Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Lily’s feet slammed against the road as she set off at a good pace, and her heart was soon pounding with the exertion. For fifteen minutes she ran with no sign of Johnny.
Hopefully, if he turned back he’d return the same way, but there were probably smaller paths and possibly a route through the woods to circle back. Thankfully, Lily rounded a curve in the road and spotted him farther along.
Aware that it was little good catching up to him if she was too breathless to speak, she tried to pace herself.
When she was just a few metres behind him, he glanced over his shoulder.
“Hi,” Lily said, raising a hand to wave.
He did a double take. “Hello,” he said, smiling as he slowed to a walk.
“I thought it was you,” Lily said. “Couldn’t quite tell from the back.”
“I try to get out for a run a few times a week. Decent weather for it today.” He smiled wryly. “At this time of year, a day without rain always feels like a treat. Do you run a lot?”
“Yes. It clears my head. Which is needed at the moment.”
He nodded solemnly. “It must feel weird being back here?”
“It’s an emotional rollercoaster.”
“I’ll bet.” He pointed across the road to a path through the trees. “I usually cut through here and take the path back along the river. Do you want to join me, or are you going farther?”
While being close to the river didn’t fill her with joy, the fact that there was no coaxing in his tone was reassuring.
“I’ll come,” she said. “If you don’t mind the company?”
“I don’t mind. Do you want to walk or run?”
“Walk?” she said with a questioning lilt.
He nodded and led the way through the tight path. Quickly, they emerged onto a wider path that ran parallel to the river.
“I can’t get over how beautiful the area is,” Lily said.
“It’s very peaceful,” Johnny said. “Whenever I’m missing life in the city, I remind myself that there are plenty of benefits to being in the sticks too.”
“You lived in a city?” Lily asked.
He cast her a sidelong glance and a small smile. “Did my sister tell you I’d never moved out of my parents’ place?”
“She may have implied it.” Lily frowned. “I don’t think she actually said that. Which city did you live in?”
“Exeter. I went there for uni, then stayed on.”
“Snap!” Lily said with a burst of excitement. “I went to Exeter Uni.”
“You’d have been there later than me, but I was probably still in Exeter when you were there. Maybe our paths crossed at some point. Funny to think about stuff like that, isn’t it?”
“Yes. What made you move back here?”
“A few things,” he said, his gaze drifting out across the water.
Lily stayed quiet, but the silence stretched on, and when Johnny finally spoke again it was with a change of subject.
“My sister was worrying about you, by the way. She told Mum you weren’t answering your phone or messages this morning.” He swatted a fly off his arm. “She’s not the most patient person.”
Lily hadn’t got the notification. Apparently some messages and missed calls had been lost when she was without a phone. “I’ll message her later. I had my phone off for the day…” She hesitated. “I saw my grandmother for the first time in twenty years, so I was pretty distracted.”
“I didn’t realise you still had grandparents.”
“Neither did I. It was only this morning that I found out for sure that Clara was still alive.”
Johnny stopped dead. “Clara? She’s the one who was around here a lot when we were kids. I remember her. I thought she’d died ages ago.”
“A lot of people thought that, but she’s alive and healthy. She’s staying with me for a few days so we can catch up.”
“Wow.” The skin around his eyes crinkled when he smiled at Lily. “I’m happy for you. She was always really nice.” His smile faded. “Before the fire, anyway.”
“She thought someone started the fire on purpose,” Lily said, her attention locked on Johnny’s face as she waited for his reaction.
“I remember. She accused the property developers to start with. Then she started accusing the neighbours.”
“Were you still in your eavesdropping era?” Lily asked lightly.
“Yes.” He rubbed the back of his hand across his forehead.
“But that night she came over to have a go at dad, I didn’t even have to be discreet.
No way any of them would have noticed me.
Your grandma was furious. My dad was actually pretty calm for once.
He must have felt really sorry for her because he’d never normally put up with someone talking to him like that. ”
“She accused him of starting the fire?”
“Yes, because he’d been arguing with your dad a few days before the fire.” His chest rose as he inhaled deeply. “She was really awful to him. Then she left in such a hurry. Mum said she must have been so upset that she wasn’t watching her footing and that’s why she fell.”
Lily’s chin jutted forward. “That was the night she fell?”
“Yes. I still can’t walk down those steps without thinking of Clara.
They were cordoned off after she fell, but not for long.
