Murder in Mind (20 page)

‘My Gucci bag!' cried Angelika. ‘I wondered where I'd dropped it.'

‘Indeed,' said Ears, with a sour look. ‘It seems obvious that Mr Hooper tripped over the bag and hit his head on the edge of the hall table as he fell.'

‘He's all right?' A pale Freya.

Vera returned with refilled mugs of soup. Also a tin of biscuits. Ellie grabbed the soup. The first helping had hardly touched the sides as it went down.

Ms Milburn said, ‘He seemed confused, not sure what was happening. The constables called an ambulance and removed Mr Hooper to hospital where they suspect concussion. They'll probably keep him in overnight.'

‘A storm in a teacup,' said Ears. ‘A waste of police time. You women get hysterical at the slightest opportunity. A couple of reporters exceed their brief, and you scream blue murder and run away. The only damage done is to Mr Hooper, who trips over a carelessly dropped bag and gives himself a headache. You ought to be thoroughly ashamed of yourselves.'

Thomas was forking curry into his mouth at speed. ‘And the smashed doors?'

Ears had an answer for everything. ‘There was, apparently, a young cub reporter who left the premises before we arrived. It seems she may have taken her desire to get an exclusive too far. When she started to go round the house—'

‘She?' said Ellie. ‘Are you sure it was a “she”?'

‘Of course I'm sure.' His ears, which had been fading to pale pink, flushed to deep rose. ‘When she started to go round the house, the other reporters told her to be careful, but she wouldn't listen. They didn't hear her break in—'

‘No, they wouldn't, if they were at the front of the house.'

‘They didn't see her leave, either. She'd disappeared before we arrived. I imagine the insurance will cover the damage. So ends the tale of the molehill which you women turned into a mountain. I should charge you all with wasting police time. Hah!'

‘So,' said Ellie, ‘who cut the phone line? And why?'

‘What?' Ears didn't want to hear anything to disturb his neat reconstruction of events.

‘We were on the landline phone, waiting to get through to the police, and the line went dead. So, who cut the phone line? The missing girl reporter?'

Ears looked as if he were going to strangle himself. ‘What, what? Now you're being ridiculous, trying to make something out of nothing, in order to talk yourselves out of trouble. If there did happen to be a reporter who disappeared before we got there, then presumably she had got her scoop and left, so—'

He stopped in mid-tirade, for DC Milburn had frowned and murmured something about a back exit.

Freya clutched her teddy bear, even more tightly. ‘There's a gate at the end of the back garden which leads into an alleyway. It comes out into the next road. It's rather overgrown because we don't use it any more. She could have got out that way.'

Ears turned on her. ‘So you've remembered her now, have you? You can describe her in detail? Perhaps she was one of the reporters who clustered round you when you came back from your run?'

Freya blenched, hugging her bear close to her face, but didn't give ground. ‘I can't say. It was all so confusing. On my way back from my run I turned into the drive, and I didn't see anyone between me and the door, and then someone shouted—'

‘Man or woman?'

‘Man. I think. Shouted, “There she is!” and they were all round me, yelling at me. I think one of them tried to trip me up, but . . .' She shook her head. ‘I panicked, I suppose. Tried to sidestep one that got in front of me. Someone caught my arm just here . . .' She rubbed her upper arm again. ‘I don't think I could tell you what any of them looked like. It was all a blur. And then I realized I'd forgotten my front door key. I usually keep it in this tiny pocket here.' She indicated a pocket in her running shorts, and flushed. ‘Oh. It
is
there. I was trying to fish it out and couldn't find it, so I rang the bell, and they all crowded round me in the porch. It was frightening.'

‘Well,' said Ears. ‘That seems to wind it up satisfactorily. I gave the reporters a good talking to, and they'll keep their distance from now on. You ladies can return home as soon as you like.'

‘Except,' said Thomas, with narrowed eyes, ‘for a cut telephone line and a couple of smashed doors. Is the back of the house still open to all comers?'

Ears was anxious to get away. ‘I expect you can arrange for someone to board over the door into the conservatory.'

