Page 19

Nova

Nova walked into the office and placed the box of crafts on her desk. “Has something happened with Phyllis? I saw her running out just now looking—”

“Nova, sit down.”

Sandy’s face was grim, and Nova swallowed. Was Sandy about to tell her she was being sacked? Or worse, had the council already decided to close the community center? She sat in her chair, waiting for Sandy to speak again.

“A lady has just been to see me and made some very serious allegations. She said that you went to her house after her mother-in-law died, accompanied by Phyllis and what sounds like Arthur Robinson, and accused her husband of theft. Is this true?”

Nova felt a wave of sickness wash over her. No, no, no, this couldn’t be happening.

“Sandy, I can explain. I never meant for—”

“I don’t want excuses, just tell me. Did you or didn’t you visit Michael Watkins’s house?”

Nova felt her cheeks burn. “I did.”

“Shit!” Sandy reached for the worry beads round her wrist and began clicking them. “What were you thinking? You knew the police were investigating the missing money, so why did you stick your nose in?”

“I didn’t mean to get involved. We only went to the house because Phyllis said that Michael had died, and I wanted to pay my respects. But then when we got there, Phyllis started asking questions about him.”

“You realize this is a breach of our data protection policy?” Sandy said, lowering her voice. “The three of you used a visitor’s private address from our records, which I think is almost definitely illegal.”

“Oh God, I’d not thought about that.”

“No, clearly you didn’t think about anything.” Sandy sank back in her chair and pulled off her glasses, rubbing her eyes. “I thought things couldn’t get any worse after the incidents with Beryl, but then the roof money was stolen, and now this. You realize you might have just driven the final nail into the community center’s coffin?”

“I’m so sorry.”

“I took a chance on you, Nova. Even after your old boss told me what had happened in London, I still gave you a go here. And this is how you repay me.”

“Sandy, I’m—”

“I need to report this to the council, but in the meantime, you’re suspended with immediate effect.”

“No! Please, can’t we find another solution?”

“You haven’t left me with any other choice!” The woman’s voice had risen. “Tina wanted me to sack you for gross misconduct when you left the office unlocked, but I defended you. And within twenty-four hours, you broke data protection and upset a grieving woman so much that she’s making a formal complaint against you.”

“I was trying to help recover the money,” Nova said, although she realized how pathetic that sounded.

“I’ve got to call Tina now and tell her what’s happened. I’ll let you know the outcome in due course, but I think you need to prepare yourself for the worst.”

“Please, Sandy…”

“You need to leave, Nova. And for Pete’s sake, quit this amateur detective nonsense and try not to do anything else that might put the center at risk.”

Nova opened her mouth to try and make one last defense, but tears were pricking at her eyes, so she grabbed her coat and bag and hurried out of the center.

Her car was parked outside, but rather than getting into it, she headed out onto the main road and down the hill. The grim reality of Nova’s situation hit her with every step. She’d known it was risky going to Michael’s house, but she’d never considered what she was doing was illegal. What was Craig going to say when he found out? Plus, Pamela and David would no doubt be furious with her causing more problems before the wedding. And then there was the community center. Had Nova really just put the final nail in its coffin? How could she have been so stupid? For a second, Nova wanted nothing more than to call her dad and get his advice, and then she remembered and the tears started to fall.

Nova’s phone vibrated in her pocket, and she pulled it out. Arthur’s name flashed up on her screen, and Nova’s stomach curled. If Sandy found out she’d been involved in a pensioner and a teenager going to visit a potentially dangerous private investigator…Well, the consequences weren’t worth thinking about. She stuffed the phone back into her pocket without answering.

Nova wasn’t sure where she was walking, her vision blurred by tears, but eventually she found herself at the beach. What she needed more than anything was some space so she could clear her head and think straight. But as she walked down the steps onto the sand, she saw a familiar hunched figure standing on the shoreline, facing out to sea. At the sight of Phyllis, Nova felt a flash of anger. If the old woman hadn’t acted like a crazed amateur detective, then none of this would have happened.

“Phyllis!” she shouted.

The woman didn’t turn around and Nova marched toward her.

“Do you have any idea the trouble your snooping has caused me? Cynthia has made a formal complaint to Sandy and now my job is…”

Nova stopped.

“Phyllis, where’s Craddock?”

She still didn’t answer, staring out at the crashing waves.

“What happened? What’s wrong?”

“He’s sick…” Phyllis’s voice was a croak.

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry. Is he at the vet’s?”

The older woman nodded, her eyes glistening.

“Did they say what might be wrong with him? Is it his age or—”

“He’s been poisoned.”

“Shit!”

“It was her .” Phyllis turned to look at Nova, her face hard. “Cynthia was at the community center just before it happened. She must have poisoned him on her way out.”

“Look, I can see why you might think that, but I’m sure Cynthia wouldn’t have done anything that awful, especially not in broad daylight.”

“Of course she would! This is a woman who’s killed her mother-in-law and made her own husband disappear. She’s more than capable of trying to…”

Phyllis trailed off, clearly unable to say the words. Nova watched her take a deep breath.

“She’s sending us a message. She knows we’re onto her and this is her way of telling us to back off.”

“Phyllis, I know you’re upset right now, but do you think that maybe there’s another explanation? Perhaps Craddock ate something dodgy?”

Phyllis shook her head. “Trust me, I know this isn’t accidental. The vet is doing a toxicology test, but I bet you it’s either strychnine, which would explain the tremors, or cyanide, which is fast acting. Arsenic’s unlikely as it needs to be dissolved in hot liquid.”

Nova was about to ask how she knew so much about poison, then stopped. Of course: Agatha Christie. “Look, it’s freezing out here, let’s get you home. Is your house far?”

“I’m not going back there without Craddock,” Phyllis said. “I can’t go back without him.”

Nova heard a tremble in the woman’s voice, despite her determined words. “Okay, I understand. We can wait here.”

Phyllis turned back to the sea and Nova stood next to her, staring out at the churning gray water. For a few minutes neither of them spoke, and the only sound was the crash of the surf and the scream of seagulls. Then Phyllis turned to look at Nova again.

“I know you all think I’m a sad, lonely old lady with an overactive imagination, but you need to be careful. If Cynthia’s coming after me then she might come after you too. None of us are safe until we can prove what she’s done.”