Peter Lovesey - Murder on the Short List

“We can’t stop him if we can’t find him.”

“Couldn’t we trace him through the newspaper?”

“I don’t think so. They’re very strict about box numbers. And they cover themselves by saying you indemnify the newspaper against all claims.” Maggie thought for a while, and took a long sip of wine. “Righty,” she said finally. “What we do is this.”

GORGEOUS Georgie, 38, own house, car, country cottage, WLTM Mr Charming 35–45 for days out and evenings in and possible LTR. Loves fast cars, first nights and five star restaurants.

“What’s LTR?”

“Long term relationship. That should do it,” Maggie said.

“It’s a lot more pushy than mine,” Donna said

“How did you describe yourself?”

She blushed a little. “‘Independent, sensitive and cultured.”

“Independent is good. He’s thinking of your bank balance. But we can’t use it a second time. This will pull in quite a few gold-diggers, I expect. We just have to listen carefully to the voice messages and make sure it’s Lionel.”

“I’ll know his voice.”

“So will I, sweetie.”

“And who, exactly, is Gorgeous Georgie?”

“One of the best stuntmen in Britain.”

“A man ?”

“Ex-boxer and European weightlifting champion. He’s been on my agency books for years. He’ll deliver Lionel to us, and the money he stole from us. When Georgie has finished with the bastard he’ll beg for mercy.”

Maggie called ten days later. “He’s fallen for it. A really unctuous voice message. Made me want to throw up. He says he’s unattached—”

“That’s a lie.”

“Professional, caring and with a good sense of humour. He’ll need that.”

“So what’s the plan?” Donna asked.

“It’s already under way. I got my film rights director to call him back. She has the Roedean accent and very sexy it sounds. I told her to play the caution card. Said she needed to be certain Lionel isn’t married. He jumped right in and said he’s a widower and would welcome the opportunity to prove it. They’re meeting for a walk on the Downs at Beachy Head followed by a meal at the pub.”

“Your rights director?”

“No, silly. She was just the voice on the phone. He’ll meet Georgie and get the shock of his life. All you and I have to do is be there to take care of the remains.”

Donna caught her breath. “I can’t be a party to murder.”

“My sense of humour, darling. Georgie won’t do anything permanent. He’ll rough him up a bit and put the fear of God in him. Then we step up and get our money back.”

Maggie drove them to Eastbourne on the day of the rendezvous. She took the zigzag from Holywell and parked in a lay-by with a good view of the grass rise. From here you wouldn’t know there was a sheer drop. But if you ventured up the slope you’d see the Seven Sisters, the chalk cliffs reaching right away to Cuckmere Haven. It was late on a fine, gusty afternoon. George and the hapless Lionel were expected to reach here about five-thirty.

“Coffee or champagne?”

“You are well provided,” Donna said. “Coffee, I think. I want a clear head when we meet up with him.”

Maggie poured some from a flask. “We’ll save the champers for later.”

Donna smiled. “I just hope it stops him in his tracks. I don’t want other women getting caught like we did. I felt so angry with myself for being taken in. I got very depressed. When I came up here I was on the point of suicide.”

“That’s no attitude. Don’t ever let them grind you down.”

“I’m not very experienced with men.”

“Well, at least you persuaded the bastard to marry you, darling. You can’t be a total amateur. Me, I was conned every which way. Slept with him, handed him my money, accepted his proposal.”

“Proposal? He proposed to you? Actually promised to marry you?”

“The whole shebang. Down on one knee. We were engaged. He bought the ring, I’ll say that for him. A large diamond and two sapphires. He knew he had to chip in something to get what he wanted. What did it cost him? — a couple of grand at most, compared to the sixty he got off me.”

“I had no idea it got that far.”

“He’d have married me if I hadn’t caught him out. Bigamy wouldn’t have troubled our Lionel.”

Donna was increasingly concerned about what she was hearing. “But you didn’t catch him out. When I first phoned, you called him your boyfriend. I had to persuade you that he was a conman.”

“Don’t kid yourself, ducky,” Maggie said with a harder edge to her voice. “I knew all about Lionel before you showed up. I had him checked out. It’s easy enough to get hold of a marriage certificate, and when he gave me the guff about the flying accident I checked for a death certificate as well, and there wasn’t one, so I knew he was lying. He was stupid enough to tell me about the memorial bench before I even saw it. I went to the council and made sure it was bloody Lionel who paid to have it put there. He handed them the plaque and a wad of cash. What a con. He could go on using that seat as his calling card every time he started up with a new woman.”

“If you knew all that, why didn’t you act before? Why are you doing this with me?” Donna said.

“‘Do you really want to know?” Maggie said. She reached for the champagne bottle and turned it in her hands as if to demonstrate good faith. “It’s because you would have found out. Some day his body is going to be washed up. The sea always gives up its dead. Then the police are going to come asking questions and you’ll lead them straight to me.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Get with it, Donna dear. Lionel is history.”

She felt the hairs rise on her neck. “You killed him?”

“The evening he brought me up here to look at the stupid bench. I waited till we got here and then told him what an arsehole he was. Do you know, he still tried to con me? He walked to the cliff edge and said he would throw himself off if I didn’t believe him. I couldn’t stand his hypocrisy, so I gave him a push. Simple as that.”

Donna covered her mouth.

“The tide was in,” Maggie said in a matter-of-fact way, “so I suppose the body was carried out to sea.”

“This is dreadful,” Donna said. She herself had felt hatred for Lionel and wanted revenge, but she had never dreamed of killing him. “What I can’t understand is why we’re here now — why you went through this charade of advertising for him, trying to find him — when you knew he was dead.”

“If you were listening, sweetie, I just told you. You knew too much even before I gave you the full story. You’re certain to shop me when the police come along.”

It was getting dark in the car, but Donna noticed a movement of Maggie’s right hand. She had gripped the champagne bottle by the neck.

Donna felt for the door handle and shoved it open. She half fell, trying to get out. Maggie got out the other side and dashed round. Donna tried to run, but Maggie grabbed her coat. The last thing Donna saw was the bottle being swung at her head.

The impact was massive.

She fell against the car and slid to the ground. She’d lost all sensation. She couldn’t even raise her arms to protect herself.

She acted dead, eyes closed, body limp. It wasn’t difficult.

One of her eyes was jerked open by Maggie’s finger. She had the presence to stare ahead.

Then she felt Maggie’s hands under her back, lifting. She was hauled back into the car seat. The door slammed shut. She was too dazed to do anything.

Maggie was back at the wheel, closing the other door. The engine started up. The car bumped in ways it shouldn’t have done. It was being driven across the turf, and she guessed what was happening. Maggie was driving her right up to the cliff edge to push her over.