Freya managed to get to her feet. ‘I think I'd better get to the hospital first. See if Dad's all right.' She was still very pale, her hair had come loose, and her running shorts and top were stained and rumpled. She looked a mess beside the immaculate Angelika, but Ellie knew which of the girls she admired. And it wasn't Angelika.

Angelika had been trying to raise someone on her mobile phone, but realized this was a cue for faithful wifey to show willing, too. ‘I'll come with you. Then we can take him back home with us. And –' with a dark look at Ellie – ‘return all our belongings that we were forced to bring away with us.'

‘Splendid,' said Ears, accessing his mobile. ‘Now, I've rather more important matters to deal with, if you don't mind.'

He set off for the door, and Thomas followed. ‘Let me show you out.'

DC Milburn lingered for a word with Ellie. ‘You really think the phone line was cut? I'll have a look in the morning.'

Ellie murmured, ‘I'm not sure it's safe for them to return. Will there be someone on duty outside the house tonight, particularly if we can't get the smashed door boarded over in time?'

DC Milburn clucked her tongue. ‘Maybe. I'll try. But we're short-handed.'

She disappeared after her boss.

Thomas returned, looking thoughtful. ‘Ladies, may I offer you a lift to the hospital?'

Angelika put her hand on his arm and lifted her face, a flower turning to the sun. ‘Oh, that would be so kind of you. After all the trouble your wife has caused us.'

Thomas blinked, but nobly endured the caress. ‘I was thinking we might be able to do something about the broken door, too. Ellie . . .?'

Ellie's mobile rang. ‘It is just possible that it's already been attended to.' She lifted the phone to her ear. ‘Yes, Diana. I was hoping it was you.'

‘Mother, do you have any idea what's going on? I couldn't get any reply from Evan's landline or his mobile, so I went over there to find reporters camped out on his doorstep, who said that the police have taken him away and—'

‘They found him lying unconscious in the hall and—'

‘The reporters said his daughter or his wife had knocked him out and fled!'

‘Absolute nonsense. I told you, they're here with me, but about to visit Evan in the hospital.'

‘Which hospital?'

‘Come to think of it, I don't know. I'll have to ring around and—'

‘Don't disturb yourself. I'm on to it. Did you know the house had been broken into and was open to the elements? I've sent someone down to board the door over. I'm surprised the reporters haven't already been through the house taking photographs and looking into any paperwork they can find.'

‘The police had words with them. They'll be on their best behaviour from now on.'

‘They've got a nerve! They wanted to know what relation I am to the family. I told them to mind their own business.'

‘Did you go in your own car? They can check the licence plate and soon find out who you are and what you mean to the family.'

Silence. The phone clicked off.

Ellie reported, ‘Diana's getting the broken door boarded over and going to the hospital as soon as she finds out which one Evan's been taken to.'

Vera collected empty plates and mugs. ‘Accident and Emergency. Around here, it'll be Ealing Hospital for sure.'

Thomas started to chivvy Angelika and Freya out into the hall, urging them to gather up their belongings. Vera hovered, sending quick glances in Ellie's direction. Why?

Ellie narrowed her eyes at Vera. ‘Something's wrong. What is it? Is Rose all right?'

‘Yes, but she woke up feeling a bit dizzy.'

Ellie was alarmed. ‘It's her labyrinthitis. I'd better—'

Vera was soothing. ‘I found her pills, and she took one. I told her to take it easy. Look, I can stay on here for a bit and sort out something for supper while you're away. You won't mind if Mikey gets on your computer, will you?'

Ellie had forgotten all about Mikey. ‘That's fine, so long as he doesn't alter any of my settings. Thank you, Vera. Much appreciated.'

Thomas appeared in the doorway, holding up his car keys. ‘Are you ready, Ellie?'

‘Coming.'

Angelika and Freya were outside, laden with their belongings, waiting for instructions.

Thomas said, ‘Luggage in the boot, ladies. Ellie goes in front with me, girls in the back.'

Angelika wasn't happy about this. ‘Oh, but—'

Thomas gave her a look. She stowed her things in the boot and got in the back with Freya.

