Mallory knew she was still on Eldey before she opened her eyes. Her ears were assailed by the thrum of the sea. Not the violent booms that had shaken the building at the height of the storm but the steady ebb and flow of the waves hitting rock and shingle. There was also the lingering smell of seaweed and beeswax, the latter testament to Elsa’s cleaning. It was far removed from the antiseptic odour of the hospital room that she’d endured after her accident. She lay still as her tired brain brought into focus a jumble of memories – the bodies of Alys, Grace, Stella, Noah and finally Beth, the smell of the rubber dinghy she’d desperately clung on to, the sound of the bell tolling. She gathered her courage. The storm had passed and whatever she faced, she wouldn’t be cut off from the rest of the world. The last thing she had seen, before everything went dark, was help arriving by boat. She turned her head and forced her eyes open, frowning as a face swam in front of her blurred gaze.
‘Toby.’ She reached out and grasped her son’s hand. ‘You made it. Your dad left a message to say you were on your way.’
‘He’s furious. I left without telling him.’
‘I know.’ And it was all her fault, according to Joe, but criticising her ex in front of their son would be a mistake. ‘Why did you decide to come here?’ The poison that Beth had smeared into her ointment was still doing its work. Mallory rubbed her head, trying to make sense of it.
‘After I spoke to you, it was on the news that there was flooding in South Wales. I checked on the internet and it said no boats were going to Eldey. When I tried to call you back, the phone was down. I wanted to check you were OK.’
And have an adventure, thought Mallory. Behind the concern, she could see a spark of excitement. Perhaps that was what Toby had needed all along – a bit of independence – instead of two anxious parents hovering over him.
‘How did you get here?’ she asked in a whisper, conscious her throat was red raw.
‘By train, idiot. How else?’
Mallory felt pinpricks of tears behind her eyes. ‘But—’
‘You sounded so scared when we spoke. I’d never heard you like that before. I took some money I’d stashed away and came to stay with you. I’ve got a plan – I’m going to ask the hotel for a job. School sucks, London sucks. Only, when I got to the harbour, the place was wild. It was like a scene out of Titanic. They directed me to Owen who was waiting for a lull to get to you.’
‘Owen? Thank God you found him.’
‘He couldn’t sit still. He’d heard something about the first lady who died from your boss, Alex. I’ve met him too.’
Mallory pushed herself up. ‘What were you thinking of? And, no, you can’t have a job here.’
‘What were you thinking of? You’ve been like Miss Marple.’
Mallory groaned. ‘I feel as old as Miss Marple. Why am I still on the island?’
‘We’re waiting for an ambulance boat. Michael, the man with the stick, said it was too dangerous to put you in the tug, you might get hypothermia. It was more important to warm you up first.’
‘How is he? And for God’s sake, don’t let him hear you calling him the man with the stick.’
‘He looks ill, to be honest. He said he’d wait for your boat. He won’t leave the island until he knows you’re safe, Mum.’
Mallory wondered if that was a note of sly amusement in his voice; her son teasing her about her love life.
‘You were the first to arrive?’ asked Mallory. ‘When I was lying on the dinghy, I saw boats in the distance.’
‘Owen brought me and Alex over in his boat. The lifeboat got to you first. Mum,’ Toby paused. ‘Have you any idea how many dead people there are on the island?’
Mallory’s head began to pound. ‘Um, four. Grace, Stella, Noah and Bryony, I mean Beth.’
‘The Birthday Girl.’ Toby’s eyes were round. ‘Four dead people on a small island. That’s sick. You’ll be famous.’
‘Five dead people including Alys. Don’t forget her too.’ Mallory looked at Toby. He was the son of two coppers. The apple hadn’t fallen far from the tree. She could feel his excitement.
‘If only my life was always this exciting.’
She felt him squeeze her hand. ‘Can I stay with you for a bit? Please. I’ve already mentioned it to Alex and he said it was OK as long as you said yes.’
Mallory swung her legs around, her head still thudding, and gently tested one foot on the floor. ‘You need to go back to school.’
‘Holidays, then. I could come for vacations, couldn’t I? Did you know there’s a crypt at the other end of the island?’
A wave of nausea swept over Mallory. ‘I know,’ she said.
‘So, what about it? A job in the holidays?’
He was as persistent as his father. ‘Maybe. I’m not sure I’ll be able to stay. I need to see what the permanent damage is to my leg. Anyway, guests might be in short supply once the news is out.’
‘The news is out. You’ve been on BBC news and it’s all over the internet. I was listening to it in the kitchen with Tom.’
‘Tom, is it? You have got to know everyone. What did they say?’
‘That four bodies have been found on the island in a story reminiscent of an Agatha Christie novel.’
‘Oh no, poor Alex.’
‘What do you mean? Alex says the website’s had more bookings this morning than in the last week. Everyone’s desperate to come.’
