‘It looks as though they’ve covered their head too. Is it a man or a woman, d’you think?’ Cat peered at the dark figure creeping back behind the bins trying to avoid being caught by the camera.
‘Hard to tell. They’re wearing trousers so it could be either. Can you make out what they are carrying?’
‘Long, light coloured, maybe a piece wood?’
‘That’s what I thought. But it can’t be the murder weapon because the fisherman walking his dog who found Marika’s body told Jed at The Smugglers she had been hit around the head with something that left deep gouges in her skin. Even with such a vicious attack a piece of wood wouldn’t do that. No, something metal had to have been involved.’
‘What about nails?’ Cat asked. ‘They weren’t carrying the wood when they went down, so they obviously found it down there. Part of a broken pallet or box washed in by the tide, maybe? It could still have had them embedded in it.’ She winced at the thought of the horrific injuries Nathan had just mentioned.
Nathan nodded. ‘Yes, it could be. The thing is, Cat, now we’ve discovered this other person, we have two choices. We go to Phillips to confirm they haven’t seen it or …’
‘The duty solicitor who’s looking after his case? Well what are we waiting for?’
‘I told you it would have been better to wait for Phillips to contact us,’ Nathan said later as he and Cat shared a lunchtime drink in the hotel bar. Grudgingly, Cat had to admit he’d been right.
They’d learned after an earlier call to the police station that both Phillips and Collins were in court all day. Cat, with her usual impatience and determination to get things moving, managed to get the name of Luke’s solicitor’s practice. Although he was in the office and took her call, he seemed to think she was some sort of practical joker. He referred her back to DI Phillips and told her to stop wasting his time before terminating the call abruptly.
‘He was pompous,’ she told Nathan afterwards, her face flushed with anger, ‘and very rude. Okay, we’re going to have to wait until Phillips returns our call but it’s worrying, you know. I hate the thought of Luke’s future being in the hands of someone like that. I don’t trust him to give Luke the support he needs. We have to do something, Nathan. We have to get better legal representation.’
‘But who? We don’t know anyone.’
Cat thought for a moment. ‘We don’t,’ she said, ‘but Aunt Em does. She has a godson. He has a practice in Bristol. I’m sure he’d help.’
‘Only if Em decides to play ball, which very much depends on the mood she’s in. And being banned from the hotel hasn’t exactly endeared her to us.’
‘I heard she’s ditched the Gossip Girls.’
‘When?’
‘Yesterday. Harry told me. She went shopping on her own this morning. Said she’d grown tired of them. That they were too childish for words. I think it might have had something to do with my visit.’
‘Well that’s a step in the right direction. Dad will be pleased.’
‘Yes but I’m still not sure she’ll help. She’s convinced the rumors are right and that he’s guilty.’
‘Well we can only try,’ Nathan said, finishing his drink. ‘Come on, let’s go see her.’
Standing at her window, Emelia Trevelyan watched as Cat and Nathan walked out of the hotel into the warm morning sunshine. Intercepted by one of the guests loading luggage into his car, they paused to chat for a few minutes before they began making their way towards Caer Gwyn. What did they want, she wondered? Here to give me another telling off, no doubt. The thought annoyed her. Well, she was ready, because if Rosalind Myers had been causing trouble again it was no longer anything to do with her. She had already given her and her dreadful conspirators the heave-ho. Just let them start on me, she thought, as they reached the front door. I’m ready for them.
Moments later, the door opened and Marion ushered Nathan and Cat into the lounge. She disappeared quickly, not bothering to stop and offer coffee or tea for the new arrivals. Emelia considered Marion to have barometer-like instincts when trouble was brewing. No doubt, it was why she had now beaten a hasty retreat back to her kitchen.
Emelia painted on a smile and indicated one of the comfortable sofas, inviting them to sit. As they did she settled herself opposite, her keen eyes assessing both of them, their solemn expressions indicating some sort of problem. But was she the cause or someone else? She squared her shoulders, ready to do battle. It was well known that the best form of defence was attack, which meant a need to take control of the conversation right away.
‘So,’ she said, folding her hands in her lap as she looked from one to the other, ‘what has brought you both here this morning? Some complaint or other, I expect. If it is, I’ll tell you now you’re in the wrong place.’
‘Complaint?’ Cat’s eyebrows rose in surprise. ‘What makes you think that’s the reason we’re here?’
‘Because I know I’m tainted by association.’ Em sniffed, pulling a handkerchief from her sleeve and pressing it to hernose. ‘But I’ll have you know I’ve given Rosalind et al the boot.’ She huffed indignantly. ‘We no longer move in the same circles.’
‘Glad to hear it.’ Nathan’s remark earned him a dig in the ribs from Cat.
‘Well if you haven’t come to complain,’ she said, lowering the handkerchief, her eyes darting from one to the other, ‘why are you here?’
Nathan leaned forward, clasping his hands over his knees. ‘We’ve come to ask a favour.’
‘A favour? From me?’ Emelia’s curiosity was piqued. This was a first; no one ever asked such things of her.
‘Yes, it’s about Luke,’ Nathan began. ‘Currently, he’s got this duty solicitor who is totally useless, so we were wondering whether—’
