Dark Sky Island by Lara Dearman

Author:Lara Dearman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FIC022000 Fiction / Mystery & Detective / General
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books

Corey Monroe stretched, catlike, when he saw Jenny approaching. He was muscular, she noted, well-honed biceps barely concealed beneath a Fred Perry tennis shirt. There must be a gym somewhere in his mansion on Brecqhou. He rose from the bench overlooking Havre Gosselin, the tiny, rock-bound harbour between Sark and Brecqhou, and stretched out a hand. His mirrored sunglasses were perched on top of his head, reflecting the grey of the sky above. He looked tired, she thought, the skin under his eyes pale and puffy, but the smile was undiminished, confident. Aggressively so.

‘So, so pleased we could make this happen.’ He took her hand. Dry, firm grip.

‘Thank you for suggesting we speak, Mr Monroe. My editor was delighted when I told him you were prepared to do an interview. But I’m really under pressure to finish a report for this afternoon. I was wondering if we could possibly do this another day? There’s a lot going on right now, as I’m sure you can imagine.’

‘Quite.’ His smile loosened at the edges. ‘These are terrible circumstances to be meeting under. But there’s nothing wrong with making the best of a bad situation. I thought you might like to come across to Brecqhou. Have a look at the place. It won’t take long. I’ll have you back here in an hour or so.’

‘You’d allow me into the house?’ Jenny’s reasons for asking to delay the interview were genuine—she had no time to work on a profile, no matter how interesting the subject—but a glimpse into the mansion on Brecqhou was not an opportunity to be missed.

‘I’ve never really understood people’s fascination with my home. But my longing for privacy has backfired on me. It’s difficult to make friends when I’m considered aloof, at best. At worst, well, God knows what they say about me. Or maybe you do.’

She sensed he was showing her his best side. That this willingness to co-operate was fleeting and could quickly be replaced with hostility if she failed to meet his expectations. Which seemed to be that she would do as he wanted.

‘Why are you doing this, Mr Monroe? Why talk to the News after years of taking such great efforts to stay out of the papers?’

‘It’s like I said yesterday, Jenny. The situation on Sark has become untenable. It’s bad for business. My previous attempts to reach out to the population have proved unsuccessful. I’ve decided to try something else. And as someone with a considerable stake in the island, I believe what I have to say is relevant to yesterday’s tragic events.’

‘I can ask whatever I like?’

‘You can ask. I don’t have to answer.’ She had the impression he was amused. ‘Shall we get going?’ He gestured towards the path. ‘There’s something I want to show you before we get in the boat.’

She followed him, away from Havre Gosselin, down a grass track to a field. He stopped at a gate. It was made of a bright amber timber. It looked brand new, and too pristine for its position, in the middle of an unruly hedge covered in long grass and brambles.

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