‘Well … I hadn’t thought of … my father did suggest I could rent out my flat in Cornwall.’
‘Come over and see it in the morning, if you like,’ Irene invited him.
‘Oh, you’ll be snug as a bug in a rug there,’ Joan promised him.
‘It seems my future is writing itself!’ exclaimed Thomas.
‘Not at all, dear Inspector,’ replied Gwendolen. ‘It is only that a path is opening up before you. The decision to take it or not is firmly in your hands.’
They saw how the inspector looked around instinctively for Amanda. She was brought to his side. With a smile, she suggested,
‘Look at it tomorrow and then see what you think. It’s just an idea.’
‘Oh yes,’ he agreed, reassured.
‘No pressure,’ explained Dennis.
‘It’s up to you, Inspector,’ added Joan.
‘We wouldn’t want to impose,’ put in Sylvia.
‘You are all very kind,’ said Thomas, visibly moved.
‘Awww,’ responded Joan sentimentally.
As Trelawney and Amanda collected their coats and walked out to their cars, he asked her,
‘You know the place well? The Elms?’
‘Yes. I do think you’d like it and the suggestion of an office next door does sound just the thing.’
‘It would be convenient,’ Trelawney admitted. ‘I could walk you home.’
‘And carry my files. Ring binders can be so unwieldy,’ Amanda jested.
He smiled at that but said, ‘Seriously, I am charged with the sacred trust of your safety.’
Amanda stopped and looked at him. ‘You may not always be able to ensure that. You do know that, don’t you?’
‘Yes. Mike said something of the sort. That I will not always be able to follow where you go.’
‘The same is true of me. I can’t go on mad dashes across rooftops after doers of dastardly deeds. In fact, as was amply demonstrated in the cave, I can’t go on mad dashes anywhere. At least, not until I find that wretched book with the asthma spell antidote.’
‘The hunt for that can be included in the first cases on our files. It pertains to you, and so it pertains to Sunken Madley.’
‘Hm.’
‘I do like the idea of The Elms,’ Trelawney assured Amanda. ‘And I appreciate how much trouble everyone is willing to go to.’
‘I’m glad.’
‘If I can afford it.’
‘Believe me,’ Amanda assured him, ‘Irene will make sure you can.’
‘She can’t know what rent I could get for my flat.’
‘She’ll know by tomorrow morning, and what you currently pay for your mortgage.’
‘I am to have no personal, confidential information then,’ Thomas remarked.
‘Oh no, you hereby give up all rights of privacy. It’s in the small print, Inspector. Always read the small print,’ Amanda added with a twinkle.
‘Good advice. I’ll bear it in mind!’
Chapter 58
At The Elms, and Samantha’s Good Deed
The next day, the ground floor of The Elms appeared to be transforming into a junior branch of The Corner Shop Intelligence HQ.
Trelawney asked Amanda to come over with him to look at his potential new premises. As Irene pointed out, the room next door was in decent enough repair but the flat needed re-skimming, re-flooring, repainting, and refurnishing.
The doorbell chimed, and Irene hastened to answer it.
‘Do come in, although no decision has been made yet,’ they heard her say.
‘Ah hello, Mr Branscombe,’ said Amanda, as a head peered politely around the doorframe.
‘Hello there, Miss C, Inspector. Just thought I’d pop over, just in case.’
‘This is Mr Branscombe, our esteemed local builder,’ Amanda explained.
‘Yes, of course.’ Trelawney shook hands politely. ‘Kind of you come along.’
‘So, you’d be wanting a door through here would you …’
Ding, dong!
‘Cooee!’
Trelawney looked at Amanda.
‘Joan?’ he asked.
‘Hello dears, the door was open. I can only stay a minute, ’cos I’m on my rounds but just to say, Inspector, in case you do decide to take the flat here, my niece is getting rid of her three-piece, only had it six months but said “it’s not them”. Light cream-grey sofa and two dark brown leather matching chairs. If you want them. I’ll message you the pics.’
‘That’s very kind, Jo—’
‘You let me know. Oo ’allo, love!’
Amanda turned around to see the newcomer.
‘Hello, Dennis.’
‘Greetings, all. Just a short visit. Got a dining table and chairs …’
And so it went on, as villagers came with offers of furniture, cushions, rugs and kitchenware. By the end of the morning, the flat and office were provisionally furnished. Irene said that, once the inspector had chosen the furniture, she’d run up some curtains or blinds, whatever he wanted.
At lunchtime, Trelawney fairly staggered out to his car with Amanda.
‘I am overwhelmed,’ he declared. ‘Such kindness. I don’t think I’ve had such a welcome from anyone outside my family in the whole of my life.’
‘They really want you here, Inspector. But don’t feel you must say yes to The Elms.’
However, over quiche and salad in The Big Tease, suddenly Trelawney looked up and out of the window at the sky. He saw, not the thick March clouds but, reflected in the glass, the house, the Elms, the front door opening and a soft amber glow from within. He saw a river of light running through the village and ending at Irene’s gate. He looked at Amanda.
‘Yes,’ he said.
‘Yes?’
‘My instinct tells me this right. The Elms is right. Would you be happy working there? Of course, I realise it would have to fit in with your day job. That will all be in the contract.’
‘Of course.’
‘Then after lunch, let’s go and tell … the village!’
As they walked from the café to The Corner Shop, a red Jaguar I-PACE drew up beside them, and the driver leaned across to call out,
‘Inspector?’
‘Mr Gibbs. How are you?’
‘I’m fine, but I was rather hoping to find you. Can we go somewhere private? The Centre?’
‘Of course.’
‘Hello, Amanda. Do feel free to come along.’
In one of the light, comfortable rooms of the Centre, looking out to the meadow carved out of Madley Wood, Damian sat opposite Amanda and Trelawney. He had something in his right hand.
‘Inspector, first may I thank you again for bringing this sad business to a conclusion.’
‘You’re welcome, Mr Gibbs. How are you coping?’
‘Oh well. Fortunately, my
