Montrose stored this assumption away in the database of his brain for later use and then turned his attention to Amelia. He should have known it wouldn’t take long for a lovely young woman like her to find herself a man. Somewhat jealous and disillusioned he heaved a silent sigh, then with ease and determination Montrose edged in front of the two new arrivals and spoke over his shoulder to the bewildered nurse. ‘How about some tea, love? I take mine with milk and two sugars, thanks.’
Lynne Sykes pressed her lips together in outrage, daring David and Amelia to ask for the same.
‘Not for me, thanks,’ Amelia said quickly. She couldn’t think of anything worse than tea at that moment.
‘Nor me.’ David took hold of Lynne Sykes’s arm and drew her to one side, away from DCI Montrose. Although speaking quietly his sentiments could clearly be heard. ‘I’ll come and see you before I leave, don’t worry. Then we’ll have a proper chat.’
The nurse left them, with Vicky in tow. DCI Montrose walked over to the group of chairs by the door and settled into one of them. He indicated to Amelia and David to do the same. They took chairs opposite to him.
‘I need to know where you were tonight between the hours of seven and nine p.m.,’ Montrose stated and then waited for a response.
‘Why do you need to know that, Detective Chief Inspector?’ Amelia reacted, annoyed by the policeman’s bluntness and insensitivity.
‘Just answer the question please. I will explain the whys and wherefores when I’m ready,’ Montrose retorted tiredly, trying to keep a lid on the sharpness in his voice.
‘Your condescending attitude isn’t necessary,’ butted in David. ‘As it happens Amelia and I were together this evening between those times.’
Amelia eyed David and then cautiously reminded him, ‘Well, not exactly those times. You didn’t pick me up until a quarter past eight.’ Turning to Montrose, she added, ‘Before then, I was getting myself ready. Grace, my sister, can vouch for me if need be.’
‘Where did you go?’ Montrose asked her.
‘David took me into Chester for dinner. I’m sorry I don’t know the name of the restaurant.’ Amelia looked at David.
‘Thank you, Miss Farrell.’ It pleased him that Amelia had told it as it was. Interested to hear David’s account, Montrose turned to him now and watched closely for any signs of nervousness. True enough, David began to tug repeatedly on his shirt cuffs, lining them up with the sleeves of his linen jacket, all the time avoiding the detective’s stare.
‘Yes, sorry, I forgot. I’ve just remembered I visited my sister first. I must have left the vicarage at about six fifteen.’
Montrose got the distinct impression Lanceley had said the first thing that had come into his head. ‘The name of the restaurant is?’
‘Pierre’s.’ David sighed audibly. Montrose reached into his pocket for a notebook and jotted down the name. ‘Where does your sister live, Reverend Lanceley?’
‘Upton, Chester,’ David replied.
‘Well, I find it very strange,’ Montrose said, repeatedly clicking the top of his biro on and off. He stared at an oil painting facing him and let the silence drag on for a few minutes. ‘Let me get this straight. You drove all the way to Chester to see your sister, leaving home at …?’
‘About a quarter past six I think; I’m not sure exactly,’ Lanceley replied.
‘Six fifteen. Then afterwards you drive all the way back to Woodbury to pick up Miss Farrell here. Then you drive all the way back to Chester again for dinner. A waste of petrol, don’t you think?’ Montrose said.
‘I never gave the cost a thought,’ David replied sarcastically.
‘What time did you arrive at your sister’s and what time did you leave her? I’ll need her full name and address of course,’ Montrose said his biro ready.
‘Oh, I can’t remember, you’ll have to ask her,’ David responded, then clipped out Leonie’s full name and address, which Montrose carefully wrote in his little book, checking spellings as he went
‘How long were you there?’ Montrose said tightly.
‘She wasn’t in.’ David shrugged.
‘Miss Lanceley will have a job verifying the times of your arrival and departure then, won’t she?’ Montrose glared at Lanceley. ‘Do you have any idea where she was? Did you speak to her on your mobile phone for instance?’
‘No.’ David looked perplexed, as if the thought hadn’t occurred to him, and realised he was digging a hole for himself and Leonie.
‘So you haven’t seen or spoken to your sister at all this evening,’ Montrose clarified.
‘No, like I said, she was out when I got there.’
‘Do you know where she went?’ Montrose persisted.
‘Oh, for goodness sake, I think it is obvious David doesn’t from what he’s just told you,’ Amelia snapped.
