Sonia paused and eyed Steph intently. ‘Just don’t be taken in by them,’ she said eventually.
‘I’ve been around long enough not to do that.’ Steph was slightly affronted that someone would think she was gullible. ‘I’ll find the truth even if it kills me.’
‘Let’s hope not,’ said Sonia as she climbed into a waiting taxi. Her eyes never left Steph as the driver started the engine and the car pulled away.
Steph turned to go back inside but hesitated when she saw Dominic Sinclair standing at the top of the steps, his hands in his pockets, watching her. Despite the warmth of the afternoon, she gave a small shiver. His eyes were as cold as ice and his face unsmiling. She forced herself forward and smiled. ‘She’s going home now. Won’t be bothering you again.’
‘I’m glad to hear it,’ said Dominic. ‘Sorry, what did you say your name was again?’
Steph held up the tag on her lanyard. ‘Stephanie Durham. Vacation Staycation.’
Dominic frowned. ‘Durham. Stephanie Durham. Have we met before?’
Steph smiled, hoping to disguise the unease she was feeling. ‘No, we haven’t. I’ve just got one of those faces that everyone thinks they recognise.’
Dominic smiled back. ‘I’m usually good with faces but even the best of us get it wrong sometimes.’
‘Right, better get back to the reception,’ said Steph, injecting false cheer into her voice. Her stomach gave an anxious roll. Something about Dominic Sinclair scared her and there was an undercurrent of danger to him that was unnerving. In Steph’s profession this made someone particularly interesting, although she sensed she would have to be very careful around him.
Conmere, Friday, 10 May, 1.50 p.m.
Harry sighed. Sonia Lomas turning up had been the last thing he had expected and the last he needed. He wasn’t quite sure what she was hoping to achieve by her visit, but that wasn’t what troubled him the most.
It wasn’t the first time Sonia had appeared to remind him of Elizabeth’s death and to imply it had been anything other than an accident. Actually, she never implied anything; she wasn’t that subtle. No, Sonia said exactly what she thought – that Elizabeth had been murdered. But what had troubled him most today was that it had all played out in front of the reviewer from Vacation Staycation. Despite the lowly job title, she was still part of the press and Harry knew from past experience what they could be like. He’d better go and see that this Steph had managed to persuade Sonia to leave.
He stepped out into the hall and could see Dominic standing on the front steps of the house, just as the woman was coming back inside. He noted the small exchange between them and observed that Steph looked flustered as she came through the front door, unaware he was there.
‘Fuck,’ she muttered, not quite enough under her breath. She looked up and was obviously startled to see him standing in the middle of the tiled hallway by the centrepiece flower arrangement. ‘You frightened me.’
Harry gave an apologetic smile. ‘I was just coming out to check Sonia was OK.’
‘Don’t you mean, to check Sonia had left?’
‘Both, actually. You, on the other hand, don’t seem too OK.’ He nodded in the direction of Dominic, who was still standing outside, taking the opportunity to smoke a cigarette.
She straightened up and smoothed out her hair. ‘I’m fine. And you’ll be pleased to hear, your mother-in-law is on her way back home.’
He could tell by the look she gave that she was less than impressed with the way things had been handled. ‘I’m not as heartless as you think,’ he found himself explaining. ‘I used to have a very good relationship with Sonia, but she’s taken her daughter’s death – my wife’s death – very badly. I’m in a position where I can no longer help her. She needs professional help and that’s way out of my comfort zone.’
‘When I was told I was coming here for the weekend and did my research, I was surprised that you were going to be here. It must be difficult for you too.’
Harry didn’t answer immediately. He was surprised by his reaction to this journalist’s questions. Normally, if anyone outside the family spoke about Elizabeth and her death he felt compelled to end the conversation there and then. Yet here he was, having to quell the urge to open up to her. Before he could form a response, the closing of the main door and footsteps on the tiled floor caught his attention. He looked beyond the journalist to see Dominic walking towards them, one hand casually in his trouser pocket, the other tucking his phone into his breast pocket.
‘Sorry, am I interrupting anything?’ said Dominic, a faux smile on his face. ‘I hope you’re not giving this young lady an exclusive.’ Dominic gave a tight smile in an effort to hide his annoyance, but Harry wasn’t fooled and, judging by the expression on Steph’s face, neither was she.
She gave a quick smile at Harry. ‘I’d better get back. I need to get one of those info packs before they all go.’ She glanced at Dominic and then disappeared back through the double doors and into the hubbub of the reception.
‘That was a bit unnecessary,’ Harry said. ‘I was just thanking her for seeing to Sonia.’ OK, that wasn’t quite the truth, but he didn’t need to share everything with his brother.
‘Do you know her?’
‘No. I spoke to her for the first time about ten minutes ago. Why, what’s up?’
Dominic gave a shrug. ‘Nothing, probably. I just thought she looked familiar. Stephanie Durham from Vacation Staycation?’ He looked at his brother.
‘Nope. Still doesn’t mean anything. Other than the Vacation Staycation site. They’ve got a good social-media presence – maybe you’ve seen her on Twitter or something.’
‘Maybe,’ said Dominic, not sounding convinced. ‘I can’t put my finger on it, but there’s something about her that’s bugging me. I might do a bit of investigating myself.’
Harry wasn’t sure he liked the tone in his brother’s voice or what might follow. ‘I really don’t think you need to worry about her,’ said Harry, surprised at his reaction. ‘She’s just a feature writer, a reviewer, that’s all.’
‘Still a journalist, and I don’t want anyone poking around looking for a story that’s not there.’
‘I think you’re overreacting. No one is interested in what happened to Elizabeth.’ He swallowed to relieve the dryness in his throat and took a breath. ‘It’s old news.’
‘Don’t underestimate anyone,’ said Dominic. ‘Especially not a pretty female.’
‘You really think there’s something to worry about?’ The thought of Elizabeth’s death being dragged into the limelight again was like a black cloud looming on the horizon. Too many bad memories of their marriage, too much doubt and too much grief for him to want to face it all over again.
‘I don’t know and I don’t like not knowing, so I intend to find out. Keep your eye on her.’
Harry suppressed the sigh that was threatening to escape. He’d forgotten what it was like to be around Dominic for any length of time. The intensity, the brooding, the second-guessing and the need to be in control was tiring.
‘Hey, what’s going on?’ Owen joined them in the hallway. He looked from one to the other and settled on Harry. ‘Was that Elizabeth’s mother I saw with you just now?’