Smoke from cottage chimneys rose straight into the still, pink-tinged, early-morning sky. Snow sliding from the bare branches of an oak tree swished to softly pepper the drifts below.
The tic-tic-tic of a robin drew Alex’s eyes to a little bird, perched alone on a rickety bird-feeder hanging from a low branch.
‘Wait,’ she said quietly, closing the lychgate into St. Aldwyn’s graveyard. She pulled on Tony’s hand and he stopped at once, looked down into her face with the questioning, worried expression he wore too often lately. ‘I’m OK. Honestly. I want to think a while before I charge into this – not that I think it means much. Bored kids getting into mischief, that’s all it is. I’ll replace the plaque and forget all about it. And I’ll make sure this one is sturdier.’
‘I didn’t know you’d had a bench put by the church. It was a nice idea.’
‘It’s been there for months.’ For once she wished Tony hadn’t been there the night before when Bill made his announcement. He didn’t need to be constantly reminded of her lost baby. ‘I thought I did mention the bench last year. That was last year when I was thinking about putting it here but we don’t need to look at it now. We’ve both got busy days ahead, and—’
‘And it’s going to make you sad to be reminded about your baby?’
Cold struck through her feet. Her hands tingled as if they had been flash frozen and just begun to thaw. She stood very still, even when she felt Tony’s hands close firmly on her upper arms.
‘Alex?’
‘You’re probably right,’ she told him, keeping her gaze on the front of his coat. ‘It’s past time I was over it, anyway. See, those books you’ve been reading on cognitive behavior are paying off.’
‘Hey, lady, what’s going on with you? I haven’t read … I didn’t mean to upset you.’
‘I’m only joking.’ She glanced at his face. ‘I was going to say something about making me face fears head-on but it’s not funny. Anyway, it’s time to stop pretending. I’m not in such great shape. I wish we could have stayed at your place all day. In bed.’ The look she gave him was supposed to be defiant, teasing as well.
Tony didn’t laugh. ‘I’m not joking,’ he said. ‘I would like us to be together and away from whatever is going on here now. You’re frantic about your mum. Having the police breathing down our necks again is twice as confusing as it is scary, although the deaths are tragic – and on top of that someone chooses now to pinch the plaque from your little one’s bench. Not funny – any of it.’
Her smile came easily now. ‘Thanks for that. What I need is a plan. What’s the order of these things? Which should I try to deal with first?’
‘Sounds logical. And I’ve got another question – is there something that ties all of these things together? Sounds bizarre, but they do all seem to be coming at once.’
‘The deaths can’t fit with my family issues, Tony.’
He shook his head, no. ‘You’re right. But darn it, why does everything have to hit at the same time.’
A clear tenor came from the path beside the church, or Alex thought that was the location. Singing confidently, it got closer and Tony made owl eyes at Alex.
‘So pretty,’ she whispered. ‘What’s he singing?’
Tony shrugged and they both listened. ‘“Morning has Broken”,’ they whispered in unison. ‘There’s a Cat Stevens version,’ Tony added. ‘Or is it Aaron Neville?’
Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning
Born of the one light, Eden saw play
Praise with elation, praise every morning …
When Juste Vidal caught sight of Tony and Alex, his warm voice trailed away. He waved, his reddish hair bright against the snow, and he waited for them to join him.
‘Is he working at the Dog this morning?’ Tony asked.
‘Not as far as I know.’
She had no choice but to advance to the bench where Juste, in a thick black windcheater, black roll-neck jumper and black cords, stood smiling a welcome.
‘Morning to you,’ he said, inclining his head. ‘How beautiful it is like this. Made clean with the snow.’
‘Do you walk here a lot?’ Alex asked.
‘Quite a lot,’ Juste said. ‘Sometimes I help Reverend Ivor early in the morning – if I have a later class. Then I catch a bus.’
‘You have a good voice,’ Tony said.
