‘Knowing Neville Hilton I imagine he completely rejected what you were saying,’ said Pat. ‘Which would make you angry enough to shout at him.’
‘You shouted the name of the school in his face,’ said Liz.
‘You probably read to him from the Ofsted report,’ said Thelma.‘I’m guessing he must have tried to snatch it off you – which is how a corner came to be ripped off.’ She paused, looking almost sympathetic. ‘I do realise how angry you must have been – after all, the man had done terrible damage—’
‘He should never have been an Ofsted inspector in the first place,’ agreed Pat.
‘And because of what he did,’ said Thelma quietly, ‘you decided he had todie—’
‘What, you think I somehow managed to induce a heart attack?’ scoffed Bun. ‘How? Maybe I had a voodoo doll and stuck pins in it?’
‘What induced the heart attack,’ said Thelma, ‘was a knife. A knife he believed you were going to stab him with. You moved towards him with the knife, and he must have finally realised the danger he was in – and that was when he had his heart attack.’
‘Bun!’ Sarah’s voice was sharp. Several people at adjoining tables turned their heads.
Bun stood up. ‘I need to make it clear that I totally deny any of the suppositions put forth, one hundred per cent. None of this has a word of truth in it,’ she added shakily.
Pat, Thelma and Liz said nothing, just gazed impassively as Sarah Botha and Bun gathered their things. Bun fumbled slightly with her coat and all at once looked immeasurably older and sadder.
‘We’re all truly sorry about Annie,’ said Thelma, almost impulsively. Bun’s hands trembled slightly as she picked up her bag.
‘What can you possibly know about it?’ she said, her voice weak with exhausted sadness.
As they left, Bun Widdup paused, her look to Thelma was almost pleading. ‘What that man did was nothing short of appalling,’ she said.
Thelma nodded. ‘I agree,’ she said. ‘But what you planned to do was worse.’
Chapter Thirty-two
Tuesday 5th August
From the Hambleton Amblers Not Ramblers Facebook Page:
Please be aware that due to today’s wet weather, the Abbey-to-Abbey Saunter has been postponed until next week.
‘So, the fact is, Chelsey, Mr Hilton – Neville – had been there for hours before you even went into the property.’ DS Donna Dolby’s voice was calm and matter-of-fact. ‘And even if youhadbeen there when he was taken ill, there was very little you could have done.’
Except maybe stop Bun Widdup from waving a knife in his face, thought Pat.
Chelsey nodded. ‘I mean I had been told that but you can’t help wondering,what if—’
‘Well, you can stop wondering.’ Ffion’s voice was surprisingly gentle. ‘Nev had suffered with his heart for years. Since before I knew him. He used to say, “I’m a ticking time bomb, me.”’ She sighed, and looked at a photo, newly fixed to the wall. The smugand, yes, frankly irritating features of the late Neville Hilton smirked back.
Eyes wide, Chelsey looked round at the others sitting in Ffion’s living room, which was a sight tidier today and smelling strongly of furniture polish (apparently Zippy and Sidrah had been in). Pat, Liz and Thelma smiled reassuringly at the girl, and she nodded again, seeming to grow in confidence. Outside, the August rain hissed and dribbled down the washed wet glass; the grass was green and lank. ‘It’s just hearing someone official say it,’ she said.
Donna smiled grimly and tapped a document on the coffee table next to her. ‘Can’t get any more official than a forensic report, love,’ she said.
Chelsey nodded. ‘I just have to get a hold of myself,’ she said. She sighed, and the shadows returned to her face again.
‘Are you not back at work yet, lovey?’ asked Liz. Since their encounter a few days previously, none of the three friends had heard from Jax.
Chelsey shook her head, shuddering slightly. ‘No,’ she said. ‘No way. I mean, I know it’s daft, but I just can’t face going into all of them different houses on my own.’
‘It’s not daft at all,’ said Pat.
‘It’s the most understandable thing in the world,’ said Liz.
‘I mean I’m sleeping a bit better,’ said Chelsey. ‘And all that talking with the therapy lady does help. It’s just—’ She shuddered. ‘I keep thinking about putting my key in that lock and pushing open the door.’ She stopped abruptly, eyes filling with tears.
