The Mistress - Jill Childs Page 0,24

important. I needed to know how she was, if there was anything she needed to tell me about the police investigation, if she had any hint of what they really knew.

Hilary said in a low voice, ‘Funny funeral with no body.’

‘It wasn’t a funeral. It was a memorial service,’ Olivia corrected.

Hilary pulled a face. ‘Same difference.’

Elaine said, ‘Legally, he can still be declared dead, even without a body, if everything points to that. I mean, I don’t want to be gruesome –’ she looked around and lowered her voice – ‘but frankly, even if they did find a body at this point, what kind of state…’ She left the thought hanging.

‘They can identify just about anything nowadays, can’t they? Bit of bone. Teeth…’ Hilary said.

‘Do you mind?’ Olivia pulled a face. ‘It’s not CSI.’

Elaine said, ‘Anyway, that’s why the investigation’s so important. Once the police think they know what happened, they can make progress on a death certificate.’

‘Even without a body?’

‘Apparently.’

Olivia said, ‘But they don’t know what happened.’

Elaine shrugged. ‘I’m just saying, once they do.’

Hilary said, ‘Jayne says they searched all over the heath. Even dragged the reservoir. Didn’t find a thing.’

Olivia looked sceptical. ‘How would she know?’

‘She got it from John Bickers,’ Hilary went on. ‘But the reservoir’s very deep. They might’ve missed him. And, as you say, by now… What? Don’t look at me like that. I’m just saying.’

Elaine shivered. ‘Let’s go. This is getting morbid. I’m just sorry for his poor wife. Imagine. Not knowing.’

Olivia said, ‘I need a drink.’

‘She’ll get his death in service pay-out.’ Hilary was unstoppable. ‘That’s something. And his pension, eventually.’

‘Only once he’s declared dead.’ Elaine looked thoughtful. ‘I wonder if Sarah Baldini could make discreet inquiries? Check that Helen can manage? It’s not just her, is it? She’s got Anna too.’

Olivia said, ‘I’m glad Helen didn’t bring her today.’

I sensed that she was picking up on an earlier conversation.

Hilary frowned. ‘She needs to be told.’

Olivia said, ‘I know, eventually. But she’s only seven.’

Around us, the crowd gradually dispersed. Only the two police officers remained at the entrance now, standing there at the top of the steps, surveying the mourners. I tried to keep out of their line of sight, using Elaine as cover. Just seeing that female detective, Johns, made me nervous.

The three teachers set off together down the drive and I trailed along with them, half-listening as they gossiped about the other teachers, about which ones had bothered to come along on a Saturday and which had not, about Sarah Baldini’s reading and the tribute that Ralph’s relative, whoever he was, had delivered so badly that Elaine hadn’t heard a word.

I gazed out at the grounds as we talked, at the memorial gardens with their small, solemn granite stones, some planted with flowers, one or two decorated with tethered balloons and streamers, as if they marked a recently lost child. It all felt unreal.

I kept repeating to myself: that was Ralph’s memorial. He’s dead. Really dead. I’ll never see him again. Even now, it seemed impossible.

A large crow landed on the grass ahead of us and hopped across it, ugly and ominous. I let my eye be drawn. Something moved in the trees beyond. I blinked and narrowed my gaze. More birds, perhaps. A shadow stirred and I stopped. It was a man. He was too far away for me to make out his face, but he was tall with broad shoulders. I had the sense of him looking right at me. I let out a cry. Ralph?

As I gaped, he shifted sideways into the cover of the trees and disappeared. I shook my head and tried to calm myself down. I was being ridiculous. I was seeing things. Not Ralph. It couldn’t be. Too short. Too thickset.

The other teachers paused, looked back at me. ‘What?’

I nodded towards the trees. ‘Someone was standing there, watching us.’

Olivia frowned and screwed up her features to stare. ‘I can’t see anyone.’

Elaine said, ‘Trick of the light. That’s all.’ She reached out a plump hand and patted my arm. ‘We’re all a bit jumpy.’

Hilary said, ‘Probably some poor chap caught short. I could do with a loo myself.’

Elaine said to me, her voice kind, ‘Come for a drink. I’ll come in your car, if you like. I know the way.’

I shook my head. ‘Thanks but…’ I hesitated. They were all looking at me, the three of them. Elaine seemed concerned. The other two had hard eyes. They didn’t like me. I didn’t like to think