Mona Farrell paced from one side of the room to the other, raking her fingers through her hair and swigging from a bottle of vodka. ‘Damn, damn, damn,’ she muttered. Why had that scumbag had to come along to ruin everything? Her face creased in disgust as she thought about Royston and his sly, accusing eyes. ‘You’re up to your necks in it, you and Sadie… I know all about Eddie Wise.’ She was glad he was dead; he bloody well deserved to be dead.

But what now?

She was still trying to figure it out, but her thoughts wouldn’t run in straight lines. What day was it? Sunday, of course it was Sunday. She recalled checking out of the Bold last night, going straight to the station and catching a train to Liverpool and then another one to London. The journey was blurred, a hurtling through darkness. Her head had been spinning; it was still spinning. Back in Hampstead, she’d felt safe, but the feeling hadn’t lasted long. Worried that the police might be on her tail, she’d taken off first thing this morning, telling her mother that she was going to stay with friends for a few days.

What were the chances of anyone remembering her from the fairground? She had bought a hotdog and a coffee, but lots of people must have done the same. Just one more face in the crowd. But someone might have noticed her walking with Royston. And what would the cops find when they searched his home or his office desk? The bastard had been digging the dirt on her – there’d be notes, documents, maybe even his suspicions written down in black and white. And then there was the hotel register, proof that she’d been in Haverlea on Saturday. How long before they found out about that? Shit, everything was starting to fall apart.

After returning to Hampstead, Mona had tried calling Sadie over and over again but there had been no reply from the flat. She had wanted to warn her about Royston. If Sadie had come to meet her at the fair then she was in the frame too. Being local there was more chance of her having been recognized.

It hadn’t been until this evening that she’d finally got through to Joel. ‘Hi, it’s Anne. How are you?’

‘Anne,’ he’d said, his voice sounding tight and anxious. ‘Have you heard from Sadie at all?’

‘What? No. That’s why I’m calling. Are you all right? Has something happened?’

‘I don’t know where she is. She… she seems to have gone missing.’

‘I don’t understand.’

‘You don’t know where she might be?’

‘What do you mean, missing?’

Joel had taken a deep breath as if he was trying to get his thoughts in order. ‘I went away for a few days and then the police… I’ve just got back but she isn’t here. There’s no note or anything and she hasn’t rung. They’re looking for her, for Sadie.’

‘The police? Why? What for?’

‘I’m not sure exactly,’ he’d said, suddenly coming over all coy. ‘It’s something… I think it’s to do with Eddie. But I have to find her. Do you have any idea where she might be?’

‘No. Sorry. I haven’t a clue.’

‘Are you sure?’

‘Yes, of course. I’d tell you if I did.’

‘Okay, thanks, yes, I’m sorry. I’m just… Look, I’d better go.’

‘Let me know if you hear anything.’

Mona had stepped out of the phone box with a smile on her face. So Sadie had done a runner too. That was good news. It was a relief. She must have heard about Royston and guessed that she’d be a suspect. Or maybe she’d even been at the fair when his body had been discovered.

Mona stopped pacing for a moment and gazed out through the window on to Station Road. She had chosen this B&B because it was almost opposite Oaklands and she could see everyone who came and went. She had a feeling, a gut instinct, that this was where Sadie would come. To Kellston. Of course she would. Where else? Sadie wouldn’t dare call Hampstead in case the police were monitoring the phone. No, she’d come here, hoping that Mona would too.

‘She’ll remember,’ Mona murmured, pressing her face against the glass. Yes, Sadie would remember that Mona had followed her during all that silly business with Eddie, that she knew about Oaklands. It was the natural place for them to meet up again. It was only a matter of time. She’d be here soon, tomorrow or the day after. And then what?

Mona had money that she’d withdrawn from a savings account, over a hundred quid. She had some gold jewellery too, a watch, three pairs of cufflinks and a tie pin, all of which she’d nicked from her father’s bedroom. Once they were sold, the cash would keep them going for a while. They could go over to France and… She frowned. Would Sadie have brought her passport? Maybe she wouldn’t have thought of it. Or maybe she hadn’t even had time to go back to the flat. Well, it didn’t matter. There was Ireland or Scotland, plenty of places they could hide until the fuss died down.

‘Plenty of places,’ she said out loud.

Mona gazed down at the Sunday traffic, getting sparser now as night drew in. She shifted her gaze to focus on the door of Oaklands. The inside of her head was starting to feel odd, muffled, like it was wrapped in cotton wool. But that didn’t matter. She lifted the bottle to her lips and drank. Everything was going to be all right. Sadie needed her help and she was here to give it. She’d keep on waiting until she came.

50

Inspector Gerald Frayne sat back in the chair and studied the man in front of him. He felt sorry for Joel, who reminded him, in some ways, of his own son. They were of a similar age and had the same trusting eyes. Those eyes were filled with confusion at the moment – it was clear that he had no idea at all where Sadie Wise had gone or why she’d disappeared.

Gerald kept his voice calm and reassuring. ‘Try not to worry. I’m sure we’ll soon get to the bottom of this. When exactly was the last time you saw her?’

‘Early in the morning,’ Joel said. ‘Yesterday. She’d decided not to come to the Lake District. I think… I don’t know, I think maybe she was worried about all the people who’d be there, that they’d be gossiping about her and Eddie. She was upset about it all.’

‘And she didn’t mention going anywhere while you were away?’

Joel pushed the palms of his hands down his thighs. ‘Only her mum’s, but I’ve checked and she hasn’t heard from her. I don’t understand. This isn’t like her, Inspector. She wouldn’t just… And the bed wasn’t slept in last night; we made it before I left and it’s still… No, I’m sure it hasn’t been. Something bad must have happened. It must have.’

The ‘something bad’ Gerald suspected was the murder of Peter Royston but it wasn’t a thought he was going to share with Joel. ‘Let’s not go jumping to any conclusions. She hasn’t been gone that long. Is it possible that she’s just gone to see a friend, someone in Haverlea perhaps, and stayed over for the night?’

‘She’s never done it before. And I can’t think of anyone she’s that close to round here. I mean, we’ve got friends but… Anyway, I’ve rung round and none of them have seen her.’

Gerald gave a nod. It had taken them a while to track Joel Hunter down. The house in Grasmere had no phone and so the local police had been enlisted to pass on the information that Sadie Wise appeared to be missing. Joel had driven straight back to Haverlea, arriving at about six fifteen. It was now almost seven o’clock. ‘What about friends in other places? London perhaps. She used to live there, didn’t she?’

‘That was years ago. No, I can’t think of…’ Joel paused, frowned a little and then said, ‘Well, there’s Anne. She called me earlier, just after I got back, but she was trying to get hold of Sadie too.’

‘Anne?’

‘Yes.’

‘Do you know what her surname is?’