Page 8 of Murder in Shades of Fire and Ash

Charlie produced his ID. “Mr Gerald Unwin?”

The man nodded “Why?”

“Detective Sergeant Charlie Rees. May I come in?”

Gerald Unwin held the door open, and stepped backwards, though not far enough to allow Charlie to enter. “Why are you here?”

“Is your wife here, sir?” Charlie asked. “Perhaps you could call her.”

“Oh, hell,” Unwin senior said. “Are the kids alright?” Then he shouted, “Tansy, it’s the police.” This time he did hold the door open and led Charlie to the back of the house, into a large room with a kitchen at one end, dining table in the middle and a curved sofa in well-used blue corduroy at the other end. A tiny, doll-like woman with bright white hair, wearing a thin cotton dressing gown stood by the kitchen island, one hand on a coffee machine. She looked up and opened her mouth as if to speak, but something in her husband’s expression warned her that this wasn’t a social call.

“What?” she said.

“I think you should both sit down,” Charlie said, and he saw that they knew what he was going to say. Neither parent moved.

This was it. “I’m sorry to have to tell you that this morning police in Llanfair discovered the body of your son, Josh. At this point, we don’t know how he died, but we are treating it as suspicious. I’m so sorry for your loss. Un — Josh was a good man and a valued colleague.”

Unwin’s mother, Tansy was shaking her head violently. “No, that can’t be right. Josh is in Wrexham. It must be someone else.”

“I’m afraid there is no doubt, Mrs Unwin. I knew Josh personally, and Patsy Hargreaves was also present.”

At this, all the blood drained from Tansy’s face, and her eyes began to roll back in her head. Gerald started towards her, but Charlie was closer, and caught her before she fell. Gerald stepped close and took his wife, her eyelids fluttering. He carriedher bodily to the sofa and put her down gently, sitting beside her and stroking her hair.

“Let me get you a glass of water,” Charlie said. He could see tumblers in a glass-fronted cabinet.

“Thanks,” Gerald said as Charlie put two glasses of water on the small table by the sofa.

Tansy had recovered, if that was the right word, and was holding tightly to her husband, as the tears streamed. Gerald offered her a glass, and she drank thirstily.

She lifted her face and asked, “Patsy found him?”

Charlie nodded.

“Poor Patsy. They were going to get married, you know,” Tansy said, and the tears came harder than ever.

By contrast, Gerald sat like a statue. Charlie recognised the feeling. Hold the body to contain the emotion, because if the emotions leaked, every bit of control would go, and that was too terrifying to contemplate.

“What’s going on?” said a girl’s voice. “What’s wrong with Mum?”

Charlie hadn’t heard the girl come in. She was a teenager with her mother’s petite figure and pale hair.

“Come and sit down, Lola,” Gerald said, patting the sofa beside him. When she did, he took her hand. “I have some very bad news, love. Josh is dead. The police found his body this morning. They say his death is suspicious. This is …” He looked helplessly at Charlie.

“Detective Sergeant Charlie Rees,” Charlie supplied.

The girl looked him in the eyes. “You work with Patsy, don’t you? Did she find out about his other women and kill him?”

7

Sunday morning

Charlie stared at the girl, momentarily disorientated. Then Gerald spoke.

“We don’t know anything yet. We are going to have to be patient. I don’t think accusing Patsy will achieve anything.” His voice was soft, but Lola pulled away.

“Patsy, Patsy, Patsy, always bloodyPatsy.” She was crying now, wiping her eyes roughly with her hands. Charlie remembered there was a box of tissues on the kitchen counter, so he got up and brought them over to the table.

“I know this isn’t the right time,” he said, “but it would be really helpful if I could ask a few questions now.”

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