Page 17 of The Quarterlands (Dark Water #4)

“Oh goodness. Well, he told me about his cancer last February and advised me that he only had a few months to live. He was unlucky. While many cancers are curable these days, his was not. It was caught too late, in any case. He’d never had a day off sick in his life and rather overlooked all his symptoms, only going to the doctor when it was far too late. ”

“You must have been upset.”

She waved her hand dismissively. “Of course. He was a huge asset to Belvedere.”

“But on a personal level, too. You’d worked with him for many years.”

“Well, quite.” She gave a tight, dispassionate smile. “When he told me about the cancer, I immediately released him from his contract and paid it out, in full, so he could live the last few months of his life in comfort.”

“I’m sure you were very generous.”

“I was.” She inclined her head gracefully. “He always worked very hard for me, and I was happy to reward him for that, although saddened that he wouldn’t be able to enjoy the fruits of his hard work for very long.”

“Then what happened to him?”

“What do you mean?” She raised an eyebrow.

“Where did he go? What did he do?”

“Once he left my service, that was really none of my concern,” she murmured. “However, we do have an address for him on file. I can let you have it. I assume it was a rental property, given his situation.”

“Do you know what happened to his personal effects?”

“No.” She clearly wasn’t the kind of person who felt the need to qualify her answers, even in the face of long silences – which was a tactic Josiah often employed to prompt people to speak. She merely sat there, gazing at him expressionlessly.

In the end, he broke first. “I gather there was a memorial service?”

“Yes.”

“Did you go?”

“Goodness, no. Gideon was a very good servant, you understand, but he was just a servant. We weren’t close.”

“I see. That’s strange. George Tyler went.”

“Well, he was so impressed by how well Alexander turned out that he sent several more of his servants to Belvedere after that. I suppose he must have become fond of Gideon in the process, or grateful, perhaps, for his services. Gideon was a clever man. Very particular, very fastidious, which I liked.”

“But not enough to attend his memorial service?”

“I’m a very busy woman.” She didn’t look remotely guilty about this. She clearly saw no reason why she should have been there. “However, as you’re so interested in the service, I can send you a link to the live stream.”

“Yes, please, if you would.” He inclined his head, and she made a note on her holopad. “Did you watch it?”

“No. As I said, I’m a very busy woman. I’m sure it was a tasteful affair, though. Gideon always had excellent taste.”

“Was there a funeral?” Josiah asked. “Or just a memorial service?”

“Just the memorial service. Gideon wanted a private ceremony for the funeral. He hated fuss.”

“I see. Since Gideon left, who runs Belvedere?” Josiah asked.

“I moved in to assess it and decided to close down the training facility soon after Gideon died. It really was his baby. I had no interest in it.”

“So it’s not a training facility anymore?”

“No. Gideon made it hugely successful and it brought in a steady income stream, but I wasn’t interested in continuing his work.

I’m in the process of turning Belvedere back into a high-end spa.

I’ve spent some time here to oversee its closing down and drawing up plans for the refurbishment.

Normally, I work from an office in New London, but it’s been an enjoyable break.

” She glanced out of the window, at the sea view.

Every movement she made was deliberate and contained, as if anything else would have been unspeakably vulgar.

“It’s a lovely location for a spa,” he observed.

“It is.” She inclined her head, as if granting him a wish.

“When I first bought it, most people wouldn’t have been able to afford to come to a spa, but there’s a growing demand for such luxuries now.

” She turned back to give him a barely curious glance.

“Did Alexander complain about any aspect of his treatment while he was here?”

“No. On the contrary. He viewed it as a respite from his life as an IS. He feels he learned a great deal here that was helpful. ”

She gave a distant smile, but she looked gratified.

“I’m sure he did. Gideon was very good at spotting what people need to know in order to adjust to a life of servitude.

I’m sure that was because he was such a natural servant himself.

I found him at The New Dorchester, and he quickly impressed me with his attention to detail and eagerness to be of use. Some people are born to serve.”

