Deborah Crombie - All Shall Be Well

Theo flushed. "I don't. Just the odd half-pint of sweet cider."

Gemma took charge again. "What did you do when you finished your meal? Have you a car?"

The question seemed to anger Theo. "No, I don't have a bloody car, if it's anyone else's business. I came back here. There's not much else to do in Abinger Hammer. And besides," he smiled at Gemma, his brief spurt of temper evaporating, and nodded toward the VCR, "I had a new film. Arrived at the shop that afternoon. Random Harvest , 1942, Ronald Coleman and Greer Garson. Great stuff. There's this shell-shocked World War I officer and he's saved from spending his life in an asylum by this music-hall sing-never mind."

"That's it. I watched the film. I read a bit, then I went to sleep." He looked at Kincaid, who had come back to perch on the arm of the easy-chair. "Satisfied?"

"Sorry," said Kincaid, standing and holding out his hand to Theo, "I just like to get things straight. I'm afraid you'll have to appear at the inquest. I'll let you know the details."

"It was nice to meet you, Theo. I'm sorry about your sister." Gemma took Theo's hand, surprised to find it ice-cold in the overheated room.

Theo followed them down the steep stairs, and Gemma had a last glance at the brambly honey pot before Theo shut the shop door behind them.

They left the shop without speaking and started down the footpath toward the river. Kincaid walked with his shoulders hunched and his hands in his pockets, not looking at Gemma.

"You suckered me into playing good cop-bad cop with that poor man. And after he was so touchingly grateful to you. Is that what you had in mind when you asked me to come?" Gemma stopped, forcing him to turn and meet her eyes.

"No. Partly habit, I suppose. I feel like I've beaten a child. But Christ, Gemma. How could anyone really be so bloody gormless? You can't believe he never gave a thought to what would happen to Jasmine's money."

"Oh, I don't think he's stupid, Duncan." Gemma started walking again and Kincaid followed. "Innocent, maybe, and a bit fragile. Surely you can't think Theo had anything to do with Jasmine's death?"

"It's that helpless quality of his," Kincaid said with the beginning of a grin. "It's aroused your protective instincts. Somebody probably felt the same way about Crippen."

"You've no reason not to believe him," Gemma countered, stung. "Do you think about what would happen to your parents' money, or your sister's, if they were to die suddenly?"

"No. But they've not been ill, and they don't support me. It looks to me like Theo still needs all the help he can get. His business doesn't exactly seem to be flourishing." They turned now and followed the watercourse toward the bridge at the village end. Cress, dappled green in the sunlight, grew thickly in the stream's running water. The children's play equipment stood deserted in the meadow, an empty swing moving gently in the breeze, and Gemma found herself wishing intensely that the afternoon had held no motive more sinister than a walk by the water's edge.

"It's nearly three o'clock, and by my count that's the only pub in the village." Kincaid pointed toward the low, white-washed building standing at the T-junction on the other side of the bridge. "I guess that qualifies as across the road. If we want to have a friendly chat with the landlord of the Bull and Whistle before closing time, we'd better get to it. And," the grin was back in full force, "I'll buy you a sweet cider."

The affable landlord of the Bull and Whistle confirmed that Theo had indeed eaten his supper there on Thursday evening. "Comes in every evening, about the same time. More likely I'd notice if he weren't here than if he were. Vegetarian lasagna on Thursday, I remember he looked pleased as punch when he saw the board." The publican replaced Gemma's coaster and eyed her appreciatively. "Anything else, Miss?"

"This is fine, thanks."

Gemma had ordered a dry cider with a quelling look at Kincaid, from which he deduced she was fed up with being teased about her preference for sweet drinks. She sat next to him at the bar, her expression inscrutable, looking crisp and as cool as her coloring would allow in pale trousers and a cinnamon cotton shirt. Looking at her, Kincaid felt rather rumpled and worse for wear.

The blackboard above the bar bore nothing but a few chalky streaks. "Nothing on today?" asked Kincaid.

"Wife takes Sunday off. Just cold pies and sausage rolls, or scotch eggs, if you like."

Kincaid shook his head. "Can you remember what time Theo Dent left here on Thursday?"

The landlord scratched his head. " 'Bout half past seven, I should think. Nothing special on that evening. Sometimes he'll have another half of cider if there's a darts match, or a good crowd."

"Gets on with the locals, does he?" asked Kincaid with some surprise.

"Well, I wouldn't exactly say that. But he's friendly enough. Shy, maybe. More likely to watch than to join in, if you know what I mean."

"Have any idea where he went when he left here?"

The landlord laughed. "In Abinger Hammer? There's not much choice, is there? And he's not got a car. Went home, as far as I know."

"Thanks." Kincaid drained his pint and looked at Gemma.

"Satisfied?" she asked acidly.

Kincaid grinned. "Not yet. Let's do a recce at the video shop."

Shop turned out to be an exaggerated description. Newsagent, post office, and video rental were squeezed into a space about the size of Kincaid's bathroom. The young woman behind the counter chewed her gum slowly while she considered Kincaid's query, contributing to a rather unfortunate bovine resemblance.

Carefully, she counted the days backwards on her fingers. "Yeah. It was Thursday Random Harvest came in. Special ordered it for him." She revolved her index finger around her ear. "Weird guy. Nutty about old films. I tried to turn him on to some really good stuff, you know, The Terminator, Lethal Weapon , like that, but he wasn't having any. Only watches dusty old things. The week before he wanted, uh, what's it called with Cary Grant? Arsenic and Old Ladies?"

" Arsenic and Old Lace ," Kincaid corrected, smothering a grin. "And did he return Random Harvest the next day?"

"First thing," the girl answered, puzzled.

"Thanks."

"You wouldn't dare make anything of it." Gemma had glared at him as they got in the car. "Lots of people love that film and don't go about poisoning their relatives."

Kincaid had to admit he found it difficult to imagine that Theo had got himself inconspicuously to London, murdered his sister, and managed to return home in time to watch a much anticipated video. He mulled it over as he drove, playing out various unlikely scenarios.

By the time they reached Hampstead he'd come up with nothing more definite than a resolve to discover if Theo were really as unaware of Jasmine's affairs as he claimed. He'd see Jasmine's solicitor straight away.

Kincaid couldn't persuade Gemma to stay when they reached the Hampstead flat, not even by tempting her with an offer of a drink on the balcony. She'd been restive on the drive back from Surrey, checking her watch often. What had started as a pleasant day had gradually deteriorated, and Kincaid had the feeling he'd failed her in some unknown expectation.

Perhaps she was still cross with him for bullying Theo, and truthfully he couldn't blame her. He'd only intended to gather a little information, but the man's helplessness made him feel awkward and inadequate, and that in turn irritated him.

Kincaid opened Gemma's car door and closed it as she got in. He stood, resting his hands on the open windowsill, so that she had to tilt her head to look up at him. "Thanks for coming with me, Gemma."

"Not much help, I'm afraid." She smiled and turned the key in the ignition. "Mind now, don't forget to look after the cat," she said as she pulled away, but Kincaid thought both the smile and the admonition seemed absent-minded.