Page 42 of A Very Bookish Murder
‘My mother and my sister.’ He sighed. ‘My mother’s nearly eighty and she’s had ten children, but she doesn’t understand this modern world. Do you know what I mean?’
Ally nodded.
‘She doesn’t understand technology, or the temptations and pitfalls of social media. Then there’s my sister, who has a family of her own and can only give them limited time. They need their mother.’
Ally touched his arm. ‘Oh, Amir, I’m sorry. It must be very difficult. But do you know what? My daughter, Carol, was an absolute nightmare! Boys, alcohol, drugs, you name it. My late husband was convinced she’d end up in prison, but I never lost hope. I had a feeling she’d come through it and come good, and do you know what? She did! Even after she and a friend once spent a night in a police cell for causing a disturbance of the peace. We were absolutely humiliated! Then off she went to London, got a job designing fabrics. She was always very arty-crafty. She married an airline pilot, has three kids and now lives a very conventional life in a leafy English village. So there you are! Never give up hope. I’m sure your two will come through this teenage bit, and I’m sure they’ve inherited your genes and will be decent, caring adults.’
‘You’re a very kind lady, Ally,’ Amir said as he drained his tea. ‘Thank you for listening to me because this has nothing whatsoever to do with the Jodi Jones case.’
After Amir had left, Ally removed the board from the wall and stared at it for a moment or two. How long was it since she’d studied it last? And how things had changed!
First of all, she must remove Della and poor Joyce. The main suspect still appeared to be Laura, at twelve o’clock, the chief suspect. Brigitte needed to be brought up to one o’clock, and Penelope should be lowered to six. She could find no reason for Penelope to be involved at all, other than her one-time unproven criminal record. Likewise Millie. Millie the Mouse! Ally seemed to recall, from years back, a film calledThe Mouse That Roared,so Millie might just roar yet. You could never tell. Just in case she did unexpectedly bellow, Ally placed her at seven o’clock, next to Penelope at six. Morwenna, she decided, could remain at five o’clock.
‘You’re absolutely sure that it was Laura you saw coming out of Owen’s van?’ Ally asked Ross for the umpteenth time. And also for the umpteenth time, Ross replied, ‘I’ve told you – I only saw Laura at a distance a couple of times, but there’s no one in the village that matches that description or is likely to have any connection with Jodi’s husband. I mean, they were both having affairs left, right and centre, weren’t they? And as you keep telling me, Laura doesn’t socialise with the others.’ He squeezed Ally’s arm. ‘If you want to be certain, then you’ll have to hide in the shrubs, and watch for her coming and going.’
‘Do you think I should?’ Ally asked doubtfully.
Ross sighed. ‘No, I don’t. But I know you well enough by now that you won’t be happy until you do.’
Ally looked at her watch. ‘I meaneverythingpoints to Laura. But I suppose it could be some other woman who’s come to join him. What do you think?’
‘I’ll tell you what,’ Ross continued, ‘we’ll go down to my place and, while I’m looking after the dogs and slaving away in my kitchen preparing a cordon bleu dinner for us, you can be peeking out of the bushes with your phone at the ready.’ He laughed, plainly convinced that this was something of a joke.
‘OK,’ said Ally. ‘I’ll do that.’
Ally had been crouching in the bushes for almost an hour and had cramp in the muscles of the calf of her left leg.She clenched and unclenched her toes in the hope of alleviating the pain, trying not to scream, and was just about to limp her way back to Ross’s barn when she heard footsteps.
And there was Laura, and it wasdefinitelyLaura, approaching Owen’s scruffy abode. Then Owen appeared, with a smile on his face – that in itself was a sight that Ally had never yet witnessed – and he was embracing her. No. Not embracing, more likedevouringher! There was little doubt that they were pleased to see each other.
Ally waited until they’d collapsed happily into the van before making her way back through the shrubbery to Ross’s barn.
‘Are you happy now?’ he asked as he chopped up some garlic.
Ally nodded. ‘Yes, yes I am.’ At least she now had some news to pass on to Rigby, even if it was only the fact that his sister’s husband was having an affair with a woman booked on the course which, in itself, was very suspicious. Or should she tell him this?
Ally could only hope that Rigby was still in the hospital because she had no idea where to find him otherwise.
‘You’ve got me just in time,’ he said when she finally managed to reach him on the phone in Ward 8. ‘I’m being released today.’ He paused for a moment. ‘Have you been able to find out anything?’
‘I’ve unearthed a few very interesting bits and pieces,’ Ally replied. ‘Although I’m not sure if they’re particularly relevant or not. Still, I want to tell you. Shall I do so on the phone?’
‘I’d prefer it if you told me in person,’ he said after a moment. ‘I’m going home just as soon as my medication arrives, and my wife is on her way to pick me up. Can I give you my address? Is there any chance you could visit me? Am I asking too much of you?’
‘No, Bob, I’d be happy to visit you. Would it be OK if I came with Ross?’
‘Of course it would be OK!’ Rigby exclaimed. ‘I’d be honoured, and so would Cathy, my wife. Have you got a pen? Good. Here’s the address…’
‘We’ll go tomorrow and make a day of it,’ Ross said later. ‘We’ll lunch at Drumnadrochit or somewhere and then continue on to Inverness and Rigby.’
Ally was pleased. Ross had a big, comfortable car, and he drove considerably faster than she did. Not only that, she was beginning to feel really tired, due not only to her advanced years but also to the stress of everything that was taking place around her.
Morag, fortunately, adored dogs, so Ally knew she’d be likely to agree to staying on for an extra hour or two. She knew exactly what Morag would do: leave the back door open for the dogs to romp around the garden, drink endless mugs of tea and sit spellbound in front of the television to catch up on all her favourite soaps.
‘Oh aye,’ Morag said with much sighing, to indicate that this was quite a chore. ‘I might be able to manage that.’
They had lunch in Drumnadrochit, as planned, and Ally was able to have a large glass of wine which would doubtless facilitate the conversation she was about to have with Rigby.
Number 15, The Drive, was a white L-shaped bungalow with a newly painted, very glossy green front door. The front garden was neat and well weeded and boasted a collection of gnomes in one corner.
