False Diamond--An Abbot Agency Mystery (12 page)

Bernice nodded.

Carrie muttered threats against Benton, more or less under her breath, as she took more photos.

Bea said, ‘Don't worry, Carrie. He's not going to get away with it.' Brave words.

Bernice wept throughout, trying to stifle her tears, trying not to make a sound which might bring further punishment down upon her. Hanging on to her teddy bear.

Bea helped the child into clean, warm clothes. Not very nice clothes. T-shirt and jeans. Possibly her brother's hand-me-downs? They were all marginally too small for her.

Carrie took charge. ‘Now you go and sit down in your office and let me attend to you, Mrs Abbot.' Bea went. Bernice climbed on to her lap and hid her face in Bea's shoulder as Carrie attended to their various cuts and bruises.

Two shadows entered the room. Bea's pulse went into overdrive.

Ah, not Benton. Thank God.

Her pulse slowed.

Leon, horrified. ‘Bea, your face!'

Bea tried to laugh, pressing her hand to her wounded cheek. ‘Well, Leon. You've just missed all the fun and games. And Sybil? Nice to see you again. Bernice, this is your Great Aunt Sybil.'

Bernice, terrified, clinging to Bea, wouldn't even look up.

Sybil held out her arms. ‘Let me see you, child.'

Slowly, Bernice turned her head. One eye enquired who this stranger might be. Bea gently urged Bernice to turn round. ‘It's all right, love. It's your great aunt.'

To her credit, Sybil didn't try to force the pace. ‘Why, Bernice! You're the spitting image of what I was like as a child.'

Bernice was, almost, interested. Still clinging to Bea, she turned her head fully to inspect Sybil. Eye met eye. Exactly the same shape and colour of eyes. Interesting. Would Bernice develop into someone like Sybil if she had the good fortune to escape from her father's orbit?

‘Auntie Sybil?' A mere whisper. Bernice was still hanging on to her little teddy bear, reluctant to leave the safety of Bea's lap.

‘What a little poppet you are,' said Sybil. ‘You're coming to stay with me and your great-uncle for a bit, till things calm down. But I can't take you home looking like Orphan Annie. Haven't you anything better to wear?'

Bea indicated the child's open suitcase. ‘That's all she's got. You might like to inspect her bruises as well. Upper arms and legs. He was careful not to hit her where it might show.'

‘What!' Sybil looked at Leon. ‘I thought Benton was supposed to be fond of his children.'

Bea was grim. ‘Of his boys, yes. But he says women have to be taught their place.'

She imagined Benton trying it on with Sybil. Now that would be interesting to watch.

Sybil blinked. She looked lost for a second or two, then made up her mind which way to jump. ‘I've never had chick nor child. I never wanted them when I could have had them, but it looks as though I've been given a second chance. I suppose I might enjoy buying Bernice some new clothes.'

The child whispered, ‘Mummy?'

‘Your mummy's quite safe for the moment. We'll be able to visit her soon. Come.' Sybil tried to take child off Bea. For a moment, Bernice resisted, not sure who to trust.

Bea kissed Bernice and helped her to stand on her own two feet. ‘It's all right, love. You'll be safe with your great aunt, and staying with her will be a great adventure. Here, take one of my cards. Give me a ring in the morning to let me know how you're getting on. Hold on a mo. I'll put Maggie's mobile number on as well. Oh, but I suppose … Have you got a mobile phone?'

The child shook her head.

Sybil said, ‘Give me your card, Mrs Abbot. I'll make sure the child rings you in the morning.'

‘And Maggie?' said Bernice.

‘If you must.' Sybil led the child off, still clutching her teddy.

Bea tried to stand. Didn't make it.

Leon said, ‘Put your feet up. Is someone getting you a cup of tea?'

Carrie said it was all organized and set about clearing up the mess, with many a tut-tut. One of the juniors brought Bea a cup of tea, strong, laced with sugar. She sipped. Her lip hurt. Her face hurt. Her arms hurt. She was in shock and not enjoying it.

‘What happened?' said Leon. ‘Surely Benton wasn't stupid enough to attack you? Couldn't you have stopped him?'

