“Next left.” Tom turned the wipers on slow. “You know we have no actual proof for any of this, don’t you?”
“We need a confession.”
Tom braked to avoid a massive sinkhole in the road. “Or a body.”
Chapter Forty-Two
We pulled up to the broken-down stone wall near Hapthorn.
“Stay in the car.” Tom said. “This could get dicey.”
“Why? Colin doesn’t know we suspect him.”
“Even so, I’m doing this alone.”
“Tom,” I put my hand over his on the steering wheel. “If Lucy’s with him, you’re going to have to convince her to leave Colin and come away with you. She’s much more likely to agree if I’m there.”
He looked at me. “All right. But at the least hint of trouble, you head for the car—promise?”
“Of course. The important thing is to get Lucy away from Colin until you can figure out what’s going on.”
“Agreed. We’ll play it by ear—but no confrontation. Invent a plausible reason why Lucy should come with us. I’ll deal with Wardle—give him just enough to put the wind up, but not enough to know we’ve figured it out. With any luck, he’ll decide to escape while he can.”
We bumped over the gravel drive. Tom parked about fifty feet from the house, and we got out. No Oakley’s van—but a light emanated from somewhere toward the back of the house.
The mist was as thick as cotton wool. The sound of rushing water and a low groaning reminded me of a lake icing up in winter.
We followed the slate pavers to the side door. Tom knocked.
No one answered.
He knocked again, louder this time.
I was beginning to think we’d made the trip for nothing, when a light flipped on. Colin Wardle appeared at the door and turned the bolt.
“Stay behind me,” Tom said.
“Remember to call him Martin,” I whispered.
Colin opened the door. “Can I help you?”
“Martin Ingram?”
“Hello, Martin,” I said, peering at him from around Tom’s shoulder. “We’re sorry to bother you, but I’ve been really worried about Lucy. Is she here?”
“Ah, yeah. I offered to drive her out here, give her a hand with the art collection.”
“May I speak with her?”
Colin hesitated a fraction of a second too long. “Sure. I should tell you, Lucy’s decided to sell everything. Oakley’s will handle the auction.”
“Lucky you,” I said, moving past him into the kitchen.
A large number of objects had been gathered on the counter and the kitchen table. I smelled moldy plaster and damp wood.
Lucy was standing near the kitchen sink. “Kate—I’m so sorry. I got your messages, and I should have phoned, but we’ve been so busy.” Her face was alight with joy. “Colin’s helping me. I couldn’t face it on my own.” She held up a hand. “Before you say anything, I know he’s been calling himself Martin Ingram. That’s why I couldn’t find him. And he’s been looking for me all this time too, not knowing I was still calling myself Lacey Wardle.” She laughed. “Comedy of errors, right?”
Hilarious. “So you found each other. How did that happen?”
“Colin heard I’d returned to England after my mother’s death. He called me at the hotel.”
“It was quite a shock.” Colin’s expression of friendly candor was starting to congeal.
Tom stood near the old-fashioned gas range, his hands in his pockets and his I’m-not-a-cop-just-an-ordinary-guy smile on his face.
I focused on Lucy. “Is everything all right? I was concerned when the hotel said you hadn’t been there in two days. And you hadn’t taken anything with you.” Crap. I held my breath, hoping she wouldn’t figure out we’d searched her room.
“Oh, that.” Lucy looked embarrassed. “We went out for dinner, then back to Colin’s flat. I hadn’t planned to stop the night.” She shot him a look. “It’s just that we were talking, and it got late, and it was raining—” She spread her hands.
“Nothing happened,” Colin cut in abruptly. “I mean we’re just getting to know each other again, right, Luce? It’s been eighteen years.”
“Perfect gentleman. Today we decided to drive out here.” Lucy reached out to touch him.
Is it my imagination, or is he trying not to flinch?
“So you’ve decided to go with Oakley’s.”
“No hard feelings, Kate?” She made a moue of apology. “I so appreciate all you’ve done for me. I really do. But this is going to be a new start for Colin and me.”
“You’ve been working hard here.” I tried to smile. “You must be exhausted.”
“I am a bit. And I really should get cleaned up.”
Perfect. “Of course you should. Why don’t Tom and I drive you back to the hotel? That way Colin doesn’t have to go out of his way. Or better yet, why don’t you spend the night at Rose Cottage? I can lend you everything you need.”
Lucy looked at Colin. “I don’t know.”
“I’ll take her back to the inn,” Colin snapped. His eyes were chips of ice. “We have things to talk about, don’t we, Luce?”
The atmosphere was heating up. I needed to find a distraction.
“Lucy, have you checked the back garden? I was here this morning, and the river was really high.”
“Oh, I know. Come look.” She cleared a circle in the window condensation with her sleeve.
I peered out the window. All I could see was water.
The house groaned.
That’s when I noticed the crack. It extended from the corner of the bay window to the wall. “I’m not sure the house is safe,” I said. “Why don’t you come home with me now, Lucy. Tomorrow we’ll call a builder to have a look.”
“I’m taking Lucy home, Kate.” The steel edge in Colin’s voice chilled me to the bone.
Tom cut in. “Did you hear from Peter? He said he was going to text you.”
Colin shrugged. “Going to have to blow my cover, aren’t I?” He took out a packet of cigarettes and lit one. “You don’t mind, babe, do you?”
“No, no. I—” Lucy looked confused.
I threaded my hand through her arm. If I could just get her to step away from that bay window.
Colin’s eyes followed me.
“Why did you change your