Montrose held up a hand to quieten Amelia, annoyed she had interrupted his flow of questions. ‘Shall I tell you where she was then? She was here, visiting Sophia Deverell.’
‘I don’t think so.’ David shook his head. Leonie, visiting Sophia after all these years: the idea was ludicrous.
‘We have a witness who saw your sister outside Sophia’s room at the time of the attack. As yet we have been unable to locate her.’ To Montrose’s supreme satisfaction, David Lanceley gaped.
‘Please, Inspector, I know you are only doing your job but would you tell us exactly what has happened to Sophia. I think we have a right to know,’ Amelia implored.
Nurse Sykes chose that moment to arrive with the tea. Her hand shook so much she had to steady the rattling cup on its saucer with both hands. ‘I’ll be in the office for another half an hour or so, David. Then I’m going to my bed,’ she sniffed.
When the nurse was out of earshot Inspector Montrose cleared his throat and began again. ‘Sophia Deverell was found unconscious at eight forty-five this evening. Someone had tried to smother her. I’ll know more after I receive the doctor’s report, but until I know different I am treating it as attempted murder.’
‘But who would do such a terrible thing?’ Amelia asked, looking stricken.
‘That is a very good question, Miss Farrell, and one we aim to answer very soon. We have a witness who states they disturbed the culprit and my men are searching the grounds as we speak.’ Seeing them both pale, the inspector rose, somewhat satisfied by their reactions. ‘I will want to speak to you both again, but for now that will be all. The carers and nurses on the night shift have been asked to be diligent while doing their rounds, and I’m leaving a police constable on duty inside the nursing home on the ground floor. Also a police car will be patrolling the area during the night so everything is under control for now. Good night.’ Montrose began to walk away.
‘Wait a minute, Inspector. You haven’t told me how my great aunt is. Will she survive, has she been taken to hospital, and if so, which one?’ Amelia demanded. Montrose halted and turned back.
‘She’s in the Countess of Chester Hospital, in a bad way I’m afraid. The doctor has said no visitors just yet, so I suggest you go home and get some rest and visit her tomorrow.’ Montrose walked away and out of the main doors. A few minutes later they heard the scrunch of tyres and the sound of his car engine receding down the drive.
David started to say something then thought better of it. He stood and without a word walked away towards the receptionist’s office. Amelia watched his back, thinking not for the first time how temperamental he was. She got up and walked over to the large full-length windows on each side of the entrance door. For a minute she considered walking the short distance home. She looked across the car park, lit only by two security lights, and then down the long, dark driveway. Amelia shuddered and dismissed the option with a slight shake of her head. It was madness to even think about it with a suspected murderer in the vicinity.
David listened to the nurse’s histrionics with his mind elsewhere. It was obvious from DCI Montrose’s insinuations that Leonie was his prime suspect for Sophia’s attack. He’d had a feeling his sister might do something stupid ever since he had lunch with her at Dolton’s, but never dreamt she would resort to something like this. The purpose of his visit to her that evening had been to try and persuade her to back off. If only she’d trusted his integrity and ability to sort it out. David looked at Nurse Sykes in despair.
‘David?’ she prompted, standing by the office door, ready to lock it.
‘Yes, of course,’ David answered automatically.
Amelia turned at the sound of voices behind her. David had one arm around the nurse’s shoulders and waited with her until the lift came down. Amelia glanced at David’s face, hoping he may have mellowed a little after his talk to Lynne.
‘I’ll take you home now,’ David said to Amelia curtly, obviously annoyed at her for disputing his effort to give them both an alibi.
‘Thank you,’ Amelia said gratefully and followed him quickly out of the door. In this mood she wouldn’t have put it past him to drive off without her.
David dropped her off at the end of Marsh Lane. Before she had time to shut the car door behind her, he was revving the engine, ready to go. There was no “Goodbye” or “See you soon”. Not even a wave. Amelia watched the Jaguar speed away with a wry expression. Just over an hour ago David Lanceley had told her she had a beautiful face which affected his heart. That she was in his every thought. Making her way along the path to Primrose Cottage, Amelia thanked her lucky stars she hadn’t believed a word of it.
Chapter 31
The next morning Amelia broke the news to Grace and going over her conversation with Inspector Montrose, she remembered he’d said they had a witness. ‘Whoever tried to smother Sophia was disturbed,’ she said thoughtfully.