Bea closed her eyes. ‘Benton was playing with a marked deck of cards. He thought he held the joker because he's got Max so twisted he doesn't know which way is up. Benton didn't realize I was playing with a marked deck, too.'

Carrie grinned. ‘We arranged everything before he arrived. I took Mrs Abbot's smartphone and kept it in my drawer, and put an old mobile in its place in her handbag. Just in case. And he went for it. Then he thought she might have transferred her pictures to her computer and—'

‘The pictures you took last night? Are they so damning?'

‘Yes,' said Bea. ‘They show the “suicide” was staged. Dilys doesn't own a bright-red lipstick, and my pictures prove it.'

Carrie produced a bowl of ice cubes and a clean tea towel. She put some cubes into the tea towel and handed it to Bea to put on her face.

‘But …' Leon was bewildered. ‘Whose lipstick was it?'

Bea gave him an old-fashioned look.

‘Ah. You think his sister helped him to stage the “accident”? She has turned up at an opportune moment, hasn't she? Which means … I rather think I'm out of my depth here.'

‘Ditto,' said Bea, holding the compress to her face. ‘Ouch. Carrie and I rather thought he might try to get rid of any evidence I collected so not only did we swap the mobile phones but, just to be on the safe side, we also swapped my computer for a laptop we no longer use.'

‘So the pictures are safe?'

‘Of course,' said Carrie. She shot an enquiring glance at Bea, who closed her eyes. Bea didn't think there was any necessity to tell Leon about
all
the precautions she'd taken that afternoon. She trusted him to a certain extent, but not enough to tell him everything. She didn't tell him, for instance, that not only had she given a set to the police, but she had also printed off a second set which had been posted off to her solicitor's that afternoon.

Carrie asked Leon to help her restore Bea's computer to its original position. He did so, casting concerned glances at Bea every now and then.

The junior came in with some aspirin. Nice girl. Practical. Bea couldn't remember her name for the moment, which was odd because she really did know it. ‘Thank you.'

She began to shiver.

Reaction, of course.

Leon said, ‘You need to rest.'

‘I've an appointment I must keep at my solicitors.'

‘Taking out an injunction against Benton?'

‘That would be too good for him,' said Bea.

‘And then have supper with me?'

Bea shook her head. ‘Despite my brave words, I feel rather shaken. I think I'd better rest – and have a good think.'

Anger was good. It kept me going. Now I've stopped being angry and know fear. Benton knows all about fear, doesn't he? Once a woman's been hit and not reciprocated, when he approaches her again she remembers the pain and cringes. He only has to lift his hand, and she'll wilt.

As I am cringing at the thought of being hit again.

I am ashamed of my fear.

If I'd hit back, if I'd somehow managed to prevent his attack, I'd feel better now … or would I? He was so strong!

He thinks he's broken me, and maybe he's right.

He hasn't broken me through Max – though the damage he's done there is bad enough and I shall have to deal with that at some point – but through pain.

Only, I can't … No, I
won't
do as he asks.

Dear Lord above, help!

She closed her eyes for a moment, wanting to blank out the past hour.

Leon touched her hand. Concerned for her. ‘Are you all right, Bea?'

She opened her eyes. ‘Did I doze off?'

Benton may think he's boxed me into a corner, but there's a couple of escape routes he doesn't know about.

She got to her feet with an effort. ‘Could you bear to drive me to my solicitor's? It's not far. I can get a cab back.'

‘I'll get you a taxi. I didn't bring my car into London.'

‘No, of course you didn't. It's terrible for parking. Carrie, can you lock up and see to everything?'

‘Of course. Please, Mrs Abbot, look after yourself for a change.'

‘And that special package did go off?'

‘Of course it did. There,' said Carrie, looking around at the straightened office, ‘all shipshape again. And I'll prepare an invoice for the damage Mr Benton has done.'

As Bea drew up in the taxi, she noticed that there were lights on in her living room though nobody had drawn the curtains. Downstairs, the agency rooms were dark, closed for the night.

Perhaps Maggie was back and preparing something nice for supper? No. Maggie liked to work in the kitchen and rarely bothered to put the lights on in the living room. And if she did, she would have drawn the curtains. Not Maggie, then.

