‘Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. Perhaps he was thinking of moving here. Retiring to the countryside. A lot of people do. I’m an estate agent. In fact, I sold this house just a few months ago.’
Dawn perked up. ‘I don’t suppose you’d be able to tell me who lived here. Confidentiality and all that.’
Murray was gone, what harm could it do. ‘Well, don’t go broadcasting that I’ve told you but the previous owner was a friend of mine so I’m sure he wouldn’t have minded. It was Murray Henderson.’
Dawn turned so fast she almost toppled off the wall. Blythe steadied her. ‘You’ve got that wrong. It can’t have been.’
Blythe hated it when people challenged facts. ‘I knew Murray really well. He lived in this village for years. I can assure you he did live here.’
‘But how is that even possible?’
‘You’ve lost me,’ said Blythe, ignoring Vicky jumping up and down across the road in a desperate attempt to get her attention.
‘Murray Henderson lived in Manchester. I know that for a fact because I’m his daughter.’
34
18thDecember
Blythe almost toppled off the cottage wall herself. She’d not been expecting that. ‘Maybe there’s been some sort of mix-up.’ Although Blythe was struggling to think what it could be. How could one person live in two places? They couldn’t.
‘My dad, Murray Henderson, died in May. This is him,’ said Dawn, opening her purse and showing Blythe a dog-eared graduation photograph of much younger versions of Dawn and an unmistakable Murray.
‘But that makes no sense.’ As she said it a few queries pinged into Blythe’s head to challenge what she thought she knew. ‘I mean he used to go away quite regularly because he was a big birdwatcher.’
‘That’s what he told us…’
‘Us?’ questioned Blythe.
‘Me and Mum. Well, before she died five years ago. He was always off to different places all over the country. And after he died, I wanted to feel a bit closer to him and I thought perhaps visiting those same places might help. But when I started looking there was no information anywhere. I’d inherited his car but not used it so I checked the sat nav expecting to find a long list of addresses and postcodes. The only address was this one.’ She pointed over her shoulder at the cottage.
‘That’s why we caught you checking the place over,’ said Blythe.
‘I’m sorry. I don’t know what I was expecting to find. Some answers to my questions I suppose.’ She turned to face Blythe and took a deep breath. ‘Who lived here with him?’ she asked.
‘No one. Murray has always lived alone.’
‘That’s good. I think. I can’t really get my head around him having a home here as well as… well, at home. Was there someone local he was close to?’
‘Only Turpin the cat,’ said Blythe.
Dawn sighed heavily. ‘Really?’ She looked doubtful. ‘He’d never let us have a cat when I was a child because he worried it would hunt the garden birds.’
‘He didn’t buy this cat. Turpin got evicted from the pub…’ Dawn was giving her an odd look. ‘Long story.’
Dawn studied the cottage. ‘It’s a beautiful place. Maybe renting this cottage was his way of escaping from life at home.’
‘It wasn’t r—’ Blythe stopped talking. Walking through the crowd carrying a holdall was Sam. The last thing she wanted was to have to explain to Dawn in front of Sam that she’d sold Murray’s cottage without it actually being for sale.
‘Blythe! Help needed now!’ hollered Vicky, who was no longer visible thanks to the swarm of people around her stall.
‘I’m sorry, I need to help my friend,’ said Blythe, getting to her feet. She was relieved when Dawn did the same.
‘That’s okay. I’ve taken up too much of your time as it is. Although I still have so many questions.’
So did Blythe. Not least of all why Murray’s next of kin didn’t seem to have inherited his property. Otherwise, why would she think it was rented? Blythe handed Dawn her business card. ‘Next time you’re visiting…’ Was visiting the right word? Blythe wasn’t sure. ‘Or passing this way, call me and we can have a coffee. I’ll tell you what I can. It might help you solve the puzzle.’
‘Thank you. That’s really kind of you.’
