Page 122 of The Forsaken
NOVEMBER 2014
London, England
Just past noon, a steady rain fell outside the plate-glass window, the feeble light of the gloomy afternoon resembling dusk. Rhys removed his reading glasses and laid Quinn’s report on his ultra-modern desk, his gaze thoughtful as he his eyes met hers. “This will not do. We don’t know what really happened. Our viewers need closure.”
“I don’t know what really happened, Rhys. I’m not Miss Marple. I can’t conveniently solve the crime by the final chapter and explain my reasoning for the benefit of those who missed the clues.”
“I know that,” Rhys replied irritably, “but we need to come up with an ending that will give us a ratings boost. What are your thoughts? Who’d want to murder Kate?”
“We don’t know that she was murdered.”
“She believed she was.”
“Yes, she did.”
“So let’s theorize,” Rhys suggested. “You go first.”
Quinn leaned back in her chair and considered the possibilities. She’d analyzed all this before, but perhaps Rhys would find a new angle. “The only people who might have wished Kate harm would be Hugh and Eleanor. Hugh might have found out about the affair and realized the child wasn’t his. This would be an easy way to get rid of both Kate and the child, and punish Guy in the process. With Kate gone, his pride would be salvaged and he could get on with his life, as we know he did.”
“And Eleanor?”
“Eleanor was trapped. She was a woman, still in her mid-twenties, who, for all intents and purposes, had been buried alive. Hugh would never allow her to remarry, for fear of losing his home and the income he pilfered from Adam. Her only hope was to marry Hugh and regain the status of wife, rather than remain a widow for the rest of her days. With Hugh, she would still be close to her son and possibly have more children.”
“Would she really kill Kate?”
“They say poison is a woman’s weapon of choice. Perhaps she did.”
“Doesn’t seem likely though, does it? And what happened to the baby? There were no bones of an infant discovered with Kate’s remains, were there?”
“No. Joan said the baby was buried with Kate, but there was no evidence to support that. Perhaps it was buried separately and the bones were too tiny to notice when we searched the surrounding area. We might have mistaken them for the bones of a bird or a mammal.”
“Hmm.”
“What’s your theory?” Quinn asked. She could already see the gleam of creativity shining in Rhys’s eyes.
“In the episode, Hugh, having recalled how effectively rue killed the unfortunate Aileen, will use the poison on Kate after learning of her infidelity. He wasn’t overly pleased with the marriage to start with, and finding out that his wife and his brother were playing him for a fool would be enough to push him over the edge. Oh, he’d play the grieving husband, but he’d send Guy a clue that he was aware of what was going on under his nose, and allow him to wonder for the rest of his days whether Hugh had actually murdered Kate and the child or whether Kate died by accident.”
“And how would Hugh do all that without actually confronting Guy and confessing to the murder?”
“The sword. A knight’s sword was his most precious possession. By burying the sword with Kate, Hugh would be letting Guy know that he was aware of their connection, and that he was burying everything that was precious to Guy in one grave: his lover, his child, and his weapon. I think the viewers will love that. Very dramatic.”
“And that’s why you’re so good at what you do. I have to get going,” Quinn said, checking her watch. “I have a Thanksgiving dinner to prepare for. I’m in charge of cornbread and collard greens.”
“You’ll be getting a dual citizenship next,” Rhys joked as he got up to walk Quinn out. “I’m glad things are going well with you and your father. How’s Alex taken to him?”
“Like powdered sugar to a beignet.”
Rhys laughed. “Enjoy your dinner, and don’t get too comfortable. I have a new case to discuss with you.”
“You have the subject for the next episode?”
“Indeed, I do, but I wouldn’t want to ruin all this family fun. Ring me tomorrow. You’re going to love this one,” Rhys said with a merry twinkle in his eye.
“I take it there’s no urgency?”
“Oh, this poor sod is not going anywhere.”
Rhys kissed Quinn’s cheek and gave her a wave as she got in the lift. Quinn leaned against the wall and smiled. Tomorrow, she’d find out what Rhys had in store for her, but tonight, she’d enjoy a dinner of unfamiliar delicacies with the people she loved best in the world. She had much to be thankful for.
