Chapter 12

"I just don't know what's happened to them" Isobelle declared, her nose up against the window. "Very unusual for Iain to be still working this late on a Saturday."

Andrew picked up the saucepan from the bench beside the stove, the dish-washing cloth held tightly in his other hand. The cast iron bottom made a scraping noise against the timber.

"They're not just over in the church, are they?" he asked, although it was to Isobelle's back as her attention was still on the window.

Foyle passed over a couple of spoons that, for some reason, had evaded the first round of washing up. They splashed into the sink then fell to the bottom with a clink.

"No, I ..." Isobelle began, craning her neck to see the front of the church through the narrow gap in the slightly overgrown garden. " …I can see the door to the church and it's closed. If Iain is in the church, he ALWAYS leaves the door open."

"Perhaps he's just, um, lost track of time" Foyle offered. He smiled and gently touched Isobelle's elbow.

"Perhaps you're right, dear Christopher."

As Andrew walked into the small corner pantry, a box of salt in one hand and the flour canister in the other, Isobelle gave a great sigh of relief. "That's the door! They're home." She threw off her apron and, tossing the scrunched fabric onto the bench, hurried through to the dining room.

"Bella!" came the call. Iain's voice was hoarse but full of concern. "Bella, my love."

"Oh Iain."

Danny scooted his way around the embracing couple and came to stand with Foyle and Andrew in the kitchen – their combined presence almost filling the compact space.

"Problem?" Foyle asked, a hand resting on the back of a chair.

"Mmmm. Lady Christine Hockington" Danny replied, rocking back on his heels and turning his head to check on Iain and Isobelle. "She was found dead in her bed this morning. Her heart." He crooked a finger and slipped it in behind his collar. After a bit of manipulation, the constriction around his neck popped open, the gap in the fabric revealing a fine red welt across his windpipe.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that" Foyle quietly replied and gave a dip of his head.

"She and Isobelle were quite close … like sisters" Danny told them.

Danny made his way over to the stove. He lit it and slid the old kettle onto the heat.

"The strange thing was," he added, his back still to Foyle and Andrew, "Sir Alfred sent his gardener to tell Iain this morning. Caught us both in town. Iain wanted to get some visits out of the way before next week." Having satisfied himself that the water would be a little while yet, Danny turned back around to face Foyle. "Not only that but I found out that Sir Alfred's gardener is Joe Comino…..young Jason's father."

Andrew audibly gasped. "The boy that was shot?"

"Yep" Danny replied and slowly leaned back against the wooden bench. "I'd never met him before."

Foyle rubbed a finger across his forehead. "Seems an odd request to make of someone who …."

" ….who'd lost someone himself so recently." Danny finished the sentence for him. "Sir Alfred is not known for his consideration of others, Christopher."

"Sounds like a prat to me" Andrew offered, screwing up his nose in disgust.

"I won't disagree with you, Andrew" Danny mumbled, his voice noticeably lower, "but, for the sake of family harmony, I wouldn't voice your opinion in front of Isobelle or Iain."

"Mmm" Andrew replied, nodding.

Danny busied himself putting together a tray of tea making essentials, his large hands finding the delicacy of the china troublesome. When the kettle began to sing its readiness, he grabbed a thick cloth from a drawer and lifted the boiling water off the stove.

His voice barely a whisper, Danny said "Sir Alfred's asked for a pauper's funeral for his wife." Danny stretched his head out to check that Iain and Isobelle were still in the front room before continuing. "Do you find that odd?" Before anyone else could answer he continued. "I do." He added a couple of teaspoons to the tray, sliding the sugar pot to one side so that everything would fit. "Sir Alfred must be absolutely swimming in money. If you'd seen his house ..." Danny added a whistle and raised his eyebrows. "Nothing lacking there."

Foyle stepped back to let the larger man walk through, his arms wide holding the tray.

"Where does he live?" Foyle asked

"On the north road" Danny replied, scrunching up one eye in pain as his foot kicked the leg of a cupboard. "On the way to Arundel." He groaned and flexed the damaged foot up and down a few times. "I think Iain said Connors Road".

"Nineteen?" Foyle asked, fishing a piece of paper out of his pocket.

Danny stopped and looked at the older man, although by his stance, he was reluctant to ask both feet to carry his weight evenly.

Foyle opened the paper and held it flat in one hand. "The two lads in your Home Guard unit …. Croxton and Darlington …." he began, sliding his thumb under the printing.

"Oh yes" Danny replied, speaking through gritted teeth, "those two again."

"The Captain gave me the same address for both of them. Nineteen Connors Road Arundel."

"You're sure?" Danny asked, moving so that he could see the printing more closely. "Sorry, Christopher, doesn't make much sense to me." He made to continue through to the front room, the tea tray still held aloft. "We can find out for sure if you like" he offered. "Iain wants to go and see Sir Alfred this afternoon."

"Mind if I come along?" Foyle asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Not in the least."

"Good." Foyle refolded the slip of paper and placed it back into his pocket.

"Where's Sam?" Danny asked over his shoulder just as his foot touched the carpet in the front room.

"She's, uh, resting." Foyle paused for a moment, unsure of what he could or could not share. The last thing he wanted to do was to break Sam's trust. "We, um, had a busy morning."

"Right" Danny said, although they could tell that he was anything but sure of the situation.

"You, um, spoken to Sam lately?" he asked, cocking his head in question.

"Of couse" he replied but looked suspiciously between Andrew and Foyle, one eyebrow raised. "But I might just go and check on her" he added angling his head to point to their bedroom before scuttling out.