“But he didn’t,” Josiah pointed out. She arched a questioning eyebrow. “He didn’t serve you, did he? He worked here, running this business. If he was such a good servant, I’m surprised you didn’t want to keep him close by, to actually serve you.”

“We all serve in different ways,” she said in a cold tone.

“Take yourself. You serve your country, your government. I’m sure you take as much pride in that as Gideon took in serving not only me but also his fellow indentured servants by running a training academy for them.

I have absolutely no doubt that Gideon viewed his work here as service. ”

“He sounds like a remarkable man,” Josiah murmured. “I wish I’d met him.”

“He’s a great loss to us all.” She inclined her head. “Now, is there anything else you wish to ask me, Investigator Raine? If there is, I’m happy to help, but I don’t have time for idle chit-chat.”

“Of course. Just one more thing. I understand that you and George Tyler are friends?”

“I wouldn’t go that far.” She looked as if she didn’t approve of friendship.

Josiah wondered if she ever let anyone get close enough to make such a claim.

“I know Mr Tyler from various business interests. When he was searching for an establishment that could deal with his difficult IS, I suggested he send the young man to Belvedere. I knew that Gideon would be able to help.”

“I see. Well, thank you for your time – and efficiency.”

He found a local café and went through the information Madeleine Selcourt had sent, but it was all curiously bland, giving little information apart from the dates Alex had been at Belvedere and the courses he’d attended.

Gideon had signed off his stay with what read like an end-of-term school report, asserting that he’d learned all he needed to an adequate standard and had come to appreciate the value of being a committed and eager servant.

There was nothing about breaking him, no mention of any special requests Tyler might have made, and absolutely nothing about how to create a mask to obscure all your thoughts and feelings – unless Gideon considered that came under “learned all he needed”.

Josiah mused on this over a chocolate brownie. He wasn’t sure what he’d expected to find, but he was disappointed. As with everything related to Alex, it seemed the more he learned, the less he knew.

Beginning his long drive home, he felt a little out of sorts and irritable at what had seemed to be a wasted day. His mood was brightened by finding two chocolates in his little silver case. Alex had started slipping them in there again, and it always made him smile.

It was late when he returned home. Alex was already in bed, and Josiah headed straight for his.

He wondered if he should tell Alex where he’d been.

It felt strange to be digging around in his life while sharing a house with him.

But he hadn’t told him about Brian’s testimony, or about meeting Bax, or any of the other people he’d interviewed.

It felt too intrusive. Besides, Alex knew what he was working on and never asked, so Josiah took his cue from that.

The next day was a Saturday, and as Alex was spending it with his family, Josiah decided to work from home.

He made some toast for breakfast and decided to work while he ate.

He was torn between watching the footage of Alex’s two trials again and sitting through the tedium of Gideon’s memorial service.

He decided on the latter, mainly to get it out of the way.

The stirring sounds of Amazing Grace played as the holovid began and people solemnly took their seats in a little stone church.

It wasn’t widely attended, so it was easy to spot George Tyler as he entered.

Why was he there? Josiah knew that some people attended these types of events to network, but that seemed unlikely in Tyler’s case.

Tyler took his place next to a man with owlish spectacles, who seemed genuinely upset.

A vicar led the ceremony and the man in the spectacles – a Dr Adams – read a moving eulogy, paying tribute to Gideon’s sharp mind and superb professional skills.

They’d worked together for some years, and it appeared that he’d been an excellent boss and a good friend.

Josiah found himself drifting off. So far, so unremarkable.

He made himself another cup of tea and treated himself to a couple of chocolates, then returned to watch the last part.

The service came to an end and the vicar said a final few words.

Josiah glanced at his to-do list to see what to tackle next, his attention waning.

He’d learned nothing, but then he hadn’t expected to.

He was barely paying attention as the final song played and people began filing out.

It took a moment to sink in… and then he looked back at the holovid in surprise.

He paused, rewound it, and watched the whole thing again from the start.

Then he went through the documents Madeleine Selcourt had given him, looking for a specific image.

He stared at the image, then at the paused holovid, sitting back to run a hand through his hair in shock.

He knew who’d killed Elliot Dacre and – he was fairly sure he knew why.