Emma Page - Deadlock

Harper An imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street London SE1 9GF

www.harpercollins.co.uk

First published in Great Britain in 1991 by Collins Crime

Copyright © Emma Page 1991

Emma Page asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work

A catalogue copy of this book is available from the British Library.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

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HarperCollins Publishers has made every reasonable effort to ensure that any picture content and written content in this ebook has been included or removed in accordance with the contractual and technological constraints in operation at the time of publication.

Source ISBN: 9780008175788

Ebook Edition © MARCH 2016 ISBN: 9780008175795

Version [2016-02-18]

For J.B. and B.B. in gratitude

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

About the Author

By Emma Page

About the Publisher

The brass plate beside the front door of Dr Peake’s handsome Edwardian premises, half a mile beyond the northwestern tip of Cannonbridge, glittered in the mellow sunshine of late afternoon.

Sunlight flashed from the doctor’s gold-rimmed spectacles as he strolled along the peaceful walks of his beloved garden in the welcome lull before evening surgery – on Tuesdays surgery began at six.

He glanced about with pleasure. Still plenty of colour in the flowerbeds and borders for the first week in September. He paused to savour the delicate fragrance of a rose. A silver-haired man with a spare, upright figure, a look of buoyant optimism undimmed after long years in general practice.

He looked at his watch. Time he was getting back indoors. He let himself in through the conservatory, into the cool interior, along the corridor into the entrance hall.

At the window in reception he saw the husband of a patient – Conway, yes, that was the name. Mrs Conway had consulted him for the first time a couple of months ago; she and her husband had come to live in a neighbouring hamlet back in the spring.

Conway was picking up a repeat prescription for his wife. ‘Hello, there!’ the doctor called out as he came up behind him. ‘How’s your wife? More relaxed and cheerful, I hope?’

David Conway turned from the window. He had a direct, open glance. On the tall side, with a slim, athletic build. Still boyish-looking, although a year or so past thirty. A square jaw, a broad forehead with a lock of fair hair falling forward. Well-groomed, smartly dressed in a business suit, shoes polished to a mirror finish.

He smiled at the doctor. ‘Anna’s much improved, I’m glad to say. And she’s sleeping a lot better.’ He put the prescription away in his pocket.

‘That’s good,’ Peake said heartily. Patients were beginning to drift in. He nodded to one or two, spoke a word here and there. He moved away from reception with Conway and stood talking to him further down the hall. ‘I’ll look in on your wife next time I’m over your way – but don’t for heaven’s sake tell her that or she’ll work herself up into a stew every morning, wondering if it’ll be today I’ll be calling in.’ He paused. ‘Is she getting out much?’

Conway shook his head. ‘Not very much, I’m afraid.’

‘That’s got to be altered,’ Peake pronounced briskly. ‘She’s at a time of life when she should be full of plans for the future. She should be enjoying making new friends, a whole new life. If you could get her to start thinking positively along those lines it would do her more good than any amount of sleeping pills and anti-depressants.’ A thought struck him. ‘Does she drive?’

Conway shook his head again. ‘She’s never shown any inclination to learn.’

‘Then start teaching her. She’ll fall in with anything you suggest. Could be the very thing for her. Living out in the country, on her own all day, it’s easy for any woman to get shut in on herself, stuck at home without transport. It’ll give her a new interest, something to aim at.’

He clapped Conway on the shoulder. ‘And if you could manage a little second-hand car for her, that would encourage her even more. You needn’t pay the earth for it. Once she’s passed her test she’ll be able to drive into town every day, even if it’s only to do a bit of shopping, change her books at the library. It’s all human contact, it all helps.’

‘You’re absolutely right!’ Conway responded with energy. ‘I should have thought of it myself, it’s a first-class idea. I’ll get cracking on it right away.’

‘And talking about getting out more—’ Peake suddenly broke off. He excused himself and went swiftly along to assist an elderly patient hobbling in with the aid of a stick. He returned to take up again where he’d left off, all the while keeping a benevolent eye open all round. ‘As I was saying, would it be possible to arrange a holiday for your wife? That often does the trick, better than any amount of tranquillizers.’

‘Do you think she’s up to it yet?’ Conway asked in a tone of anxiety. ‘It would mean she’d have to go on her own. There’s no chance of my being able to get away at this time of year.’ He had been in his present job, with Zodiac Soft Furnishings, only since March. He had no leave due to him as yet, and one of the firm’s two busiest seasons was already under way.

‘I wasn’t suggesting she went right away,’ Peake demurred. ‘In a few weeks’ time was what I had in mind. I’m sure she’ll be up to it by then. And I wasn’t suggesting she went on her own. Isn’t there some relative or friend who could go with her?’

Conway pondered. ‘I can’t think of anyone who could get away.’

‘Then a cruise is your answer,’ Peake returned with undiminished gusto. ‘Just the thing late in the year. You can head for the sun, shorten the winter.’

‘A cruise?’ Conway echoed doubtfully.

‘Don’t look so surprised.’ Peake smiled. ‘People have very out-of-date notions about cruises if they haven’t been on one recently. They’ve changed out of all recognition over the last ten or fifteen years. It’s not all old fogies these days, plenty of young folk go on cruises now, families too. My wife and I have been on a good many cruises over the years and we’ve enjoyed every one of them. There’s never any need to feel lonely, they’re ideal for folk on their own, convalescing. No pressure, no need to do anything you don’t feel like. You can lie about all day if you want to. Nothing to worry about, everything done for you. Doctor and nurses if you happen to need them. Your wife will love it. Sea, sunshine, change and stimulation, wonderful food. Meeting new people, striking up friendships, finding new interests.’