Edward wished he could speak to Kim on her own, tell her the incredible level of danger he was feeling at this very moment under the veneer of this classy, tidy Devon lady, her searching gaze clear of any mascara or eyeshadow. It occurred to him that the whole story she had told him about Dr Jonathan Wrigley ‘getting tired’, changing his diet, ‘being unable to do small tasks for patients like sewing’, slowing down, losing focus … it had all been made up. All designed to lead Edward to the conclusion that a victim of murder had taken his own life.
Good God alive, did he look like the mug she must have thought he was? ‘Mr Temmis, I want you to investigate me.’
He was still struggling to understand the sequence of events. Say one of the Hearsts had gone out with Jonathan and the crossbow, ostensibly to shoot rabbits, and turned the weapon on him. But if he wanted to make it look like suicide, he would have left the crossbow at the scene, surely? By removing the crossbow, the unknown Hearst had created a crime scene. The lack of suspects had confused Devon Police utterly and led to an open verdict. Something must have gone wrong. Something that meant they had to remove the weapon.
‘I need the loo if you don’t mind,’ said Wendy. ‘While we wait for the boys.’
‘Around the corner on the left,’ said Edward.
When she left the kitchen, she pulled the door to. It gave Edward the chance to lean over to Kim. ‘She’s got something to do with it, the Toppings crash.’
‘What?’ asked Kim, jaw dropping. ‘I saw she was behaving oddly; I didn’t want to say or do anything to show her I’d noticed.’
‘What do you mean, oddly?’
‘Hyper. Blinking a lot. When we arrived, she said she’d hide by the front door to make it a surprise for you. I think she just wanted to hear what you said if you didn’t know she was there.’
‘Bastard. I can’t explain yet.’ He lowered his voice even further. ‘Stevie’s upstairs but say nothing about that. Hopefully she can hear what’s going on.’
‘She might have fallen asleep. Where’s your hearing aid gone?’
‘Pardon?’
‘Don’t bloody joke with me at this moment.’
‘I’m not, I genuinely didn’t hear you.’
The loo flushed. ‘I said – oh, never mind.’ The kitchen door opened. It was a different Wendy who stood in front of them. Her eyes blazed. The perception of increased height – her standing, the two of them sitting at the kitchen table – gave her presence added authority. She was the teacher. They were at her school. They would listen.
‘Kim, could you come here for a moment? I want you to come here so I can show you something.’
Kim hesitated, but at an almost imperceptible nod from Edward, did as she was summoned to. What danger could there be with two against one? She was several inches taller than Wendy Wrigley, who now moved to her left, easing herself between Kim and the kitchen counter.
‘What’s going on?’ asked Edward.
‘Edward, dear, do you remember us meeting on the day of that Harpford Hall event, with everyone misunderstanding what you were saying because you had no voice? I thought, “Here he is. I’ve found my simpleton.” But I think I misunderstood you too.’
She squeezed a hand into her skirt pocket, withdrew a key and threw it on the table.
‘Take this, you’ll need it in a minute.’
‘What is it?’ asked Edward.
Kim stood stock still. ‘What is this about? Edward’s trying to help you.We’retrying to help you.’
‘You know,’ said Wendy, ‘I might have believed that until I took the merest snoop into your lounge, and saw your computer. Tut-tut, Mr Temmis. Someone’s not very good with their screen discipline, are they?’
‘Edward?’ Kim asked.
Wrigley rootled around in her handbag for a second. In a flash she had nail scissors against Kim’s throat.
The sharp ends were pushing into the skin, and a drop of scarlet appeared where the vein was already punctured.
‘Kim!’ Edward shouted.
Wendy started to speak very quickly. ‘I don’t know how you got those police photos, Mr Radio Show, but I know you’re in deep with that policeman, and I can see exactly what you’ve been looking at. No hole, right? That’s me judged. Judge and jury you are, worse than all the sodding seaside chavs in this stinking town.’
Kim screamed as the scissors went further in.
