Page 24

Nova

On Friday morning, Nova ate breakfast with Craig and his mum. The mood in the house had been tense last night, with Pamela barely able to look at Nova over dinner. Nova had made an effort to talk enthusiastically about the wedding, and had even managed to feign interest in a discussion about the groomsmen’s boutonnieres, all the while reminding herself that soon she and Craig would move out to their own place and she wouldn’t have to eat every meal with her mother-in-law.

“We’re all set for the rehearsal later,” Pamela said, as she served seconds of bacon onto Craig’s plate. “I’m going to be setting up the flowers in the church from three, so you both just need to get there by six.”

“Dad and I have to finish up some urgent jobs at the garage, but we should be there around five-thirty,” Craig said. “Nova, remember you’ve got to collect your mum from Bristol airport at one o’clock.”

“As if she’d forget her own mum!” Pamela said.

“I dunno, I wouldn’t put it past Ditsy—”

“Don’t call me that,” Nova interrupted. “I’ll get my mum.”

“Before you do, I’ve got some important jobs for you,” Pamela said. “Please can you finish making up the favors for me? It’s ten sugared almonds per bag—five pink and five ivory—and then the orders of service need folding. I’ll pop back at lunchtime to collect them.”

“Consider it done.”

“Well, in that case I’d better be off. See you kids at the church later.” Pamela headed out of the kitchen, leaving Nova and Craig alone.

“I should get going too,” Craig said, eating the last bit of bacon on his plate and standing up. “Will you be all right on your own this morning?”

“Of course. I’ve got plenty to be getting on with. Those sugared almonds won’t sort themselves.”

Craig smiled. “Just as long as you keep out of trouble. I could do without another trip to the police station today, so no more Nancy Drew nonsense, okay?”

“I promise, my troublemaking days are over.”

Craig leaned down to kiss her, pinching the last piece of toast from her plate as he left.

An hour later, Nova was sitting on the floor in the living room, surrounded by sugared almonds and two hundred small silk bags, each monogrammed with her and Craig’s initials. Her mum was going to have an absolute field day when she saw these, Nova thought with a smile. Maddy should be in Barcelona by now, waiting to catch her flight to Bristol. The thought made Nova’s stomach flip with excitement.

From outside, she heard the sound of footsteps on gravel. Surely that wasn’t Pamela back to collect the favors already? Nova sped up her work, then heard a ring on the doorbell. She got up and walked to the hall, pulling the door open.

Phyllis, Arthur and Ash were standing on the doorstep, while behind them Craddock was trying to eat Pamela’s rhododendrons.

“What are you all doing here?”

“We wanted to check you’re okay,” Arthur said.

Nova was taken aback. “Thank you, that’s very sweet. But how did you get my address?”

“I have my sources,” Phyllis said, tapping her nose. “Are you going to invite us in? We have a complex case to discuss.”

Nova was about to say yes when she remembered her words to Craig just an hour ago. “I’m afraid it’s not a good time, I’ve got loads to do and—”

She got no further as Phyllis barged past her into the hallway.

“Okay, you can come in for a few minutes, but can you leave Craddock outside, as Craig’s mum doesn’t like—”

“I can’t leave him, he’s still recovering from being poisoned,” Phyllis said.

She was clearly not going to be dissuaded, so Nova might as well get this over with quickly, before Pamela returned.

“Come on through,” she said, leading the mismatched group into the living room. Craddock headed straight for the sugared almonds and managed to scoff several before Nova was able to pull him back and move the tubs out of the way. “Please, take a seat.”

Ash and Arthur sat on one of the large sofas, while Phyllis took David’s armchair, Craddock settling at her feet.

“So, how are you all—” Nova started, but Phyllis brushed the pleasantries aside.

“We need to discuss our next steps. Nova’s been suspended, Sandy’s in hospital and the community center has been closed. Unless we can find the missing money, and fast, it may never open its doors again.”

“Phyllis, I—”

“Arthur and I had a long chat yesterday, and we agreed our best plan to find Michael and prove Cynthia’s behind the crimes is to focus on the private investigator angle.”

“I don’t remember agreeing to that,” Arthur said, but Phyllis plowed on.

“The computer file is key to everything, so it’s vital we get into it ASAP.” Phyllis turned her intense gaze on Ash, who sunk back into the sofa.

“I told you, I’m trying,” he stuttered. “I’ve just downloaded a new piece of software; it’s not strictly legal, but it might help.”

“Good boy,” Phyllis said, her eyes flashing with satisfaction at the words “not strictly legal.” She turned her attention back to Nova. “We also need to work out how to clear your name. Has Sandy remembered any more about her attack?”

“Apparently not; it was dark outside, and the figure pushed her as soon as she opened the door.”

“Hmm, that’s most inconvenient.”

