Page 330 of The Hallmarked Man

‘Only by WhatsApp. As a matter of fact, she told me she didn’t like Tyler, that she’d been friendly towards him because she felt sorry for him, and she did suggest it was possible he’d tampered—’

‘There you are, you see, she’sstilltrying to pin it on him! Who fanned the flames, about Tyler? Who kept the rumours going? I think it was Chloe. Tyler was disposable to her, a useful patsy. I’mone hundred per cent certainthat she encouraged the rumours about Tyler having messed with the car.Griffiths himself admitted to me that he first heard the rumour from Chloe. “It’s just what the kids are saying, I’m sure there’s no truth in it.”’

‘D’you know whether Chloe had an alibi for that night?’ asked Robin.

‘The police wouldn’t tell us,’ said Whitehead. ‘They simply didn’t want to listen.’

‘Did you know a girl called Zeta in Ironbridge?’ asked Robin.

‘Zeta? No, I don’t think so. Unless she was in Harvey and Hugo’s friendship groups, I wouldn’t have. Why?’

‘She alleges that Tyler did something threatening to her, after he heard her repeating the rumour about him sabotaging the Mazda.’

‘I don’t really blame him,’ said Whitehead stoutly. ‘Being accused of something like that…’

‘She alleges that he almost ran her over.’

‘Oh, I’m sure that’s not true,’ said Whitehead at once. ‘No, no, that wouldn’t be like Tyler. His friend Wynn Jones, now, I’d believe it ofhim, he’s a proper lout – but not Tyler. You know, I wouldn’t be surprised if he suspected Chloe was behind the crash himself. I’m very, very keen on finding him, and getting some answers, and helping him clear his name… I think we’re going to have to wrap this up soon,’ said Whitehead, with a now nervous glance at the dark sky outside the un-curtained window. ‘If Lucinda comes back early—’

‘Of course,’ said Robin. ‘Just got one more question. If Chloe was using Tyler for lifts, does that mean she didn’t have her own car?’

‘No, but she could have borrowed her father’s, couldn’t she? It was when she didn’t have access to it that she relied on Tyler.’

‘Right,’ said Robin. ‘Well, thank you so much for your time.’

‘You know,’ said Whitehead, leading Robin back into the hall, ‘Hugodidlike speed, nobody’s pretending he didn’t – he was a young man – but never in those conditions, and not with a passenger. And,’ he added, taking Robin’s coat off its hook and handing it to her, ‘heknewthe storm was on its way. We all did.’

‘I’m so sorry for your loss,’ said Robin, unable to think of anything else to say.

‘You’ll let me know, if you find Tyler?’

‘If we find him, I’ll ask him whether he minds us letting you know,’ promised Robin.

It was chilly outside. She walked briskly up the street to the Land Rover and got inside, thinking about all she’d just heard. Then she took out her phone and typed out a new message for Chloe Griffiths.

Hi Chloe, this is Robin Ellacott. I’m sorry to contact you again, but I’ve got a few more questions and I think you’re the only person who can answer them. I do understand how difficult this is for you, and I wouldn’t disturb you again if I didn’t think it was important.

Having sent this message, Robin sat thinking. For some reason, the name ‘Horse & Jockey’ ran through her mind, but she wasn’t sure why. She’d just opened Google to look at the place when the door beside her was wrenched open. Before she could scream, a hand closed around her throat.

103

… mark

What one weak woman can achieve alone.

Matthew Arnold

Merope: A Tragedy

He was on top of her, forcing her backwards onto the passenger seat; she felt the handbrake pressing into her back; she couldn’t cry out, because of his hands around her throat; he was crawling on top of her, pinning her down; and she felt her handbag slide into the footwell—

He was trying to force her further into the car and she knew his plan was to drive off with her; she heard her phone fall with a clunk; saw his face in strangely cubic light and shadow, the ferocity, the thick eyebrows—

She managed to free her right hand from beneath him and seized his wrist, trying to drag it from her throat, but with her left, she was groping on the floor, in darkness; it was there, she knew it was there, she’d checked before leaving the flat that morning—

Her fingers closed on the plastic, felt for the nozzle, and now black spots were popping in front of her eyes, but she had it—

The first spray didn’t hit him – she felt the sting of it in the air—