‘The daft lassie has been crying her wee heart out over Lewis. I keep telling her, it’s no loss. He wasn’t interested in you when he was alive. Why should you care now he’s dead?’
‘I’m sorry, but you’ve lost me.’
She ignored the man who was trying to get served, waving a ten-pound note in her face. ‘Are you saying they haven’t told you? Not even Holly?’
‘Haven’t told me what?’
‘Lewis was Avril’s dad.’
I was stunned, but immediately went on to think,Of course. That explained the conversation I’d overheard outside the house, when Avril had told Lewis she hated him.
‘He got her up the duff that Hogmanay. The same night my Jimmy died.’ There was a mixture of grief and anger in her eyes.
Another realization hit me. ‘That’s why they pay Morag so much for housekeeping. It’s actually child support.’
‘Aye. In disguise. He’s never publicly admitted it, but Morag told me it was him straight away and I went to Charles to demand that we do a deal. He wasn’t going to leave my daughter bringing up his son’s wee bastard without getting paid.’
There was a coldness in her voice now.
‘Lewis didn’t want to be involved in Avril’s life?’
‘Did he hell. And to be honest, I was glad. The Grants are poison. I’m guessing you don’t know about the arts centre?’
Charles had mentioned this earlier, but I had no idea what it was.
Brenda didn’t let me speak. ‘No one has told you about the promises they made.’ She snapped at the man still waving the tenner at her. ‘Is your mouth on fire? No? Then you can wait.’
He stopped waving the tenner.
Brenda spoke to me again. ‘Lewis was not a good man. None of them are. I’m on the verge of flinging those two out.’
Not understanding what she meant, I followed her gaze to the other side of the pub, where a group of people werestanding with their backs to us. Among them were Charles and Zack.
‘The devil himself,’ she said. ‘And his pet imp.’ She finally turned to the man she’d admonished and asked him what he wanted to drink.
Pushing my way through the crowd, I joined Charles and Zack in the far corner, sidestepping the small crowd gathered around them. Zack was showing the gathered drinkers Jasmine’s picture on his phone while Charles talked loudly about how they all needed to get out there and join in the search. No one showed any signs of leaving the warmth of the pub.
Zack saw me. ‘What are you doing here?’
‘I couldn’t stay at the house any longer. I want to help.’ Charles came closer, and I said, ‘I really like Jasmine. I’m worried sick about her.’
Charles clapped me on the shoulder. ‘She told me she likes you, too.’ He struggled to get the words out past the lump in his throat and, startled, I thought I was about to see the great man cry.
‘You’re not very good at finding people, though, are you?’ Zack said. ‘I heard your film ends with the missing bloke still AWOL.’
Bristling, and feeling the need to defend myself, I said, ‘Well, I think my next film will have a resolution. I think I’m getting closer to finding out what happened to Samir.’
‘Who?’ Zack asked.
‘The young man who was found at the caves back in January,’ Charles said, recovering from his moment of vulnerability.
Zack’s voice was calm. ‘What do you mean, you’re getting close?’
I was, of course, greatly exaggerating how far I’d got. I suppose I didn’t want Charles to think I was a loser. I still wantedhim to be impressed by me. So I said, ‘I’ve found a message that was sent about Samir. Someone saw him.’
‘Really? Where?’
‘I’m… not sure. It was anonymous.’