Ellie got in the front, and Thomas patted her knee as he turned the key in the ignition. ‘We may have a job getting through. Rush hour. Ellie, why don't you ring the hospital while we're on our way, check that Evan is actually there?'

‘I was just thinking that myself,' said Angelika, who then received a phone call on her own mobile and retreated into a mumbling silence. Ellie and Thomas exchanged fleeting glances. Angelika was on the phone to a man, by the sound of it. And his name appeared to be ‘Joey-my-love'. Ellie hoped it was her agent.

The traffic on the Uxbridge road was as heavy as Thomas had predicted. The hospital confirmed that a Mr Hooper had indeed been brought in by the police, so Ellie sat back to think about cut telephone lines and back alleys and broken doors. She tried to fit pieces of the jigsaw together and failed. Some time ago she'd thought she knew the answer to the problems afflicting the Hooper family, and now she didn't.

She thought the police were taking the affair much too lightly. She didn't like the idea of the girls going back into that house. Not at all. Yet, what could she do about it?

The hospital car park was full. More than full. Overflowing. They'd been talking about building a multi-storey car park for years, but hadn't got round to it yet.

Thomas drew up outside the entrance to the Accident & Emergency department, where he was not supposed to park. ‘Out you get, girls. I'll take the car back up the hill, find a parking space in a side road and sit there till you give me a ring on my mobile. Allow ten minutes for me to get back to collect you, right?'

Freya stalked into the reception area, looking more like a battered victim than a survivor. But then, Freya
was
a survivor. Angelika floated in, collecting admiring glances as she went. Ellie followed, checking that she had her mobile in her right-hand pocket and had turned it off after the last call . . . which she hadn't. Oh dear. All this technology. Though it was useful, she had to admit.

They found Evan on a hospital bed in one of the bays, with a nurse taking his blood pressure.

‘You lot took your time!' Resentful, slurring his words.

‘We were worried,' said Freya, meaning it. Taking his hand.

‘We were worried sick,' said Angelika, trying to mean it. She leaned over to give him a kiss, which he accepted without pleasure.

Ellie asked the nurse, ‘Is he ready to go home with us?'

The nurse looked startled. ‘But his wife . . .!' She looked around. ‘She's just gone to fetch a drink.'

‘Ah,' said Ellie. Diana had got here already? Of course. ‘It's always a problem when a man's between marriages, so to speak. That's his daughter there, and his current wife is the one this side of the bed. They have the right to know what's happening to him, don't they?'

The nurse drew herself up to her full five foot two. ‘You'd better ask at the desk.'

Ellie went to the desk and waited for someone to be free to speak to her. A big black man was wheeled in with a cut on his leg, bawling that he wanted something for the pain, the big crybaby. An elderly woman on a trolley was waiting patiently, linked up to various bottles of fluid. Now and again she gave a little sob. No crybaby she.

A small boy wandered around, getting under people's feet. His nappy needed changing. His mother was in one of the cubicles, kept calling him back to her.

Ellie sent up an arrow prayer.
Dear Lord, this isn't really the seventh circle of hell, but it does seem like it. So much misery. So much pain. And now . . . whatever am I supposed to do about Evan and his women?

Diana appeared, bearing a cardboard container of what looked like plain water. ‘You here, Mother? I suppose you brought the encumbrances, knowing you.'

‘Yes, dear. But which of you has the best right to be here, I do not know.'

‘I got here first and have registered that I'm his wife. He's still confused. Concussion, they think. They want to give him a brain scan, and after that we'll have to wait for the results. He'll probably be kept in overnight. I shall stay with him, naturally. Or at least until he's sent up to one of the wards. So you might as well take the others home.'

‘I'd much prefer to do that, dear; but I'm not sure the others would agree.'

Privately, Ellie thought the two girls wouldn't keep up their vigil for very long. They were both worn out. Indeed, after an hour of sitting and waiting, glaring at Diana – who seemed oblivious – and trying to talk to a man who kept closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep, Angelika and Freya began to realize they were fighting a losing battle.

Nurses kept coming and waking Evan up, flashing lights into his eyes. Each time, he was sick. Definitely concussion.

Finally, he was wheeled away for a brain scan.