He, Ben and Morwenna Eames stepped out into the weak sunshine, the big roller door clanging shut behind them once more. Ben took off his coat and inspected it, his face closed-off, angry. Morwenna went to stand alongside one of the bigger warehouses out of the wind. Aleksey went over to join her. She nodded at the bear, which he had swapped once more for the sword.
‘You not a bit old for that?’
He snorted. ‘It’s Billy’s.’
She shook her head. ‘So there actually is someone called Billy? You’re not here to buy our islands?’
‘I bought La Luz. This is true.’
She clenched her jaw. ‘How canyoubuyourland? He’s got no bloody right to sell!’
‘This other man you have mistaken me for was asking about Billy?’
‘I’m not sure. I never spoke to him. But people he questioned said he mixed it up, just like you did. But definitely questions about the lighthouse on La Luz and Benhar.’
Aleksey nodded. ‘Tell me where Oily Penrose is. You owe me now.’
‘I owe you! You’ve got a bloody cheek! You threatened us!’
‘Your little Cornish republican army almost got us killed. Spanner also believed it was me that killed his father. I think he tried to kill us because of it.’
‘What? What do you mean? I don’t believe you.’
Ben was listening intently to this, his expression deeply troubled.
‘You fed him these same lies—mistaken beliefs—and he tried to kill us.’
‘No. You’re wrong.’
‘We’ll see. I have someone looking into it for me. Where is he? Why did you have to take over the shop?’
She toed the ground. ‘He went to see ‘is dad in Truro hospital when he heard, and then he stayed on after ‘e died. He’s joined our other group on the mainland.’
‘Did he travel on the Scillonian to get there?’
‘Of course—why?’
‘Tell me where Oily is. This other man with a face like mine won’t stop until he gets what he wants. How many more people do you want to die?’
‘Who is Billy? Why are you looking for him?’
‘I don’t know the answer to either of those questions. Yet. Please. Oily Penrose.’
She nodded and told him where he was.
***
Chapter Thirty-nine
Aleksey kept upwind of Ben on the walk to the retirement home where Morwenna claimed the old fisherman was now living.
‘You okay?’
‘I’ll live. Madeline’s kick was easier.’
‘Ah, well, women probably have an innate respect for your balls that another man wouldn’t have—she probably held back in awe at their magnificence.’
‘Funny—there it is. Sea View Retirement Community.’
