Devious Intention, page 7
“Sorry, wait, I have to ask why here.”
“Because according to the evidence found at the scene, he concluded that no one else was with Louise, and that as far as he was concerned she was the one driving the car.”
“And was she?” Jim asked, a note of scepticism in his tone.
“No, definitely not. Matt was driving the car.”
“How’s that possible? I see what you mean about it being a perplexing case, sis. Are you sure you can trust this woman?”
“Well, she suffered a concussion in the accident and spent a couple of days in hospital, but yes, I wholeheartedly trust her, especially after what I’ve just discovered about the family house—it’s been sold, and the new owners move in today.”
“Jesus! Moving house takes a lot of organising. Are you saying that Louise wasn’t aware of this?”
“I haven’t mentioned it to her yet. I’m going to cross that bridge when I return to Cornwall tomorrow. Maybe the concussion is worse than either of us have anticipated; however, my gut feeling is telling me something far more disturbing is afoot here.”
“Why? What else have you found out, Ellie?”
“When I dropped by the family home about an hour ago, the gardener was getting the garden up to scratch before the new owners arrive. He told me that the removal lorry which turned up yesterday was one of those international removal firms.”
“Interesting. Did he supply you with a forwarding address by any chance?”
“Nope, and he couldn’t remember the name of the firm, either.”
“Want me to look into that for you?”
She smiled—her plan had worked. She knew that if Jim was intrigued enough, he would want to get involved in the case. He always did, covertly of course. “That would be amazing if you could. I have another favour to ask.”
“I knew if I offered to help, the floodgates would bloody open. Go on!”
“I wondered if you could look into this sergeant’s background for me.”
“I know I’m going to regret asking this, but why?”
“Let’s put it this way: he’s a prick, and I don’t trust him.”
“Ellie, you’ve dealt with off-hand coppers every working day of your life, when you were in the force and after you left. You should be damn used to it by now; it goes with the territory of being a PI.”
She shook her head as he spoke. “No, Jim, this is different.”
“How? Give me a convincing ‘for instance’, and I might reconsider.”
“Okay, if you’re investigating a crime, albeit half-heartedly, would you knowingly destroy a vital piece of evidence two days into that case?”
Jim whistled down the line. “No, I frigging well would not. Are you saying this idiot has done just that?”
“Yes, the family car has been scrapped. Can you believe it?”
“What bloody reason did he give for doing such an off-the-wall thing, Ellie?”
“He said it was a matter of course down in Cornwall. I told him I wanted to see the car to see what airbag had discharged in the crash, or on which side the windscreen had been struck, but he simply shrugged and apologised for the foul-up.”
“He sounds like a right tosser. Okay, you better give me his name, and I’ll see what I can dig up on him.”
“Sergeant Steve Bould. He gives me the impression he doesn’t like dealing with women much, insisted on calling Louise ‘Ms.’ instead of ‘Mrs.’ And he seemed to be very, very reluctant to believe her story that she was going on holiday with her family.”
“Halfwit. Leave it with me, sis. Anything else I can help you with?”
“Not at the moment. I’ll shout if that changes.”
“Right, so you’re staying there tonight and setting off in the morning?”
“That’s the plan, unless anything else surfaces. How are Suzie and the boys?”
“Fine but disappointed they can’t be with you on your big day, sweetie. What on earth possessed you to have the wedding in that Godforsaken place?”
“We got a good deal: book a wedding and get a holiday cottage for a third of the normal price. You know I can’t resist a bargain.”
Jim tutted. “You’re nuts. Still, as long as you and Brian are happy, that’s all that counts at the end of the day.”
“Thanks for understanding. We’ll have a party when we get back to Worcester, I promise. How’s Mum? Has Colin been behaving himself while I’ve been away? I hated leaving her but felt the time was good. I suppose we’ve got to fully trust him one day.”
