crochet table. He was leaning in close, his hands on her shoulders. As I watched, she knocked one of the hands away, shook her head in denial.
‘He’s done this before you know, once or twice. Got all wrapped up in something and fallen asleep there. Last time I brought him a mug of tea in the morning. That’s all he needs. Tea.’
‘Loretta …’ Will propelled her gently forward with one hand still in place. ‘Come into my office. You’ll be more comfortable there.’
‘No. I need to get Sam tea.’ Her voice rose. ‘Just tea. White with two.’
Will slid his arm around her and continued to move towards his office. ‘I’ll help you with that. In the meantime, is there anyone I can ring? Your son perhaps?’
‘What happened?’ asked Elsa Poxleitner, materialising by my side. ‘Is he really …?’
‘Yes.’
‘Oh my god. Poor Sam. Poor Loretta.’
‘Yes.’
At the far end of the hall, Will was now ushering Loretta into his office. Minutes later Karen Rawlings came bustling across to the kitchen. No doubt to fetch that cup of tea, although it wouldn’t be for Sam. The hall was much warmer than it had been earlier and suddenly my jacket felt constrictive. That fresh air seemed even more imperative. I nodded to Elsa and made my way through the knots of people towards the exit. Somebody put a hand on my arm as I passed but I didn’t dare stop or even acknowledge their compassion. I pushed the door open and burst outside. It was colder here, with a welcoming breeze that buffeted my body. I wiped my eyes roughly.
‘Nell? Nell Forrest?’
I kept my fingers in front of my eyes for a moment and then lowered them slowly. My eyesight was blurred but I knew who it was by the voice. ‘Hello, Ashley.’
‘Are you all right there?’
‘I’ll be fine.’ I stared at him, my vision clearing to reveal a man who had barely changed since I had seen him last, before Christmas. Detective Sergeant Ashley Armistead. Tall, a little worn, with sandy hair and dark eyes currently creased with concern. I felt a shaft of regret for having rejected him back then even if, according to my eldest daughter, he was just a player. A bit of play might have been just what the doctor ordered. And it wasn’t like I could have fallen pregnant.
‘Are you growing your hair? It looks nice.’ He coughed, as if wanting to swallow the compliment. ‘Did you know him? The victim?’
‘Yes, he was a friend.’ I paused, frowned. ‘The victim ? Hang on, what are you doing here anyway? You’re homicide. This was a heart attack.’ I paused again, hoping he would fill the gap. ‘Wasn’t it?’
‘Just routine,’ replied Ashley. ‘I was in the area so I thought I’d stop by.’
Still frowning, I examined his face, but the expression remained inscrutable.
‘Besides, what are you doing here?’
‘I found the … body. I had an appointment with him.’
‘Good god. Is there a death in this town where you’re not present?’
I decided to treat the question as rhetorical. ‘And is there one where you don’t show up? Seems like a waste of police resources to me. As a taxpayer I’m a little concerned.’
‘In that case I’d best go earn my keep. But could you stick around, Nell? I’d like to talk.’
‘Would you now?’ I replied in my best flirtatious manner. ‘Is that appropriate?’
He stroked his chin, as if thinking. Finally he nodded. ‘Yes, I believe it is. Given it’s about the victim, and your finding him. But we can always take the discussion down to the police station if you’d prefer. If you’re concerned about being appropriate.’
I stared at him narrowly, then watched as he strode into the community centre. Only an hour ago I had stood there, waiting for Will to unlock the door, completely oblivious to the fact that upstairs Sam Emerson already lay dead. Why was Ashley here? Could there really be any question about the death? I was still staring at the door when something began nudging at the corner
‘He’s done this before you know, once or twice. Got all wrapped up in something and fallen asleep there. Last time I brought him a mug of tea in the morning. That’s all he needs. Tea.’
‘Loretta …’ Will propelled her gently forward with one hand still in place. ‘Come into my office. You’ll be more comfortable there.’
‘No. I need to get Sam tea.’ Her voice rose. ‘Just tea. White with two.’
Will slid his arm around her and continued to move towards his office. ‘I’ll help you with that. In the meantime, is there anyone I can ring? Your son perhaps?’
‘What happened?’ asked Elsa Poxleitner, materialising by my side. ‘Is he really …?’
‘Yes.’
‘Oh my god. Poor Sam. Poor Loretta.’
‘Yes.’
At the far end of the hall, Will was now ushering Loretta into his office. Minutes later Karen Rawlings came bustling across to the kitchen. No doubt to fetch that cup of tea, although it wouldn’t be for Sam. The hall was much warmer than it had been earlier and suddenly my jacket felt constrictive. That fresh air seemed even more imperative. I nodded to Elsa and made my way through the knots of people towards the exit. Somebody put a hand on my arm as I passed but I didn’t dare stop or even acknowledge their compassion. I pushed the door open and burst outside. It was colder here, with a welcoming breeze that buffeted my body. I wiped my eyes roughly.
‘Nell? Nell Forrest?’
I kept my fingers in front of my eyes for a moment and then lowered them slowly. My eyesight was blurred but I knew who it was by the voice. ‘Hello, Ashley.’
‘Are you all right there?’
‘I’ll be fine.’ I stared at him, my vision clearing to reveal a man who had barely changed since I had seen him last, before Christmas. Detective Sergeant Ashley Armistead. Tall, a little worn, with sandy hair and dark eyes currently creased with concern. I felt a shaft of regret for having rejected him back then even if, according to my eldest daughter, he was just a player. A bit of play might have been just what the doctor ordered. And it wasn’t like I could have fallen pregnant.
‘Are you growing your hair? It looks nice.’ He coughed, as if wanting to swallow the compliment. ‘Did you know him? The victim?’
‘Yes, he was a friend.’ I paused, frowned. ‘The victim ? Hang on, what are you doing here anyway? You’re homicide. This was a heart attack.’ I paused again, hoping he would fill the gap. ‘Wasn’t it?’
‘Just routine,’ replied Ashley. ‘I was in the area so I thought I’d stop by.’
Still frowning, I examined his face, but the expression remained inscrutable.
‘Besides, what are you doing here?’
‘I found the … body. I had an appointment with him.’
‘Good god. Is there a death in this town where you’re not present?’
I decided to treat the question as rhetorical. ‘And is there one where you don’t show up? Seems like a waste of police resources to me. As a taxpayer I’m a little concerned.’
‘In that case I’d best go earn my keep. But could you stick around, Nell? I’d like to talk.’
‘Would you now?’ I replied in my best flirtatious manner. ‘Is that appropriate?’
He stroked his chin, as if thinking. Finally he nodded. ‘Yes, I believe it is. Given it’s about the victim, and your finding him. But we can always take the discussion down to the police station if you’d prefer. If you’re concerned about being appropriate.’
I stared at him narrowly, then watched as he strode into the community centre. Only an hour ago I had stood there, waiting for Will to unlock the door, completely oblivious to the fact that upstairs Sam Emerson already lay dead. Why was Ashley here? Could there really be any question about the death? I was still staring at the door when something began nudging at the corner
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