Free Brought to Book by Anthea Fraser Page B

you’d like to come back?’
    â€˜I think I’ll give you a little more breathing space,’ Rona replied. ‘In the meantime, I’ll try to make appointments with some of the people whose names you’ve given me. And you mentioned a Christmas card list; it would be an enormous help if you could let me have it, together with a note of any other people who knew Theo and might be willing to talk to me.’
    â€˜Of course; I’ll get it for you now.’
    Rona followed her to the door of the study, watching while she extracted a sheet of names and addresses from a desk drawer.
    â€˜I should concentrate on those with a star against them,’ she said, handing it over. ‘It indicates that a letter’s to be enclosed with the card – i.e. they’re closer friends, and therefore more likely to be of help to you. You’ll recognize some names from what I’ve been saying, but give me a ring if you’re not sure who anyone is.’
    â€˜Thanks.’ Rona hesitated. ‘Would it be all right if I took the diaries?’
    Meriel frowned fleetingly. ‘I’d rather assumed you’d be working on them here?’
    â€˜I could, if that’s what you’d prefer, but it will take quite a time to go through them.’
    â€˜May I think about it, then?’
    â€˜Of course; I’ve plenty to be going on with.’
    Meriel walked with her to the car, patting Gus as he jumped up on to his blanket.
    â€˜Thanks for the delicious lunch,’ Rona said, ‘and I hope your headache clears.’
    â€˜It will. You’ll be in touch, then?’
    â€˜In a week or two, yes.’
    Meriel nodded and stepped back as Rona started the car. By the time she reached the gate, the front door had closed behind her.
    The writer’s block Harvey had suffered and the marked change of style that followed it were what had interested Rona from the start, and her mood as she drove along the country lanes was one of frustration. She’d been depending on Meriel to supply if not an explanation, at least a clue as to what had caused it, and felt badly let down.
Something must have happened,
she had said. It seemed unbelievable that in the remaining six years of his life, Harvey had offered no explanation.
    In the back seat, Gus whined softly. They were approaching the open land where, on their previous visit, they had stopped for his run and Rona, signalling to the vehicle behind her, drove up on to the verge and stopped the car.
    â€˜You’re quite right,’ she told the dog. ‘It’s time we both had some fresh air and exercise.’
    They climbed a small hillock and walked for a mile or so along a ridge, the wind lifting Rona’s hair and ruffling the dog’s fur as he ran excitedly ahead, sniffing at rabbit holes. Her thoughts turned from Harvey to Justin Grant, who, though he had appointments in Stokely at two o’clock, had driven more than ten miles in the opposite direction in order to sit in on their discussion. Call her cynical, she told herself, but it seemed much more likely that he wanted to monitor both her questions and Meriel’s replies, than merely to offer support to his cousin.
    It was nearly four o’clock by the time they returned to the car, and the air had turned chilly. The clear skies could well presage a frost. As she put the key in the ignition, her mobile began to ring and she fumbled it out of her bag.
    â€˜Ro?’ It was Lindsey’s voice.
    â€˜Hi there.’
    â€˜I’ve been trying your home number. Where are you?’
    â€˜On the way home from Cricklehurst. What did you want?’
    â€˜To see you; could you call at the flat on your way back?’
    â€˜Hardly on my way,’ Rona pointed out, ‘I’ll be coming in from the west. In any case, I’d be there by four thirty – you’ll still be at the office.’
    â€˜I’m working from home today. It