Juliet and Ricky had driven to Silverdale Farm in Juliet’s car. She had turned across the dyke and was reversing the car so that it faced the house when a Smart Car came hurtling past and parked diametrically opposite to them, as close to the house as its driver could go. The driver, a woman, spent a couple of minutes talking to someone on her mobile before getting out of the car. Her long chestnut hair had been tied back with a scarf. She was wearing a light blue herring-bone suit and knee-length boots.
‘It’s Susie Fovargue,’ said Ricky.
‘I don’t remember seeing that car she’s driving in your inventory.’
‘I don’t think it is on the list. She was out when I came with DI Yates.’
Juliet didn’t comment. She knew that Ricky would already be feeling embarrassed about not having asked about other vehicles owned by, but not at, the farm when he visited the day before.
Susie Fovargue looked across at them, then back at the house, as if undecided whether to speak to them or go inside and shut the door. Eventually she decided on the former course of action, picking her way along the muddy track with care. Her expression was not welcoming. Juliet thought that she looked the part of the landed lady – expensive if rather dowdy clothes, discreet accessories and just a touch of make-up.
‘Shall I introduce you?’ Ricky asked.
‘I think you’d better. We should get out of the car.’
‘DC MacFarlane,’ Susie Fovargue said coldly, as she reached them. ‘I thought it was you again. What’s the matter now? I understood that Josh Marriott showed you around yesterday, as requested.’ The last two words were spoken with pointed emphasis.
Ricky didn’t correct her by re-stating his name. He understood her continuing failure to recall it accurately was merely a game she was playing to demonstrate how insignificant he was.
‘He did. He was very helpful to both DI Yates and myself. Unfortunately, DI Yates was called away early to an emergency and has been taken off the vehicle thefts case now.’
‘The vehicle thefts? Yes, I believe you did mention them before. But I thought you and DI Yates came to quiz Jack about the man who assaulted him.’
‘We did. But when DI Yates understood how many vehicles you keep here, he thought…’
‘I’m DS Armstrong,’ Juliet cut in crisply. ‘I’m working on the vehicle thefts with DC MacFadyen now. We’re here because we’d like to give you some advice on making your property more secure.’
Susie Fovargue shrugged. She didn’t take Juliet’s out-stretched hand.
‘That sort of thing doesn’t really concern me. You’d better talk to Jack, if he’s around – or Josh.’
‘You’ll forgive me for saying that it should concern you, Mrs Fovargue. That’s a nice car you’re driving – new by the look of it? Although most of the thefts we’ve been investigating are of farm vehicles, it’s unlikely that the thieves would turn up their noses at a car like that, if they came upon it. And this place is very isolated.’
‘I suppose it is rather a nice car,’ Susie Fovargue said, as if reflectively, though with just enough smugness in her tone to annoy Juliet. ‘You’re right – Jack only bought it earlier this year. I have no idea why. I didn’t ask for it.’
‘It’s your vehicle, then, Mrs Fovargue? Are you the only driver?’
‘I suppose you could say it belongs to me. Jack uses it sometimes, but I need it most of the time for the children.’
‘What does your husband drive?’
Susie Fovargue laughed.
‘Oh, anything and everything. He tends to use the van that belongs to his organic farm quite a bit. As you have discovered, there are quite a lot of vehicles here.’
‘Not all of them registered for road use, I believe,’ said Ricky.
Her smile faded quicker than it had appeared.
‘Perhaps not, but I’m sure he wouldn’t take them out illegally. And they really aren’t my affair. If you’ll excuse me, I’m in rather a hurry. I’m visiting a primary school in an hour or so and I need to go in to make sure the children are okay. There’s a woman from Bourne who’s come to look after them, but I need to give her some instructions.’
‘Of course,’ said Juliet. ‘If we can find Mr Marriott, do we have your permission to discuss improving the security with him?’
‘If you want to. I don’t know how co-operative he’ll be. Josh is the sort of person who’ll lie in wait for thieves and give them a good pasting, rather than spend money on expensive security devices.’
‘Is that so?’ said Ricky quickly. ‘In that case, we need to talk to him quite urgently, because if he takes matters into his own hands like that he’ll easily overstep what the law allows.’
‘Indeed,’ said Juliet. ‘The term ‘reasonable force’ is not a very precise one, but most judges interpret it in favour of the person it’s used against, not the person who uses it, however provoked they may have been.’
‘Yes, well that’s just typical, isn’t it? Anyway, I was only joking. Feel free to find Josh and bend his ear if you want to.’
‘Thank you. Just one other thing before you go: you said we could talk to your husband ‘if he’s around’. Don’t you know whether he’s here or not today?’
‘As you have seen, I’ve just been out myself. Jack and I lead very busy lives. We often work together, but we aren’t always in each other’s pockets. He’s spent a lot of time out delivering some of the vintage stuff lately. He may be doing that again now. Or he may be here. I don’t know.’
She frowned, as if she disapproved of these activities.
‘I take it you went out earlier this morning? That you weren’t away overnight?’
‘I don’t like to leave the children overnight.’
‘Of course not. What about your husband? Did he sleep here last night?’
Susie Fovargue hesitated very briefly before she replied.
‘I have no reason to suppose he didn’t. As it happens, I went to bed very early myself.’
Juliet nodded.
‘Thank you.’
Susie Fovargue wasn’t listening. Her attention had been diverted to the scooter which had just appeared at the entrance to the farm. She let out a sigh that sounded more like a snarl.
‘Here comes that silly girl, late, as usual.’ She stepped into the centre of the track and held out her hand. The young woman on the scooter halted and pushed up the visor on her helmet. Ricky recognised her: it was Martha Johnson. He also noted again the uncanny resemblance between her and Mrs Fovargue.
‘You’re very late,’ said Susie, tapping her watch. Martha appeared to be unfazed by her hostility.
‘I worked late yesterday: I was supposed to be leaving at lunchtime and I stayed to talk to the policemen about what we do,’ said Martha coolly, fixing Ricky with her clear blue eyes. He felt obliged to offer some support.
‘That’s correct, she did,’ he said. ‘She was most helpful.’
‘Well, I’m glad she’s good at something,’ said Susie. ‘Perhaps she can help you find Josh. I’ll leave you all to it.’
She walked away quickly, taking the most direct route to her front door by crossing the scrubby lawn. She no longer seemed to care about getting mud on her boots.