My Name is Eva An absolutely gripping and emotional historical novel - Suzanne Goldring Page 0,105

them. ‘Please take a seat, both of you.’ Pat shakes her head in annoyance.

‘I understand you wanted to see me, Mrs T-C,’ says the Inspector. ‘You’ve remembered something, I believe?’

‘Yes, that’s right,’ Evelyn says, diving into her handbag. ‘Now, where have I put it?’ She glances up to see Pat rolling her eyes. Perhaps it would be fun to tease them a little. Not for long, just for a few minutes. It would be a shame not to use this opportunity, as it will probably be the last time she can play the game.

‘I’m sure I had it right here a minute ago.’ She removes the contents of her bag, very slowly, one by one. A pen, two newly sharpened pencils, a powder compact, a lipstick, a clean handkerchief, a small pack of tissues and a purse. Then she delves deeper and brings out a slim black diary and a pencil sharpener. She looks over at Pat and dangles the handkerchief in front of her: ‘You’d better have it, dear. I know you never bring a clean hankie with you.’

Pat snorts, but takes the piece of lacy white fabric and sits wringing it tightly in her fingers. ‘I hope you remember where you said you’d written this vital bit of information. You’d better not be messing around with us today and wasting our time. We’re all far too busy for that.’

Inspector Williams leans forward, his arms on his knees. In a soft voice, he says, ‘Do you want to tell me what you think you’ve remembered?’

Evelyn flicks through the pages of her diary, turning them one at a time. ‘Oh yes, here we are,’ she says. ‘Stephen Robinson.’

‘That’s right. I was asking you before about Colonel Robinson. Have you remembered meeting him again?’

‘I think so.’

‘And can you tell me when you think that was?’

‘I’m not sure exactly when. Is that important, Inspector?’

‘It might be. But why don’t you just tell me what you’ve remembered anyway?’ He smiles. He is such a nice-looking young man. Evelyn finds him very pleasant and understanding, quite different to Pat. She wouldn’t mind spending more time with him, but the game must come to an end at some point.

Evelyn looks down at the page in her diary. It’s almost completely blank; there are no words written there, just the letters SR. But then she really didn’t need to write anything down, she remembers it all too well. Then she looks up and smiles. ‘Yes, I will tell you what I’ve remembered. I think you said that he had disappeared a long time ago and nobody knows what has happened to him.’

‘That’s right, I did say that, when we last met. He never turned up again. We believe he left his flat one day in early 1986 and disappeared. No one’s heard anything and nothing has been seen of him, ever since.’

‘Well, I know what happened to him.’ Evelyn drops her diary back into her handbag and then adds the other items, one at a time, deliberately placing everything in the right compartment and fumbling to fit her pencils into a narrow pocket. She hears Pat heaving theatrical sighs as she does this, but doesn’t react to her.

‘Really? And are you going to tell me what you know?’

Evelyn completes her repacking, clicks the handbag clasp shut, then smiles, as if she is going to deliver a wonderful surprise. ‘Because you’ve been so kind and patient, I am going to tell you. You see, I remember what happened quite clearly. I couldn’t possibly forget.’ She pauses for a moment, then says, ‘I killed him.’

Both the detective and Pat are wide-eyed, then Pat speaks: ‘Really, Aunt! Now you’re being ridiculous.’ She turns to her companion. ‘She’s playing games again. I knew this would be a total waste of our time.’

But Inspector Williams holds up a hand warning her to be quiet, then says, ‘Now why do you say that? Why do you think that you killed him, Mrs T-C?’

‘Because I remember doing it. I remember it very well.’

‘Are you sure? Now think very carefully before you answer.’

‘Oh, I’m quite sure, Inspector. I remember it as if it was yesterday.’

‘Do you mean there was an accident, with one of the guns?’

‘Oh no, not at all! It was quite deliberate. I’m a very good shot.’

‘So tell me how it happened, then.’ He has lost his smile and assumed a serious face. Pat is frowning and tutting under her breath.

‘He deserved it. He wasn’t an honourable man, whatever anyone else might