White Nights - Ann Cleeves [27]
‘Who’s the new chap?’
‘He’s from England. A writer. Peter Wilding. Here to finish a book, he said. Willy, who used to live in that house, moved into sheltered housing last year and Wilding moved in. I’d never heard of him but he obviously does all right at it if he can afford to take the summer out. He doesn’t seem to do much writing. Mostly he’s sitting at his upstairs window, staring out over the water. Maybe waiting for inspiration, huh?’
The girl struggled to be released from his grip and ran back to her toys.
‘Does Wilding have a boat?’ Perez asked.
‘No. I asked him out when I was going with Kenny once, just to be friendly. But a bit of a breeze blew up and it made him kind of nervous. I think he felt ill. I don’t think he’d go out again.’
‘Why does he need to get into the hut then?’
‘He asked if he could leave a couple of boxes of his things there. Willy’s house is very small.’
‘If he’s from England maybe there’s a connection with the dead man.’
‘They can’t have been friends though. A strange kind of friendship at least, to see someone you know upset and do nothing to help him.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Wilding was at the party at the Herring House last night. Bella invited him. She likes famous people. He was there when the stranger had that turn. If he’d known him he surely would have said so then.’ Then Perez remembered Bella mentioning the man, only she’d described him as a collector.
‘You can’t think of anyone else round here who might have been putting up the dead man? We can’t find a car.’
‘No one around Biddista takes in paying guests.’
‘What time did you leave the Herring House?’
‘It was probably about eleven before I’d finished clearing up.’
‘I understand Roddy Sinclair kept you company.’
‘We had a few drinks. There were plenty of bottles open. It would have been a waste not to finish a couple of them.’ Martin grinned. Is he really like some carefree child? Perez thought. Is it true that he wasn’t even moved by his father’s death?
‘He invited you back to the Manse to carry on with the party?’
‘He said he’d promised Bella he’d stop drinking on his own. I think she worries about him. He gets a bit wild sometimes. Last time he was home she suggested he go somewhere to dry out.’
‘Did he?’
‘Of course not. He’s young. He drinks a lot. He’s only different from any other Shetland boy his age because he has more money. He’ll grow out of it.’
‘You didn’t go with Roddy to the Manse?’
‘No, I knew I’d be there all night. He started to make a bit of a noise as we left the gallery. Dawn has to be up early for work and I knew she’d not appreciate the racket. That brought me to my senses.’
‘Was anyone around?’
‘Nobody.’
‘Any lights in the houses?’
‘I’m not sure. This time of the year when it’s not so dark out, you don’t really notice.’ He paused. ‘I think Wilding was back sitting at his upstairs window looking out.’
‘Can you remember when he left the party?’
‘Sorry. I was in and out of the kitchen all evening. People seemed to disappear quite quickly after the chap caused the scene. Roddy played a couple of numbers then everyone drifted off. I guess Wilding went then.’
‘Do you know anything about this?’ Perez slipped the flyer cancelling the exhibition on to the counter.
Martin read it, frowning. ‘I don’t understand,’ he said. ‘Who died? Bella didn’t say anything about cancelling to me.’
‘Nobody died,’ Perez said. Only an Englishman dressed in black. ‘It seems to have been some sort of practical joke. Or someone wanting to wreck the opening. These were all over Lerwick yesterday.’
‘It’s pathetic.’ For the first time in the conversation Martin seemed serious. Intense.
‘What is?’
‘People being so jealous of Bella. Because she’s good at what she does and makes money from it.’
‘Do you have anyone specific in mind?’
Before Martin could answer, the child turned back from the toybox to face them.
‘Look at me!’ She was wearing a clown’s mask. Her hair, caught in the elastic, stuck up around it. The mask was identical to the one the stranger was still wearing as he hung in