Cold Light of Day. Emma Page

don’t know if you’re aware,’ Howard said in an impersonal tone as if talking to a client, ‘that there’s a third office, over in Martleigh.’ No, Kelsey hadn’t been aware of its existence. ‘It’s a small branch,’ Howard added. ‘It’s been open a year or so. The manager is away on sick leave at present; he’s been away some weeks now. Stephen Roche is running the branch until he gets back. He’s the number two over there, he was at the Cannonbridge branch before he went to Martleigh.’

      ‘Perhaps you’d have a word with Roche yourself on the phone,’ Kelsey said. ‘Explain what’s happened.’ He couldn’t see much chance of getting over to Martleigh today. ‘Tell him we’ll be over there some time tomorrow.’

      He went back to the kitchen and Mrs Cutler poured his coffee. He began to drink it, staring ahead in silence. Howard Elliott was certainly a cool customer, but so was his father. Kelsey had had some slight acquaintance with old Matthew Elliott, an impressive-looking man of considerable presence, a fine head and strongly-marked features, handsome into old age. Kelsey knew something of the history of the firm, the scandal years ago, the divorce, the family feud, all eagerly mulled over by the local gossips. He had seen Matthew’s second wife some-times with her husband; a beautiful woman with a warm, friendly smile.

      ‘Do you happen to know if Howard is married?’ he asked Mrs Cutler.

      ‘Yes, he is.’ She had met his wife. Mrs Elliott had called in at Eastwood once or twice while Mrs Cutler was working in the house, to leave a message or return a book. ‘She’s a very smartly dressed young woman, quite a bit younger than her husband.’

      ‘What about Gavin Elliott? Did he have any particular lady friends? Any fiancée?’

      She shook her head. ‘He never mentioned anyone.’

      ‘But he did have women friends?’

      She moved her shoulders. ‘I suppose so, a good-looking young man like that. But he didn’t talk to me about them. I wouldn’t have wanted him to, none of my business. I’m not interested in other people’s private lives.’

      Indeed? Kelsey thought. In his experience cleaning ladies harboured a more than ordinary degree of interest in the doings of their employers, and most particularly in their private lives. He looked reflectively at Mrs Cutler; she returned his gaze stolidly. ‘There’d be a lot less trouble in the world if we all minded our own business,’ she said with challenge.

      ‘I dare say you’re right,’ Kelsey said equably. ‘You said Mr Elliott didn’t do any entertaining here?’

      ‘That’s right. He ate out most of the time. He wasn’t one of these young men that like cooking. He might grill a chop or boil an egg, but that was about all. If he wanted to entertain he took people to a restaurant. The Caprice, he used to mention that.’ She didn’t know if he’d belonged to any clubs, she couldn’t recollect his ever mentioning any.

      ‘Did he take any part in village life?’

      She shook her head with assurance. ‘No, not at all. He’d give a donation if they called round collecting for the church or the school, he’d buy raffle tickets, anything like that, he was always very pleasant in his manner. But he didn’t go to church, or any of the dances or whist-drives. He never bothered with that sort of thing.’ She moved her head. ‘I’m not a joiner-in myself, only leads to gossip and scandal-mongering, a waste of time all round.’

      ‘Do you know if he was friendly with anyone in the village? Any local family, perhaps?’

      ‘I don’t think so, I’m sure I’d have known if he was.’

      ‘Do you know of any particular men friends?’

      She pondered, then shook her head. ‘I can’t say as I do.’ She looked up at him with a hint of irritation. ‘I wouldn’t expect to know that sort of thing, I came here to clean. Most of the time I was here Mr Elliott was out at work, we didn’t stand round chatting.’

      ‘No, of course not,’ Kelsey said amiably. ‘But sometimes a remark gets passed, there’s a letter or a phone call, something is said, quite casually.’ She made no response but stood waiting for his next question. ‘Do you know if he ever got any letters that seemed to disturb him? Any phone calls? Did he ever mention any kind of trouble? Not just recently but at any time?’ Again she shook her head.

      She had never seen anyone hanging about the property. Mr Elliott had never mentioned seeing anyone dubious near the place.

      Kelsey glanced at his watch. Better collect Sergeant Lambert and get off to Cannonbridge, after he’d had another word with the officer supervising the search. He went out through the kitchen door into the garden. The wind had slackened but the sky was still clouded over.

      With the officer beside him he glanced over the little pile of objects that had so far been assembled. Nothing that seemed of particular interest: the usual miscellany of potsherds, bits of rubbish blown in from the road, pieces of old gardening tools, that might be expected in any sizable rural garden.

      He found Detective Sergeant Lambert standing by the side door, looking at the broken window which had been neatly and cleanly cut. ‘You can fetch the car up,’ Kelsey said. ‘I’ll just have a word with Mrs Cutler, then she can get off home.’

      She was still in the kitchen, putting away the coffee things. ‘No need for you to stay any longer,’ he told her. ‘If we need you we’ll call in at your cottage.’

      She glanced uncertainly about. ‘I don’t suppose I’ll be coming back here any more.’ She looked as if she might burst into tears again. ‘I’d better collect my bits and pieces.’

      ‘I should take it easy for a day or two,’ Kelsey said. ‘You could get a bad reaction. See your doctor if you think it’s at all necessary. You’ve had a very nasty shock, it’s bound to take it out of you. I should get to bed early tonight, get a good night’s sleep.’

      ‘Little did I think,’ she said, ‘when I got on my bike this morning – ’ She drew a series of little sniffling breaths. ‘If Mr Picton hadn’t been there, I don’t know what I’d have done.’ She looked up at Kelsey. ‘He was ever so good about it all, ever so kind, considering.’

      There was a tiny pause. ‘Considering what?’ Kelsey said gently.

      She moved a hand. ‘Him and Mr Elliott. That row they had.’

      There was another little pause. ‘What row was that?’ Kelsey said in the same soft tone.

CHAPTER 5

      ‘I don’t know all the ins and outs of it,’ Mrs Cutler said. ‘It was one morning just after Mr Elliott had left the house. I was shaking my dusters outside. Mr Picton was down by the gate, I couldn’t help hearing what he was shouting—’

      ‘Shouting?’

      ‘Yes, quite loudly.’