Page 45 of Old Girls Behaving Badly

‘Ah, I see, straight to the point. And yes, I do. Why do you ask? As Dorothy’s companion, I can’t see why it would matter all that much. You’ll be gone by the end of the week.’

I weighed up whether Dorothy’s secret was only hers to tell and decided that as time was pressing I should just go for it. I also wondered whether I was being blinkered by the dog collar and who was to say how trustworthy Peter actually was.

‘Dorothy believes that a painting belonging to her husband was stolen by Leonard and she’s employed me to try to find it. Her husband died after a bungled burglary. They were supposed to be out and the thief broke in, took the painting and was leaving when Philip chased him, fell, and later died.’

‘Goodness, I was not expecting you to say that. And she thinks Leonard broke in? Because I have to say, he usually gets others to do his dirty work.’

We’d reached the end of the driveway and were round onto the path leading to the church gate.

‘No, she believes it was someone employed by him. Is that something you’d know anything about?’ I asked him.

Peter steered me to the left and towards the lane that ran down to the rectory before he answered.

‘I’ll tell you what I know and what I believe to be true. Leonard is a man who likes people around him that owe him in some way. Harry, for example. I can’t tell you what Harry did in a past life, because he wasn’t specific, but Leonard knows about it and keeps him close. I know this because Harry told me. He’s worried that Leonard will spill the beans, so to speak, and he’s probably right to be worried, although I have told him to come clean. That way he can cut ties with Leonard and live an honest life, possibly behind bars for a short while, but honest all the same. I think he’s wavering, but it’s his choice. I believe Harry is currently helping Leonard to conceal stolen goods in the house. He’s not so much a collector of art, but a thief of it.

‘Harry hasn’t confirmed this, but I’ve seen comings and goings. There’s a good viewpoint of the back of the house from my spare bedroom window in the rectory and yes, I do realise how that makes me look. I just feel I ought to know what’s going on under my nose. To be honest, I’m not sure how to act, yet.’

I didn’t say anything as we walked up the path to his front door. I was taking it all in, though.

‘I’m not all that surprised by what you’ve told me. It confirms what I thought. So, Harry isn’t to be trusted then.’

‘No, Harry is to be trusted and I suggest you go and speak to him. He’s looking for an out from his situation in that house and if he can get Leonard to loosen his grip, he’ll be onto the right path.’

‘Surely he just needs to tell Leonard that he’s leaving and see where the dice fall.’

‘You’re right, but that’s for him to decide. If you talk to him, though, he might feel a sense of safety in numbers.’

‘Or he might tell Leonard what I’m doing in his house and I could well feel the wrath of the man. You’re asking me to put my faith in a criminal after all.’

We’d stopped at Peter’s door and I declined his invitation for a cup of coffee.

‘I should be walking you back now,’ he said.

‘No need, I’m more than capable,’ I said.

‘I can see that,’ Peter replied. ‘Gina, Harry will probably know where Leonard keeps his stolen artwork. He probably helps him to hide it. He might well know where the painting is. Maybe you could just ask him that. And if he’s forthcoming, maybe you could encourage him to take the right path.’

‘Maybe I could just phone the police and tell them Leonard has a house full of stolen goods,’ I mused.

‘I wouldn’t do that. I don’t think it’s all in the house. Leonard has many places on his estate to tuck things away. The police will need more than hearsay and if Leonard finds out, he could well move the lot.’

‘That’s pretty much what Dorothy said. So, I’m looking in the house and may well be wasting my time.’

‘Possibly; possibly not. I’m sorry I can’t help you more than that, but I would urge you to talk to Harry.’

‘You’ve been very helpful, Peter,’ I said. ‘Thank you for your honesty. I’ll say goodnight.’

‘Goodnight, Gina, I’ll see you at the wedding on Saturday, no doubt.’

‘I was rather hoping to duck out of it and go searching, but now I’m wondering if it might be a waste of time.’

I left the rectory and walked slowly back to the house, my head full of what I had to do next. Talk to Harry, the man who half terrified me, but who also cooked amazing food.

I could hear laughter coming from the music room and what sounded like Toby playing the piano again, but I walked straight past and up the stairs to my bedroom with no wish to interact with any of them. I thought briefly of telling Dorothy what I had learned from Peter, but she seemed tired earlier and was probably already asleep; I didn’t want to wake her. I also contemplated going downstairs to see if Harry was around, but decided that the morning would be soon enough for that conversation and I’d have the night to think about how on earth I was going to broach the subject with him.

I pushed open my door, quite keen to sink under the covers, but to my surprise, Juliet was sitting on my bed.

‘Where have you been?’ she hissed. ‘We’re wasting time while you’re busy chatting up the vicar.’