Bloody Valentine - James Patterson [28]
‘Not if Jodie wanted you to have it, Mamie.’
‘It’s gold.’ Mamie pulled a pendant from her collar.
‘That’s lovely, Mamie.’ Amy admired the antique embossed locket.
‘There’s a secret inside. Jodie showed me.’ Mamie’s voice rose. ‘I tried to give it back, but Leila said there was no time and Jodie wanted me to have it and—’
‘Don’t get upset, Mamie,’ Amy tried to distract her. ‘Can you show me the secret?’
Mamie flicked the catch on the locket. It opened and a square of film fell out. Mamie picked it up and held it carefully by the edges. ‘It’s a picture of my nephew, taken before he was born,’ Mamie said proudly. Her bottom lip trembled. ‘Only he wasn’t born. He was in Jodie’s tummy when she died.’
‘When did Jodie give you this, Mamie?’ Amy took the film and handed it to Ben.
‘When we saw her in Wales.’ Mamie clamped her hands over her mouth. ‘Leila made me promise never to tell anyone. I knew we were in Wales because I read the signs when we went over the big bridge. When we reached the castle, Jodie told me we were in Wales.’
‘How long did you spend with Jodie, Mamie?’ Ben asked.
‘Part of a day. Jodie made us lunch. That’s when she gave me the locket for “a borrow”. After we’d eaten, Jodie fainted.’
‘What happened then, Mamie?’ Amy prompted.
‘Leila lifted Jodie on the sofa and sent me to the car. I waited a long time. When Leila came out of the castle I told her about the locket. That’s when she said Jodie wanted me to keep it. I tried telling Leila that Jodie only gave it to me for “a borrow”, but Leila got cross and told me to shut up about the locket. Then Leila drove back to the hotel in Cornwall. After our holiday, Leila said Jodie had died and I wasn’t to upset Jack by talking about her. I wanted to tell Jack about the locket, but I was afraid he’d be angry with me, like Leila. Then Jack met Zee.’ Mamie’s voice dropped to a whisper. ‘Now she’s dead too.’
Leila walked in with Jack, Michael and Alice.
‘I thought I heard Mamie talking,’ Leila reproached Amy. ‘You can’t interview her. I’m her guardian and I won’t allow it. She left the building before Zee this morning. She knows nothing—’
‘But she does know something about Jodie,’ Ben said.
‘Jodie?’ Jack looked at Mamie in bewilderment.
‘I’m sorry, Leila. I didn’t mean to tell them,’ Mamie pleaded.
‘Mamie doesn’t know what she’s saying,’ Leila argued. ‘She has no sense of time, people or places.’
‘On the contrary, Miss Barnes. We’ve found Mamie helpful and lucid,’ Ben contradicted.
‘Mamie, is that Jodie’s locket?’ Jack drew near his sister and examined it.
‘Jodie gave it to me for “a borrow”, Jack.’
‘Jodie would never have given you that.’ Jack paled. His eyes darkened.
‘Only for “a borrow”.’ Mamie began to cry.
Jack crouched down in front of Mamie. ‘I’m not angry with you, but I want to know when Jodie gave you this. I thought she was wearing it when she died.’
‘She gave it to me in Wales.’
‘You were in Wales with Jodie?’ Jack asked Leila.
‘Mamie will say anything, Jack. You know what she’s like …’
‘Mamie doesn’t lie,’ Jack countered. ‘When did you see Jodie in Wales, Mamie?’
‘When Leila drove us there from Cornwall—’
‘That’s enough, Mamie …’
‘I’ve never hit a woman, Leila, but if you don’t shut up I will,’ Jack threatened.
‘You’re cross with me,’ Mamie gulped between sobs.
Jack slipped his arm around his younger sister’s shoulders. ‘I’m not cross with you, Mamie. Tell me about your trip to Wales.’
‘Leila and me left the hotel early so we could eat lunch with Jodie. Jodie was nice, like she always was. Then she was ill and Leila sent me to the car. That was after Jodie gave me the locket. I tried to give it back, Jack … I tried …’
Jack patted Mamie’s shoulders but watched Leila. ‘You never told me you visited Jodie in Wales, Leila.’
‘Because I knew you’d be suspicious. You thought we didn’t get on.’
‘You were the reason Jodie wanted a retreat in Wales.’
‘She wanted to get away from your womanising,’ Leila snapped.
‘What womanising?’ Michael