The Fall Girl (18 page)

Tyman’s face set. “She was killed in an accident.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Why? You didn’t know her.”

Lexy was taken aback by his vehemence.

“No, but I know what it’s like to suddenly not have a mother any more.”

“You lost yours, too?”

“Literally. She went to China when I was a kid and never came back.”

Lexy’s hand went automatically to a chain around her neck, upon which hung a small silver oak leaf.

“You mean she stayed out there?”

“I don’t know. She went on a protest mission, a few people trying to save the panda.”

“Brave of her.”

“Yup. She was always doing that sort of stuff, but usually nearer to home.”

“Would have got on well with Elizabeth.”

“Yeah.” They exchanged a smile. He seemed such a nice lad. Lexy had to keep reminding herself about Milo’s account of the high wire incident. And Bruce’s warnings to Ward
to keep Tyman away from her. As if he heard her thoughts, Bruce looked in through the French windows. The smell of cigar skulked in with him.

“All right, lad?”

“Yes, fine,” Tyman almost snapped.

Bruce withdrew.

“When she didn’t come back,” Lexy continued, “I thought it was because she didn’t want to be with my dad and me any more. I just assumed she’d got a taste for
it, and she was out on the high seas chasing whaling boats, or something. But Dad got on to the British Embassy in China, and he chased around contacting people and organisations for years, trying
to find someone who might know where she was. In the end he convinced himself she’d been killed out in China. Said that was the only thing that would stop her coming back to him.”

“He obviously had a lot of faith in their relationship.”

Lexy nodded. It had been a faith she couldn’t understand or share. Her mother, Angelica, had been the original free spirit.

“Dad was never the same again,” she went on. “Then I walked out on him when I was sixteen after a row. I found out last year that he was ill. All those cigarettes he smoked. I
went straight to the hospice, but I didn’t get there in time.”

She didn’t know why she had told Tyman all this.

“Similar thing with my mother,” he said. “She split with my dad and I blamed her for everything that was wrong in the world. Then she went and got herself killed in some stupid
accident, and I...” He stopped, looking choked. “She must have died thinking I hated her.”

“A parent is never going to think that,” said Lexy.

“Hope you’re right.”

So did she.

He finished off his wine, watching her. “Anyway, when Dad came over here he started looking around for a place to set up a new rare breeds farm, and, well, here we are.”

“Must be hard work.”

“We’ve got people who come and muck out, and do the feeds and so on. But we do a lot of the graft ourselves, and it is tough. Hence the housekeeper, in case you thought we were
unbelievably lazy.”

“The idea never crossed my mind.”

Tyman topped up their glasses again.

“Why do you want to buy the cottage so badly?” Lexy regretted the question as soon as it blurted out of her mouth.

“What do you mean?” Tyman’s face had reddened. He took a glance out at the patio, to where his father sat with Steve.

“Just curious, that’s all. I mean, were you thinking of buying it to let? To generate a bit more income?”

“We’re not exactly strapped for cash. No – we just thought it would be easier if we owned that whole parcel of land.”

Parcel of land. Was that how they viewed that beautiful hill?

“So what would you do with the cottage?”

“I dunno. Perhaps Ward or I would take it over.”

“You wouldn’t knock it down, or anything?”

“Of course not.” He stared at her. “Why are you so interested?”

She shrugged.

Tyman’s face suddenly cleared. “Don’t tell me – you want to buy it yourself? Is that what all these questions are about?”

“No,” protested Lexy, half laughing. “I haven’t got a penny to my name. Couldn’t raise a mortgage if I wanted to.”

They regarded one another in silence.

“Who are you, really?” Tyman asked.

“Just who I say I am,” Lexy smiled. “A friend of the Patersons.”

“What do you do? When you’re not looking after cottages for friends, that is.”

She hesitated. “This and that. Whatever I can get.”

“Woman of mystery, then.”

He was closer than he thought.

“You certainly ask a lot of questions,” he added.

“So do you.”

At that moment Rowana slipped through the French window, Kinky surging ahead of her. She gave Lexy an interrogative look.

Lexy pushed the cat from her lap, giving a small shrug and shake of the head. She was no further forward. Tyman was far too jumpy when the subject of the cottage came up, let alone
Elizabeth’s death. He had been more forthcoming when they had been speaking alone up at Four Winds.

