Paul stared at her. ‘I think if you want to take this further, I’ll need Hampton-Dent to arrange a legal representative. Excuse me.’
He stood up and she watched as he walked into the hotel and didn’t look back.
Chapter 27
Lee found Sandy in her usual spot, smoking a cigarette down by the lake. He’d avoided the detective talking to Paul on one of the benches and skirted around the treeline, keen to avoid further questions. He found Sandy watching them from the shoreline.
She heard the noise of his footsteps and swivelled around. She didn’t exactly smile, it was more of a resigned grimace, but he approached her regardless.
‘How are you doing?’ he asked.
They both watched as first Paul, then the detective, went back inside.
‘I’m looking forward to getting out of this place. I didn’t want to hang around, but, you know, boss’s orders.’
‘Who’s your boss? I didn’t think anybody could boss you around.’
‘Flattery won’t work with me; I’m beyond it. That’s why I’m not married.’
She stared at the lake. He lit a cigarette and inhaled deeply. The lake was as placid as ever, despite what had happened here. He didn’t suppose lakes had feelings. If they did, it might be a tempest out there. That’s how he felt inside. After talking to the detective, he felt a fool and his ego was damaged, but now he was standing next to Sandy, he felt all that melt away and all he wanted to do was hold her and go back to before Tuesday when the horror started. He was intoxicated by her, despite her hardness.
‘Your speech was excellent on Tuesday; I didn’t get the chance to tell you.’
She threw her cigarette into the water and Lee looked disapprovingly. He hated pollution, especially of somewhere so beautiful.
‘What does it really matter now?’
‘Well, I thought you’d like to know, that’s all.’
She stared across the lake, and he heard the faint shouts of children playing in the water across the beach.
Everything had gone back to normal, but nothing had.
‘Did you speak to the detective?’ he asked.
She side-eyed him suspiciously and he could tell she was working out what he knew.
‘What did you tell her?’ she asked.
‘The truth. Well, kind of. Not everything. I didn’t tell her that we found your friend Paul naked up Loughrigg Fell, raving like a lunatic.’
‘Keep your voice down,’ she whispered. ‘And he’s not my friend.’
‘Of course, sorry, your guinea pig.’
She turned to him angrily and flared her nostrils, but to him, it was another turn-on.
‘Don’t worry, I didn’t tell her that either.’
Sandy looked around and he reassured her that he wasn’t followed.
‘You have no idea,’ she said.
She stormed away and lit another cigarette. He walked after her.
‘Sandy, I didn’t mean to offend you; I just thought we got on well; I wanted to see you again.’
She didn’t answer, but blew smoke heavily and the wind caught it and blew into his face.
