Page 17

‘Sadie was very upset about the way she deceived you,’ Robert was telling Cristy the next morning as they enjoyed a coffee together at C?te Brasserie in Clifton. He’d rung late yesterday, after returning to Bristol following the reunion between his mother and Sadie, and his suggestion that they meet today had raised Cristy’s spirits in a way she didn’t care to examine too closely. She was just glad to see him.

‘She feels foolish and ashamed,’ he continued, ‘and says she acted immaturely when she should have trusted you from the start.’

‘And you said?’ Cristy prompted, liking the avuncular amusement in his eyes.

‘I told her she was right, that she should feel all those things and that perhaps she should go out and shoot herself to show proper remorse.’

Cristy choked on a laugh. ‘I know you didn’t say that, but I hope you didn’t let her off the hook too readily.’

He smiled. ‘From where I was sitting she looked a lonely, mixed-up kid who’s desperate not to be hurt while knowing she’s probably going to be.’

Impressed and touched by his insight, she said, ‘I think you’re right about that. How did she react to seeing your mother?’

‘She wept, quite a lot, and Gita was wonderful with her, as she is with most people. Have you seen the video?’

‘Not yet, but it’s ready for me to view when I get to the office.’

‘You’re working today? It’s Saturday.’

‘We’re prepping the next episode ready for Tuesday. Music, sound effects, last-minute edits. You remember it features your interviews?’

‘I do, and I’m ready to embrace the fame. Will you use any of the reunion?’

‘I’m sure of it, given how pumped-up Clove and Jacks are about it. Incidentally, they’re looking into ways of adopting your mother – and from what I can tell Gita is looking into ways of adopting Sadie?’

Laughing, he said, ‘It had quite an effect on her seeing the small child she remembers from so long ago all grown-up and quite lovely now. When you watch you’ll see how she kept touching her face and gazing at her as if she was some sort of angel come back to life. I can’t recall her ever looking at me that way.’

Amused and liking his evident love for his mother, Cristy said, ‘How was Sadie with you?’

He gave it a moment’s thought before answering. ‘A little shy at first, but she warmed up when we went through the photos together. She really is astonishingly like her mother … There was no mention of her father. Have you made any progress with that?’

‘Not on who he was, exactly, but we do know now where Janina was living at the time you met her.’

He raised an eyebrow with interest.

‘It was in a farmhouse, near Kylve, that was under police surveillance for a while … I’m afraid it was all gang- and trafficking-related, and part of a much bigger organized crime network. Anyway, the man who lived at the farm – one George Symmonds-Browne – is no longer there, so before we go knocking on the Met’s door for whatever they’re prepared to give us, we’re working on tracking him down.’

‘Are you thinking he’s Sadie’s father?’

‘There were so many men coming and going from that place back then, traffickers, punters … It might well end up proving impossible to find out who the real father is. We’re hoping to have more luck with the uncle, now we have his name and something that resembles a lead.’ She sipped her coffee and continued. ‘Our detective told us that the girls had seemed to have a certain amount of freedom while they were at the farm, which would tie in with Janina’s visits to Minehead to see her brother.’

As Robert took this in he leaned forward to pick up his cup, his large, olive-skinned hand closing around it and making her think of what he did for a living. It was both easy and hard to see him as a surgeon. Certainly he’d be one with a good bedside manner, while the thought of such strong, masculine fingers working on such a delicate and vital part of the human body made her feel oddly light-headed.

‘What I’m thinking about now,’ he said, seeming unaware of her scrutiny, ‘is the day I came across Janina in the woods, when she was so upset. She never did tell me what was wrong, but if she was planning to give Sadie up, or to leave her for a while … The note said—’

‘I should probably tell you,’ Cristy interrupted, ‘strictly between us of course, that we’ve begun asking ourselves if the beach scene was real. If it wasn’t, it obviously calls into question the note’s authenticity.’

His eyebrows rose in apparent surprise.

‘It could have been written by one of the aunts as part of an elaborate plan to explain why they kept the child. In other words to throw any future investigation off the scent by carefully constructing a plausible alternative to how Sadie came to them – if you can describe it as plausible, and I’m not entirely sure about that. We’re considering the possibility that they actually “arranged” to have the child brought to them while they were in Somerset.’

He frowned. ‘By whom?’

