evening, we can get on with our inquiries.”
“Lucy and I ran into Guildford for some shopping. She’s studying for her A levels, you see, and needed a book from Waterstones in the shopping center. We poked about a bit in the shops, then walked up the High to Sainsbury’s.” Claire stopped as Lucy stirred beside her, then she looked at Deveney and frowned. “Where’s Darling?”
Gemma and Kincaid glanced at each other, Kincaid raising a questioning eyebrow. Deveney leaned over and whispered, “The constable who was with them. His name is Darling.” Turning to Claire, he said, “He’s still here, Mrs. Gilbert. He’s just gone to give the other lads a hand for a bit.”
Tears filled Claire’s eyes and began to run down the sides of her nose, but she made no move to wipe them away.
“After you’d finished your shopping, Mrs. Gilbert,” Kincaid prompted after a moment, “what did you do then?”
She seemed to focus on him with an effort. “After? We drove home.”
Kincaid thought of the quiet lane where they had left their car. “Did anyone see you? A neighbor, perhaps?”
Claire shook her head. “I don’t know.”.
While they talked, Gemma had unobtrusively pulled her notebook and pen from her bag. Now she said softly, “What time was this, Mrs. Gilbert?”
“Half past seven. Maybe later. I’m not quite sure.” She looked from Gemma to Kincaid, as if for reassurance, then spoke a little more forcefully. “We weren’t expecting Alastair. He had a meeting. Lucy and I had bought some pasta and ready-made sauce at Sainsbury’s. A bit of a treat, just for the two of us.”
“That’s why we were surprised to find his car in the garage,” added Lucy, when her mother didn’t continue.
“What did you do then?” Kincaid asked.
After a quick glance at Claire, Lucy went on. “We put Mum’s car in the garage. When we came around the corner of the garage into the garden we could see the door standing—”
“Where was the dog?” asked Kincaid. “What’s his name—Lewis?”
Lucy stared at him as if she didn’t quite understand the question, then said, “He was in his run, in the back garden.”
“What kind of dog is Lewis?”
“A Lab. He’s brilliant, really lovely.” Lucy smiled for the first time, and again he heard that flash of proprietary pride in her voice.
“Did he seem upset in any way? Disturbed?”
Mother and daughter glanced at each other, then Lucy answered. “Not then. It was only later, when the police came. He got so frantic we had to bring him in the house.”
Kincaid set his empty cup on the table, and Claire’s body jerked slightly as the china clinked. “Let’s go back to when you saw the open door.”
The silence stretched. Lucy moved a bit nearer her mother.
The fire settled and a shower of sparks rose, then flickered out. Kincaid waited another heartbeat, then spoke. “Please, Mrs. Gilbert, try to tell us exactly what happened next. I know that you’ve already been through this with Chief Inspector Deveney, but you might remember some tiny detail that could help us.”
After a moment Claire took Lucy’s hand and cradled it between her own, but Kincaid couldn’t tell if she was extending support or receiving comfort. “You saw. There was blood … everywhere. I could smell it.” She drew a deep, shuddering breath, then continued. “I tried to lift him. Then I realized … I had some first-aid training, years ago. When I couldn’t find a pulse, I dialed nine-nine-nine.”
“Did you notice anything unusual as you came into the house?” asked Gemma. “Anything at all in the kitchen that wasn’t quite where it should be?”
Claire shook her head, and the lines of exhaustion seemed to deepen around her mouth.
“But I understand you’ve reported some things missing from the house,” said Kincaid, and Deveney gave him a quick nod of confirmation.
“My pearls. And the earrings Alastair gave me on my birthday … he had them specially made.” Claire sank back against the sofa cushion and closed her eyes.
“It sounds as if they must have been quite valuable,” said Gemma.
When Claire didn’t stir, Lucy glanced at her, then answered, “I suppose they were. I don’t know, really.” She pulled her hand free of her mother’s and held it out in a pleading gesture. “Please, Superintendent,” she said, and at the distress in her voice the dog began to bark, scrabbling against the door with his claws.
“Do shut him up, Lucy,” said Claire, but her voice was listless, and she didn’t move or open her eyes.
Lucy sprang up, but even as she did so the dog’s barking faded to a whimper, then subsided altogether. She sank back to the edge of the sofa, looking in mute appeal from her mother to Kincaid.
“Only one more thing, Lucy, I promise,” he said softly, then he turned to Claire. “Mrs. Gilbert, do you have any idea why your husband came home early?”
Claire pressed her fingers to her throat and said slowly, “No. I’m sorry.”
“Do you know who he was meet—”
“Please.” Lucy stood up, shivering. She crossed her arms tightly beneath her breasts and said through chattering teeth, “She’s said already. She doesn’t know.”
