Page 224 of The Moon Sister
I peered out of the kitchen window and craned my neck to see whether Fraser’s car was still sitting in the rear courtyard with him in it. It was.
‘While Fraser’s here, why don’t you phone Cal, Charlie, and get him down to Fraser’s cottage. Tell him to check in the barn for—’
‘Yes, the rifle.’ Charlie was already on his feet heading for the office and the phone.
‘And tell him to call if he finds it,’ I added as a plan began to formulate in my head.
‘Okay.’ Charlie was back in the kitchen a minute later. ‘Cal’s been despatched and he’ll call here on the landline to let me know if Fraser’s hunting rifle is there. Thank God there’s a half-decent mobile signal near that cottage. Tiggy.’ Charlie took my hands in his. ‘Do you want to sleep on this? Maybe it’s better you let the police handle it—’
‘No time like the present, is there, whilst we’ve got Fraser in captivity? I need to do this now before I lose my nerve, and before he gets wind of the fact I’ve recognised him and does a runner. As soon as Cal lets us know, you need to call Fraser in here. You don’t have a tape recorder handy, do you?’ I asked randomly.
‘I have my dictaphone in the car, I use it for my secretary to type letters – why?’
‘Just in case he confesses,’ I said, thinking back to every rubbish detective novel I’d read in my teenage years. ‘Then we’d have proof.’
‘Probably not admissible in court, but yes, I see where you’re headed. I’ll go and get it – my car’s out at the front – you man the phone.’
We gave each other a childish grin as he left, because, despite the seriousness of the situation, it had a surreal edge to it. And perhaps most surreal of all, I suddenly recalled Angelina’s parting words about me to Charlie in Granada:
‘She has the answer to your problem. . .’
I could only hope that her prediction proved to be correct.
The phone rang in the office a few seconds later, and I dashed to answer it.
‘It’s Cal, Tig. I’m here in Fraser’s barn and I’m holdin’ the hunting rifle in my hands now.’
‘Jesus, Cal! I hope you’re wearing gloves, or they might find your fingerprints on it!’
‘Charlie already told me tae do that. What the hell is goin’ on up there?’
‘I’ll tell you later, but stay exactly where you are until we call you, okay?’
‘Okay. Bye then.’
I put the landline down as I heard the Great Room door slam shut. I peered out of the office and saw Zara marching down the corridor towards me, shouting expletives at her mother who was obviously still inside the room.
‘Zara!’ I hissed as I ran to her and dragged her into the kitchen. ‘Listen to me! I don’t care how you feel about your mum, but there’s a chance me and your dad can save Kinnaird if you go back in now and keep her talking.’
‘Are you joking, Tiggy? Ihateher – I never want to breathe the same air as her! Agh . . . !’
‘Zara.’ Charlie entered with dictaphone in hand. ‘Get back into the Great Room with your mothernow! Do you hear me? And you will stay in there and keep her talking until I say you can come out!’
‘Okay, Dad,’ Zara nodded, chastened by her father’s uncharacteristic aggression.
‘Well, she did tell me to grow some balls,’ Charlie shrugged as we watched Zara turn tail and head back to the Great Room.
‘Right,’ I said. ‘Hide that dictaphone somewhere quickly and then,’ I gulped, ‘go and call him in.’
‘Okay,’ said Charlie, turning the dictaphone on and stashing it behind the bread bin. ‘Are you sure you’re up for this, Tiggy?’
‘Yes, as long as you’re with me.’
‘Always.’ He smiled, then left to go and get Fraser.
My heart was really banging now, so I looked up to the heavens and asked Pegasus to be with me as I gave the performance of my life. To save Kinnaird, Zara, and my beloved Charlie . . .
I heard the back door open and then close as Charlie and Fraser made their way to the kitchen.