‘No,’ the man said promptly, ‘but I love to sing. I must be honest. I came this way today because I know Detective Sergeant Lamb was going to tell you about the missing plaque for little Lily Mary Edwina and you might come to look at the first opportunity. I hoped I could offer to deal with it so you need not be distressed.’
‘You’re kind,’ Alex told him. ‘I wonder how long it’s been gone. Just a day or so, I expect.’
‘Two weeks,’ Juste said promptly. ‘Or I found it was missing two weeks ago. Sometimes I sit here to think, although I confess this is the first time I’ve returned since that morning.’ He sat at one end of the pretty cedar bench with its fan of curved spokes along the back. Where the plaque had been, there was evidence of a tool having been used to pry it loose.
‘Come on.’ Tony led Alex to sit between them.
‘It was the reverend and his wife who told me you put this here.’ Juste smoothed the arm beside him. ‘Sibyl, Mrs Davis was distraught and Reverend Ivor wanted to get another to replace it at once, but I’m afraid I thought you should both know and make your own decision. You are not people who hide from the truth.’
Clearing her throat, Alex glanced at Tony to see if he might think, as she did, that Juste assumed her baby was his.
Tony smiled. ‘Little Lily was the baby Alex lost during her first marriage. I wish she had been mine.’ Color spread across his cheekbones and his very blue eyes deepened to almost navy.
The silence that followed wasn’t long, but it was uncomfortable, although Alex very much wanted to kiss Tony.
Juste patted Alex’s hand. ‘Children are a blessing – not that they aren’t also a pain in the neck sometimes, as you British say. I should like to have my own one day, just as I will pray that you have yours – both of you,’ he said with an impish smile.
The sound of a car engine spoiled the moment. Tony leaned to see past the lychgate to a tiny overflow car park beside the row of cottages on Pond Street, two of which comprised Leaves of Comfort, Harriet and Mary Burke’s tea rooms. A dark car, very new looking, pulled in but the engine remained running.
Alex glanced up at the back windows of the sisters’ flat but was relieved to see the curtains were still closed.
‘Who is it?’ Juste asked. ‘You know the car?’
‘I think they’re lost,’ Tony said, and promptly the engine was cut and the driver and front passenger doors opened. Bill Lamb got out of the driver’s side and Dan O’Reilly stood up beside the car with a mobile to his ear.
‘When did the police start driving Jags?’ Tony said. ‘Nice car. I’ve always liked dark gray – especially when it’s clean.’
Lamb walked through the lychgate first and O’Reilly followed at a more leisurely pace. When Bill got close he grinned at Alex and Tony. ‘I’m not surprised to find you here. But I didn’t expect you to interfere, Juste.’
‘That was not my intention,’ Juste said. He moved away a little and stood quiet and unmoving.
‘He’s not interfering,’ Alex protested. ‘Don’t forget he’s the one who found the plaque had been taken, not that I think it’s important other than as an example of how unruly the kids are getting around here.’
‘Whatever you say.’ Bill waited for Dan to catch up. ‘Surely you know we aren’t the ones who usually bother with petty vandalism?’
Just what she’d been thinking. She didn’t answer.
‘Who else knew about the bench?’ Dan asked, although he smiled, softening the atmosphere. ‘I agree we’ve got an upsurge in unruly youngsters but that’s the story all over.’
‘I don’t know who knew,’ Alex said. ‘Probably … well, no, I don’t know because I didn’t talk about it. Why would I?’
‘You never saw anyone else visiting here?’
‘No – apart from a few close friends. We planted annuals and the roses will be back in bloom soon enough. We’ll start lavender this year.’
‘Very nice,’ Dan said with no suggestion of ridicule. ‘I like this little church, and the grounds.’
That surprised Alex. Dan didn’t usually go in for platitudes.
‘Well,’ he said, ‘I’m sure the uniforms are on the mystery of the missing plaque. That’s not why we’re here. We were told you and Tony might be here, Alex.’
Tony frowned at her. ‘Nobody knows where we are.’
She was being watched, Alex thought. Apparently every move she made which was a disturbing thought.
