In Denial (23 page)

‘
But it was Lucinda, his sister, and her children who were murdered,’ Gabrielle reminded him.

‘
We’re also talking about a lot of years in between. So what happens next? This brother is sent to England with his tail between his legs and what do the mother and father Patrick idolises do next? They go to England as well. All right, it was something Patrick’s father had started planning from the moment the decision was made to hand Hong Kong lock, stock and barrel back to the Communist Chinese but can you imagine the affect that could have had on Patrick? An impressionable young man who was in with the wrong crowd in a big way, a seething and growing hatred for his brother and then the two people who could have perhaps saved him, pack their bags and leave.’

‘
Are you saying that Patrick stayed in Hong Kong?’

Jeremy nodded. ‘That’s exactly what he did?’

‘
But was he old enough to make that decision?’

This time Jeremy shrugged. ‘He was at university and I’m speculating again but I guess continuity of his education etcetera would have played a part. Then once he graduated he was his own master.’

‘
Okay, I’m with you so far but you said this yourself, there was a significant period between his parents and Lucinda coming to England and the murders.’

Jeremy nodded. ‘I did say that. So what’s the next crunch, what’s the next devastating event?’

‘
Adam and Lucinda getting married?’

‘
Precisely. And did Patrick travel from Hong Kong to go to his sister’s and brother’s wedding? Of course not! So, now we have a scenario where trusted mother and father are living in England, little sister is married to his brother, also living in England - what a nice cosy happy family - for all except Patrick that is. Patrick is in Hong Kong and his hatred is festering.’

‘
And then Charlotte and Timothy come along?’ Gabrielle suggested.

‘
As evidence of the ongoing happy family scenario, exactly! But presumably Adam told you that regardless of what was going on in Patrick’s mind, things in the UK weren’t quite as hunky-dory as they could have been.’

‘
Yes. He said there was always an atmosphere but after the children were born things improved.’

‘
As probably anyone would have expected. I’m sure it happens all the time. Parents not too happy with son or daughter’s choice of partner, but begrudgingly polite, then sprog number one arrives and all is sweetness and light. Cynical I know, but it has to be commonplace.’

Jeremy finished his brandy. ‘I’m going to have a nightcap, are you sure you won’t join me?’

‘
No, but another coffee would be nice.’

‘
Okay.’ He reached for the phone and ordered the drinks from room service as Gabrielle took a sneaky look at her watch. It was approaching ten, not as late as she thought.

‘
So are you saying that this hatred, this cancer as you called it, built up to such a degree that Patrick came to England and murdered his sister and her children?’

Jeremy shook his head. ‘This is where my imagination becomes a little unstuck. Something else must have happened, maybe something that even Adam knows nothing about. Everything leads towards a need for revenge. The white boy who invaded his family, the white boy who violated his sister, the white boy who took his family away from him, the white boy who married his sister and then she had his children. If Adam had been found floating down the Thames then maybe my theory would hold some water, but ...’ Jeremy spread his hands. ‘The trail goes a bit cold after the children were born.’

‘
That bit of the trail, as you put it, is thirteen years long, Jeremy. I was following you all the way but now, I’m sorry.’ She smiled. ‘You have a vivid imagination for someone in such an obdurate profession.’

‘
Obdurate? That’s a bit strong but I know what you mean. Perhaps having a vivid imagination is a form of escapism. And I do let my imagination run away with me on occasions.’ His smile suggested exactly what he was thinking but Gabrielle chose to ignore him.

‘
And you say the police have investigated Patrick?’

‘
Not Patrick per se, but the Hong Kong connection yes, as far as I know.’ Jeremy got up once again to answer the knock on the door. He smiled as he put Gabrielle’s coffee in front of her. ‘This really is a nightcap,’ he said indicating the brandy. ‘I’ll drink this and then leave you in peace.’ He sat down and Gabrielle saw his eyes go to her knees and legs again. As he’d been talking his eyes had drifted all over her.

‘
I can’t take in all that you’ve said, and I find it very difficult to believe Adam’s brother, and more importantly Lucinda’s brother, would have just cause to do such a thing.’

‘
As I said, my theory is all right up to the actual act of murder.’ He shrugged and looked at his watch. ‘So what do we do now?’

‘
Talk some more?’

Gabrielle’s mind was racing. Earlier she should have left him in little doubt that she was not interested. She had allowed him to get the wrong idea and now he was starting again; she could see it in his eyes.

‘
What about?’ Jeremy asked, cocking his head.

‘
The reason why we’re here.’

‘
There’s literally nothing I can add to what I’ve told you, and you were quite right, even that is the product of a vivid imagination.’

Gabrielle uncurled her legs and smoothed her skirt over her knees. ‘What about Lucinda’s parents? Where do they live?’

‘
In Dorset, a place called Winterborne Kingston, south of Blandford. Why?’

‘
I just wondered.’

‘
I’ve met them a couple of times over the years and I must say they’re a lovely couple. It was obvious who Lucinda got her stunning looks from. Her mother was something else. The last time I saw them was at the funerals and what a difference. They’d aged overnight. To be expected I suppose.’

Gabrielle watched as Jeremy sipped his brandy, the leering look still in his eyes. ‘Adam’s trip to Hong Kong, you don’t know how long he’s gone for, do you?’

Jeremy shrugged. ‘He didn’t say and I didn’t think to ask at the time. You did know that he’s resigned from his job?’

‘
No.’

‘
He works for a firm of accountants in London. Well he did, because he resigned last week.’

‘
So with his house on the market, resigning from his job, it sounds as though he could be gone for a while.’

