Murder in Style (2 page)

‘We did our best to teach them the value of money. They had an allowance but if they overspent—'

‘Which they did.'

‘—then they had to wait till the next month.'

Both nodded. Gerald picked up the story. ‘When they left school, we paid for their driving lessons and we bought them a small car each and we encouraged them to go on to college. Poppy – she's the one who could add up without a calculator—'

They both smiled, proudly. Remembering.

Gerald continued, ‘Poppy took a business course. And Juno – she's the artistic one – she got a place at art school.' Another proud smile. ‘Of course they went out partying, particularly Poppy. They were in a great crowd, most of them we liked, and if some of them weren't quite what we wanted for our girls, well, it was better they worked that out for themselves. Maybe it was a mistake for us to keep open house because their friends could see we had money, what with the swimming pool and the cinema and all. But we couldn't have foreseen … we never dreamed …' He faded out, looking miserable.

Marika took a deep breath. ‘They both got pregnant at eighteen. The men had both been going out with them for some time. They said they'd marry the girls if we helped them to buy a house each. It left a nasty taste, as if we had to pay them to marry our girls. If we'd picked husbands for them, we wouldn't have chosen those two.'

‘It cost us an arm and a leg,' said Gerald. ‘Identical town houses out in the suburbs, and they didn't come cheap even then. A big, double wedding. That cost, too. One boy was training to be a solicitor and the other was working in his father's garage, but I could see them thinking they were marrying money, that they'd be in clover for life.

‘Marika and I, we talked it over. We've both seen marriages where the women have given up their careers to stay at home and look after the children. And then, when their women are past their best, the husbands go off with someone younger, leaving their untrained, stay-at-home wives on short commons. We didn't fancy that for our girls. So the first thing I did was to make them sign pre-nups, and I put the houses in the girls' names.'

‘Sensible,' said Ellie.

A deep sigh. ‘But then what did I do? I had the bright idea of setting the girls up in business together so that they wouldn't have to rely on their husbands for every penny. I bought them the lease on a shop and made them a loan so that they could open a boutique for classy clothing.'

Marika said, ‘They pooled their childcare and worked hard. Juno bought the stock, Poppy did the accounts, and they both worked in the shop. It's called The Magpie, and it was a hit from the first day.'

‘There was an unexpected bonus,' said Gerald. ‘The lease included a flat above the shop. I advised the girls to fix it up and rent it out. I promised them that if they did well, I'd turn my starter loan into a gift. They took to it like ducks to water. At the end of the second year I wrote off the loan, plus I gave them the deeds to a couple of run-down terraced houses nearby, which I'd come by in a business deal and didn't want. I said that now they'd got the shop going, they could afford to take on some help, and could diversify into the buy-to-let business. I suggested that Juno could choose new kitchens, bathrooms, furniture and decor, while Poppy sourced materials and acted as project manager. It worked like a charm. Within a few years they turned the flat over the shop into an office, and later on they extended both the shop and flat out into the yard at the back.'

‘So what went wrong?' said Ellie.

‘Nothing. I got them to make wills in one another's favour, and to take out insurance on one other in case of accidents. The girls saw the point of that, didn't they?'

Marika sighed. ‘Two years into their marriages, they understood they'd picked losers for husbands but, to give them their due, they kept going.'

‘Chips off the old block. They enjoy work. But,' gloomy face, ‘I hadn't liked the men when they'd first appeared on the scene, and I got to like them even less as time went on.'

Ellie looked a query.

Gerald said, ‘Here's where I went wrong. I said to the girls that they should keep quiet about their buy-to-let business. The men knew about the shop, of course, and that it was doing well. They complained like mad that the girls had to spend such long hours at The Magpie, but they enjoyed having the extra money to spend, did they not! The girls agreed with me that it was best their menfolk didn't know exactly how well their wives were doing, in case the husbands gave up trying to earn their own livings altogether. Which, unfortunately, is what happened anyway.'

