"I've had most of the day to think about this from every angle. I reckon Frazer's our man."
SHE WAITED FOR Lynley's explanation. She drank more coffee and decided to make an attempt with the toast. Her stomach didn't recoil altogether at the thought of food, so she lifted one of the triangles Lynley had made for her, and she took a bite. She wondered if this was the extent of the inspector's culinary talents. She thought it likely. He'd used far too much butter.
As he'd done earlier in the incident room, Lynley spoke of a magazine he'd had from Deborah St. James. Frazer Chaplin was in one of the pictures. That could indicate several things, he told her: Paolo di Fazio had been claiming from the first that Jemima had been involved with Frazer, despite the household rules that Mrs. McHaggis had put up for all her tenants to see.
Abbott Langer had said much to support this claim, and Yolanda - at a stretch, Lynley admitted - had also indicated an involvement of some kind on Jemima's part with a dark man.
So we're going to listen to a psychic now? Isabelle wailed.
Just hang on, Lynley told her. They knew Jemima's involvement wasn't with di Fazio since she'd asked Yolanda repeatedly about whether her new lover returned her affections and she'd hardly be asking that about di Fazio after she'd ended her relationship with him. So wasn't it safe to assume that Frazer Chaplin - his denials to the contrary - was the man they were looking for?
How the hell did that follow? Isabelle demanded. Even if he was involved with Jemima, that hardly meant he'd murdered her.
Wait, Lynley told her. If she would just hear him out please ... ?
Oh bloody all right. Isabelle was weary. She waved at him to continue.
Let's assume a few things, he said. First, let's assume that prior to her death Jemima was indeed involved romantically with Frazer Chaplin.
Fine. Let's assume, Isabelle said.
Good. Next, let's assume her possession of a gold coin and a carved carnelian are indications not that she carried a good luck charm or is sentimental about her father's belongings or anything of the like. Let's assume from these items that a Roman treasure hoard has been found. Then, let's assume that she and Gordon Jossie are the individuals who found that hoard and they found it on their holding in Hampshire. Finally, let's assume that prior to reporting that hoard - which must be done by law - something occurred between Jemima and Jossie that brought their relationship to a precipitate halt. She decamped to London, but all the time she knew there was a treasure to be had and that treasure was worth a fortune.
"What on earth brought their relationship to such a halt that she actually went into hiding from him?" Isabelle asked.
"We don't know that yet," Lynley admitted.
"Wonderful," Isabelle muttered. "I can hardly wait to let Hillier know. For God's sake, Thomas, this is too much assuming. What sort of arrest d' you expect we can manage from all this speculation?"
"No arrest at all," Lynley said. "Not yet at least. There are pieces missing. But if you think about it for a moment, Isabelle, motive isn't one of them."
Isabelle considered this: Jemima Hastings, Gordon Jossie, and a buried treasure. She said,
"Jossie has a motive, Thomas. I don't see how Frazer Chaplin has."
"Of course he has. If there's a buried treasure and if Jemima Hastings told him about it."
"Why would she have done?"
"Why wouldn't she? If she's in love with him, if she hopes he's „the one,' there's a good possibility that she told him about the treasure to make sure he stayed „the one.'"
"All right. Fine. So. She told him about the treasure. Doesn't it stand to reason that he'd want to get rid of Gordon Jossie and not Jemima Hastings?"
"That would secure him the treasure only if he could hold on to Jemima's affections. Her various visits to the psychic indicate she may well have been having second thoughts about Frazer. Why else keep asking if he was „the one'? Suppose he knew she was having doubts.
Suppose he saw the handwriting on the wall. Lose Jemima and he loses the fortune. The only way to prevent this would be to get rid of them both - Jemima and Jossie - and he doesn't have to worry about anything."
Isabelle considered this. As she did so, Lynley rose from the table and went to the sink.