I returned to the wedding album and went through it again. Why didn’t I notice it the first time I looked? Usually photographs taken at a wedding have images of the couple dancing or cutting the cake and often driving away to their honeymoon but not Laura’s wedding. All the shots in the album were taken at the church. I consider this anomaly and the false smile on Jack’s lips and wonder if he’d been pressured intomarrying Laura. If he had been forced into marrying, would that be a reason to murder her?
My head is spinning. The group of people around Jack now have been with him for many years. They were at his weddings, with him on the honeymoon trip when Caroline died, and just happened to be on board the yacht when Laura accidentally fell overboard. On the yacht there were other people. The captain and his crew, the staff and Tom Bates. I notice Ruby in the background of all the other images. Jack mentioned she’d be with him forever, and had been his PA since he first started in business. I did notice at his wedding to Laura that Ruby was on the arm of a man who didn’t show up in any of the other photographs. I can only imagine that he was her plus one for the wedding. She would know everything, but getting her to talk would be like squeezing blood from a stone. I’ll need to have a long talk with Jack when he comes home, and ask him about his marriage to Laura. This time I expect him to tell me the truth.
THIRTY-FOUR
Jack arrives home early and, as I come downstairs, I hear him in his office. He is speaking in hushed tones but I slide up to his office door and wait outside. He’s speaking to George and Amy.
“I asked you to keep an eye on my wife.” Jack’s voice is just above a whisper. “I didn’t tell you to make her believe you were spying on her and reporting back to me. Willow isn’t Laura, and she doesn’t need constant supervision. My orders were to make sure nothing happened to her if she went upstairs to explore the top floor. You know it’s not safe up there. Now she doesn’t trust you and that just won’t do. I’ll try and smooth things over with her. You may go.”
Ducking away silently, I head to the kitchen and ask Sue to serve dinner if it’s ready and then go to tell Jack. I need explanations and expect to get them. I smile at him. “I’m sorry for calling your office. It’s just that seeing Caroline’s portrait disturbed me.”
“I’m so sorry.” Jack pulls me into his arms. “I should have told you, Willow. I know that now but I didn’t want to frighten you away. I love you so much. I just couldn’t risk it. From now on, I’ll answer all your questions.” He rubs my back and his eyes glide over my face. “I promise.”
I circle his neck and fall into his eyes. “Being honest with me is all I ever want from you, Jack. I don’t care about the past. We need to make our own future together.”
“That’s all I ever wanted.” Jack drops his arms and takes my hand and leads me into dinner. “I hope you’ll eat more tonight. I worry about you.”
I sit at the table and chuckle. “You shouldn’t. I eat cookies when you’re not around.”
“Well, then, don’t eat so many; they spoil your dinner.” He rolls his eyes. “Oh, now I’m talking to you like a father. That’s not my intention. I just care, Willow.”
I break a bread roll and butter it. “I know you do.”
“I’ve spoken to George and Amy.” Jack leans back in his chair. “They won’t spy on you again.”
I nod as Sue delivers the meals. “That’s good because I need to discuss a few things with you.”
A condemned man is allowed a final meal, so I wait until Jack clears his plate. He has his tablet at the dinner table and is showing me a selection of expensive vehicles. I remember my old Jeep that I left sitting in a friend’s garage in LA. It had taken two years to pay the loan and I’m proud of owning a four-thousand-dollar vehicle. I scan the screen. “What one do you like?”
“This one.” Jack indicates to an SUV. “It’s a BMW, top of the range, and we could use it for family outings.”
I nod, trying not to look at the price. “I like it. Do they come in silver? I’ve always wanted a silver car.”
“Really? Silver?” Jack looks at me and barks a laugh. “I called earlier and asked what the dealership had in stock. He told me it takes about ninety days to get a new car. So, I asked him what he had on the showroom floor. I told him I’d pay an extra ten thousand to get one this week. He told me the list of available makes and models he had in stock. One of them is a silverBMW.” He gave me a long look. “It’s basically brand new but a demo model. One they use to show prospective buyers and they have three: black, white and silver. He said he could sell one of them.” He pulls out his phone and scrolls through the contacts. “Joe, it’s Jack Hunter. I’ll take the silver BMW.” He looks at me and smiles. “Yeah, sure, send the banking details to Ruby.” He pauses a beat. “I’ll have the ten thousand cash delivered to you personally first thing in the morning. Thanks, Joe.” He disconnects.
The idea of a new car, any car, excites me but I haven’t forgotten my mission. “You sound as if you’ve known Joe for a time.”
“Yeah, we have a fleet of company vehicles and I do business with him all the time.” Jack takes my hand and brushes his lips across my knuckles. “I might forget dessert and head straight for bed.”
I shake my head. “Dessert is my favorite part of a meal and I never know what delights Pierre will serve.” I sigh. “In any case, I need to talk to you.”
“Are you bored with me already, Willow?” He stares into my eyes as if seeking the truth.
I laugh. “I can’t get enough of you but if you want me to be happy, I need to clear up anything that might spoil our happiness.”
“What could possibly spoil our happiness?” Jack’s eyebrows raise. “I know you hate the house and I’ve been thinking about that lately. You’re correct that it’s a moldy old building and in need of renovation. I could change anything you require within the limits of the heritage listing but I don’t believe that would make you happy. It seems to me anything to do with Laura makes you question our life together or perhaps my feelings toward you. I’m right, aren’t I?”
I can’t believe that he is actually considering renovating the house. “If I’m being perfectly honest with you, I hate this place. I really can’t see what Laura saw in it unless it held special memories from her childhood.” I squeeze his fingers. “The gardens are absolutely beautiful but I don’t live outside. Inside there’s a sadness that seems to seep out of the walls and it makes me depressed.” I look into his eyes. “The thing is, Jack, you go to work each day and are only at home weekends when the house is full of life with children running around and everything seems wonderful. I’ve spent my time in the house virtually alone. I honestly believe if I stay here much longer, I’ll risk my sanity. Things happen here. Either it’s the staff or because the house is falling down around us. Or maybe it’s because of the mold. It isn’t healthy here.”
“I see.” Jack’s brow creases with concern.
He looks devastated and I hate to keep going but it’s necessary to clear the air once and for all between us. “The main reason I wanted to speak to you tonight was because I want to know the absolute truth about your marriage to Laura. I know that Caroline was the love of your life but you didn’t wait very long after she died to marry Laura, did you? I find that very strange because most people that have lost someone that they love deeply will at least take a few years to mourn their loss, and yet you romanced and married Laura within six months.” I give him a long look. “I don’t believe for a second your time with Laura was like a romance novel.”
“Things happened.” Jack takes his hand from mine and dashes it through his hair.
I take a deep breath. “I know she apparently left Noah alone in the bath and about drugging her meals. What I want to know is why you married her in the first place?”
“How did you find out about Noah? And yes, she was on medication because, after that happened, I realized shewas unstable, and so I had her under the supervision of a psychiatrist. I couldn’t risk leaving her alone with the children again. You must remember they were only babies at the time.”