‘A singularly unpleasant individual called Matis Albescu, or one of his thugs, and initial research shows that there were plenty of them from all over Eastern Europe. Albescu himself was Romanian, and is known to have brought girls to George Symmonds-Browne at Mannycott Farm around the time Janina was there. We’re thinking he could have been behind her trafficking and that one of his operatives, or maybe Symmonds-Browne himself, made a deal with Lottie for the child.’

Robert’s expression was solemn as he shook his head in dismay. ‘To think she could have been going through all that when I met her,’ he murmured. ‘Hardly surprising that she didn’t mention it, she’d have been too afraid to if they were threatening her family back home. Were they?’ he asked, looking at Cristy again.

‘It seems likely, although we know her brother was in Minehead at the same time as she was. Obviously that doesn’t mean there weren’t others back in Romania, or wherever they were from, and it still could have been anywhere. The good news is that we now know the brother’s name, largely thanks to you. And according to one long-time resident of Kylve who used to be the vicar there – our researchers interviewed him while they were down that way – a young man in a “rakish sort of trilby hat” was a regular visitor to the farm. He – the vicar – remembers Janina and the “hatted man” combing the beach for fossils that the little girl collected in a bucket. Unfortunately, no one knows at this point exactly what Lukas’s role might have been in Albescu’s set-up, but he clearly wasn’t making a secret of his association with Symmonds-Browne. As we know, he seems to have left the area around the same time as his sister, and the vicar thinks it was sometime in May 2000, which is when Lottie claims they “found” Sadie on the beach.’

‘Did the vicar ever see “the hatted man” with just the child and no Janina?’

‘A very good question. Let me know if you’re ever in need of a job. Fortunately Clove thought to ask it, and he thinks it’s possible, but it was so long ago he can’t be certain. I guess you’re wondering if Lukas delivered his niece to the sisters, and maybe picked up the money?’

He nodded.

‘A horrible thought, but where men like that are concerned nothing can be ruled out. On the other hand, he might have taken her there, because he knew what happened to the children of girls in captivity, and so this was his way of saving his niece from a life of servitude or worse.’

‘In which case he’s more of a hero than a villain. I can see that sitting a lot better with Sadie than the alternative.’

‘Of course, but whichever way we look at it, I’m afraid that finding either him or Janina is not going to prove at all straightforward.’

‘And could end in terrible disappointment.’

‘Indeed.’

Robert checked the time and said, ‘I hate to say this, but I need to be going. Am I allowed to ask for a repeat get-together?’

She smiled. ‘I don’t see a problem with that. And if, by any chance, you should be interested in helping us to go through some of the boxes Sadie and Jasper brought with them …’

‘What do they contain?’

‘Lottie’s papers, journals, photographs, short stories … Decades of the stuff apparently, and in no particular order. If nothing else they might help us to gain a better insight into the woman herself and whether or not she was as scheming and cold-blooded as we’ve currently cast her.’

‘But don’t you get the impression the aunts cared for Sadie?’

‘Yes, I do, they just don’t appear to have provided her with any real sort of anchor. In a material sense, yes, without question. But a true understanding of a child’s needs, of her cultural heritage and what it might mean to her … You have to say that was missing.’

He glanced at the time again, and rose to his feet, gesturing for Cristy to stay where she was. ‘I’m sorry to dash – I’ll get this – but do count me in for some box searching, probably not this week though. I’m going to be in Geneva until Thursday, back here sometime on Friday. Obviously I’m contactable if you feel I can help with anything at a distance.’

‘And maybe next time we have coffee,’ she said, ‘you can tell me more about you?’

He grinned. ‘It’s a deal. Sorry to bail on you now, but it’s been great to see you.’

After he’d gone Cristy remained where she was, her thoughts seeming to follow him as she wondered where he was going, who he was meeting … Maybe his daughter, a colleague, an old friend … There was no denying that he intrigued her quite a lot more than many people had of late. He’d also, bizarrely, left her feeling glad she’d messaged David last night, instead of worrying if she did so she might not hear back.

There was no need for you to apologize, but thanks anyway. No harm done. Anna told me about what happened with Ludo. I hope Rosie is feeling better by now. Please send her my love. Just wondering how you’re getting on re the Winters sisters’ financial situation? Cx

No word from him so far this morning, and she wished she could stop checking just in case. Fortunately, the past hour with Robert had been a very welcome distraction, and there was such a lot to get through today regarding the next pod that there was a good chance she’d go for hours without thinking about him again today.

‘I thought it was you.’

