Page 23 of Murder in the Winter Woods
‘Good morning, Fred,’ said Hayley. ‘Now, it’s not true that nothing is being done. We have taken the situation extremely seriously and are actively investigating both deaths.’
‘Ah, what exactly are you civil servants doing besides sitting at your comfy desks writing a fewemails?’ He spat out the word.
‘Now, Fred, you know I can’t share the details of the investigations.’
‘Meanwhile, all over the village, people are being mowed down by maniacs fromLondon.’ Fred’s face had taken on a hue to match his jacket. He looked like a furious strawberry. ‘Monsters who don’t even bother to stop their car…’
‘Fred…’
‘I havegrandchildren!’ He spoke with such anguish that Julia realised that his fury was really an expression of fear, as was so often the case.
‘And I have children,’ said the woman with the double pram. ‘All the mums are in a state. People are too scared to walk around the village. Something must be done.’
‘I hear your concerns, really I do,’ Hayley said gently. ‘And I promise you that I will do everything in my power to find the people who killed Lewis and Matthew.’ She looked down, and for the first time saw Julia seated in her car. ‘And we’re working with a committee of concerned Berrywick citizens to communicate safer driving practices, and to get more cameras and speed bumps on our lanes.’
Walter followed Hayley’s gaze, and looked down at Julia, trapped there in her car. He stepped out of her way.
‘I’m sure you are doing what you can, Detective Inspector Gibson,’ Diane said. ‘But until you have someone behind bars for these awful hit-and-run crimes, you can expect to see us here.’
‘I’ll join you,’ said an elderly lady, who had been moving down the pavement towards them at a glacial place with the help of a walking aid with four rubber feet, and was now standing firmly at Diane’s side. ‘I don’t like the idea of all these madmen on the roads.’
‘You’d be very welcome, Mrs Evans,’ the young mum said. ‘I’m Barbie Lincoln, by the way. Nancy Lincoln is my nan.’
Mrs Evans pulled up a pair of spectacles dangling round her neck on a chain and peered through them into the younger woman’s face. ‘Heavens, but you look just like her! Dear Nancy, she’s a good woman. Well, pleased to meet you, young Barbie.’
‘And you, Mrs Evans.’
‘Call me Lorraine. My, isn’t this fun? I used to love a good protest, back in the day. Not much call for it these days, but I should think I still remember a few of the songs…’
Walter Farmer addressed the little gathering. ‘We’ve heard you. And speaking for myself, I will do everything possible to keep Berrywick citizens and all road users safe. Obviously you can stay and protest as long as you like, that’s your right in terms of the law, but we’re going to be going back to work now.’
‘Thank you, Walter,’ said Barbie, the young mum. ‘My best to Amaryllis. Feeling all right, is she?’
‘Well, you know. A bit queasy.’
‘Poor girl. The first trimester is the worst for that; it should ease up soon. Get her some ginger biscuits. They sometimes help with the nausea.’
‘Thanks, Barbie, we’ll give that a try.’ Walter smiled, and Julia could see that this whole exchange had filled him with a sense of pride that he was the father of the pregnancy under discussion. Walter and Amaryllis had clearly decided to spread the news wider than their families.
‘I should be getting the little ones home for their tea,’ said Barbie with a sigh. ‘Fancy a cuppa, Lorraine? Our house is just down the street and round the next corner.’
‘Lovely, you can tell me all about your nan, it’s been a while since I’ve seen her…’
With that, the protest broke up peacefully.
‘Same time tomorrow!’ shouted Fred as they dispersed.
‘Right you are,’ said Diane.
Julia was about to drive away when Hayley leaned down and said, through the open window, ‘Everything all right, Julia?’
‘Oh, yes, I was passing and I saw the signs. Just being nosy really…’ Julia smiled.
‘That, I can believe,’ said Hayley with a smirk. She knew that Julia was what might be politely termed ‘curious’ by nature.
It was a friendly smirk, which emboldened Julia to say: ‘On that subject. Have you got a moment? It’s about Hester and Matthew.’
Hayley opened the passenger door and got in. ‘It’s chilly out!’ she said. ‘Right then, what is it?’