Bea pulled herself up the steps to the front door. Let herself in. The alarm had been turned off. Through a half-open door she could hear voices in the living room. Music poured out of the kitchen. Maggie might be in the kitchen, yes. So who was in the living room? Ah. Two overcoats had been thrown across the chest in the hall. One was Max's navy blue, and the other was a cream-coloured cashmere and wool affair that could only be Leon's.

Only then did she spot a large backpack which had been dumped by the stairs. Brilliant. With any luck that might be the cavalry arriving.

As she slipped off her coat, she could hear Max talking, being persuasive, laughing, high on excitement. Telling the others that his future was bright, that the moon was made of green cheese and that he was just the man to import it into the UK and make a fortune.

Maggie appeared in the doorway to the kitchen, fidgeting, anxious. Music swelled out from behind her. She looked as if she were going to cry. ‘Carrie told me; are you all right? And Bernice, the poor little sausage?'

‘I'll be fine after a good night's sleep. Bernice is in her great aunt's care. She'll be safe there. She's going to give you a ring tomorrow.'

Maggie gulped. ‘She was so brave, helping me all morning, loved the hot chocolate we were given at the client's place, then we had soup and sandwiches in the cafe near the park, and when I bought her that little teddy bear she nearly cried …' Sniff. ‘Then all of a sudden she drooped, she was so tired, so much has happened, and she was so worried about her mother. Is her great aunt going to be good to her?'

‘It might be the making of both of them. Provided Benton will let her go.'

‘Him!' Maggie's teeth snapped as if she were taking a bite out of the man.

‘Quite. Now I'd better deal with …'

Maggie said, ‘Call me if you need me.'

Bea walked into the sitting room to see Leon sitting by himself on the settee, watching Max with narrowed eyes. Max was standing in front of the fireplace, gesticulating, in full flow. High as a kite.
On excitement, we trust, and not on alcohol.

A third man, young, slender and darker-skinned, rose from his chair to put his arms around Bea, holding her with care but allowing her to see how distressed he was and how much he cared for her. Her protégée and sometime lodger; Oliver, the clever university student.

The cavalry had indeed arrived.

‘Dear Oliver,' said Bea. ‘What a lovely surprise. Home for the weekend?' She whispered in his ear, ‘Did CJ ask you to come back?'

He said aloud, ‘Yes, of course. I could do with a break.'

So Mr Cambridge, that grey mandarin, had alerted Oliver to the fact that Bea was in trouble, and summoned him home. Well, good.

She kissed Oliver's cheek and then, holding him away from her, said, ‘Isn't that splendid! But Oliver, dear, I'm supposed to be having supper with CJ. Do you think you could ring and make my excuses? Ask him to come here for a potluck supper instead. Eight o'clock?'

Without a flicker of surprise, he went to do her bidding.

Max now held out his arms to her, too. ‘And one more? Me, too? Now that everything's been sorted, and the future looks rosy. Phew! I thought for a moment this afternoon that you were going to dig in your toes and make life difficult for everyone, but now I know you've been to the solicitors, well, all I can say is, “Let's celebrate!”'

Bea smiled faintly. Did he really imagine she'd have left Oliver and Maggie a pittance? Well, best keep quiet about dividing everything equally between the three of them – for the time being, at any rate.

Leon uncrossed his legs, frowned as if he would speak, but desisted.

What game is Leon playing? I wish I knew. He sits on the sidelines and yet … and yet he stirred himself to save Dilys's life.

She said, ‘Who let you in, Max?'

‘Why, Oliver did, of course. And then Leon came, wanting to know if you were all right, which, as I told him, of course you are.' He put his arm around her, hugged her tightly, pulling her off balance. For a moment there she was off her feet. ‘Silly Billy Mummy!'

He'd never treated her so roughly before. But then, he hadn't seen anyone manhandle her before, either. The taboo of not harming a woman had been broken, and now he believed he could treat her the same way.

Anger and shame coursed through her. Anger gave her energy. Shame, that her son should treat her so …

She must be careful. She mustn't give the game away yet.
Dilys is still alive, so far as we know, so the police won't act against Benton. The Child Protection Agency might swing into action soon on Bernice's account – or not.
All Bea had done was to buy time to think about what to do next. However, she was not going to let him get away with knocking her about, because next time he'd go one step further, and then another. No way.