Marika looked as if she wanted to say something, but he raised his hand and shook his head. ‘No, I know what you mean, we couldn't have anticipated the accident, but it's no excuse for his giving up work altogether. For this reason and that, Mrs Quicke, the men gradually let the girls take over all the household bills, fork out for holidays and cars and whatnot.'

‘Meanwhile,' Marika said, ‘we told our sons-in-law that Gerald and I were downsizing to pay for their houses. We didn't want them thinking we would be a purse without a bottom for them to draw on. Gerry's business was doing well, and we could have stayed on in the big house, but we did not need five bedrooms once the girls had left home, so we sold up and moved to a smaller property. Gerry hopes to work till the day he drops dead. I retired from doing the books for him some time ago, but I work for a charity three days a week. We are comfortable with what we have. We live quietly without any desire for foreign holidays or yachts or diamonds.'

Gerald said, ‘The twins tried to be strict with their daughters – they had one each. Poppy and Juno didn't want the girls growing up to think that money grew on trees, but they could see that even though the men weren't pulling their weight, there was always plenty of money in the kitty. Trixie in particular thinks she can carry on spending regardless – no matter what her mother says.' He corrected himself. ‘What her mother
said
. Trixie thinks she was born to shop. I believe her.'

‘Clemmie's not like that.' Marika's mouth closed in a thin line.

‘True,' said Gerald, but he didn't seem to like thinking about Clemmie, either.

Ellie refreshed the teapot, and pushed the biscuit tin round again. She shot another glance at the clock. She was going to have to cook the steak in the microwave before making the suet-based pastry. There wasn't going to be time to do the usual slow cook, was there? Perhaps she'd better abandon her plan to open up the dining room tonight. ‘So, what went wrong?'

Marika dabbed at her right eye, and then her left. ‘Ray – that's Poppy's husband who runs the garage on the ring road – he's always placed the odd bet but as the years went on, he spent more and more time and money on what he called “his little hobby”. Poppy used to cover his debts, because he always promised never to … but of course he didn't keep his promises and it got worse and worse. She couldn't bear the thought of divorce, but she was starting to think she might have to go down that road when he found out through a wrongly addressed bill that The Magpie wasn't just the shop, but that there were a number of other properties involved. That did it! He said she was a treacherous, lying so-and-so, and how dare she try to conceal her business affairs from him, her husband who had never looked at another woman, not once in all the time they'd been married. He threatened to divorce her and take half of everything she owned.'

Gerald said, ‘To make matters worse, he told Trixie that Poppy had been hiding a small fortune from them. So then Trixie started up, wanting her mother to finance her going into films! Can you believe it?'

‘What!' Ellie choked on the biscuit she was eating.

Her guests both nodded. Ellie hadn't misheard.

Marika said, ‘Trixie said it wasn't going to be a porn film. She thought that made it all right. She said she had friends who can operate a video and they'd hire in lighting and pay for studio time and … she has no idea of the costs involved, none! There was a family meeting at our house which went from bad to worse, and later that night Poppy fell down the stairs at The Magpie, and broke her neck. She's been up and down those stairs almost every day for twenty years with never a slip. She wasn't wearing high heels, and she wasn't carrying anything.'

‘Accidents will happen,' said Ellie, trying not to look at the clock again. If they ate in the dining room, that would mean buffing up the best silver. She was running out of time. ‘What makes you suspect foul play?'

Silence.

Ellie looked from one to the other. ‘You think Ray or Trixie tumbled her down the stairs?'

‘We're sure Ray did it but—' he made a gesture of frustration – ‘there's no proof. Unbreakable alibi and no forensics, the police said. The detective inspector. He said our “feelings” weren't evidence. But I
know
, I just know that she was murdered. That woman police officer, she knows it too. That's why she said we should talk to you, Mrs Quicke, to see what you could do about it.'

Ellie spread her hands. ‘I don't see what I can do.'

Marika said, ‘I think you can help us if you wish, Mrs Quicke. That policewoman was telling us how you get people to talk to you, and how you have no fear of anybody, and have solved some nasty cases.'

