She raised her glass. ‘To my new life.’
‘Now,’ she put the menu to one side. ‘We didn't come here to talk about me. What can you tell me about Susie Bennett?’
8
Nest Egg
Max drummed his fingers on the table. ‘The thing is, Susie kept in touch with me after she left. I used to live and work in Bath, in one of the banks, and Susie came in one day, before she left for America, and opened an account.’
‘Was she rich?’
‘Not rich then, though she was later, but I don't think she ever trusted Mickey. I tried to stop her going away with him.’ Max's eyes were focused on his plate. Did he still hold some sort of a candle for Susie? It would explain why he was the only person in Exham on Sea with a good word to say for her.
‘She wouldn't listen. Said she could handle herself but wanted to be sure there were funds somewhere safe, that only she knew about, in case she, or anyone else, ever needed them.’
Their steak arrived and Max stopped talking, refilling Libby's glass with wine and taking a deep draught of beer. Libby sliced into her food, watching blood trickle from the rare steak.
‘Or anyone else,’ she murmured. ‘What could she have meant by that?’
Max shrugged. ‘She wouldn't say. Just told me it was her secret and she'd let me know when she wanted the money. That's all there is to it.’
‘That's all?’
‘I shouldn't even be telling you.’ The sharp edge was back in his voice.
Libby ignored it. ‘I'm glad you did. What happens to the money now?’
‘There's been a pretty big pot waiting for Susie, but she never used it. She never came back, just contacted me from time to time to check on the interest. In the early years, we spoke about every six months. She talked about needing it soon, but after a while, she stopped contacting me.’
‘When was that?’
‘Oh, six or seven years after she married. It was about the time of her last album. You remember, Twilight over the Sea?’
Libby did remember. Susie's dark contralto voice blending with a plaintive guitar in sad songs of love and loss. Her best work, the critics said. ‘She never made another album, did she?’
‘No, that was it. She lived the rock and roll lifestyle with Mickey: plenty of drugs and booze. They broke up a few years later and she wrote to me again, asking me to keep the account open. She said she'd probably not need it, anyway. That was the last time we were in contact, apart from the statements sent by the bank. I haven't seen her for years.’
Libby took a chance. ‘You were pretty close to Susie, then, if she trusted you with her money?’
His eyes narrowed. ‘What gossip have you been listening to?’
Libby held his gaze, keeping her voice steady. ‘I don't listen to gossip, but you're the only one I've met so far who knew Susie after she left.’
Max picked up a dessert spoon from beside his plate, twirling it in his fingers. His eyes slid away, looking out over the hills. Libby pulled her jacket more tightly round her shoulders.
‘Susie and I had a business relationship. It was no more than that.’
‘But you'd have liked it to be more?’
Max's eyes narrowed. Libby flinched at the steely undertone to his voice. ‘It's none of your business, Mrs Forest.’
She gripped her hands under the table. She took a gamble and murmured, ‘Did your wife know how you felt about Susie?’ A man as attractive as this must be married. Libby discovered she wanted to know.
Max's eyes were stony. ‘We're divorced.’
‘Because of Susie?’
He gave a sharp laugh and drained his glass with a flourish. ‘Oh, Mrs Forest, how very inquisitive you are. Do you think I murdered Susie Bennett?’
‘I don't know, but I'm sure someone killed her. I'm just trying to find out more about the people who knew her. You're one of them. I thought you wanted to help.’
‘Of course I do. You'll have to make up your own mind about me, but for what it's worth, I didn't kill Susie, even though I was no model husband. To answer your question, Susie was just one of the reasons my wife and I quarrelled. But there were plenty of others. Now, if you've had enough to eat, we'd better move inside. The wind's getting up and I'm freezing cold.’
Sure enough, a gust of wind blew napkins from the table and raindrops splattered the cloth. Max rose to his feet, calling Bear back from the river. The dog arrived, wet, muddy and smelly. Libby shivered. ‘Maybe we'd better just leave?’
9
Walnut brownies
Max drew up behind the Citroen. ‘You'd better get that dent fixed. Try Jenkins' Garage, it's the best around this area.’
‘I suppose you were at school with Mr Jenkins.’
‘As it happens, I was.’
‘Another member of The Band of Brothers?’ Libby climbed out.
‘I suppose you could call it that. We look out for each other.’
‘Well. Thank you for dinner. And, good night.’
The house lay quiet, the kitchen clean and tidy. Mandy was on her best behaviour. How long would it last? Libby, unsettled, fell into bed, her stomach full of good food and wine, and slept heavily until morning.
The phone startled her awake. ‘I've been thinking about that money of Susie's.’ Max didn't bother to ask how she was. This relationship was strictly business. Libby swallowed a stab of disappointment, yawned and focused on his voice. ‘Anything she saved will be part of her estate and go to her heirs. I'm wondering who they might be.’
The smell of burnt toast and the sound of scraping rose from the kitchen, and Libby's mouth watered. She tried to concentrate as Max talked. ‘I'm going over to the States. I've got Susie's old address. I think we need to let people know what's happened.’
‘Isn't that a police job?’
‘No, not if there's no foul play in the case, apparently, and no grieving husband or children. Someone needs to find a solicitor, or attorney, or whatever they're called in the US, and sort out wills and so on.’
‘So, you're going to do it?’
‘Er – yes. Well, there's no one else, is there? It'll take ages if we wait until after the inquest and anyway…’
He let the words hang in the air but Libby knew what he was thinking. Justice for Susie. ‘I'm off to Heathrow now. There's a flight this afternoon.’
‘Already? What about Bear? Who's going to walk him?’ Shut up, Libby, what are you saying?
‘I've left him with Mrs Thomson. He'll have to wait for his exercise until I get back.’
Libby let the silence grow. It wasn't her job to look after that huge dog. She groaned. ‘I'll go and rescue him. I don't see why he has to suffer.’
‘Libby, you're a treasure.’
‘I know I am. You'd better let me know anything you find out. And Max, there's one question we have to answer.’
‘What's that?’
‘If she's been living in the US since the 1990s, with no contact with anyone in England, what the heck was she doing on Tuesday on the beach at Exham on Sea?’
She put the phone down. And why are you so keen to go to the States? What are you up to?