Rowana unleashed Kinky. He made a beeline for the kitchen, ignoring Lexy. Must have seen her and the cat together. He wouldn’t forgive that in a hurry.

“Drink?” Tyman indicated the bottle of wine.

“Can I have a Coke?”

Tyman got up, and Rowana perched next to Lexy.

“Gabrielle and Ward are getting on like a house on fire, unfortunately,” she muttered. “Have you managed to find out anything from Tyman?”

“Not yet.” Lexy stood up. “I’ll go and have a snoop around upstairs. Try to keep him talking for a while.”

She slipped out of the door before Rowana could object, and ran lightly up the stairs. There were several varnished oak doors along the landing.

One was slightly ajar. After a quick glance at the stairs behind her, she pushed it half open. It gave a slight creak. Gritting her teeth, Lexy took a look inside the room.

It contained a double bed with a rumpled checked quilt, and built-in wardrobes. Over the back of a wooden chair a pair of jeans and a checked lumberjack shirt had been thrown. Lexy recognised
them as the ones Ward had been wearing earlier when he had run into Four Winds Cottage like a madman.

She slipped in, pushed the door to, and went over to a laptop computer by the bed. It had been left on standby. She pressed a couple of buttons, and scrolled through Ward’s emails. They
were mostly to do with farm business, with a couple of personal ones from friends in France. Nothing about the cottage. She didn’t really know what she was looking for. She started to open
the top drawer of the desk then pushed it back quickly at the sound of approaching voices.

Someone was coming up the stairs. Bugger. The voices became louder. The door creaked. Lexy did the only thing she could think of and dived under the bed.

A second later the door was pushed wide. She recognised Ward’s brown shoes. The other pair belonged to Gabrielle.

“This won’t take a moment,” she heard Ward say. “I just need to find it.”

Lexy heard the sound of cupboards being opened and shut. She just had to hope that whatever he was looking for wasn’t under the bed. My, how they’d laugh.

She could feel sweat trickling down her forehead.

Gabrielle’s pretty sandalled feet moved around the room, coming to a halt by the window.

“You’ve got a nice view out over the stables.”

“I prefer the view in here.”

Ward’s shoes moved towards Gabrielle.

Lexy cringed. What a line! It was all the worse for knowing that he had an ulterior motive.

Then she heard Tyman’s voice, outside in the hall.

Ward backed away from Gabrielle.

There was a knock on the door. “You in there?”

Ward grunted an affirmative.

Tyman’s boots appeared. The brothers didn’t believe in taking their footwear off in the house. Lexy thought back to the trail of dried grass and burrs leading to Elizabeth’s
bedroom.

“Sorry, mate – didn’t realise you had company.” There was a grin in Tyman’s voice. Behind him, the four stout blue legs of the cat appeared.

Lexy almost screamed. Who else was planning on coming in? The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?

“Not a problem,” replied Ward. “I’m just looking for a book I want to lend Gabrielle.”

In spite of her plight, Lexy wondered what on earth it would be. Ward didn’t look as if he read chick-lit.

“I seem to have misplaced Lexy,” Tyman was saying. “She came up to the bathroom a while ago.”

“Well, she’s not in here,” replied Ward. “Perhaps she decided to give you the slip.”

“Yes, well, we wouldn’t want that, would we?” said Tyman.

There was a brief pause. Lexy wondered what he meant.

“I doubt she’s gone far,” said Gabrielle. “Shall we help you find her?”

“No, I’m sure she’ll turn up.” Tyman’s boots withdrew.

“Ah, here we are.
Tom Jones
by Henry Fielding. I knew I had it somewhere,” said Ward.

“Big, isn’t it?” replied Gabrielle. “Well, I suppose he’s led a very interesting life and all that. Can’t wait to read it – hope there’s lots of
scandal.”

“I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.”

Ward moved towards her again.

Lexy groaned inwardly. There was a huge dust bunny inches away from her nose and she was terrified of inhaling it and giving vent to an explosive sneeze. She was also starting to feel intensely
uncomfortable. She shut her eyes. The thought occurred to her that Ward and Gabrielle might suddenly descend on the bed. There wasn’t much room between floor and mattress as it was. With the
bed weighed down by those two she wouldn’t stand a chance.

To make matters worse, the cat spotted her. It padded over towards the bed, put its head down and peered at her.