I remember asking Dad about it and him saying they couldn’t stop people using steps just because one person fell.
” He tipped his head, and they set off walking again.
“I guess it makes sense, but at the time I thought it sounded harsh.”
Lily nodded, thinking again of all those stairs and how lucky Clara had been to survive.
“Do you remember the night of the fire?” she asked after a moment.
“Yes,” he said without looking at her. “It’s hard to forget.”
“I’ve been asking people about that time, and the other day it came up in conversation that on the night of the fire all the neighbours came out to see if they could help…
except for your dad. Do you know if he was out that evening?
” She tried to sound casual. “It makes no difference one way or the other, but I’ve got a bit obsessed with trying to piece everything together in my mind. ”
He stared straight ahead for a moment and it seemed as though he might not say anything.
“My dad would tell you he’s a deep sleeper and didn’t hear the commotion.” He glanced at Lily. “Mum backed him up on that one.”
“That sounds as though you think he wasn’t actually in bed.”
“I know he wasn’t.”
“Where was he then?”
His shoulder slumped as he released a sigh. “I couldn’t tell you for certain. All I could do is hazard a guess. It would probably be better if you asked my mum or dad.”
“Right,” Lily said, confused at him being so open and so guarded all at the same time.
“Listen,” he said, pointing ahead. “I think I’m going to run back. Get the cardio in.”
“Sure,” Lily said. “Don’t let me hold you up.”
“Good to see you again, Lily.”
When he set off running it was at a noticeably faster pace than earlier.
Lily hadn’t even made it back to the cottage when Nancy called her.
“Sorry I didn’t reply to your messages,” Lily said, trudging up the steps beside the garage. “I had my phone off and didn’t realise you’d been trying to get in touch. I just saw Johnny and he told me.”
Her voice was high-pitched. “He said you found your grandmother!”
“Yes. It’s been an eventful day.”
“That’s amazing, Lily. I’m so happy for you. Was she surprised to see you?”
“Yeah. I think we’re both a bit shell shocked.”
“I can’t wait to hear all about it. I was going to invite you over for dinner, but it’s a bit late now, and Johnny said Clara is staying with you so I’m sure you want to catch up with her. How about tomorrow evening? Do you want to come over then? You could bring Clara.”
Lily stopped outside the cottage. “Would that be okay with your mum?”
“Yes. Absolutely. She’s keen to see Clara again.”
“That’ll be great then. What time?”
“Six?”
Lily told her she’d see her then. After sliding her phone into her pocket, she lingered on the doorstep. Finally, she took a deep breath and let herself in.
The aroma of food cooking drifted from the kitchen, making Lily’s mouth water.
“Hi,” Clara said, a watery smile on her face as she walked out of the kitchen. “How was your run?”
“Good, thanks.”
Clara cocked her head. “I’m sorry about before. I didn’t mean to come on so strong. I know you’re a grown woman and don’t want anyone telling you what to do. Being back here has got me on edge. Especially after what happened last night. It’s difficult not to worry.”
“It’s fine,” Lily said. “I’m sorry for being snappy with you.”
“Are you hungry?” Clara gestured to the kitchen. “I’m making fish and potatoes with peas. I don’t know what you like, but I grabbed a few things at the supermarket this morning.”
“That sounds great,” Lily said. “I haven’t had a home cooked meal in a while.”
Clara smiled affectionately. “It’ll be ready in about fifteen minutes. Time for a shower first, if you want.”
“Perfect.” Lily walked to the stairs, then turned back. “I saw Johnny while I was out for my run. Took the opportunity to ask him a few questions.”
Clara’s eyebrows lifted. “Did you find out anything interesting?”
“I’ll fill you in properly over dinner, but he didn’t flinch when I mentioned someone starting the fire intentionally. If he’d done it, I’m sure he’d have reacted.” She hooked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “We’ve been invited to dinner at the Weston’s tomorrow evening.”
“Both of us?”
Lily nodded. “Samantha and Nancy will be there. Probably Johnny too. But not the one member of the family who I’d most like to speak to.”
“Martin Weston?”
“Yes. Johnny told me his dad wasn’t at home on the night of the fire. I’d like to know where he was, and why he lied about his whereabouts.”
Clara looked thoughtful. “Marcie kept me updated on the neighbours as best she could. As far as I know, Martin lives and works in Truro.”
“Not far, then.” Lily locked eyes with her grandmother. “We need to track him down.”