Page 59 of A Curious Ending

‘I believe he did. And I found what he said about that time very revealing,’ Abby replied.

‘You think it has something to do with the past, don’t you?’ Lara stated.

Abby did not answer but motioned for ‘Watson’ to continue.

‘We know that Dr Patil is asking for forgiveness for something and then after that it just seems like a whole load of contradictions.’

Abby nodded. ‘Yes, he is a gentle man who also has a temper; he doesn’t think that Lady Porter drank, but neither does he think she was ill, even though he first mentioned this possibility.’

‘At least we know it wasn’t anything to do with an inheritance,’ Lara suggested.

Again, Abby nodded.

‘When it comes to the actual inheritance we have…’ Lara started to count off on her fingers, ‘…Mrs M, the vicar who didn’t get anything, Joe, who also didn’t get anything—’

Abby interrupted, ‘But who thought he was going to?’

Lara frowned at her. ‘I think it’s the family who are the most interesting,’ she insisted.

‘Oh, indeed they always are,’ Abby agreed, smoothing a wrinkle out in her glove.

Lara continued with more enthusiasm, ‘We have greedy Richard, who has also committed fraud. And Pinky who might well have fancied £30,000 and if she really thinks she and Julian have a chance, she would have wanted Richard to have his inheritance before she divorced him.’ Lara tried to keep her voice level, as if the next thing she said was considered and unemotional, ‘And on that basis, I think we have to include Julian in the list of suspects.’

‘Oh goody!’ the ghost declared gleefully.

Lara looked away, but she was grinning.

‘Now,’ Abby continued more seriously, ‘we need to consider opportunity.’

‘Well,’ Lara said doubtfully, ‘we know that Pinky had means and opportunity – which I guess implies Richard and Julian did too as they could have got hold of her pills. Obviously, Dr Patil could get his hands on drugs and was a frequent visitor. Jason Honeybourne may have been able to smuggle drugs into the house, but I don’t know how he could have got her to take the overdose at a particular time.’ Lara sounded disappointed. ‘But then that goes for Joe,’ she said, sounding more hopeful. She really didn’t want Joe to be the murderer. No more did she want it to be Mrs M or the vicar, but for thoroughness she thought she should include them. ‘Mrs M could easily have done it, especially as we know Lady Porter took sleeping pills in the past…’

Abby took over, ‘And the vicar may be an insomniac for all we know, but it does not seem like he was a frequent visitor. Plus, as you mentioned, is it really likely that he would kill her for the church roof?’ She looked thoughtful. ‘I hardly see Mrs M as an avaricious person. Quite frankly, she could have taken anything she fancied over the past few months, but I do not believe she is responsible for the gaps in the artwork. And we know she was responsible for ensuring that Dr Patil gained his inheritance.’

‘Yes, it’s Richard and Jason who’re the greedy ones.’ Lara was quite sure of that.

They were silent for some time.

‘I keep thinking of that secret room,’ Lara mused.

‘You noticed it too then?’ Abby asked, looking searchingly at Lara.

‘It was so evocative of India, and when I was in Dr Patil’s house he had similar lanterns to Lady Porter’s. But when I mentioned the room to him he looked blank…’ Lara started to sound less sure of herself.

‘That wasn’t quite what I had in mind,’ Abby said softly.

‘Have I forgotten anything?’ Lara asked.

‘There is only the small matter of who assisted you over the balcony in the theatre.’ Abby sounded cross and Lara was rather touched.

‘Well,’ Lara suggested, ‘as far as I can see, it could have been any one of our suspects.’ She sat up straighter, ‘Oh, hang on, apart from Joe or Mrs M, as they weren’t there.’ She sounded pleased. Surely the person who pushed her was their murderer – so that ruled them out.

‘I did see the vicar circulating with the mayor,’ Abby suggested, suppressing a smile.

‘He barely comes up to my shoulder,’ Lara declared, picturing the vicar, who was a tiny wisp of a man, ‘I can’t see him shoving me over the balcony.’

Abby kept quiet, thinking of the figure she had seen following Lara home the night of her accident. She had not been able to catch up with them so couldn’t be quite sure who it was, but it was a tall man, she was certain of that. Mr Honeybourne and Dr Patil were both tall men. As was Julian Armstrong.

They drew into a country station and Abby became preoccupied watching passengers disembark as Lara busied herself on her phone. It was the sixth time since she had got on the train that Lara had checked it. Abby caught her looking at it and Lara explained, ‘I just want to know Mum got there safely and that she and Becky are okay.’