She looked up and her heart immediately somersaulted. ‘Matthew,’ she declared, as if one of them might have forgotten his name. ‘I wasn’t expecting to see you.’

‘No, I guess you weren’t,’ he said, pulling out a chair to join her. ‘So who was the guy who just left? You seemed to be getting along very well. Don’t tell me you’ve joined Tinder already. Didn’t think it would be your style.’

Keeping her voice low, she said, ‘Could you please fuck off.’

He laughed, and his smile immediately reminded her of why so many people were drawn to him. ‘I know you don’t mean that …’

‘I do.’

‘… so I’ve taken the liberty of ordering you another coffee.’

She would have got up and left, but they were already attracting attention thanks to who he was. The last thing she wanted was to find herself back in the press as an object of pitying speculation.

‘So have you?’ he asked.

‘Have I what?’

‘Joined a dating site now that Mr Guernsey is no longer on the scene.’

‘There are times,’ she told him quietly, ‘when I’d like to smash your face in and this is one of them.’

He laughed again. ‘I love that I can still inspire such passion in you,’ he told her cheerily.

Her look was deadly.

‘OK, so not a date?’ he ventured.

‘Not that it’s any of your business,’ she retorted, ‘but he’s helping with the new series. How’re Marley and Bear?’

He seemed to sink a little at that. ‘They’re doing OK, I think. She asked me to tell you that she understands you might be finding it difficult to know what to say to her now she’s had my baby, but maybe it would help if you could think of him as yours too.’

Cristy stared at him, dumbfounded.

He shrugged.

‘That woman is certifiable,’ she stated. ‘She surely doesn’t think … Actually she does think I want to be part of your family, so please can you disabuse her of that idea?’

‘I’m doing my best, but it’s not easy when I want you to be involved too.’

Her eyes closed in despair. She couldn’t allow herself to get drawn into this or she’d end up as crazy as they were. Changing the subject she said, ‘Where’s Aiden?’

‘Cardiff, checking out a new band, back tonight or tomorrow. Haven’t you heard from him?’

‘Not for a couple of days. Has Hayley told you about her relationship issues?’

He grimaced. ‘Do you think I should call her?’

‘For God’s sake, Matthew, why are you asking me? You never used to be like this …’

‘Like what?’

‘I don’t know, pathetic, unable to make decisions for yourself. I’m not your mother, any more than I’m your wife, so please stop asking me what you should do in any given situation. Especially where Marley is concerned.’ She glanced up as a server put two steaming Americanos on the table. ‘I really don’t want that,’ she said when they were alone again.

He came over so helpless at the prospect of her leaving, so ridiculously at a loss, that she grudgingly set aside the urge to abandon him. It might be satisfying for her to have everyone think she’d walked out on him, but it would be embarrassing for him. So, for the next ten minutes or so, she chatted with him about his work, how busy he’d been lately which, apparently, was why he hadn’t been in touch, until inevitably they came back to Marley.

‘Would you think the worst of me if I cut all ties?’ he asked, staring at a sugar pack as he emptied it into a saucer. ‘Not financially, obviously, I’ll pay what I have to towards Bear’s upkeep …’

‘Upkeep! He’s not a car …’

‘You know what I mean. I’ll do the child maintenance thing and set up a savings account for him. I’ll even have him for holidays if she wants me to, but I just can’t be married to her any more.’

‘You need to tell her that, not me.’

‘I intend to, the next time I’m there. I’d do it via FaceTime, just to get it over with, but Aiden called me a disgusting name for even considering it.’

Proud of her son, Cristy said, ‘When are you planning to go?’

‘In a couple of weeks, I guess. Or I could delay until you’ve finished this series and maybe you’d consider coming with me. We could go on to Hawaii after or … OK, you’re not on board for it.’

Shaking her head in disbelief, she said, ‘You know, sometimes with you I feel as though I’ve gone right through the looking glass and there’ll never be a way back. I used to understand you, I could even guess what you were thinking, but now … I have to put it down to Marley’s influence because you’re clearly as delusional as she is.’

‘That’s a no then?’

In spite of herself she laughed. ‘Come on, finish that coffee and we’ll leave together. Then I have to get to the office.’

‘Any chance of meeting up later?’ he asked, once they were out on the street.

‘Zero,’ she smiled, and planting a quick kiss on his cheek she hurried off towards the Downs to find her car.

