It was a moment before Arthur spoke again, and Phyllis could see him processing everything she’d just said.
“Suppose you’re correct,” he said eventually. “Suppose Cynthia did commit all the other crimes, including attacking Sandy and—”
Arthur didn’t get any further as he was interrupted by a shrill ring. This time Phyllis knew it was the phone and she snatched the handset up. “Hello?”
“Hi Phyllis, this is Sheldon from Port Pets.”
“How is he? What’s the news?” The words tumbled out of her.
“I’m pleased to say Craddock’s doing much better; he’s more alert this morning and has eaten breakfast.”
“Really?” Phyllis heard herself gasp.
“We got the toxicology report back and it confirmed my suspicion. Craddock must have eaten chocolate, possibly with caffeine in it, too, and he had theobromine poisoning. But thanks to your quick reactions in getting him here so fast, we managed to treat him before there was any permanent damage. He’s a very lucky dog.”
Phyllis hadn’t realized she’d been holding her breath, and she released it slowly. “Thank you.”
“I want to keep him in for a bit longer, until he’s had a normal bowel movement, but you should be able to collect him at the end of the day.”
“End of day…okay…Bye.”
Phyllis hung up the phone. Her heart was racing at one hundred miles an hour and she closed her eyes.
“Phyllis?”
She startled and opened her eyes to see Arthur looking at her with concern.
“He’s going to be all right,” she said, her voice a whisper. “The vet says he’s going to be okay.”
“Oh, Phyllis, I’m so relieved.”
She felt a tear sting the corner of her eye and squeezed them shut again. Phyllis was not a crier. She hadn’t cried when her mother died, or at the woman’s funeral. In fact, the last time she’d cried was almost sixty years ago, on the day she—
“It’s all right, Phyllis. You can let it out.”
Arthur’s voice was soft, and she felt more tears pressing behind her eyelids. She lifted her hand to her face and found her cheeks were wet. For a moment, she considered shouting at Arthur, demanding he leave her alone and never come back. But instead, Phyllis leaned forward and allowed herself to sob.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Nova
Nova walked out of the police station with her head low, a silent Craig at her side. He’d arrived several hours ago with his parents’ solicitor, Bob, a balding man with halitosis who had stared at Nova’s chest but got her released without charge, although Yusaf had made it very clear she was still a person of interest. Even though Nova knew she was innocent, she felt as if she had a guilty sign hanging above her head as she followed Craig to the car.
“Jeez, Nova,” he said, once the doors were closed, his voice more weary than angry. “I thought we’d agreed no more drama?”
“This isn’t my fault, Craig. I didn’t attack Sandy.”
“I know you didn’t,” he said as he started the engine and reversed out of the space. “I just don’t get the coat thing. From what Bob told me, it sounds like this neighbor described your coat exactly. And it’s not like there are loads of people walking round St. Tredock in a bright red furry coat.”
“I wasn’t even wearing that coat to the pub last night. I left it at home, as it was soaking wet. Maybe someone broke into the house and stole it?”
Craig raised an eyebrow. “And then broke back in to return itbefore I got home at half eleven? I think that’s pretty unlikely; unless you left the door unlocked again?”
Nova heard the slight accusation in the wordagainand looked out the window. She wished with all her heart that her parents were here right now, to hug her and tell her everything was going to be all right.
“Mum’s completely freaking out, as you can imagine,” Craig said. “She spent the morning checking the wedding insurance documents to see if it covers ‘bride being arrested for assault.’ ”
“I’m sorry.” Nova knew it sounded limp, but she’d said the word so many times lately, it had started to lose its meaning.
