Page 32 of A Village Theatre Murder

‘Oh, Hayley. Yes. Hello. Hayley, I’ve had a thought…’

‘Is it a thought about a steak pie? Because I’ve had not a biteto eat since breakfast, and I’m finally on my way out of the office, so a steak pie is pretty much the only thought I’m interested in hearing right now.’

‘It’s a thought about Oscar.’

There was a pause, in which Julia heard Hayley open the car door, get in and slam the door. Her phone must have connected to the car, because Julia heard the engine start, and Hayley’s echoing voice: ‘What was that you were saying, Julia? I didn’t hear that last thing.’

Julia decided to go with the pie, and not mention Oscar at this point.

‘I was saying that I happen to have a steak pie in the freezer. If you like, I can pop it straight into the oven. You can come by, we’ll chat about the other things while we eat the pie.’

On the other end of the phone, Hayley was weighing up her options.

‘What other things?’ she asked, suspiciously.

‘I’ll tell you when you get here. I’m going to put the oven on. See you soon.’

Hayley sighed. ‘Okay. On my way.’

By the time the doorbell rang, the pie was in the oven, and Julia had the makings of a salad on the chopping board. A jug of home-made lemonade and two glasses stood on the table. It was early to eat dinner – not much after five – but the days were getting shorter and Hayley was hungry. Needs must, as Julia’s mother always used to say.

‘Hello,’ Julia said, as she opened the door.

Somewhat surprisingly – as she’d not mentioned him – Hayley was accompanied by a stocky young man in black jeans and a black leather biker’s jacket. This was an unusual turn of events. In the time she and Julia had known each other, Hayley had never brought a date, or in fact discussed her romantic life at all. Julia knew Hayley lived alone, but there was never a mention of a partner, or even an occasional date. A couple ofgentle enquiries from Julia had been left hanging, or answered with a vague and non-specific dismissal: ‘Oh, it’s been a while since there was anyone special.’ Julia realised that Hayley’s lack of disclosure had been so effective that she had no idea whether the last someone special had been months, years or decades ago, or whether they were male or female. Julia had always thought female, but now, here was this fellow, who must have been a good ten years younger than Hayley – not that Julia was judging. Each to their own. He stood patiently, a step behind Hayley. Gosh, was he the one who had given her that beautiful orchid? He must be!

‘Oh, hello!’ Julia said eagerly, as if she’d been expecting him, too. She would have to set another place. ‘You are very welcome, come on in.’

Hayley went inside, without so much as introducing her friend, who she left standing stiffly on the doorstep. Really, that detective was a strange one. Julia smiled at him warmly. ‘Julia Bird,’ she said, offering him her hand. ‘I’m very pleased to meet you.’

‘Um, Brian,’ he said. Instead of shaking her outstretched hand, he offered her a bunch of flowers.

‘These are gorgeous,’ she said, admiring the pale hydrangeas and pretty blooms and grasses that were, in fact, exactly the same as the ones she had bought at Blooming Marvels. They would have to sit in the kitchen, she decided. She couldn’t have Hayley’s friend see that she already had the same bunch, arranged in the sitting room.

She stepped back to encourage him into the house. He seemed terribly awkward, teetering there at the threshold. Andterriblyyoung.

‘Really, so kind of you, Brian. You didn’t have to bring flowers.’

Yes, each to their own, but goodness, in the better light, she saw he must still be in his twenties. Oh, God, could she havemisread the situation? Could he be someone else? Hayley’s brother, perhaps? But she was only aware of a sister, who she’d met when Hayley was laid up with a broken leg.

‘Um, Ididhave to?’ he said, not budging, and now looking nervously from side to side, as if someone might come and rescue him from this peculiar situation. ‘I’m, like, the delivery guy from the florist? It’s my job, y’know? Can you sign, please?’

He held a pen and a delivery book out to her.Blooming Marvels, it said.

Julia could feel her face turn the fiery shade of a geranium, or a rose, or perhaps a Flanders poppy. She was pleased to be able to lower it and stare intently at the paper, while she scrawled her name.

‘Thanks, Brian,’ she said, handing over the pen, and shutting the door.

‘Those are nice, what’s the occasion?’ Hayley asked. She had already sat herself at the kitchen table and poured herself a glass of the home-made lemonade. Chaplin had taken the opportunity to occupy her lap without so much as a by-your-leave, while Jake, who loved Hayley Gibson with his heart and soul, and who would ordinarily have rested his own head on her knee, looked on sadly from a distance.

‘None, as far as I’m aware.’

‘Is Sean one of those men who just sends you flowers for nothing? Just to be nice?’ The question came out somewhere between wistful and sarcastic.

Julia took a somewhat panicky mental inventory of her relationship with Sean, in case it was the anniversary of their first date, or something. She wasn’t very observant about that sort of thing, but she couldn’t think of anything that might warrant sending flowers.

‘I don’t even know if they’re from him,’ she said.

‘You mean there are other candidates? My word, Julia Bird. You are a dark horse!’

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