“How is Sandy?” Arthur asked.

“Okay, I think. No serious injuries, but it sounds like it was a nasty shock.”

“Cynthia’s crafty, I’ll give her that,” Phyllis said, absentmindedly stroking Craddock’s head. “She’d give Mr. Symington a run for his money.”

“Who?” Arthur asked.

“Richard Symington, from The Moving Finger . One of Agatha Christie’s most perfect works, and all about adultery. I’ve been scouring it looking for useful tips for our case.”

“Does that mean you’re finally admitting that love was the motive?” Arthur said, and Nova saw a twinkle in his eye. “I’ve said all along, people will commit all sorts of crimes for love. In this one book I read Esi, Devil in Winter , this woman, Evie, marries a known scoundrel to get her awful family off her back but then—”

“One thing I’ve learned from The Moving Finger ,” Phyllis said, speaking over Arthur, “is that the criminal will often go to elaborate measures to distract Miss Marple from seeing the true intention behind their—”

“And then this disturbed assassin comes after Evie and so Sebastian is forced to—”

“Oh my God, listen to the pair of you!” Nova spoke louder than she’d intended to, and they both stopped mid-sentence. “You’re both talking about books, fictional books, but this is my real life. I’m getting married tomorrow, and in the past forty-eight hours I’ve been suspended from my job, and someone has framed me for attacking my boss. So, I’m sorry, but I don’t care about Evie or Miss Marple. I have to focus on my own situation.”

“Of course you do, and that’s why we’re here,” Arthur said. “We want to prove Cynthia is behind the crimes so we can clear your name.”

“And I appreciate that, but it’s not really working, is it? So far, every time we try and prove Cynthia is behind a crime, something even worse happens. And I can’t risk anything else going wrong and ruining my wedding tomorrow.”

“This isn’t just about you,” Phyllis said. “If we can’t work out what happened to the stolen money then the community center will close, and that affects us all.”

“I’m very aware of what will happen if the money isn’t found. But scouring the plots of novels to find a solution isn’t going to make the money magically reappear. The only way it’ll be found is if the police can trace Michael.”

Phyllis snorted. “Oh, then we’ll be waiting forever and the center will close.”

“Maybe it will,” Nova said quietly. “But I can’t waste any more time trying to solve this crime. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have wedding favors to sort.”

“This is outrageous!” Phyllis said. “You should be—”

“Phyllis, let’s go and leave Nova be,” Arthur said. “She’s right; maybe we have let ourselves get a bit carried away with it all.”

“Miss Marple never walked away from a case, especially not so close to the end,” Phyllis protested, but Arthur and Ash were already standing up. The older woman looked like she was about to complain again, but then she let out a grunt and stood up too.

Nova led them back through to the hallway and opened the door.

“I hope you have a wonderful time at your wedding tomorrow,” Arthur said as he stepped outside.

“Yeah, good luck,” Ash said, following the older man out.

Nova waited for Phyllis to step outside, too, but there was no sign of the woman. She turned round to see her standing by the stairs, rummaging through a box on the floor.

“What are you doing?”

“Is this the stuff you got in that charity shop last week?”

“Yes, why?”

Phyllis didn’t answer. She was holding the framed painting Nova had bought, the one of a pretty cottage against an azure-blue sea. Phyllis was staring at the painting through narrow, critical eyes.

“Come on, we should head to the bus stop,” Arthur called from outside.

Phyllis put the picture down, opened her handbag and pulled out a smaller frame. “Here, look.”

She thrust it at Nova, who stifled a sigh as she took it and looked at the picture inside. It was an old black-and-white photograph, a holiday snap by the looks of things, showing a woman and a young boy.

“What am I looking at, Phyllis? I don’t recognize either of these people.”

“That’s Michael and his mother.”

“What?” Nova looked at her in horror. “Where the hell did you get this from? Please tell me you didn’t steal it?”

“Of course I didn’t steal it,” Phyllis said, sounding insulted at the accusation. “I just happened to be holding it when I heard Cynthia coming upstairs and so I jumped into the wardrobe to hide, and then put it into my handbag without realizing. It was a high-pressure situation.”

“If Cynthia realizes it’s missing, she could report you to the police for theft,” Nova said, thrusting the photo back at Phyllis; the last thing she needed was her fingerprints on stolen goods.

“What’s going on?” Arthur said, stepping back inside.

“Phyllis has stolen—”

“It is not stolen! And anyway, you’re missing the point. Look at the photo again.”

She held it back out and both Nova and Arthur leaned forward to study it.

“Who’s the lady?” Arthur asked.

“Ignore the lady. Look. ”

Phyllis grabbed Nova’s framed painting and held it up next to the photo. Nova’s eyes flicked between the two, and then she let out a gasp.