‘
It does, doesn’t it? He’s still got his small pied
à
terre in London, but other than that -’

‘
He’s got no reason to come back.’

‘
Well, he can’t stay there forever. I think with a visitor’s visa it’s three months max.’

‘
What happened to the Europeans who decided to stay on in Hong Kong after it was handed back? Did they retain British nationality or what?’

‘
Not sure but I think there was some special arrangement because Hong Kong was and still is China’s main source of foreign investment and therefore foreign currency, and they couldn’t afford to get rid of the expertise.’

‘
But Adam will have gone back as a normal visiting UK citizen. Surely he has no special rights because he was born there ...’

‘
Not as far as I know.’

Gabrielle was trying to think of more questions so that she could delay the inevitable. She really shouldn’t have let Jeremy get anywhere near her in the first place and as for letting him touch her the way he did, what on earth was she thinking of? ‘Would you excuse me, Jeremy? I must just pop to the bathroom.’

‘
Certainly,’ he replied half rising out of his chair.

In the bathroom Gabrielle looked at herself in the mirror and shook her head.
What a fool
, she thought.
You got yourself into this mess and now you must get yourself out of it. He doesn’t look the type who would become violent if he doesn’t get his way. It was obvious from the outset what he was after. From the moment you walked into his office his eyes
were everywhere, and that smile said only one thing. You should have stayed in the hotel dining room. You came to Ashbourne to find out as much as you could about Adam, not to have some philanderer talk you into your own bed. Who does he think he is anyway
? And what would he really do if he knew he was coming on to a vicar? Perhaps that was the answer after all. She’d brought a couple of clerical collars with her, her crucifix and the bible she’d been given by her parents when she was ordained, and they were all in the drawer under the television.

After flushing the loo, she took a deep breath and unlocked the bathroom door. Jeremy was over by the window looking out into the night. He was wearing his jacket and as he turned round she could see that he’d also put on his tie.

‘
Oh!’ she said involuntarily.

He smiled. ‘As I said earlier, I think it best if I leave you in peace,’ he told her, spreading his hands.

‘
But …’

‘
Look, I’m sorry about what happened earlier on. I don’t know what came over me. I shouldn’t have got fresh with you.’

‘
Well, I -’

‘
No, I really ought to have behaved with a little more decorum.’

‘
You were a little presumptuous.’ Gabrielle stayed at the bathroom door.

‘
Yes, I was and I’m sorry. I hope you’ll forgive me.’

‘
Well, yes, but -’

‘
What time are you leaving Ashbourne tomorrow? You said you have a conference in Birmingham to go to.’

‘
Did I? Oh yes ... er, it’s not until Wednesday, but I’ll go -’

‘
If you’re still around mid-morning, say ten-thirty. Please pop in to the office for a coffee if you have any other questions you think I might be able to help with. If not, then I’ve left my card on top of the television, so please contact me at any time.’

‘
Yes, Jeremy, I will but I think …’

‘
Right, I’ll leave you in peace, as I said.’ He walked across the room, lifted Gabrielle’s fingers to his lips and with another of his smiles he added, ‘Whether you like it or not you are a delectable lady, with a face and figure any man would find desirable, so don’t blame me too much.’ Then he opened the door and was gone.

Gabrielle felt quite shocked.

She went to the window and saw Jeremy Jacobs crossing Station Road. She watched him until he disappeared. Moving across to the television she picked up the card he’d left and it was then she noticed that the drawer in which she’d put her clerical collars, crucifix and bible was slightly open.

She opened it further and extracted the bible. Turning to the first page she read the inscription her mother had written:

To Gabrielle (Our little Gabby)

On the day of her ordination

May this bible guide her as she has chosen to guide others

From her ever loving Mother and Father

23rd September 2001

Underneath, Gabrielle had added:

If found please return to:

Gabrielle Brooks - The Vicarage, School Road, Luss Alexandria G83 8NY

She smiled.

That’ll teach him to go looking in delectable ladies’ drawers, she thought.

As Gabrielle was trying to get to sleep in the four-poster bed after her disturbing evening with Jeremy Jacobs, Adam was woken by the double thump of the under-carriage being lowered as the aircraft approached Hong Kong International Airport.

Opened in 1998 and colloquially known as Chek Lap Kok Airport (
赤鱲角機場
), its planners had incorporated all of the lessons learnt from other large airports and done their best to integrate them into Hong Kong’s new pride and joy. Kai Tak, Hong Kong’s old gateway to the rest of the world, was now relegated to internal flights within China and some commercial traffic. Gone was the spectacular approach into Kai Tak over Kowloon as the largest aircraft in the world skimmed rooftops allowing them enough runway to slow down and taxi before reaching the sea. Although one of the most dangerous approaches in the world, it had lived a long life without significant mishap. The mishaps that did occur happened at the other end of the runway as aircraft were taking off towards Hong Kong Island.

‘
Ladies and Gentlemen, we are now approaching Hong Kong International Airport where the local time is eight forty-five. We would ask you to return to your seats and fasten your seat belts. We would also like to remind you that smoking is not permitted until you are inside the terminal building and then only in the designated areas. You are asked to remain seated until the aircraft has come to a complete standstill. Please take care when opening the overhead lockers as items may have shifted during the flight. We would like to thank you for flying Cathay Pacific to Hong Kong and apologise once again for the delay caused by the need to divert to Changi. We hope you enjoy your stay in Hong Kong and for those of you who are transiting through Hong Kong we hope you have safe onward journeys. Thank you.’