Page 83 of The Love Letter

‘Yes. I do.’ Joanna smiled. ‘See you later.’

Tucking the fax into her jeans pocket, she switched off her computer, grabbed her coat and headed for the door. Alec was crouching at his desk, hiding from her as usual. She made a U-turn and went to stand behind him.

‘When’s my piece about Marcus Harrison and his memorial fund going in? He keeps asking me and it’s getting very embarrassing.’

‘Ask Features. It’s their shout,’ he muttered.

‘Okay, I . . .’ Joanna glanced at Alec’s screen and recognised the name at the top. ‘William Fielding. Why are you writing about him?’

‘Because he’s dead. Any more questions?’

Joanna gulped. Maybe that was what Marcus had wanted to tell her. ‘Where? When? How?’

‘Got beaten up a couple of days ago and died in hospital this afternoon. The Ed’s launching a campaign on the strength of it, trying to pressure the government into providing free security equipment for the old and infirm, and tougher penalties for the yobs that perpetrate the crimes.’

Joanna sat down abruptly in the seat next to Alec.

‘What’s up? You all right?’

‘Oh God, Alec. Oh God.’

He looked nervously in the direction of the Ed’s office. ‘What, Jo?’

She tried to clear her thoughts. ‘He . . . William knew things about Sir James Harrison. This wasn’t an accident! It was planned, it must have been, just like Rose’s death.’

‘Jo, you’re talking crap,’ Alec snarled. ‘They’ve arrested a man for it.’

‘Well, I tell you now, he didn’t do it.’

‘You can’t know that, Jo.’

‘I can, Alec. Listen, do you want to hear or not?’

He hesitated. ‘Okay. But make it fast.’

When Jo had finished expounding her theory, Alec folded his arms, thinking. ‘Okay, so let’s say you’re right and his deathwasarranged. How did they find out so quickly?’

‘I don’t know. Unless . . . unless Marcus’s flat is bugged. He faxed me a few minutes ago, then hinted it wasn’t safe to speak on the phone.’ Joanna pulled the fax out of her pocket and laid it on his desk. ‘He said William had spoken these words to Zoe. Maybe she went to the hospital to see him before he died.’

He read the fax, then looked at Joanna. ‘You’ve worked it out, I presume?’

‘Yes. William was trying to say Rose was a lady-in-waiting. Alec –’ Joanna wrung her hands – ‘this is getting too intense. I’m scared, I really am.’

‘First rule until we know what you’re dealing with: be careful what you say at home. I’ve dealt with situations like this before, back when I was reporting on the IRA – bugs are bloody tricky to find, but I’d have a good look for them in your flat if I were you. Worst case scenario is that they were placed when your flat was ransacked. Maybe even inside the walls.’

‘And probably at Marcus’s too,’ she sighed.

‘For Christ’s sake, Jo, I think you should just leave well alone.’

‘I’ve been trying to, but it seems to keep following me around.’ She ran a hand through her hair in frustration. ‘I don’t know what to do, really. Sorry, Alec. I know you don’t want to hear.’ She stood up and walked towards the door. ‘Oh, by the way, you were right. I never did get that letter back. Night.’

Alec lit up another Rothman’s and stared at the screen. He had less than two years before he collected his pension and ended a fine career. He shouldn’t do anything to rock the boat. But then again, he knew he’d regret it every day for the rest of his life if he let this story go.

Finally, he stood up and took the lift down to the archives to gather as many cuttings as he could on Sir James Harrison, and to try to dig something up on a lady-in-waiting called Rose.

Joanna emerged from the Harley Street dentist two hours later, with her head throbbing from the drill and half her mouth numb from novocaine. She walked slowly down the steps and along the street, feeling decidedly woozy. A woman brushed past behind her and Joanna jumped, her heart beating far too hard against her chest.

Hadthey been listening that night at Marcus’s flat? Were they watching her again now? Joanna broke out in a sweat and purple patches appeared before her eyes. She dropped onto her haunches in front of a neighbouring building, putting her head down between her legs, and tried to take long, deep breaths to slow her breathing. Then she leant back against the railings that flanked the building and looked up at the clear night sky.