they chatted to each other on benches. The ponies lapped water and grazed.
The pond itself stretched out a good distance, with a finger of land on the far side that reached into the water and was topped with beech and chestnut trees and a single, graceful willow. It was a good trysting place for young people at night, tucked off the road so that parked cars could not be seen, but still conveniently located at the intersection of several routes: with Beaulieu immediately to its east, East Boldre to the south, and Brockenhurst to the west. All sorts of trouble between hot-blooded adolescents could be got into here. Meredith knew that from Jemima.
She waited some twenty minutes for Gina to arrive. She herself had barreled the distance from Ringwood, driven by determination. It was one thing to be deeply suspicious about Gordon Jossie, Gina Dickens, and the fact that most of Jemima's belongings were packed away in Gordon's house. It was another thing to learn that Jemima had been murdered. All the way from Ringwood, Meredith had engaged in a mental conversation with Gina about these and other matters. When Gina finally arrived in her little red convertible with her enormous film star dark glasses covering half her face and a scarf keeping her hair in place - as if she were Audrey flipping Hepburn or something - Meredith was quite ready for her.
Gina got out of the car. She cast a look at one of the ponies nearby, as Meredith crossed the car park to her. Meredith said, "Let's walk," and when Gina hesitated, saying, "I'm a bit leery of the horses," Meredith countered with, "Oh for God's sake. They won't hurt you. They're just ponies. Don't be stupid." She took Gina's arm.
Gina pulled away. "I can walk on my own," she said stiffly. "But not near the horses."
"Fine." Meredith headed along a path that skirted the water. She cooperatively chose a direction away from the ponies, towards a lone fisherman who was casting his line not far from a heron, motionless as it waited to scoop up an unsuspecting eel.
"What's this about?" Gina demanded.
"What do you think this is about? Gordon has her car. He has her clothes. Now she's dead in London."
Gina stopped walking, and Meredith turned to her. Gina said, "If you're suggesting or even trying to get me to believe that Gordon - "
"Wouldn't she have sent for her clothes? Eventually?"
"She wouldn't need her country clothing in London," Gina said. "What was she going to do with it there? The same goes for her car. She didn't need a car. Where would she keep it?
Why would she drive it?"
Meredith tore at the skin round her fingernails. There was truth here somewhere. She meant to have it. She said, "I know all about you, Gina. There's no programme anywhere round here for young girls at risk. Not at the college in Brockenhurst, and not at the comprehensive.
Social services haven't even heard of a programme and social services haven't even heard of you. I know because I checked, all right? So why don't you tell me what you're doing here, really. Why don't you tell me the truth about you and Gordon? About when you really met and how you met and what that meant to him and Jemima."
Gina's lips parted then pursed. She said, "Honestly. You've been checking on me?
What's wrong with you, Meredith? Why are you so - "
"Don't you dare turn this on me. That's clever of you, but I'm not about to be dragged in that direction."
"Oh, don't be ridiculous. No one's dragging you anywhere." She pushed past Meredith on the narrow path along the water. "If we're going to walk, let's bloody well walk."
Gina stalked off. After a moment, she began to speak over her shoulder, saying sharply,
"Just think, if you're capable of it. I told you I was establishing a programme. I didn't tell you it existed. And the first step in establishing a programme is assessing need, for heaven's sake.
That's what I'm doing. That's what I was doing when I met Gordon. And yes, all right, I admit. I haven't been as diligent as I could have been about it, I haven't been as ...as dedicated as I was when I first came to the New Forest. And yes, all right, the reason for that is that I got involved with Gordon. And yes, I've rather liked being Gordon's partner and having Gordon provide for me. But as far as