Page 114 of Three Widows

‘You told me that you know the Herbal Heaven shop in town…’

‘Yes. I get all my vitamin supplements there, and the nettle tea is to die for.’

‘When did you last see Helena McCaul, the owner?’

His body tensed. ‘She isn’t dead too, is she?’

‘I hope not.’

‘I was in there last week. She seemed fine then.’

‘Did she talk to you about any problems in her life?’

‘I’m not a therapist.’

‘But you tried to help Jennifer. Did you try to help Helena also?’

‘We only spoke about herbal remedies.’

‘When I was talking to you the other day, you mentioned you had lost someone close to you. Do you mind me asking who that was, and when?’

‘I do mind, because it has nothing to do with you or who I am now. I’ve put my grief behind me. I don’t think you have put yours behind you, have you, Inspector?’

‘Like you said, it has nothing to do with you.’

She tried to read his expression, but failed. Unable to come up with further questions, she took her leave. At the door, she turned as she remembered something.

‘Did you know Jennifer was an artist?’

‘She never said.’

‘You didn’t know about her studio?’ A lock-up, she thought, not a studio.

‘She had a studio? Gosh, if I had known, I’d have encouraged her to take up art full-time. Perhaps I was blind to the full picture.’

And Lottie wondered if she was blind too.

72

Lottie picked up Boyd at the station and they drove round to Helena’s house again. She marched up to the door with him in tow.

‘I still can’t understand why you wouldn’t text me where you were and why you’d gone home. You can’t just disappear like that.’

‘It was an emergency.’

‘Was it, though?’ She knew she was being unreasonable, but feck it, he’d left her high and dry. Another inspector would have him up on orders.

‘I thought it was. I can’t afford to take any risks or I could lose my son. Do you understand that?’

‘I do, but Boyd, we have an active killer out there and we can’t find him. Or her. Please give this your all while you’re here, and if you have to leave, for God’s sake, tell me.’

‘I’m sorry, I didn’t stop to think.’

SOCOs had completed a quick sweep of the house yesterday, and it was now silent as a graveyard at midnight.

‘She’s not here,’ Boyd said.

‘Her mother said she hadn’t seen her for over a week, and she’s not at her shop. Orla said she left her at home. Where the hell is she?’

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