Faith - Lesley Pearse [174]
‘Do you know any of these men?’
‘There were two local ones, I don’t know them, only what I’ve heard about them. The others were just fly-by-nights, men who came as guests and then left.’
‘And the local ones?’ Stuart felt as if he was torturing the man, and wished he didn’t have to.
‘Both married with children. They weren’t affairs as such, just brief interludes. I can’t give you their names, Jackie never told me. I don’t believe they could be suspects. Jackie would never have made trouble for them, she admitted to me it was just sex.’
‘You are a remarkably honest man,’ Stuart said admiringly. ‘So what made you agree to talk to me today?’
‘Gloria always knew about Jackie and me. She knew Laura too and didn’t ever believe she was guilty. She also felt guilty that she didn’t go to the police and tell them what she knew. That was mainly out of loyalty to me because we’ve been friends for many years. But she knew who the other local men friends were as well, and if that got out she knew she’d be in trouble around here.’ Ted paused for a few moments, frowning as if a thought was troubling him.
‘Poor Gloria,’ he said after a bit. ‘She was in a worse position than me, she had her children’s welfare and her livelihood to think of. It preyed on her mind and we often used to talk about it over a drink. But it was when you turned up and spoke to her in the pub that everything got shook up. I knew who you were the minute she said your name. I remembered everything Jackie told me about you too! It struck me that if you could believe in Laura’s innocence after she’d hurt you so badly, then maybe I should have an open mind about it too. I suppose I also thought it was time that I became a real man, pinned my colours to the mast and admitted I loved Jackie!’
Stuart stayed silent for a little while. He felt somewhat aggrieved that if Ted and Gloria had been brave enough to go to the police at the time of the murder and tell them what they knew, the investigation into Jackie’s murder might have been more thorough. But they had come forward now, and that took some courage.
‘Would you be brave enough to give evidence if Laura does get an appeal?’ Stuart asked tentatively.
‘What could I say that would help her?’
‘Well, there’s those letters Laura wrote while she was in Italy that you told me about. The original jury was swayed into believing Laura’s motive for killing Jackie was revenge for Barney’s death, and the letters could disprove that. You could also make a statement about the money for the shop being a gift.’
‘There is something else that never came to light in the trial.’
‘What’s that?’
‘Jackie was going to make a gift of Brodie Farm to Laura. I know because she had the document drawn up and I witnessed it.’
14
Stuart’s mind was racing as he drove back to Edinburgh that evening. Ted was adamant that he witnessed Jackie’s signature on a deed of gift, and that it was only about a month before her death.
He explained that for over a year before that, he and Jackie had been talking about him leaving Peggie and their setting up home together. They knew they couldn’t possibly stay at Brodie Farm because they would be a target for malicious gossip, so they intended to move to the Borders or the Highlands.
Jackie hadn’t liked the idea of selling Brodie Farm to a stranger who would never love it like she did, or appreciate all the hard work she’d put into it. She wanted to give it to Laura because she would, and she was still young and energetic enough to make a real go of it. Ted added that he also thought Jackie was concerned about Barney’s grave being neglected once she was gone. Laura had always tended it when she came over to Fife, but it was a long way to come, and without Jackie there as a further incentive, she might lapse.
Stuart wasn’t actually