Free Motive for Murder by Anthea Fraser

sometimes. Shouldn’t be too busy on a Monday – we can talk there.’ He was more serious than I’d seen him, and I was glad. I was not in the mood for flirting today.
    The Tudor Café was oak-beamed, with shining brass and copper, and delph racks on the wall. Mike led me down the length of it to the table by the wide brick fireplace, now screened with an arrangement of chrysanthemums and dahlias. Their bitter­sweet perfume overlaid the scent of floor polish and hot buttered toast. There were only one or two people there, all at the other end of the room.
    â€˜Now.’ Mike settled forward, his arms on the table. ‘Who exactly told you what?’
    Falteringly, I repeated the events of the morning, it’s true, isn’t it?’
    â€˜As far as it goes, I suppose.’
    â€˜Mike –’ I clenched my hands. I had to ask this. ‘What did you mean about not making a habit of swimming with Matthew?’
    He frowned. ‘I shouldn’t have said that.’
    â€˜But what did you mean?’
    He shrugged. ‘Only that he wasn’t much help to Linda.’
    â€˜I don’t understand.’
    â€˜He was with her that afternoon. Didn’t he tell you that bit?’
    I went cold. ‘He told me he had found her.’
    â€˜That too – later. Of course, at the inquest he said he’d left her half an hour earlier.’
    â€˜And you didn’t believe him?’ My palms were clammy with sweat.
    â€˜I don’t know what to believe. No doubt he’d have saved her if he could.’
    We were silent while the waitress brought the tea. Automatically, I poured it.
    â€˜Mike ...’ I stumbled to a halt, my face burning.
    â€˜About the baby?’ he said quietly. ‘It wasn’t mine, Emily.’
    I let out my breath on a sigh, not looking at him. ‘I’m sorry.’
    He laid his hand over mine. ‘She was Derek’s girl, and it’s my guess he was the one, but you never know. Does it matter?’
    I knew that it shouldn’t, but it did. I was greatly relieved Mike wasn’t the father, but I found that I didn’t want it to be Matthew, either.
    As though reading my thoughts, he added, ‘She had a soft spot for Matthew, mind you. Sorry for him, I suppose – wanted to mother him.’
    â€˜Why did his marriage go wrong?’ I asked curiously, ready, now, to drop the subject of Linda.
    â€˜It was always the attraction of opposites; Kate’s a social animal, better suited to the bright lights, but Matthew wouldn’t leave Cornwall. So the house was always full of people – parties, weekend guests – they were never alone together. Eventually she just upped and left him, but it’s my belief he’d have her back any time. They rowed like hell the whole time, but he was knocked for six when she went. We – my mother and I – saw a lot of him at that time, and the stuffing just seemed to go out of him. It’s taken him a long time to get back more or less to normal.’
    â€˜Poor Matthew,’ I said softly. And poor Sarah, too.’
    â€˜Yes, she’s a nice little thing. Loves to come to the farm and watch the animals being fed. I bring her here sometimes for an ice-cream.’ He patted my hand. ‘Don’t fret about her, honey. Kate wasn’t much cop as a mother, and she gets love of a sort from old Tammy.’
    He grinned suddenly. ‘The old battle-axe couldn’t abide Linda! Came upon her and Derek once in what are known as compromising circumstances. She was outraged.’
    â€˜I can imagine,’ I said. So we were back to Linda again. Well, her ghost was surely laid and I could now forget her. And for what it was worth, if Matthew was still in love with his wife, he was unlikely to have been Linda’s lover. I was surprised how little comfort there was in the thought.
    Mike glanced at his watch. ‘Now, Cinderella, we’d better