of Loveday’s grip. But she was going nowhere…not this time. Loveday put a knee between Abbie’s shoulder blades and pinned her to the ground. Where the hell were the police?

  ‘You’re assaulting me. I’ll have you charged,’ the woman was screaming

  ‘Yes, you know all about that, don’t you Abbie…you being a lawyer, I mean. At least you were until Bentine got you struck off. I know, you see. I’ve read all about you.

  ‘You drugged Paul Bentine and made poor Kit help take him to that beach. You pinned him down and left him to drown.’ Loveday could see it all now.

  Abbie’s face contorted in rage. ‘Yes!’ she shrieked, but the word was swallowed by the thundering of the waves below. ‘He deserved to die. He was evil.’ She was still yelling.

  Loveday looked down to where Kit’s body lay. ‘She didn’t deserve it though, did she?’

  That second of distraction was all Abbie needed. Her fury had empowered her. She threw back her arms, sending Loveday flying. Then she was on top of her, grabbing Loveday’s arms and forcing her face into the ground. Loveday could taste the mud…feel the grit scratching her face.

  ‘If you care so much about poor little Kit you can join her.’

  Loveday struggled desperately to find a footing, a boulder where she could wedge her foot, but Abbie had the strength of a tiger and was forcing her over the edge. She was slipping. At any second she would plunge to the rocks below.

  Suddenly there was a noise behind her, feet running…scuffling. Abbie released her grip slightly as she too heard the sounds. Then there was a scream. Was it her own scream or was it Abbie’s? Loveday didn’t know. Tears were coursing down her cheeks and strong hands were going round her shoulders, pulling her back…back from the edge.

  Loveday felt herself being lifted from danger, strong arms holding her close as she buried her face in the familiar softness of the tweed. It was the smell of home, the smell of the Highlands. Her father had come to keep her safe.

  But the voice didn’t belong to her father. It was an angry voice and it was shouting at her. ‘How could you be so stupid, Loveday? Two more seconds and you would have gone. You couldn’t leave it to us? You just had to get involved, didn’t you?’

  The hands that had held her so tenderly a few seconds ago were now grasping her shoulders, forcing her to look up into Sam’s angry face. He was shaking his head.

  Loveday pulled free and Amanda appeared beside them. She touched Loveday’s arm. ‘Are you all right?’ she asked, gently.

  Loveday nodded.

  ‘Take her home,’ Sam growled.

  Loveday felt sick and foolish. She just wanted to get out of there. She could feel her face wet, but didn’t know if it was tears or blood.

  ‘I’ll get somebody to follow with your car,’ Amanda said, guiding Loveday to her own vehicle and settling her in the front passenger seat.

  Sam’s forehead creased into a frown as he watched Amanda lead Loveday away from the cliff path, away from the horror of Kit Armitage’s sad, broken body down on the rocks. He shuddered. Loveday had been seconds from joining poor Kit. Why couldn’t she have just stayed at home and let them deal with this? It was their job after all, not hers.

  But he already knew the answer. She’d have done it for Kit. She would have believed there was a chance that she could have saved her. But saved her for what…the rest of her life in prison? Sam doubted if the ill-fated Kit would have thanked her for that.

  He turned and moved towards the edge, to the spot where just a few minutes ago his heart had stopped. He had grabbed Abbie off Loveday and hurled the woman away. He’d picked Loveday up and cradled her. Did she realise she’d been inches from death? He’d been angry. He couldn’t remember what he’d said to her, but he knew it was harsh. He wished now that he had dealt with the situation more calmly.

  He’d already lost his lovely Tessa, now another woman he’d grown to care for had faced death. Sam stared down to where the waves crashed against the rocks and a shudder went through him. He was seeing Loveday’s body down there, another broken doll, with all that lovely dark hair spread over the unforgiving rocks.

  They’d handcuffed Abbie Grainger’s hands behind her, and
she was being led away flanked by two burly PCs. Sam glanced back down again, lips compressed in a hard line. They had another body to recover.

  Cassie had been watching for Loveday’s car and rushed forward, arms outstretched when she saw the strange car pull into the drive. She put her arm around Loveday’s shoulders led her indoors. Cassie’s kitchen was warm but the heat had not yet penetrated Loveday’s bones and she was shaking. Adam made a cursory examination and, satisfied that Loveday had suffered no broken bones or other serious injury, nodded his approval for Cassie to gently bathe the cuts and grazes on her hands and face. Then he left, appearing seconds later with a glass of brandy.

  ‘Drink it,’ he said. ‘It will make you feel better.’

  It was an order, and Loveday did as she was told, contorting her face into a grimace as the powerful spirit slid down her throat making a fire in her belly.

  ‘All of it.’ Adam insisted, standing over her until she had complied.

  ‘There, that wasn’t so bad, now,’ he smiled, taking the glass from her.

  She had stopped shaking

  ‘Better?’ Cassie asked, her expression full of concern.

  Loveday nodded. ‘Much.’

  Adam left them to it. He knew he would just be in the way if he hung around. Cassie had a better chance than he did of getting Loveday talking…and that was what she most needed to do now, to talk. Talking about the ordeal, getting it all out into the open would lessen the trauma of the situation.

  ‘I’m fine now, really I am,’ she said when the door had clicked softly behind Adam.

  ‘Feel up to talking about it?’ Cassie’s voice was gentle.

  Loveday nodded, but she was powerless to stop the tears as she recounted what had happened to her since she left Cassie, calling instructions for her to call the police only an hour or so earlier. Was that all it had been? It seemed to Loveday like a lifetime ago.

  In a tremulous voice she told Cassie about the horrors on the cliff top, about Kit’s pitiful broken body on the rocks. She described her struggle with Abbie, and how she’d fought for her life on the edge of the cliff. She’d believed she was going to die…and then the arms had come around her, scooping her to safety. She could hear the gentleness in Sam’s voice; feel his breath in her hair, the familiar smell of the tweed jacket. Tears were coursing down her cheeks because suddenly, the voice had become harsh…accusing.