‘All this must be unbelievably stressful for you, Wendy,’ Ally said, noticing the dark circles under the woman’s eyes as she turned around.
Wendy sobbed and blew her nose. ‘Do you know what that detective has just told me?’
‘No,’ Ally lied.
‘Patti was having an affair with my husband! With myGreg! Under my very nose! Howcouldhe? How could she?’
‘You had no idea?’
‘I certainly had no idea! Now I know why Patti was so insistent that we all holidayed here together.’
‘I’m so sorry.’
‘I’m not sleeping well,’ Wendy continued, ‘because there are so many worries on my mind. I’m finding it hard to believe that Patti had an affair with my Greg. Mind you, Archie could be a bit of a bastard, and I know he had affairs. Isthatwhy she killed my brother?’ Wendy blew her nose lustily. ‘Now she’s telling the inspector that it was Greg who fired the gun, meaning she’s callous enough to blame a dead man to get herself off the hook!’
‘This must be a complete nightmare from which there’s no escape at present,’ Ally said.
‘That’s exactly it. And what if Pattiisfound guilty – what happens then? Do you know I was actually intending to take Julie and Janey to see their mother today? I don’t think I can face it now.’
‘But she may not, of course, be found guilty of Archie’s murder,’ Ally suggested, realising that Wendy was actually shaking uncontrollably. She felt desperately sorry for the woman.
‘Why then did she ask her uncle to get her a gun? She had to be planningsomething, for God’s sake! And isn’t it some coincidence that the very next day Archie is killed?’
Ally cleared her throat. ‘You really had no idea that Greg might have been having an affair with Patti?’
Wendy shook her head. ‘I just can’t believe it. This could be a story she’s made up to get herself off the hook, I suppose. Julie and Janey are convinced, of course, that their mother is innocent. But that’s what theywantto believe, isn’t it?’ Wendy lowered her voice a little. ‘How must it feel to know that your mother killed your father? And if she is guilty, she’ll go to jail for a very long time, and will that be in Scotland? So the girls can’t even visit her? I just thank God that Joel got here because I cannot cope any longer with all this on my own.’ Tears ran unchecked down her cheeks.
‘Do you want to come into the kitchen with us?’ Ally asked.
‘Thank you, but no. I want to lock myself away for a bit and phone Joel. God only knows what he’s going to say!’ Wendy blew her nose again.
Ally gave her a long hug. ‘I honestly don’t know what to say that will bring you any comfort,’ she said.
Wendy dried her eyes. ‘You’ve been great, Ally. Thank God we’re staying here and not at the Craigmonie! Joel hates leaving his room because everyone stares, and because they know who he is, the media hound him.’
‘Well, let’s hope that you’ll soon be able to go home,’ Ally said. ‘And at least we know for sure that Patti didn’t kill Greg because she came back here with us and didn’t go out again until we all set off for the barbecue.’
There was silence for a few minutes while Ally loaded the breakfast plates onto her tray.
Wendy showed no sign of leaving. ‘But what happens when sheisfound guilty of Archie’s murder?’ she asked. ‘I mean, we all need to go home whether she’s guilty or not. And who’s responsible for these two girls? WillIbe responsible for them? Do we have to come back for the trial, whenever that may be? And when will they release Archie and Greg’s bodies so we can accompany them back home? How long is it likely we’ll have to stay here until they do?’
‘Wendy, you need to ask Detective Inspector Kandahar about all this,’ Ally said. ‘He really is a very nice man, and I’m certain he’ll be able to reassure you on most of these points. And maybe you should see a doctor to prescribe you something to soothe your shattered nerves.’
‘Perhaps I should,’ Wendy agreed. ‘And thank you so much for listening to all my moans and groans!’
Ally nodded, wondering how on earth they would all cope if Pattididturn out to be guilty.
TWENTY-FOUR
The conversation with Wendy had unsettled Ally greatly. Wendy badly needed expert advice or she was likely to have a breakdown. Ally couldn’t begin to imagine how it must feel to find out that your husband, your late husband, had been having an affair with your sister-in-law. And that the latter had probably killed her own husband, Wendy’s brother. What a hellish mess!
Joel arrived about half an hour later and thumped on the kitchen door.
Startled, Ally looked up from her coffee and her newspaper.
‘Joel!’ she exclaimed as she opened the door.
‘I need to have a word with you, Ally,’ he said. ‘You know how upset my mom is?’