*

Anna tells me you might be coming to Guernsey soon. You know you’re welcome to stay here. We’d all love to see you. Sending info re Winters financial affairs via email. Sorry it took a while. Hope it’s OK to say this, but I miss you. David x

Jodi looked up from the message, eyes shining with delight. ‘I always said it wasn’t over between you,’ she declared.

‘The point,’ Cristy responded, hefting the baby onto her other shoulder, ‘is that his relationship with Juliette isn’t over. And saying he misses me doesn’t actually mean anything.’

‘He’s invited you to stay with him,’ Connor pointed out, coming to refill her wine glass.

‘That’ll be his mother’s doing, but even if he wants me there what good can come of it? Actually, don’t answer that. It’s been a long day thanks to digging into all the Albescu stuff this afternoon – God I felt like I needed a shower by the time we’d finished. Time to relax now, and talking about David, or Matthew …’

‘Or Robert,’ Connor quickly put in. ‘You still haven’t told us about this morning …’

‘Because there’s nothing to tell,’ Cristy cried with a laugh. ‘It was just coffee and we talked about Sadie and the series the entire time. So, will you please stop trying to create a drama out of a void and talk me through the email David sent about the Winters sisters’ finances.’

With a roll of his eyes, Connor sank back down on the sofa with Jodi and, slipping an arm around her, he said, ‘They’re basically stinking rich, have got wealth managers working for them all over the planet, directed from London, and have a strong preference for so-called ethical investments and biomedical research. Everything’s run by their trusty advisers at Crosswell Haigh in the City who liaise with bankers, lawyers and finance analysts, all appointed by CH and approved by the sisters’ chief lawyer, Victor Dubois. Apparently, Dubois has divulged something interesting in his report, but David is still waiting to hear if he can share.’

‘Did he give any sense of what it might be?’

‘No, and I haven’t been back to ask. I figured he’ll get in touch himself as soon as he has an answer. Anyway, I think we can safely say we won’t be receiving any historical bank statements or records of dubious investments circa 2000–2001, which is what we’d really like to see.’

‘Do you honestly think,’ Jodi said, ‘that there would be an official record of a trafficking transaction? I’ve no idea how these things work, but I’d say much more likely is that the payment was made by a third – or forty-third – party. So, in other words, in a way that could never be traced to them. That’s even if such a payment was actually made, though I know we’re assuming for the moment that it was.’

Knowing she was right, Cristy rested a cheek against Aurora’s downy head and thought, fleetingly, of Matthew’s baby son in LA. He’d probably smell and feel much the same and would be every bit as vulnerable and adorable and scrumptious as the dear little soul she was holding now.

‘Well,’ she said, ‘it’s going to be interesting to find out what this Victor Dubois has told David, presuming he’s willing for us to know. Seems odd that he’d mention it if he wasn’t. Is he Guernsey-based, do we know?’

‘I’m sure we can find out,’ Connor replied, stifling a yawn. ‘So what’s your current thinking on a trip to the island?’

Wishing she had better control of her heart flips, Cristy said, ‘You mean to speak to Corny the housekeeper? It’ll have to wait until Sadie’s back there. I think she and Jasper are leaving on Tuesday so maybe the end of next week. Are you going to come?’

Looking at Jodi, Connor said, ‘How would you feel about that?’

‘I think I’ll cope. Will you take up David’s offer to stay at Papillon ?’ she asked Cristy.

Sighing over her nerves, Cristy said, ‘I’m not sure. Maybe it would be best for us to check into the Cobo Bay Hotel, Con. It’s close to where Corny lives and as nowhere is that far away on the island we’ll be fairly well placed for any other interviews we can fit in. Anyway, a lot will depend on what happens between now and then. If we can trace George Symmonds-Browne, or Hilary Stokes, the ex-bar manager at Butlin’s, they could be a priority. And we’re still keen to speak to the elusive Edwin Prosser.’

‘Frustrating that Jacks isn’t making any headway with him,’ Jodi commented. ‘Do you think he’s deliberately avoiding you?’

‘Highly possible,’ Cristy replied. ‘But is he likely to know where Janina is? There’s nothing to say he even knew she existed.’ She sighed and resettled the baby. ‘If someone, anyone, could steer us in the direction of where Janina might be, or even to a place that might ultimately lead to her, we’d be right there. I just can’t see it happening with the way things are right now.’

‘However, we know from experience,’ Connor said, stretching out his legs and exposing his hairy midriff, ‘that anything can change at any time and the next thing we know we’ll be charging off down avenues we never even knew existed, never mind didn’t see coming.’