Tony Harrison scarcely made it into the saloon bar at the Black Dog Pub and Inn, when his dog Katie shot away from him and zipped between tables like a sandy-haired, slightly well-padded slalom racer. Tony watched her make straight for the Burke sisters’ table in front of the fire where flames bent and sparked over the blackened breast of the wide chimney, and reflected on polished horse brasses hanging from the thick, age-darkened mantel. Joining Bogie, Alex’s terrier mix (otherwise known as Standard British Breed), on the blue tartan blanket kept there for them, she looked around as if waiting to receive welcomes from many friends.
Harriet and Mary Burke, well wrapped up in winter woolies with wide scarves around their necks, gave both dogs attention and suffered serious dog-lick attacks in return.
Hugh Rhys stood behind the bar looking directly at Tony with an expression that suggested he’d not only expected him, but needed some sort of help – immediately.
Making his way to the counter, Tony greeted the regulars that called out to him. But it was Hugh who held his attention.
‘Ambler?’ Hugh said, picking up a pint glass.
‘Make it Macallan,’ Tony said. ‘Double. What’s up?’
‘I think you already know.’
Tony gave a brief nod. ‘Alex said she called you. Did you make more sense out of what she said than I did?’
‘I got the feeling she didn’t want to make sense,’ Hugh said. He gripped the edge of the counter, locked his arms and straightened his spine. ‘Said she was tied up and going to be late. And, no, she couldn’t give more details. Since Lily got in she’s been up to her eyes checking late arrivals to the inn – for which I’m grateful. They’ve got a pretty good crowd over there in the restaurant, too. Busy.’ He indicated the passageway from the bar to the restaurant on the ground floor beneath the seven guest rooms. ‘She’s not a happy woman and giving her Alex’s message didn’t improve a thing. Those two are having a silent battle – or is that just my imagination?’
‘No. And I’m not being told what’s going on either. I did think Alex would be back by now though. How long ago did she phone you?’
Hugh frowned and put the whiskey in front of Tony. ‘Hours,’ he said. ‘Two, no, three.’
‘She called me an hour and a half ago. Are you OK, Hugh? You don’t look it.’
‘Damned if I know. Intuition isn’t high on my list of reliable instincts, but this bar has been giving off waves of negative vibes tonight and I can’t call what I’ve been feeling anything but intuition.’
Nothing helpful occurred to Tony.
‘Can you feel anything?’ Hugh asked. ‘Or do you think I’m a mad man?’
Hunching his shoulders, Tony slowly shook his head, no. ‘Pretty grim in here.’
‘Lily’s not helping,’ Hugh said. ‘She’s been in such a prickly mood recently and that’s being kind, but she can’t be more than just a part of the reason it feels like doom approaches. She couldn’t pull this all on her own.’
Turning his back to the counter, Tony studied the room. The place was full, as it usually was on a Sunday evening, but there was something different. ‘There isn’t enough noise,’ he announced abruptly, looking over his shoulder at the manager. ‘Most of them have their eyes downcast. And all the mouths are moving but it’s muted in here.’
‘Exactly,’ Hugh said through his teeth. ‘And this isn’t a bloody funeral home, dammit. Some would blast out music and try a joke on every customer, but it’s not my style. I’m managing the Dog to get away from pretending to be what keeps other people happy. I’m easy-going enough but I’m not responsible for this lot’s moods.’
Tony thought about the other man’s comments and faced him as nonchalantly as he could manage. He had never heard him make any comments about why a man of means like him was here in Folly-on-Weir, doing what he was doing. He owned just about the largest house in the village proper, Green Friday, but chose to live in a couple of upstairs rooms here at the pub. Sometimes his house was rented, but only if someone interested got a tip about it and tracked Hugh down.
Hugh looked uncomfortable and Tony decided to shelve any notion of practicing his non-existent psychiatric skills. There were reasons he specialized in veterinary rather than human medicine. Discomfort with poking into patients’ minds as well as their bodily ills was only one of them. Animals had personalities, too, strong ones in many cases, but he could trust his rapport with them to be his guide. He didn’t have to wait and hope they would talk – or not talk too much.
He picked up the brass bell on the counter and rang it energetically. ‘Everyone bought their raffle tickets for the church hamper, have they?’ he cried. ‘I know there’s going to be a whopper of a turkey with vegetables and pies from the Derwinters, beer and wine from the Dog, afternoon tea at Leaves of Comfort, served by our very own Harriet and Mary Burke, and a free exam and teeth cleaning from the great local vet. Dogs, cats, guinea pigs, gerbils, hamsters and other animals only – prior evaluation of any specimen bigger than me, or that I can’t identify. No pets with opposing thumbs. Got your chances?’
A ‘yes’ chorus went up amid laughter. Some gave a negative answer and raised a hand to show they wanted to buy. Liz Hadley who was working tonight as she did most nights, took a roll of tickets from under the counter. She grinned and chatted while she made the rounds.
The noise level rose.
‘Good going,’ Hugh said. ‘You’ve got hidden talents, man. Next time it turns chilly in here I’ll know who to call.’
‘Yes.’ Tony got more edgy as time passed. ‘Have you tried to call Alex back?’
‘Twice. How about you?’
‘Twice for me, too. It goes straight to messages. She only went over to Stanton – supposedly.’
Hugh tapped the back of Tony’s hand. ‘We’d be better off not to speculate, you know. She’ll be back safe soon enough.’
‘It’s already long past soon enough.’
‘And here comes Lily again.’ Hugh sighed. ‘I knew the peace couldn’t last much longer.’
‘Peace?’ Tony gave a short laugh and took a swig of his Macallan. ‘Everything in here is strung tight enough to snap. I’m expecting the windows to blow out. Alex going missing is the last straw.’
‘She’s uptight, too,’ Hugh said, keeping his voice down. He spoke up as Lily approached. ‘Everyone checked in, Lily? Anyone else still expected?’
Tall, much taller than her daughter, Lily arrived at the counter with pinched lips and her almond-shaped green eyes wiped of all expression. She didn’t answer Hugh’s question.
‘Hello, Lily,’ Tony said.
‘Have you heard from Alex? What did she tell you?’
‘Yes, and not much,’ Tony replied. ‘She got delayed on her way back from the book sale in Stanton.’
Lily wore her dark hair longer than Alex. Strands of gray streaked the older woman’s curls. Height and hairstyle aside, that they were uncannily alike wasn’t a stretch.
‘Will you let me buy you a drink?’ Tony moved closer to her. ‘You’re upset about something. Is it just Alex?’
‘I’m not upset.’ Lily lowered her lashes. She didn’t convince him.
‘How about that drink?’
‘No, thanks. Why isn’t she answering her phone? Can you even guess at that?’ She put her elbows on the counter. ‘I can, but what I’m thinking isn’t good. Yes, you’re right, I’m upset. How can you stand here while Alex is out there on a night like this and we don’t know if something horrible has happened? She’s not cruel, never cruel. This is so damned cruel.’ Lily put her hands over her face.
Tony and Hugh looked at each other. Carefully, trying not to draw attention, Tony put an arm around Lily’s shoulders and leaned closer. ‘Let’s get into the kitchen and decide what we should do. You’re right, we can’t just keep on waiting.’
Things got quieter in the bar, swelled briefly, and fell silent.
Tony glanced behind him and straight into Detective Chief Inspector Dan O’Reilly’s serious face.