Believing the Lie - Elizabeth George [193]
“She’s telling the truth,” Manette told her brother.
“He has someone with him,” Bernard added. “But it’s another man, Nick. A forensic specialist. Another man. If a woman’s been to Arnside House to talk to you and Alatea, it’s to do with something else entirely.”
Nicholas blanched then. He was making connections rapidly. Manette could see that much as the thoughts passed quickly across his face.
Unaccountably he said, “Montenegro.”
“Who?” Bernard asked.
But as swiftly as Nicholas had entered Ireleth Hall, just as swiftly he left it.
LANCASTER
LANCASHIRE
Deborah’s two hours in a parked car with Zed Benjamin were broken only by a single call on her mobile. She thought it might be Simon, and she glanced to see, rapidly assessing whether she should answer or let it go to her voice mail rather than risk something less than an “official” conversation in the presence of the journalist. It was Tommy, though. She reckoned she could work with that.
She said to Zed, “My guv,” and when she answered she said, “Inspector Lynley. Hullo.”
“That’s a formal touch.”
“All due respect,” Deborah told him cheerfully. She felt Zed’s eyes on her. She kept her own fixed on the disabled soldiers’ home.
“If only I received that at work,” Tommy said. Then, “I’ve met up with Simon.”
“I thought you might have done.”
“He’s unhappy with both of us. With me for getting you into this. With you for not getting out of it. Where are you now?”
“Still in Lancaster.”
“How did you get there?”
“What d’you mean?”
“Deborah, Simon’s rung me from your hotel.”
“You said you saw him.”
“This was afterwards. He went back to the hotel, you were gone, but your hire car’s there. He’s obviously concerned.”
“Not enough to ring me.”
“Oh, for God’s sake, Deb. Have some pity on the man. He knows you’re in a temper. He knows you won’t answer the phone if you see he’s the caller. How did you get to Lancaster?”
She had no choice, but she did need to be careful with her phrasing. “Mr. Benjamin from The Source is working with me at the moment, sir.”
She heard his mild curse so she quickly went on. “I’m waiting to speak to the woman who was with Alatea. They paid a call upon someone at the Faculty of Science and Technology and we need to know why.”
“Deb.” She could hear in his voice that he wasn’t sure what approach to take with her just now. What would work? he was wondering. An appeal to her wiser nature? A veiled reference to their own past as lovers? It was an interesting position for him to be in, she reckoned.
He said, “You know Simon wants you back in London. He’s worried.”
“I don’t think London’s wise at the moment. I’m very close to something here.”
“That’s exactly what he’s worried about. You’ve been too close to a murderer once before.”
Guernsey, she thought. Like Bogart and Bergman when it came to Paris, she and Simon would always have Guernsey. All right, she’d been hurt. But she hadn’t died. She hadn’t even been close to dying. And this was different since she had no intention of ending up inside an earthen chamber with someone in possession of an antique hand grenade. She said, “This is important somehow. A loose end needing to be tied.”
“It’s hard to disagree with the science behind someone’s death, Deb. Simon’s conclusions are sound.”
“Perhaps. But there’s more here than his conclusions,” she said.
“I don’t disagree. You’re obviously finding Alatea Fairclough one of them. I have Havers on her in London, by the way.”
“So you see— ”
“As I said, I don’t disagree. It’s Simon I’m concerned about, frankly.”
“So you do think he could be wrong?”
“He’s far too preoccupied with you. That sometimes blinds someone to what’s right in front of them. Still and all, I can’t allow you— ”
“No one’s allowing anything.”
“Dreadful choice of words. I can see we’re going to go round and round. If nothing else, I do know you. All right, have a care. Will you do that much?”
“I will. What about you?”
“There are a few loose ends on my end as well. I’ll be doing some tying. You will ring me if there’s any reason at all, won’t you?”
“Definitely,