‘I'm just a housewife who happens to have inherited some money, which I've put in a trust fund to … ah!' She saw their expressions sharpen.

‘That's it!' Gerald thumped the table. ‘We could introduce you to the family, saying that you have a fund which Trixie might be able to tap into for her career. Then you could keep your eyes open, couldn't you? See if you can spot how he killed her?'

‘But it's a charitable trust which would never, ever—'

‘No, of course they wouldn't,' said Marika, ‘but you can make it an excuse to get to know them? Gerry's right about one thing. The family's like a, what do you call it? A pressure cooker at the moment. There's grief; oh yes, there's deep grief with some. It tears my heart to see them suffer. But Poppy's husband and daughter … Well!' She threw up her hands in frustration and, yes, perhaps some anger as well. ‘I do not deny there is some shock, and perhaps later on there will be sorrow, but of all the selfish, self-centred …! I see them smiling, talking about silver linings and I can't bear it. And tomorrow … oh dear!'

Gerald said, ‘You see, Ray and Trixie think they'll inherit Poppy's share of The Magpie. He's already been on the phone to his pals, boasting how he can pay off his debts and sail away into the sunset … by which he means getting back to the gaming tables. And she's texting her mates, planning how to use the money for her venture into films—'

‘What they don't realize is that Poppy only ever made one will, and that's the one leaving everything to Juno. I checked with the solicitor. Zilch. I checked with Juno; she hasn't made another will, either. They did talk about it recently because of Poppy having come to the end of her patience with Ray, but neither of them had done anything about it. I dread to think how they will react when the truth comes out.'

Marika added, ‘Ray and Trixie know there is some other property, but they don't know how much. It's true the girls started with two small terraced houses—'

‘But they've worked hard and reinvested. Now they have ten! Whatever's going to happen when the will is read? There's going to be such an explosion! And Juno, poor Juno, she's devastated. How she's holding it together, I do not know. To tell the truth, I'm worried sick what might happen. When Ray realizes the money all goes to Juno, won't he try again?'

Marika reached out to take Ellie's hand. ‘We want you to come to the funeral and on to the house afterwards.'

‘My poor Poppy. My brave little girl,' said Gerald, on the verge of breaking up.

Marika said, ‘Mrs Quicke; when there is screaming and shouting, people are not always careful what they say, and sometimes the truth will come out. So, will you help us find out who killed our little girl?'

‘No, no. I really don't think—'

Gerald got to his feet, leaning on the table. ‘No, Marika. She won't. I said, didn't I? I said, “Why should she help us?”'

‘Because,' said Marika, ‘a great wrong has been done. I know we may never have proof that Ray killed our daughter, but perhaps we can stop his destroying our granddaughters as well. I have prayed about it and I know Mrs Quicke will help.'

Ellie understood that Marika was a good woman, strong and sturdy, and that she would survive this and keep her husband on an even keel. Perhaps she would even save the remaining members of their family … with help.

Dear Lord, what do you want me to do?

Ellie knew. Of course. Her mind raced ahead to the forthcoming week, and she realized without any sense of surprise that she was comparatively free of engagements. Had God prepared the way for her? Possibly. Though, if He wanted her to get involved, it wouldn't have mattered how many coffee mornings and meetings and evening events she was supposed to attend. But as it was …

‘Come to the funeral, midday tomorrow.' He produced a card, wrote on the back. ‘Here's the details. Contact me at any time. Day or night.'

Ellie closed the front door behind her visitors, her mind racing ahead. How was she to rescue her plans for supper? It was too late to serve anything which required a long, slow cooking time, which meant … and she hadn't set the table in the dining room and …

The phone rang. Pulling a face at the interruption, Ellie lifted the receiver. She might have known! It was her police friend Lesley ringing back. ‘Ellie? Did they come?'

‘The Cordovers? Yes. Lesley, I honestly don't know that I can do anything—'