‘It’s true.’ Mallory saw Alex standing in the doorway. ‘As Elsa already knew, it appears that everyone loves a murder.’
‘Alex,’ Mallory’s voice dropped to a whisper as Toby left the room to check for the boat. ‘It’s horrific what those people went through. Beth was a monster. You can’t trade on that.’
‘The Birthday Girl meets her nemesis on Eldey island. I’m not going to promote it but we’re going to need the bookings to make up revenue. The forensic team are likely to be here for days. They want to talk to you, of course.’
Mallory groaned. ‘Can you help me up?’
‘I’m not sure that’s a good idea. Can’t you wait for the ambulance?’
‘No. How’s Elsa?’
‘On the mainland. She was a bit wet after ringing the bell but was more concerned about you. Once she knew you were OK, she was happy to leave the island. I wanted her home with her family. I’ve got a horrible feeling she might not be coming back, which is a shame as she was a good worker.’
‘With the heart of a lion.’ Mallory sat back on the bed, her head spinning.
‘Tom went with her. In fact, everyone’s left except Michael. He wouldn’t go while you were still ill.’ Alex looked at Mallory. ‘Will you be coming back?’
‘I think I’ve a son who’s fallen under Eldey’s spell.’
‘There’s a holiday job here if he wants it. He’s too young to be here by himself. There are strict employment rules for under sixteens.’
‘We’ll see.’
There was a knock on the door. A man in a pale cream mackintosh came into the room. Stocky with a head of curly brown hair. He pointed towards the door with his thumb.
‘Out.’ Toby and Alex obliged without a word.
‘DI Harri Evans, I presume.’ Mallory swallowed, trying to fight down the nausea.
The corners of his mouth rose as if to smile but he thought better of it. ‘Quite a mess here. When you’ve been checked over by the hospital, you and I need to have a chat.’
‘Suits me. I’m waiting for the ambulance, I believe.’
‘Change of plan. The closed launch is here. There’s an ambulance on the quayside waiting for you.’
‘What about Michael?’
‘Doctor Hutton? He’s coming with you. We think he’s not as well as he’s making out to be. He’ll join you on the boat.’
‘It’s over though, isn’t it?’
‘I suppose so. I wish to God she hadn’t chosen my patch for her games.’
‘She knew the island from her childhood holidays. There’s something potent about the legend of Bridget Marsh. You know it?’
This time he smiled. ‘One of my mam’s favourite stories. Reckon it’s not the first time Eldey has had a killer. You know, you could put me out of a job if you carry on like this. Four murders and you clear them up within forty-eight hours.’
Mallory groaned. ‘Not quick enough.’
‘Seriously though, you staying around for a bit?’
Mallory looked up at him, surprised. ‘You mean on Eldey?’
‘Well, not specifically Eldey, but us detectives at Dyfed Powys are chronically understaffed. We’ve always got a bit of consultancy work. It’s all the rage.’
‘I… I’m not sure, Harri.’
‘Well, no need for you to make a decision now but—’ he tapped his jacket pocket ‘—I’ve got your number. Ready to go?’
Toby materialised to help her down to the mooring. She was put in the golf trolley – for the first time since her arrival, she was happy to be helped into the buggy. Toby climbed in beside her. In his hand he held a sandwich. ‘I found some stuff in the kitchen,’ he told her.
Mallory took it out of his hand and threw it onto the lawn.
‘I thought you wanted me to eat more.’
‘The birds can have it,’ she said as they bumped down the hill towards a covered police craft waiting for her.
‘The ambulance is already at the harbour. We’ll have you across in a jiffy.’ Mallory allowed a policeman to help her onto the boat while Toby’s long legs hopped over the side. From the top she could see Michael standing next to the bell tower.
‘I’ve sent the cart back up for him and we’ll be off,’ said the copper. ‘CID are with the bodies. They’ll want to talk to you later.’
Mallory watched as Michael turned to greet the cart.
‘He seems nice, Mum,’ said Toby, giving her a side-eyed glance.
‘He is nice. But my priority is getting better and being with you.’ Mallory leant back and closed her eyes.
Toby shrugged, trying to hide his pleasure. ‘He could visit.’
‘He could,’ agreed Mallory.
She kept her eyes shut as she felt the boat rock as Michael climbed aboard.
‘How are you, Mallory?’ he asked.
‘I feel terrible.’ She felt him put his hand in hers and give it a squeeze as the motor on the boat gave a roar. As they sped off, she opened her eyes and looked not at Michael or her son but at the disappearing façade of the Cloister as it receded into the distance. Near the bell, she saw the figure of DI Harri Evans watching them leave. He raised his hand briefly at the cruiser and turned back to the hotel. Harri, she suspected, wasn’t a man to take no for an answer. She wondered when the first call asking for help would come.
She gave the island a final look. Eldey. The island of the devout and not so devout. And now with another layer to add to its history.