The Cold Light of Mourning - By Elizabeth J. Duncan Page 0,35

was here,” Morgan said. “They shouldn’t bother you for any more than a day or two. Everything blows over quickly, and they move on to the next thing.”

The two police officers stood up.

“What’s in the box?” Davies asked, looking at the box Penny had brought over with the appointment book.

“It’s the box I keep client cards in,” Penny said. “I write down the date of each client visit, and what colour of polish she chose.”

“Is that really necessary?” Davies asked.

“It is,” Penny said. “I used to get customers coming in and they’d say, ‘I didn’t like the last polish as much as the one I had the time before that,’ and they’d expect me to remember what that was, so I started keeping notes on what polish they have, and then it’s all very simple. So I have a note here that tells me what Meg Wynne had. I could also tell you what the bridesmaids had, if you need to know that.”

“I think that’s one detail too many,” smiled Davies, “but you never know. Here’s my card,” he added, handing one to Penny. “Call me if you remember anything else you think we should know, even if you think it’s not important. Don’t hesitate to call.”

A few minutes later the officers were setting off to walk the short distance to the Red Dragon Hotel where the manager was expecting them.

“What did you think, sir?”

“I thought she was genuine and uncomplicated. She told us what she knew and that’s it and all about it.”

For now, thought Morgan.

When the police officers were gone, Penny went upstairs to her flat and put the kettle on. Maybe they didn’t want a coffee, she thought, but I certainly do. While she waited for the water to boil she wandered into her bedroom and riffled through her closet. Although she hadn’t planned on going to church that morning, the police visit had got her thinking and she didn’t want to be on her own. Anyway, there might be news. She reached into the closet and pulled out a navy blue shirtwaist dress with hunting scenes on it that she had bought at a charity shop in Llandudno. That’ll do, she thought.

At Ty Brith, Rhys Gruffydd’s condition had worsened overnight and the doctor had been called. After spending a few minutes with her patient, she talked quietly with Emyr outside his father’s room.

“He is in decline, I’m sorry to say, and I don’t think the end will be too long in coming. Not today, not tomorrow, but soon. He will likely be comatose at the end, so my advice would be that if you have anything left unsaid, or if there’s anything you want to ask him, now’s the time. We’ll continue to keep him comfortable, but that’s really all that’s left for us to do. Is there anything you want to ask me?”

Emyr shook his head.

“You go back in,” the doctor told him. “I’ll show myself out.”

Emyr quietly opened the door to his father’s room and made his way to the bedside chair. He sat down and took his father’s hand.

“Dad, it’s me,” he said gently. Rhys turned his head toward the sound of his son’s voice, opened his eyes, and gazed lovingly at his only child in the peaceful glow of the muted sunshine that filtered through the beige blinds.

“Ah, Emyr,” he said softly. “I can guess what she told you and I have come to accept it. Don’t worry about me. I am just so sorry to have to be adding to your troubles with everything else you have to worry about.”

“Dad, you mustn’t think that,” Emyr said.

“Emyr, there’s something I wanted to say to you about Meg Wynne. I know some people don’t like her, they think she’s arrogant and above herself, but she reminded me in a lot of ways of your mother.”

“Oh, Dad, please don’t”

“I have to, Emyr. I need to say these things, and I want you to hear me out.”

Rhys paused for a few moments.

“Water, please.”

Emyr held the glass to his father’s lips. Rhys took a delicate sip through the bent straw and nodded. Emyr replaced the glass on the bedside table and then sat down.

“I’m not stupid,” Rhys continued. “I know exactly what kind of woman Meg Wynne is. I understood her because I’d seen it all before. And what’s more, I believe I know what she would have become, once she realized that no one was going to hurt her anymore, and that she was safe