‘It was a guess and it was right,’ Bill said. ‘But that’s not important. We went to Corner Cottage to speak to Lily. She’s not there and she isn’t at the Black Dog yet.’
‘I should hope not,’ Alex responded quickly while she digested the idea that her mother might not be at her cottage. ‘How can you be sure she’s not at home?’
‘She didn’t answer her phone or the door, and her car’s gone from the back of the Black Dog,’ Bill said. ‘We know that’s where she keeps it. We went to ask Doc Harrison what he knows and he said he couldn’t tell us anything. That might have meant, he wouldn’t tell us anything, but we didn’t push him. He was dealing with the Gammage boys. Good man, your dad, Tony. Boys and their sports, their homework and a new cat and being the local GP, he’s something else.’
‘Yes, he is,’ Tony said.
Alex hardly dared to look at him. ‘My mother helps a lot with the boys and their activities and Naruto is a darling – the cat, I mean. We all help out and both Scoot and Kyle are capable, aren’t they, Tony?’
She heard Tony’s long, indrawn breath. ‘If every pair of teenage brothers were as reliable, it would be an easy world to live in. Kyle puts in some hours helping at my small animal clinic, which Bill probably knows from Radhika. She is very attached to the boy. Scoot works at the Black Dog. Terrific boys.’
‘Did we say they weren’t?’ Bill asked.
‘Back to Lily,’ Dan said. ‘We’d like to question her – informally, if possible. We’d appreciate it if you helped us find her.’
Alex looked straight ahead and pushed a hand under Tony’s arm. They looked toward the lychgate, watching Dan and Bill get into their car and reverse to a wide spot where they could turn around and drive away.
When they were out of sight, Alex let out a long breath and said, ‘Why would they be so interested in speaking to Lily?’
‘We should have asked them that,’ Tony said. ‘My mind was going in several directions. But I probably shouldn’t call and ask now.’
‘No, please don’t,’ Alex said. The less they gave the impression that they were concerned about Lily’s movements, the better.
Juste cleared his throat. They had forgotten he was there. ‘Perhaps I can help.’
He joined them and they stood in a huddle on the cold morning of a day that didn’t seem destined to warm up.
‘We’ll take any hints,’ Tony said. He folded a hand over Alex’s on his arm and smiled at her. ‘We aren’t making out too well in the investigating department. Some silly young churchyard kleptomaniacs can’t have anything to do with … anything, I suppose, but why would the police want to see Lily.’
‘If she was here, where she’s supposed to be, it would be easier to believe they don’t have a reason at all.’
She leaned on Tony and looked up at Juste, who was silent, but frowning in a way that didn’t help her relax. ‘What is it?’ she asked him.
Juste studied his feet – for a long time.
‘Juste!’ Alex said urgently. ‘What is it? You’re frightening me more than I was already frightened.’
‘OK. I didn’t understand when it happened and I still don’t understand. You must ask Lily why she did it, but I told her I would try not to put myself in the middle of it. This is between all of you. I am merely a bystander who wants the people I care about to be happy. And I will do anything to help with that.’
Alex reached for Juste’s hand and he took it firmly.
‘Will you listen to me when I tell you this small thing, and may I rely on you to do nothing about it until you have thought it through?’
‘What would we do?’ Tony sounded bemused.
‘Nothing, of course. I had the terrible little thought that you might tell the detectives if you knew, but that is foolish of me. If it is important, Lily will explain herself. When the detectives came just now I was afraid they already knew, but now I’m sure they don’t. They were here for a reason we don’t know.’
Alex’s legs felt weak. ‘I would never tell the police anything about my mother.’
He inclined his head. ‘C’est ça. Of course that’s the way it would be. And I’m certain this was unimportant. It was Lily who took the plaque from the bench.’
‘That doesn’t make any sense,’ Alex said. ‘How do you know?’
‘I saw her with it. She must have hidden it in the church and she was putting it in her bag. She doesn’t know I observed her. No one does but you two.’