‘I’m sorry, love.’
Jenny pulled her handkerchief from the sleeve of her cardigan and blew her nose. ‘Why didn’t you tell me before, Ted? You said there was nothing to worry about. Every time I’ve asked you about it, you’ve acted as if I’m fussing over nothing.’
‘I was hoping it would blow over. And I didn’t know for certain! Honestly, Jenny—’
‘You told Lilian it was just boasting. And me! Silly talk, you said.’
‘I thought it might have been boasting. I didn’t think there was any point in worrying you about it.’
‘Worrying me! Johnny could … He could be …’ Jenny started to cry again.
‘Please, love …’ Stratton leant across the kitchen table to touch her face, but she batted his hand away.
‘I knew there was something wrong!’
‘Then …’ Stratton felt bewildered. ‘Why didn’t you ask?’
‘I’ve tried! You wouldn’t talk about it! And you’ve been working late with this … whatever it is, and coming back in that big car, and telling me about having lunch in restaurants—’
‘Once.’
‘You’ve been so far away, Ted.’
Stung, Stratton said, ‘Well, you’ve been pretty busy yourself, working at the Rest Centre till all hours.’
‘That isn’t true! There’s always supper on the table – I haven’t neglected anything here, so don’t say I have.’
‘I wasn’t saying you had. Just that we haven’t had much time to talk, that’s all.’
‘It’s not just time, Ted. It’s because it was about Johnny, wasn’t it?’
‘Not entirely, love, I’ve had a lot—’
‘Don’t you care?’
‘Of course I do.’
‘And poor Lilian! What are we going to do? You should have told me, Ted.’
‘I had to be sure, love.’
‘You said he denied it.’
‘He did deny it, but he knows about it, Jenny. He knows this man George Wallace, he knows Miss Morgan. “Some old girl up West”, remember.’
‘But that could have been anyone – anything!’
‘He was there, Jenny. Even if he didn’t kill Miss Morgan, he certainly threatened Joe Vincent, and lent a hand beating him up, and helped Wallace turn over the flat. Wallace told me.’
‘And you’d take the word of a criminal over your own nephew?’
‘Wallace didn’t just pluck Johnny’s name out of the air, Jenny. And he doesn’t know he’s my nephew, either.’
‘How do you know?’
‘He’d have said so. A man like that, if there’s something he can use to his advantage, he won’t hesitate.’
‘But there must be lots of people called Johnny Booth. And you said this … Joe Whatsisname … is going overseas, so how can he say?’
‘There was another witness, love. One of the lodgers. He described both of them.’
‘But that was when they went to burgle the flat, not when the lady was killed.’
‘I know. But the two things are connected, and the same man – Abie Marks – is almost certainly behind both of them.’
‘But you don’t know that for sure, do you?’
‘No. We’ve been piecing it together. I wanted to be sure.’
‘But you’re not absolutely sure, are you? Not about this murder – if that’s what it is?’
‘It’s a bit more than just a few petrol coupons, Jenny.’
‘Johnny wouldn’t kill anyone! And anyway, they said it was suicide, didn’t they? You told me. The coroner said.’
‘Yes, but—’
‘This is all to do with those old films, isn’t it, and that man you had lunch with.’
‘I really can’t talk about it, Jenny.’
‘Why did you have to bring those things home? Why didn’t you just leave it alone?’
‘Believe me, I’ve been thinking the same thing. But that wouldn’t have been right. Miss Morgan deserves better than that. Everyone does.’
‘What about Lilian having her son branded a murderer? Doesn’t she deserve something, too?’
Stratton sighed. ‘Of course she does. But I’m afraid this is bigger than just one family.’
‘But it’s your own family!’
‘I know that. But if I know something about Johnny, and I don’t say anything, then I’m breaking the law. I’ve kept quiet for as long as I can.’
‘Supposing it was Pete?’
‘It isn’t Pete. It won’t ever be Pete, not if I have anything to do with it. This is Reg’s fault, Jenny, and mine as well.’
‘No!’ Jenny sat upright, her eyes glistening. ‘It’s not your fault. You’re always trying to be responsible for the whole world, and you can’t.’
Stratton didn’t know what to say to that. ‘I’ll have to tell them tomorrow. That’s why I’m telling you now. I shouldn’t, but I wanted you to understand the position.’
‘Will they arrest him straight away?’
‘He’ll be brought in for questioning. That’ll be the local police. It won’t be me doing it.’
‘That’s something, at any rate.’ Jenny blew her nose again, and said, more hopefully, ‘Then Lilian and Reg won’t have to know you had anything to do with it.’
‘I don’t think that’s going to work, love. It’s my case. Well, partly my case. It’s complicated.’
‘But you won’t have to carry on with it, will you? Not when it’s someone in your family?’
‘Ordinarily, I’d say not, but as I say, it’s complicated. If it came to court, I’d have to give evidence, and—’
‘Oh, Ted!’
Stratton went around the table and knelt down beside her. He hugged her, and stroked her hair while she sobbed into his shoulder. Hearing her weep, and powerless to comfort her, he felt like the worst person in the world.