“As far as I know, they’re still being kind to each other. Let’s give them some space and see what happens. Maybe us being around, keeping a watchful eye on them, was their downfall. Mum seems to love him, and he appears to be pulling his weight in the pub now, although I think the sale is imminent on that, so who knows what their lives will be like when they’re around each other twenty-four-seven without having to put up a united front to please the customers. Hey, you shouldn’t be worrying about us or taking on new cases with your wedding to organise. I better go; a colleague needs a hand with something. I’ll do some digging and get back to you either today or tomorrow.”
“There’s no rush. Make it tomorrow afternoon, Jim. I’m aiming to be back around lunchtime. Don’t ring me during the morning, because I tend to ignore any calls I get in the car, especially if I’m travelling alone.”
“You’re such a goody-goody! All right, chat soon.”
She blew a kiss down the phone and hung up. Then she flopped onto the bed and tried to sleep for a few hours, but her mind was constantly churning over the case and trying to fathom out the information she had gathered about Matt Gillespie. What’s your game, matey? Why are you doing this to your wife? If you’re actually doing this intentionally.
CHAPTER SIX
Ellie dozed for only half an hour that afternoon. She jumped into a cool shower to freshen herself up and slipped on a pair of smart jeans and a jumper before she ventured downstairs to the restaurant. After ordering a fillet steak and chips, she sipped at her glass of Chardonnay and surveyed her surroundings. The owners had succeeded in making the ambience just right for the customers while they enjoyed a meal in the dimly lit restaurant. Low ceilings and black-painted beams stood out against the whitewashed walls. Everything, from the table settings to the crockery and glassware was all in a monochrome design. She made some mental notes. She and Brian had been discussing decorating the house together once the wedding and honeymoon were over. Although she had always fancied a dramatic deep red for the dining room at their home, she was reconsidering, wondering if they could still have the red on a feature wall but incorporate the black and white into the theme too.
The waitress arrived, snapping her out of her wandering thoughts. “Here you are, one well-done fillet steak with chips. Can I get you any condiments? Mustard, perhaps?”
“Lovely, some English mustard and some ketchup for my chips,” she added, feeling embarrassed for asking for the ketchup at her age.
The waitress smiled then went to collect the condiments from a serving trolley at the front of the restaurant. “Enjoy your meal,” she said, placing them on Ellie’s table.
“Thank you, it looks delicious. Could I get another cheeky glass of wine? Might as well make the most of not having to drive home.”
“Why not? I’ll sort that out for you now.”
Ellie tucked into her meal and enjoyed every last morsel. Then she leaned back and blew out a satisfied breath. The waitress reappeared with the dessert menu, and in spite of being full, Ellie flipped through it and plumped for the sticky toffee pudding. “I might as well add an extra inch to the waistline while I’m at it.”
She burst out laughing when the huge dessert arrived, but there was no way she was going to leave any of her all-time favourite pudding. After she’d finished her meal, she retired to her room and crawled into bed. Her stomach began cramping not long after, and she regretted making an utter pig of herself. She finally drifted off to sleep around two in the morning, only to be woken by her mobile alarm going off at five forty-five. She looked pale and tired when she studied her reflection in the bathroom mirror. Good job Brian isn’t around to see the state of you, girl. He’d call the wedding off immediately.
When she descended the stairs, the receptionist greeted her and told her to go through to the dining room to help herself to breakfast. “Gosh, I think I’ll pass if that’s all right. I sort of went over the top with my dinner last night. I’ve been suffering all night because of my greed.”
“Maybe next time. I hope you’ve enjoyed your visit despite your discomfort?”
“I did. It’s a fabulous hotel, and you have wonderful attentive staff. I hope to come by and see you again with… I suppose he’ll be my hubby by then, in the near future. Can I settle the bill now please?”
