‘I believe they’re laburnum seeds,’ Ally told him. ‘I think this is what has been poisoning her.’
The ambulance sped away.
Ally went into the kitchento find a text from Ross:
So sorry, Ally, but I’ve had an urgent call from Will and have to do a couple of hours at the surgery. Will see you later. xx
Ally, her heart racing, tried to calm down with a cup of tea, but her mind wouldn’t switch off. What to do first? Perhaps she should clean Patti’s room before she did anything else, just in case Patti might be allowed back later? No,of courseshe wouldn’t be allowed back later! They’d keep her in for observation, wouldn’t they – if she survived? What if she didn’t survive – who would look after Julie and Janey? Joel? Oh God!
She hoped that Amir would be there soon so she could tell him about Wendy. Ally suddenly realised that she hadn’t seen her at all that morning. Wherewasthe woman? Amir would want to know when he got there. She thought quickly and decided that the best thing to do would be to leave a message with the receptionist at the Craigmonie because she didn’t have her number.
‘I did see Mrs Watson in here earlier,’ the receptionist said when she phoned, ‘but I haven’t seen her for hours.’
As Ally came off the phone, she hoped she’d done everything she should have done. She felt quite exhausted with the events of the morning, but now the house was empty, the bedrooms were all cleaned and she had the afternoon to herself. She knew what she’d do – she’d make a steak pie for supper. Ross loved her steak pies, and Ally found cooking relaxing when she was stressed. She got out all her ingredients and her rolling pin for the pastry when Flora started barking at something she’d heard outside, so Ally went to let her out into the garden. It was a lovely, still late September afternoon, the sky clear, and the air just a little crisp. As she came back in through the rear porch, Ally had a strange feeling that someone was in the kitchen.
Then she saw who it was.
Wendy.
Wendy was smiling in a strange way, and she also had the rolling pin in her hand.
TWENTY-SEVEN
‘Where is everybody?’ Wendy’s voice sounded different somehow, and Ally’s stomach did a complete somersault. Why was the woman looking at her like that?
Ally took a deep breath. ‘Patti appeared to be in a coma, so I called for an ambulance.’ She’d managed to pick up her phone from the kitchen table, and when Wendy was distracted for a moment at Flora barking at birds in the garden, she clicked ‘Reply’ on Ross’s message from earlier and sent him a new text:
HELP!
Wendy turned back towards her, and there was a moment’s uncomfortable silence.
‘Youdid? Did you not think to contactmefirst, as herfamily?’ Wendy asked.
‘You didn’t seem to think it was necessary,’ Ally replied. ‘But I did. And the girls have gone with her. Can I have my rolling pin, please?’ Ally held out her hand, but Wendy completely ignored her.
‘Howdareyou make decisions for my family?’ Wendy asked. She’d advanced a couple of steps closer.
‘Someone had to make a decision. She appeared to be in a coma, and you were nowhere to be seen.’
‘There was nothing wrong with her,’ Wendy snapped. ‘She was just tired.’
Ally had had enough. ‘Perhaps she was tired of being fed laburnum seeds, Wendy!’
Something dangerous flashed in Wendy’s eyes for a second. ‘What the hell are you talking about?’ she said, now glaring at Ally with renewed fury.
‘I’m just curious to know why you had laburnum seeds in your bedside drawer?’
‘And why the hell were you looking in my bedside drawer?’ Wendy asked, her face twisted with anger, still clutching the rolling pin.
‘A landlady’s privilege,’ Ally replied, her eye on the rolling pin. ‘I was cleaning your room, and your drawer wouldn’t shut properly.’
‘If you must know, I’m taking the seeds home to plant in my garden,’ Wendy snapped.
‘Oh, good,’ Ally said, ‘I just wondered. Anyway, I’ve given a few to the paramedics, just in case it’s got anything to do with Patti’s strange illness. I did have another question though – were you blackmailing your own husband, Wendy?’
‘Youcow!’ Wendy was now properly brandishing the rolling pin and rounding the kitchen table in Ally’s direction. She gave a strange smile. ‘You know what? By the time they find out what’s wrong with Patti, Joel and I will be on our way home!’
‘Oh, will you indeed?’ Ally was now eyeing the rolling pin with some alarm. She could only hope she’d be strong enough to ward off this woman if she really planned to attack. If she could just hold her off until Amir gotthere… ‘I don’t think somehow it’s going to be that easy. But, tell me, why were you trying to kill Patti?’