“Sod off!” Lexy mouthed, making silent flapping movements at it. It didn’t.

“Look at that cat,” Gabrielle said. “Looks like he’s seen a mouse.”

“No mice in this house.” Ward paused. “Now, come here a minute.”

It was more than a minute. Lexy lay on her side, trying to avoid the unblinking yellow eyes, and the sight of Gabrielle’s feet extended on tiptoes. Just as she couldn’t take any
more, she heard Ward break off with a groan, saying, “Come on, we’d better get back. Don’t want Tyman telling everyone he found you in my bedroom.” He began walking towards
the door.

“God, no.” Gabrielle swiftly followed. “My dad would go mental.”

Lexy heard their steps recede, and lay back in relief.

“Mind out, pussy cat.” She rolled out from under the bed, dusted herself down, and ran back down the stairs.

Everyone was in the living room.

“Ah, here she is!” boomed Bruce. “The amazing disappearing girl. Did you get lost, pet?”

“No.” Lexy replied. “Just been trying to find my dog.”

“There you go.” Bruce gave Tyman a satisfied nod.

“I think he’s in the kitchen,” said Ward.

“Might have known. Is it OK if I go and...?”

“Just through there.” Bruce indicated the way.

Lexy swept into the gleaming kitchen. Kinky was lying in what was obviously the Persian cat’s basket, right in front of the range. The bowl beside the basket was empty. Revenge had been
sweet.

Lexy hoped he hadn’t used the litter tray as well.

“Cheeky little monkey, isn’t he?” Mrs Mangeot appeared from another door, wearing a jacket and hat, and carrying a straw bag.

“Can’t take him anywhere.”

“Well, I’d best be on my way,” she said. “Thanks for stepping in earlier.”

“No problem. It was a great dinner. Really delicious. Er... Mrs Mangeot?”

“Yes, dear?” The woman was beaming at the praise.

“It was an awful business about Elizabeth, wasn’t it?”

“Dreadful day, that was.” Mrs Mangeot set her bag on the worktop. “Tyman came rushing down from the cottage, white as a sheet. His dad had just come in from the pigs. Eating
his breakfast, he was. I always get their breakfast.”

“You must have to get here very early.”

“Not too bad. Half eight I get in. Breakfast is always ready at nine. Proper farmer’s breakfast, bacon, egg and sausages, because they’ve all been up and about since six
o’clock, tending to the animals.”

“But Ward and Tyman were late?”

“That morning, yes.” The housekeeper considered. “Tyman had gone up the hill to see to the sheep, but he was usually back in time for breakfast. Ward was checking the animals
in the quarantine unit out in the far paddock. He does that every morning. He got back here just before Tyman came bursting in.”

“Must have been a shock?”

“Well, he slammed through that door.” She pointed to the one Lexy had come through. “Shouting like a lunatic, he was. Scared the living daylights out of me.
‘Elizabeth’s fallen from her balcony! She’s dead!’

“He ran straight over to the phone, saying he couldn’t get a signal up at the cottage, and started to call 999, then Ward grabbed him and fairly dragged him into the other room, to
make him calm down and explain it properly. He’s much more level-headed, Ward. My heart was jumping in my chest. Poor Elizabeth’s dead, I kept thinking. It was Mr Gallimore who called
the ambulance a couple of minutes later, and then they all jumped in the Land Rover and drove up to the cottage to meet it.”

Lexy nodded, trying to take this all in. Bruce had an alibi. He had been eating breakfast when Elizabeth plummeted. Ward appeared to have one, too. Just left Tyman, right on the spot. And
whatever he’d done, they had covered it up together. Lexy’s face was grim. She’d known from the moment Tyman had spoken to her about the accident, when they’d first met up
at the cottage, that he had been holding something back.

Mrs Mangeot was looking quizzically at her. She’d just said something.

“Sorry?”

“I said, was Elizabeth a friend of yours?”

“She was a friend of some friends,” Lexy said, pulling herself together. “I’m up at the cottage looking after things.”

“Yes, I know, dear. Maureen from the shop told me.”

She would have.

“Very special lady, Mrs Cassall was,” the housekeeper went on. “Animal lover just like me. I was so upset when the news hit me I couldn’t stop crying for a week. And they
haven’t even had the decency to release her body yet for burial. All this inquest business. Why it takes so long is beyond me.”