Page 92 of Murder Most Haunted
Midge leaned in and took a closer look at something in the doctor’s hands. ‘I don’t think it was an affair.’ She pointed at what the doctor was holding before looking at Rona. ‘He was giving you pills, wasn’t he?’
Rona swayed before slumping into a chair. She put her head in her hands and moaned slightly. ‘I was buying them. I have been since we got here.’
‘I told you,’ said Bridie.
‘You can shut up,’ shouted Rona, lifting her head. ‘Always sticking your beak in. He approached me. He’s clearly done it before.’
Selling illegal prescriptions. Midge cast her mind back to the prescription pad inside his medical bag. The pad had been taken from a different doctor. An ideal way to avoid detection.
‘Please don’t look at me like that, Midge.’ Rona started to sniffle. ‘I can’t bear it.’
‘You told me he refused to give them to you,’ said Midge, unsure why Rona’s duplicity should bother her so much, but she knew that it wasn’t just the thought of Bridie’s unbearable smugness that was nettling her.
‘He did... after he had already given me some. He freaked out.’
Noah’s mouth was hanging open.
‘But who was using the photographs of the drug dealing to blackmail the doctor?’ asked Bridie, coughing harder this time.
‘Oh, for God’s sake.’ Rona rolled her eyes. ‘Don’t be so dramatic. There’s no need to make it sound like we’re on the frontline.’
‘The same person who had been collecting photos of Rona in secret.’ Midge looked at Harold, who had been very quiet during the exchange. Harold and his press clippings.
‘It was you, wasn’t it?’
He bit his lip for a second before nodding.
Rona’s head swung round. ‘What the hell?’
‘You were using my equipment to take photos?’ shouted Noah.
‘You got me,’ said Harold, holding out his hands. ‘Look, the important thing to remember in all of this is that the photos are back, OK. No damage done. And the camera has been returned, safe and sound.’
‘I’ll be the judge of that,’ said Noah, shaking his head. ‘Some of this stuff is very sensitive. You can’t just go and operate this kit as an amateur, you know.’
‘For Christ’s sake, I was taking photographs of people while you were still trying to work out your first Tamagotchi,’ snapped Harold.
‘Are you my fucking stalker?’ shouted Rona, throwing herself across the table to hit him. Midge pulled her back. ‘Did you murder Rendell and the doctor?’
‘I’m afraid it’s far worse than that,’ announced Midge, pouring herself a cup of tea from the pot. ‘Harold is paparazzi.’
‘Tamagotchis were before my time,’ muttered Noah.
‘Will you focus, Noah!’ exclaimed Bridie.
‘Right, well,’ coughed Harold. ‘I suppose the game’s up. She’s right. I work for one of the tabloids, on and off, alongside the driving. Rendell tipped me off that you were coming here.’ He nodded at Rona. ‘We worked together in the past, when he was in the police.’
‘So, you were always meant to get stranded here?’ Midge said, a thought occurring to her. ‘It was you who slashed the tyres, wasn’t it?’
He nodded. ‘Anyway, I was just hoping to get a few topless pictures, you know... it’s all a bit harmless.’
‘Harmless!’ Rona was pacing backwards and forwards, trying to light a cigarette. ‘Have you any idea what it’s like for me, Harold? Not being able to trust anyone...’ She faltered and took a drag to calm herself. ‘I thought we were all friends here.’
Harold ignored her. ‘I was going to split some of the money with Rendell. Said pictures of Rona’s bits was going to solve his financial problems.’
‘And people would have paid for that?’ asked Bridie.
‘Of course they would have paid for it, my bits are top-notch,’ huffed Rona.
