Simon Beckett - The Restless Dead

‘How do you know he drove up on his bike?’

The DI gave a grim smile. ‘I did some digging after you told me about the photograph of the motorbike. A burnt-out Harley was found six months ago in a ditch a few miles from here. No registration plates and someone had ground off all the serial numbers, but it fits the description of the one registered to Chapel.’

Like the indentation in the mandible, it wasn’t proof in itself. But a picture of what had happened to Emma Derby’s former boyfriend was starting to emerge. And now something else occurred to me.

‘They could have met at the boathouse. It was Emma Derby’s pet project, and I got the impression Trask didn’t have much to do with it.’

Lundy considered. ‘It’d take a brass nerve for them to be right under Trask’s nose, but Chapel would have to stay somewhere and there’s not many places round here. Have you seen anything to make you think he was there?’

‘No, but I haven’t really looked in the dock underneath the flat. It’s full of old junk.’ I’d only been inside the lower level briefly, when I’d wanted something to help retrieve the training shoe. I hadn’t paid much attention to what else might be in the clutter.

‘Well, I’m heading there next. I can take a look then.’

‘You’re going to the boathouse?’

‘Rachel Derby’s bringing the photographs she found. She doesn’t want Trask to know, so she said she’d see me there.’ He looked uncomfortable. ‘She, ah, also wanted me to know that she’d been in the country when her sister went missing. Said she’d told us at the time, which it turns out she had. I didn’t take her statement so I assumed... Anyway, everything checked out. She was at a friend’s wedding somewhere.’

‘Poole,’ I said.

‘Right.’ Not looking at me, Lundy took out a handkerchief and wiped his nose. ‘Sorry if that’s made things awkward.’

I didn’t know whether I should feel relieved or more of a fool than ever. ‘It’s OK.’

He put the handkerchief away. ‘So, are you off to the mortuary now?’

‘Yes,’ I said, and abruptly made a decision. ‘If it’s OK by you I need to stop off back at the boathouse first, though.’

‘Forgotten something, have you?’

‘Something like that.’

I saw Lundy smile to himself as he turned away. But he fell quiet as we walked back down the track to where we’d left our cars. He unlocked his and then stood without opening it.

‘Can I ask you something?’

My first thought was that it was about Rachel, but then I noticed the worry in his eyes and realized this was something different. ‘Of course.’

‘The hospital rang this morning. I was supposed to be seeing the consultant for the results in a couple of weeks, but they’ve brought it forward. To tomorrow.’ He cleared his throat. ‘You used to be a GP. I just wondered if they ever do that sort of thing for... you know. Good news.’

No wonder he’d seemed subdued. ‘It depends on the consultant, I suppose. Or perhaps the equipment was faulty and they need to do it again. Could be any number of things.’

I wished I could offer something more reassuring. I really didn’t know, but if I were Lundy I’d be worried too.

‘That’s what I thought. Probably a lot about nothing.’ He gave a brisk nod, the police officer again. ‘Right, I’ll see you there.’

Lundy said he had a call to make before setting off, so I left him outside Edgar’s and drove to the boathouse. Neither of the Trasks’ Land Rovers were there, which I took to mean Rachel hadn’t arrived yet. But as I parked I saw her waiting by the front door. She had the same folder under her arm that she’d had the photographs in the evening before. I climbed out of my car, simultaneously nervous and glad to see her.

I walked over, with no real idea of what I should say. Neither of us spoke for a moment. ‘Are you OK?’ I asked.

Her face gave nothing away. ‘I thought you were going back to London.’

‘I am. Later.’ Come on, talk to her . ‘Lundy told me you’d spoken to him.’

She looked at me without saying anything.

‘About last night,’ I ploughed on. ‘I shouldn’t have... I didn’t mean to upset you.’

‘How did you think I was going to feel?’

‘I’m sorry, it’s just... the situation’s complicated.’

‘You think I don’t know that?’ Rachel was looking at me with a perplexed, almost exasperated expression, but at least she seemed calmer now. I heard the sound of a car engine approaching, and knew I only had a few more seconds.

‘Look, I can’t leave it like this. I want to see you again.’

I hadn’t planned to blurt it out, and from Rachel’s expression she hadn’t expected it either. She appeared at a loss, and then just when it seemed she might answer Lundy’s car crunched on to the cinders.

Rachel gave me a last troubled look as the DI heaved himself out of his car. He flexed his shoulders stiffly, rubbing the small of his back as he looked up at the dark smear of cloud out to sea. ‘Going to be raining in a bit.’

‘Do you feel it in your bones?’ Rachel asked, and I was glad to see her smile.

‘Radio 2, actually. Same sort of thing.’ He nodded at the folder. ‘Those the photos?’

‘Yeah.’ She looked down at the folder. ‘I feel a bit weird about this. Andrew still doesn’t know anything about it. I’m not comfortable going behind his back.’

‘No point upsetting him if there’s no need,’ Lundy said reasonably. ‘Maybe we could go inside to take a look?’

Both Rachel and Lundy looked at me. I felt my face colour. ‘I, uh, I posted my key through the letterbox when I left.’

When I’d gone to meet Lundy at Edgar’s house I hadn’t thought I’d be coming back here again. Lundy gave me a wry look but made no comment.

‘It’s OK, I’ve got a spare.’ Rachel pulled out her sister’s heavy key ring, jangling through them before finding what she wanted.

I let her and Lundy go in first. The DI bent to pick up the key I’d posted. He raised his eyebrows as he turned to me. ‘Shall I give this to Rachel or might you change your mind again?’

Deciding the less I said the better, I followed him inside. I’d tidied the place before I left, leaving the quilt and bedding folded on the sofa. The Tupperware box Rachel had brought dessert in stood on the side, a few pieces of the dog food cake still in it. It had been too rich for me to finish, but I thought that would come well down my list of transgressions. While she set her folder down on the table, Lundy headed over to the stack of framed photographs leaning against the wall. The motorbike one was still at the front.

‘I’m certain it’s Mark Chapel’s,’ Rachel said as he studied it. ‘And you can see the sea fort in the background. Here, it’s clearer on these other prints.’

As she turned to open the folder, Lundy caught my eye and gave a short nod, confirming that the motorbike matched the burnt-out one they’d found. He came over to the table where Rachel was spreading out the smaller photographs.

‘These were taken from the beach by the sea wall,’ she said, shuffling through them. ‘It’s the same bike and location, and the sea fort’s definitely the one by the mouth of the estuary. And here, these photographs of Villiers’ house. Emma must have shot them from one of the towers. There’s nowhere else they could have been taken from.’

Lundy’s face remained impassive as he went through them. ‘Have you any idea why she might do that?’

‘Not really. She was doing remodelling work on the house, but that was all interiors. And if she needed to photograph the outside she could have done it from the front lawn. She didn’t need to go all the way out there.’