‘In more ways than one,’ Grace replied, finding the news surreal.
‘Vicky Morris must have seen all the visitors coming and going. A stranger would have stood out a mile …’
‘Unless it wasn’t a stranger, but someone Vicky knew,’ Grace finished Amelia’s sentence and wondered if Inspector Montrose had deduced that too.
‘What about Lillian’s diaries? We must get them back before they fall into the wrong hands,’ Amelia said.
‘Do you think Sophia was attacked because of the diaries?’
Amelia shrugged. ‘We wanted Sophia’s permission to show them to the police. Well, now I don’t think we should wait. For one thing they will solve the skeletons’ identity problem for them.’
Grace shook her head. ‘I’m not sure. The attempt on Sophia’s life is worrying enough, without tempting fate any further. Whoever tried to kill Sophia had a reason and may decide not to stop there.’
Amelia bit her lip, racking her brains as she wondered who would want to hurt their great aunt and why. ‘You don’t think Leonie had anything to do with it, do you?’ she said after a moment’s consideration.
‘I don’t think she’d like anyone knowing what is in Lillian’s diaries. She does have a motive, I suppose.’ Grace began to wash the breakfast dishes and piled cereal bowls and mugs onto a plate rack.
‘That includes David, but I can’t see him hurting his aunt, can you?’
Grace could, but didn’t say so. Instead she said, ‘It’s so awful to think about. Suppose they’d been successful? Sophia would be dead now without us ever having had the chance to get to know her properly.’ Grace suppressed a sob.
‘We have to remember her age. She’ll leave us sometime soon anyway,’ Amelia said sadly.
‘Yes, I know, but not like that. I wonder if we’ll be able see her today.’
‘I really think it’s important we get Lillian’s diaries back first and show them to the police. Otherwise it will only be our word for it,’ Amelia emphasised.
‘Point taken, but don’t forget we left them in Sophia’s room. Goodness knows where they are now. The police may have them already.’
‘True. We’ll make an appointment to see DCI Montrose. He’s bound to want to question you too, and when he does you can suss out the situation. In the meantime we have to find a way to search Sophia’s room. Hang on a minute.’ Amelia went over to the dresser and pulled open a drawer. ‘I’ve got a card here somewhere with the inspector’s telephone number on it.’
DS Fielding answered before the third ring. ‘DCI Montrose has gone to the nursing home to interview the staff and compos mentis residents,’ he explained. ‘By the way, you haven’t seen Doreen Brock this morning, have you?’ he added.
‘No, why do you ask?’ Amelia tried to think if she’d met Doreen yet.
‘She’s gone missing. Probably upset about her friend and wandered off somewhere,’ he told them. ‘I’m heading over to Tapscott Manor shortly. Is there anything I can help you with before I go?’
‘Don’t be offended, DS Fielding, but we’d prefer to speak to the Detective Chief Inspector. When you see him will you tell him we’ve found out something? It’s to do with the skeletons we found in our garden. I appreciate the attempt on Sophia’s life will take precedence over that now, but …’ Amelia hesitated, doubting it was wise to say more.
‘Yes,’ DS Fielding prompted.
‘I’m not sure, but there could be a connection between the two.’ Amelia listened to the silence on the other end of the line while the policeman took this in.
‘In that case I’ll head off now and tell him straight away.’ Motivated into action his voice took on a cheerful tone.
Chapter 32
When Amelia walked back into the kitchen she saw that Grace wasn’t alone.
‘This is Doreen Brock, the lady I met in the village.’ Grace told Amelia.
‘There’s a search party out looking for you, Doreen. I’ve just been speaking to DS Fielding. Everyone is worried out of their minds,’ Amelia exclaimed, concerned for the elderly lady. Doreen stood just inside the door, the light from outside making her a silhouette. ‘Are you feeling unwell? Come in and sit down.’ Amelia was pleased to see Grace had put the kettle back on, tea the cure-all on its way. ‘We’ve been meaning to come and see you. Nathan told us that you knew our family when you were growing up. He said you’d like to see us both and clarify what he’d already told us.’
Doreen took a few steps in and then hesitated. She seemed about to say something then changed her mind. Amelia pulled out a chair and then guided Doreen to it. Grace came to the table and put down a tray holding the teapot, mugs, milk and sugar. Doreen’s eyes lit up and she patiently waited for the tea to brew.