It was a relief to cook tea, to talk to the kids about normal things. It wasn’t until Beth was loading the dishwasher that her phone rang. Her heart leapt when she saw it was a text from Alex, asking about Imogen.
She replied that she had no more news, then he asked if she still wanted to look at the CCTV as he was free that evening.
Beth thought before she answered. She dreaded looking at the video and seeing Imogen driving the car. However, there was also the matter of Alex. William’s suggestions about the affair, the worries about Amy’s medication, and now there was the possibility of him being involved in selling drugs illegally online. If Kathleen had suspected Alex of messing with Amy’s medication or even providing drugs illegally, it had to be possible that Alex threatened her, even killed Kathleen. She needed to look inside the envelopes, the safe, maybe she would find something.
Beth felt her heart racing, Alex had said to be careful. Had he been warning her? Her hands shook as she put on her coat and she had to steady her voice as she told Sami she was going for a walk. She walked down to the village and was entering the car park for the pharmacy when she saw William getting into his car.
‘I’m surprised to see you here,’ said Beth.
‘I had to come and check some paperwork. It doesn’t stop because I have a personal emergency. I know some patients are waiting for important results. I had to check for them.’
Beth was struck anew by how dedicated William was to his job. ‘That is very good of you. How’s Imogen?’
‘No change. I’m going straight back to the hospital now.’
‘I hope things have improved.’
‘And what are you doing here at this time?’
‘Just coming to see Alex for a chat.’
William gave her a sad, weary smile and left.
Alex let her in. ‘Fancy a drink? I’ve got some white wine from the island vineyard. It’s very good.’
‘Thanks.’
Alex went into the kitchen, talking as he moved around opening cupboards.
‘I’ve given myself tomorrow off,’ he shouted from the kitchen. ‘I’ll do a bit of work on the online pharmacy work, but then I’m going to have a day cycling around the island. It’s a good weather forecast. I have to say, you’re lucky with the weather over here.’
As he talked, Beth wandered over to the shelves where the brown envelopes were arranged in two neat piles. In the first pile each was numbered in the left-hand corner. She picked them up and looked inside. They were empty. She ruffled through the next pile and was about to look inside one when she was aware of Alex returning. She quickly tried to put the envelopes back. ‘Your glass of wine,’ he said, then noticed where she was. ‘What are you doing over there?’
Alex gave her the glass of wine but frowned when he saw the untidy pile of envelopes. He moved to tidy them, then looked back at her. The flash in his eyes made her blush. ‘Were you looking in these?’
‘Why should I? They’re just envelopes,’ she stammered.
Alex screwed up his eyes. ‘I think you were. What did you think you might find?’
‘Nothing.’
He picked up one of the empty envelopes.
‘Are you thinking this is like the envelopes Imogen’s drugs were sent in?’
Beth felt very sick. She half smiled.
He looked at her more closely. ‘Seriously. Is that what you’re thinking?’
She nodded.
‘You suspect I’m doing more than selling coins online?’
Beth eyes widened in fear. ‘I don’t know.’
He sat down. ‘Why would you think that I would have anything to do with selling drugs?’
She swallowed. ‘The envelope. You telling Imogen about the dark net, and I saw her come here the night before she took the overdose.’
‘I never told Imogen about the dark net. I have no idea how you get on there.’
‘I remember when we were talking at the pharmacy after Imogen went in. You said that these people on the dark net saw what they were doing as no worse than selling clothes or something. It sounded like you didn’t think it was such a terrible thing to do.’
Alex frowned. ‘I was simply trying to explain how some of them might see it. Of course, I don’t condone it in any way. It’s monstrous. Of course, I would never approve of what they’re doing and certainly never have anything to do with it myself. I would no more do such a thing than your Sami would. Look in my safe, the envelopes, the whole flat. There’s nothing. You can have sniffer dogs brought here if you want.’
Beth gritted her teeth. ‘I’m so sorry, but can you understand why I was suspicious? I saw Imogen come in to see you last night.’
