Evil Never Dies by S M Hardy

Author:S M Hardy
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Allison & Busby
Published: 2020-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

When we went back downstairs it was to find Laura had gone out again. Apparently, there were several cars, which now belonged to her, and she had taken a small Fiesta, a car more often than not used by the housekeeper and cook if they ever had to pop into the village for supplies. I wondered where she’d gone and Dan’s smiling face instantly popped into my head. I supposed I couldn’t blame her – she needed someone closer to her own age to confide in. I only wished it wasn’t Dan Crouchley.

‘It’s a terrible thing what’s happened to Mr Fredericks,’ Mrs Walters said. ‘He was a lovely man.’

‘Who told you?’ I asked in surprise.

The housekeeper folded her hands, her expression grim. ‘Maddy’s sister works in the pub across the road from Mr Fredericks’ office and she’s a friend of the receptionist there. Nothing stays quiet for long around here,’ she said. ‘We probably knew downstairs before the detective chappie turned up here to tell Miss Simmons.’

‘Bad news travels fast,’ I said.

‘Something like that,’ she replied. ‘Is that all, Mr Cummings?’

‘I thought living in Slyford St James was a bit like being in a goldfish bowl,’ Emma said as soon as the housekeeper was gone, ‘but this is something else.’

‘Makes you wonder how much the staff do know about what’s been going on here,’ I said.

She gave me a look. ‘Like this cult business?’

I took her arm. ‘Let’s walk,’ I said. Call me paranoid, but I waited until we were well away from the house and in the gardens before I carried on from where we’d left off. ‘There were a lot of people involved, Emms. There must have been a whole load of visitors coming and going every time they had a …’ I frowned − how would you describe such a thing? A meeting made it sound like a WI get-together and it definitely wasn’t that. ‘Every time they had a gathering,’ I finished lamely.

‘It’s a big house, Oliver was an important man locally, having weekend parties was probably the norm,’ Emma said. ‘I doubt very much the servants would think anything of it.’

‘With people going around in black robes, Emms?’

‘They probably saved all that sort of nonsense until the servants had settled for the night.’

She had a point. ‘Dan Crouchley was definitely being tight-lipped about something. He more or less admitted to knowing things he’d rather not talk about.’

‘Perhaps we should get to know Mr Crouchley a little better.’

‘Hmm, Laura appears to be getting to know him far more than she should.’

Emma pulled me to a halt and looked at me, studying my face. ‘What’s that meant to mean?’

‘I’m just saying.’ I hesitated. ‘Maybe you should have a word with her. You know about the whole employer–employee relationship thing.’

She burst out laughing. ‘My God, Jed Cummings, you’re becoming quite the snob.’

‘I am not,’ I said, though her saying it made me question whether she was perhaps right. ‘I just know what the servants in these big houses are like.

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