The receptionist took her card details and gave Ellie the receipt. Ellie said farewell and left the building, sad to be leaving behind all the character and history within its stone walls. Ellie punched in the postcode for the holiday cottage and let the satnav guide her back down to Cornwall. The journey felt shorter on the return trip, especially as she’d selected her favourite Lionel Richie CD to listen and drum her fingers to. The sun grew stronger as her journey progressed, and by the time she reached the cottage, she had all four windows open halfway. As she pulled into the driveway, she looked up to see a smiling Brian ready to welcome her with a hug. His eyes shone like beacons, leaving her without any doubt as to the depth of his love for her.
“Hi, stranger. Did you miss me?”
He cupped her face with his hands and covered her lips with his own. “What do you think?”
“I missed you too. How are the girls? I’m dying to see them.”
“They’re playing in the back garden so that I could work. They should be in soon; you know Cally’s tummy dictates every waking moment.”
Ellie inched her arm around his waist, and they entered the cottage. “That’s a shame. I could have shown you how much I missed you if you could guarantee that we wouldn’t be disturbed.”
Before they had the chance to entwine again, the back door burst open, and a gasping Louise almost fell through the door, holding a sobbing Cally in her arms.
Brian ran across the room and gently lifted his daughter from Louise’s arms. “What’s wrong? Is she hurt? Are you hurt?” he asked urgently.
“Daddy!” Cally flung her arms around Brian’s neck and buried her face in his shoulder.
Brian’s head swivelled between Ellie and Louise before he decided to whisk Cally out of the room.
Ellie rushed forward to support Louise and led her to the sofa. “Are you able to talk now, Louise? You’re worrying me.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to. Cally is fine, I promise. Whether the same can be said of me, I’m not sure.”
“What is it?”
“I saw him!”
“Him? Who did you see?” Ellie gasped. “No, not Matthew?”
Louise shook her head. “No, although I wish I had. At least then, I would know that he was safe and well.”
Ellie didn’t comment. She had no intention of divulging what she had learnt about the woman’s husband while Louise was in such a state. There was no telling where it would lead. “Who, then? Who did you see, love?”
“The man. As clear as day, I saw the man who drove his car into us! Don’t you see, Ellie? I’m not going crazy after all. Oh, I know you believed me, but truly, if I were in your situation trying to help someone like me, I would still have lingering doubts about the accuracy of my story.”
“I’ve never doubted you. If I had, I would never have driven all the way to Herts yesterday on what could have turned out to be a wild goose chase. We’re behind you all the way, Louise—you have to believe that. Where did you see the man?”
“Cally and I were just chatting in the garden. I heard a car drive past and looked up. The man looked my way as he passed. He seemed shocked to see me. If I hadn’t seen the recognition in his eyes, I don’t think I would’ve linked him to the accident. It was definitely him, Ellie. I swear it was,” she said, anxiously wringing her hands together.
Ellie rubbed the back of Louise’s hand. “Now don’t get yourself worked up again. If you’re sure, then I have no problem with that.”
“What’s this?” Brian asked from the doorway. He closed the door to the bedroom quietly behind him and made his way towards them.
“Louise saw the man who crashed into her, Bri.”
He dropped into the easy chair opposite and sat forward, with his forearms resting on his thighs, his eyes wide with disbelief. “Really? That’s a good thing, right?”
“If we can find him, yes. It’ll be fabulous to get his side of the story,” Ellie agreed. “That probably means he’s a local. I wonder why he hasn’t come forward to the police.”
“Or why he wasn’t at the scene of the accident and what happened to his car,” Brian said, nodding briskly as he thought.
“That’s a good point. Was he driving the same car or a different one, Louise?” Ellie asked, still stroking the back of the woman’s hand.
She shook her head and tutted. “Do you know what? I don’t know. Before his car struck us, all I concentrated on was the man’s eyes as he drove towards us. There’s no way I could identify the car if in a line-up. As for the man, yes. But sadly, not his car.”
“When he recognised you, what did he do next?”
“He put his foot down; the tyres screeched as he sped away. How he missed the car coming out of a nearby road, I have no idea.”
“Hmm… so it wouldn’t be worth me going out there to take a look now?” Brian asked.
