Chapter 33
Elizabeth had come straight over to Willows after meeting with the police. She makes sure that Penny has a wash and a set once a week. Anthony, the hairdresser, comes to Willows at the end of his appointments, and always insists on doing it for free.
One day, if Anthony ever gets into any sort of trouble, or ever needs help, he will discover how grateful Elizabeth is for this kindness.
“Mafia, I heard,” he says, gently running a soaped sponge through Penny’s hair. “Tony Curran owed them money, so they cut off his fingers and killed him.”
“That’s an interesting theory,” says Elizabeth. She has a hand cupped under Penny’s neck, and lifts her head. “And how did the Mafia get into the house?”
“Shot their way in, I suppose,” says Anthony.
“Without leaving bullet holes?” asks Elizabeth. Penny’s shampoo smells of rose and jasmine, and Elizabeth buys it at the shop on-site. They stopped selling it for a while, but Elizabeth paid them a visit, and they changed their mind.
“Well, that’s the Mafia for you, Elizabeth,” says Anthony.
“And without tripping any alarms, Anthony?” says John Gray, from his usual chair.
“Have you seen Goodfellas, John?” says Anthony.
“If that’s a film then I won’t have,” says John.
“There you are then,” says Anthony. He is now combing Penny’s hair. “You’re going to need a little trim next week, Penny, darling. Get you disco-ready.”
“No bullet holes, Anthony,” says Elizabeth. “No alarms, nothing broken, no sign of a struggle. What does that suggest to you?”
“Triads?” Anthony is unplugging his curling tongs. “One of these days I’m going to unplug you by mistake, Penny.”
“As Penny would be the first to tell you,” says Elizabeth, “it suggests that he let his killer in. So it must have been someone he knew.”
“Oh, I love that,” says Anthony. “Someone he knew. Of course. You ever killed someone, Elizabeth?”
She shrugs.
“I can just picture it,” he says, putting on his jacket. “There you go, Penny. I’d kiss you, but not with John in the room. Look at those forearms.”
Elizabeth stands and hugs him. “Thank you, darling.”
“She looks gorgeous,” says Anthony. “If I say so myself. See you next week, Elizabeth. Bye, Penny, bye, handsome John.”
“Obliged, Anthony,” says John.
As Anthony leaves, Elizabeth sits by Penny again.
“Here’s another thing, though, Pen. They took young Jason out for a photo afterward.
I know he gets that a lot, but something didn’t seem right.
It felt off. Why go outside? Joyce has one of those big picture windows.
You know, the ones in Wordsworth? That would be a lovely photo. ”
Mentioning Joyce again. Easier every time.
“Do you think they were asking Jason about something? Are we missing something? We passed him on the stairs coming back up, and he was his usual charming self, but who knows?”
Elizabeth sips some water and feels grateful. Then she feels guilty for feeling grateful. Then she feels weak for feeling guilty. So she carries on talking to Penny. To Penny, or to herself? Who knew?
“Perhaps it wasn’t Ventham at all? Perhaps we’re just being blinded by what’s in that file? By the twelve million. I mean, where was he when Curran was killed? Do we even know? Could he have done it? Do the timings work?”
“Elizabeth, forgive me,” says John. “But have you ever watched Escape to the Country?”
Elizabeth is still not really used to John speaking, but he does seem to be coming out of his shell recently. “I don’t believe I have, John, no.”
He’s fidgeting a little. Something is clearly on his mind. “I mean, it’s rather good. I’m sure it’s nonsense, but even so. There will be a couple on, and they will be looking for a new home.”
“In the country, John?”
“In the country, as you say. And a chap—well, sometimes it’s a woman—will show them around some houses.
I watch it with the sound down, because it’s not really Penny’s sort of thing.
You can really see in the eyes of the couple which one wants to move, and which one is just going along with it. For a quiet life, you know?”
“John,” says Elizabeth, leaning forward and staring straight into his eyes, “I’ve never known you to utter a sentence without a reason. Where is this heading?”
“Well, it’s only heading here, I suppose,” says John.
“I was watching Escape to the Country, you see, on the day that Curran was killed, and they’d just got to the end, where they decide whether to buy the house or not.
They never do, but that’s half the fun. I got up and wandered out to get a Lucozade Sport from the machine, and I looked out of the window, the one at the front, and saw Ventham’s car driving off. ”
“The Range Rover?” asks Elizabeth.
“Yes, the Ranger Rover,” says John. “Coming down the track from the top of the hill. And I just thought I would mention it to you, as Escape to the Country is on straight after Doctors, and it finishes at three on the dot.”
“I see,” says Elizabeth.
“And I thought that perhaps if you knew exactly when Ventham left Coopers Chase, and you knew exactly when Curran had been killed, it might be useful? For the investigation?”
“Three p.m.?” asks Elizabeth.
“Mmm. On the dot.”
“Thank you, John. I think I need to send a text message.” Elizabeth takes out her phone.
“I don’t think you’re supposed to use your mobile telephone in here, Elizabeth,” says John.
She gives a kindly shrug. “Well, imagine if we only ever did what we were supposed to, John.”
“You have a point there, Elizabeth,” agrees John, and goes back to his book.