Page 113 of A Scottish Country Escape

Linda’s hands continued to rub up and down against her trousers while she crouched there. ‘We were planning on leaving Fir Haven together; starting our lives together elsewhere. That was until that heartless maniac, Cameron Lomax, challenged him to some stupid race and killed him!’ She shook her head, tears gathering. ‘Do you know Ross deliberately gave me the wrong starting time for the race because he didn’t want me to be there?’ A lump appeared in her throat. ‘I should have been there.’

Elsa paused. ‘Did Cameron Lomax tell you that he caused Ross’s death?’

Linda’s gaze was contorting into one of increased pain. ‘He didn’t have to. Everyone knew what a nasty troublemaker Lomax was.’

Elsa couched her next question as she delicately as she could. ‘Did Cameron ever try to explain to you what happened that night?’

I watched Linda rub Brando behind his furry beige ears. ‘He tried to speak to me several times, but I knew the truth. All he was concerned about was saving his own neck.’ Her back went ramrod straight. ‘If it hadn’t been for that conniving police officer father of his, he wouldn’t have got away with what he did.’

I shuffled forwards a little. ‘Mrs Carlucci, there are a couple of things you should know.’

Her slim mouth, adorned in strawberry-red lipstick, pursed. ‘I know everything I need to know about that man. I lost my Ross so many years ago and yet I can still recall that night in minute detail.’

‘I’m sure you can and again, we are so sorry. But there’s something you don’t know.’

Linda’s eyes narrowed with suspicion as I explained how Ross had died saving Cameron. Her kaleidoscope of expressions twisted from incredulity and anger to pain.

Elsa jumped in when Linda’s body language indicated that she was about to erupt. ‘We’ve been to see him and he is still haunted by what happened that evening.’

Linda’s hands scrambled for the arms of her chair. Her fingers tightened around them. ‘I don’t believe you. Even after all this time, he won’t take responsibility for what he did to Ross.’

Concern pumped through me. ‘Mrs Carlucci, I realise this is a big ask, but would you be willing to speak to Cameron Lomax face to face?’

Elsa and I jumped back in our seats. Linda was on her feet, with Brando gawping up at her. ‘You’ve fallen for his lies as well.’

Elsa disagreed. ‘Mrs Carlucci, we haven’t fallen for anything. Cameron Lomax has been affected by what happened to Ross too. If you would just consider talking to him, it might help both of you…’

She strode towards her sitting room door and pointed at the way out. ‘I want both of you to leave. Right now.’ She flashed me a hot look. ‘You’re just here saying all this to get that boyfriend of yours off the hook!’

Knowing there was no point in trying to debate the point, Elsa and I rose from the sofa and moved reluctantly to her front door. Despondency got a tighter grip of me.

Linda kept Brando behind her leg while she hustled us out of her cottage.

My desperation was biting. Before I could think straight, my thoughts tumbled out. ‘Mrs Carlucci, is that why you placed a curse on Dexter?’

She was about to bang the door shut, but hesitated. ‘What are you talking about?’

I knew Dexter’s future was teetering on the brink. There was no time to waste. ‘I know he almost hit you in his car, which I agree was dreadful, but it wasn’t the only reason you took umbrage with him, was it?’

Elsa shifted beside me on the doorstep, as if to say, Careful, Elle, for goodness’ sake!

Frustration was hissing inside my head. What did I have to lose? I swallowed any doubt and carried on. ‘I saw a photo of Ross.’

Her eyes widened.

‘He looks a lot like Dexter.’

A mist of tears glistened in her eyes.

‘He’s talking about leaving Fir Haven – Dexter, that is,’ I carried on, emotion balling in my chest. ‘He can’t take any more of not being able to write. He feels like he’s lost so much purpose.’

‘He wants to continue to be a good father figure to Nadia and he seems to think that he won’t be able to do that here, if he can’t write,’ added Elsa.

Linda’s mouth twitched with defiance. She raised her chin. ‘That’s the child I saw him with?’

‘Yes,’ confirmed Elsa, who went on to explain that Nadia was in fact his niece, and how he had assumed responsibility for her.

Linda listened, her eyes widening at this revelation.