Louise shook her head. “I was frozen in time. I craned my neck to see around the shrubs and watched the car drive away until it disappeared to a tiny dot.”
“So you got a look at the number plate?” Brian asked excitedly.
“I’m sorry, no. I suppose I was in shock. I managed to hold on to Cally’s hand. I think I might have been squeezing it too tight and frightened her. I ran inside before anything happened to Cally. I’d never forgive myself if she went missing like Sophie.”
“She’s fine. I’ve put her to bed, and she instantly drifted off to sleep,” Brian reassured her.
Louise blew out a breath. “That’s a relief. The last thing I wanted to do was scare the poor mite. What do we do now? Contact the sergeant again? Do we tell him what I’ve seen or not?”
Ellie and Brian exchanged the briefest of glances.
“Nope, we’re on our own for now,” Ellie told her. “Bould has made that perfectly clear. Anyway, we have another copper delving into things on our behalf, and he has a habit of going through things like a raging bull. He won’t be fobbed off, which is what Bould would try to do to us.” Ellie squeezed Louise’s hand to emphasise the point.
Louise tilted her head and asked, “Who’s that?”
“My brother. He works up in Worcester, but he can search the national computer for us. He shouldn’t, but if there is anything underhanded going on, then he has the right to delve into things for us.” That was stretching the truth a little, but it seemed to put Louise at ease.
“I take it Matthew wasn’t at home when you got to Herts? I’ve been on tenterhooks for twenty-four hours, Ellie.”
“Sorry, I should’ve told you that at least. I think we should discuss this over a coffee, if that’s okay with you? I’m parched after my long drive.”
“Of course, how selfish of me. I’ll make it.” Louise rushed into the kitchen, and Ellie heard the tap running.
“Do you want to run it past me first?” Brian whispered.
“I really don’t want to repeat myself, hon. Let’s wait until Louise is back in the room. I discussed the case in depth with Jim yesterday afternoon. He’s as perplexed as we are. He’s going to see what he can dig up about that plonker Bould. He agreed with us, said that Bould should never have destroyed the car.”
Louise carried the tray in, with three china mugs on it, and placed it on the coffee table in the middle of all the chairs. After distributing the mugs, she sat on the couch and looked at Ellie. “Okay, I’ve prepared myself. You can begin now.”
Ellie swallowed the saliva that had suddenly filled her mouth and decided to just be open with Louise. “All right, the first thing I did when I arrived in Herts was drive to your home. Beautiful house, by the way. Must have cost you a pretty penny to buy?”
“Yes, we really stretched ourselves to be able to afford the place.”
“Are you saying you have a large mortgage on it?” Ellie asked.
“Yes. I think we’ll be paying it off well into our retirement.” She laughed until her thoughts caught up with her. “If we ever find Matt and Sophie, that is.”
“What will you do if you don’t find them, Louise?”
“Sell the place, I suppose.”
Ellie inhaled a large breath and inched towards Louise. She took the mug from the woman’s hand and held both of Louise’s hands tightly in her own. “I’ve discovered something that you’re not going to be thrilled about. Please, stay calm and let Brian and me figure this out. We’ll get to the bottom of it; I know we will.”
“You’re worrying me, Ellie. What have you found out?”
Ellie glanced at Brian. His puzzled expression matched Louise’s. “I couldn’t get through the gate at the front of your house, so I went round the side. You have a loose panel in the fencing. I climbed through it and spoke to the gardener. Once he got over the shock of seeing me there, he told me that he was getting the garden up to scratch… making sure it looked good for when the new owners arrived.”
Louise swiftly withdrew her hands from Ellie’s and leapt out of the chair. She stared down at her. “I don’t understand. What are you saying? That my house has been sold?”
Ellie’s eyes flickered shut and reopened. “As far as I can make out, yes. Are you sure that you’re not aware of this? Maybe the concussion has caused a gap in your memory.” Despite asking, Ellie knew what Louise’s response was going to be.
