A Discovery in the Cotswolds by Rebecca Tope

Author:Rebecca Tope
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Allison & Busby
Published: 2023-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

Thea was at the Cirencester police station two minutes early, to find Gladwin waiting for her in the reception area. The detective bustled her out to her car without a word until they were in motion.

‘Where exactly are we going?’ Thea asked.

‘Duntisbourne Abbots. It’s no distance.’

‘I know where it is,’ said Thea with a disturbing pang. ‘That’s where I did my very first house-sit. Must be five years ago now, or very nearly. I haven’t been there since.’

‘Let’s hope nobody there remembers you,’ said Gladwin. ‘That might be unhelpful.’

‘I don’t remember anybody called Vanessa.’ She thought of a man called Harry, who had fallen for her and remained a friend until he’d died a few months ago. A sad man, as old as Thea’s father, with a neurotic sister. ‘There weren’t many people around, anyway. Not really.’

‘Typical Cotswolds, then.’

‘You could say that.’ Her memories of the events in Duntisbourne Abbots had grown hazy. A nice young man had been killed, and Thea had been saved from depression and despair by another detective, named Phil. ‘It all seems very long ago now.’

‘Hollis,’ said Gladwin with a nod. ‘I heard all about that.’

‘I expect you did,’ sighed Thea.

‘This is it,’ came the announcement moments later. They drew up at a medium-sized house, with a modest garden, standing close to the road. Sudden questions filled Thea’s head – ones she wished she had asked Gladwin before they arrived. Why was Alice living rough when her sister had a perfectly good house? And hadn’t Gladwin said that Alice also had a house? What did Vanessa know about the reason for this interview? Who were these sisters, anyway?

‘Is there anything I should know first?’ she asked in a panic. ‘Am I being set up in some way?’ It seemed all too likely, after Emmy’s little game of the night before. ‘Why did you let me prattle on, instead of briefing me?’

‘Best if you come to it with no preconceived ideas,’ said the detective. ‘Don’t worry. At worst you’ll just irritate her. But I’m hoping you can elicit a few bits and pieces that she’d never disclose to the police.’

‘Huh!’ said Thea. ‘Here we go again.’

The door was opened by the tall woman Thea remembered so vividly from Monday. Capable, impatient, perhaps even slightly arrogant – she stood back to let the visitors in. There was no overt sign of grief for her sister, unless the shabby cardigan with buttons done up odd was a clue.

Gladwin stayed a step behind Thea as they moved into a sitting room that appeared to double as an extensive library. There were shelves of books lining three of the walls. There was something unreal, almost theatrical in the atmosphere of the room. The curtains were a deep red velvet, the sofa covered with a rich maroon leather.

Nobody said anything until they were arranging themselves on chairs and sofa. More questions poured into Thea’s head. What were the chances that this woman was the one who had stabbed Alice? How

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