‘Yes. She’d found some pills that she’d lost the box to.’ Alex glowered at her. ‘She didn’t come here to be supplied with drugs. I’m fed up of your insinuations. I’m a dedicated pharmacist. I would never, ever, be involved in anything illegal.’ He jumped up and rushed over to a drawer. ‘And as for Amy, here is the copy of the report from the inquest. Read it.’
Beth took the papers, but her hands were shaking.
‘Read it,’ he repeated.
Beth tried to concentrate and read, and as far as she could make out from the wordy document, Alex was speaking the truth. There was no mention of the mix-up of drugs, but it was hard to take it in. She handed it back. ‘I’m sorry—’
‘I’ve had enough. I’d like you to go.’
Beth got up, feeling humiliated. She left the flat, ran up the road, and up the steps to the graveyard. She collapsed next to Kathleen’s grave and sat sobbing. She was so confused: if Alex hadn’t done any of these things, no wonder he was insulted.
‘Kathleen, I tried to so hard, but it’s all falling apart,’ she sobbed. ‘Everyone hates me. I’m so stupid.’
Beth took out her phone and shone it on the grave. It looked lost here: just a mound of earth. She would be glad when there was a headstone. She noticed another bunch of flowers, like the last time, tied with the pink ribbon. This time there was no message, simply a heart. As she looked at the flowers, she was reminded of something. Of course, it couldn’t be a coincidence. She knew who had left those flowers and, looking at the heart, she knew why.
‘I’m sorry.’ The voice startled her. Through the darkness she could make out Alex. She stood up, wiping the mud off her knees.
‘No, you’re right. I’m blundering around. I hear one thing, then the opposite. I don’t know who to believe.’
‘Look, it’s all right. Come back, check this CCTV.’
She was about to turn down the offer, but she needed to see that video, so silently she followed Alex back. It was eerie entering the empty pharmacy, white coats hanging on the back of the door watching them, judging her for being there.
Alex turned on the computer, and loaded the file.
‘This system we put in at Christmas, it can be downloaded direct on the computer. Saves piles of discs. We record in real time, so the quality is good. Ah, good. We’ve got as far back as that Sunday night. Don’t tell anyone. According to the guidance, we should only be keeping about thirty days, I think. Anyway, let’s see what its shows.’
He started it at nine on the night of the house party. They could only see the corner of the pharmacy car, but had a very clear view of the entrance.
‘Do we need to go back that far?’
‘Just curious. You know, in case, say, someone moved the car the night before. We’ll put it on fast forward, though, or we’ll be here all night.’
It was all very still, slightly spooky with the night camera. They saw a cat, then a man come in and urinate against the hedge. But no cars, no other movement. It started to get quite tedious, but Beth tried to keep concentrating. At one point Alex went out to fetch his glass of wine, but Beth never took her eyes away from the screen. They reached two, three o’clock. Everything was very quiet.
Eventually, it started to reach the early hours. Alex slowed it down. From six o’clock she was on high alert. At 6.30 she saw William drive in and park his car. Beth sat forward. They slowed down more, watched William take out his briefcase, lock his car and then let himself in through the main door. They carried on watching. No one else arrived until the receptionist at 7.30. They saw William let her in. After that the other doctors arrived in quick succession, and patients soon after. At 8.00 Alex stopped the video.
Beth sat very still. The feelings of anti-climax and humiliation wrapped themselves around her. ‘So, that’s it. After all that, no one used the pharmacy car. I got it all wrong. You must think I’m so stupid.’
‘Of course not.’
She felt her cheeks red, hot. ‘Sorry. I should be pleased, shouldn’t I? I didn’t want Imogen to have come in here.’
‘No. It’s good news really. So, does that mean you finally can accept no one went over to Kathleen’s?’
Beth scratched the palm of her hand. It was too quiet; they were too alone; now wasn’t the time. Instead she said, ‘Maybe,’ and stood up. ‘Thank you for helping me despite everything. I’d better go. I told Sami I was going for a walk. He’ll have the police out looking for me.’
As Beth walked home, she tried to think through what she’d learned. She was hugely relieved about Imogen, but what was she to make of Alex?