A Finer End

Oh, Fi! I’ve been so wrapped up in myself these past few months, with what I was feeling. And if I’ve given Andrew any real thought, it’s been in a he’ll-get-over-it way. But it goes much deeper than that, and I should have known it.’
    ‘Winnie, you can’t blame yourself for Andrew’s shortcomings.’
    ‘I thought I knew him, but I’m beginning to doubt even that. He went to Garnet’s house the day after she died. Why would he do such a thing?’
    ‘She was well known for her archaeological work—’
    ‘He said he wanted to commission tile work for his kitchen. Andrew!’ Winnie shook her head. ‘It makes me wonder . .
    ‘Wonder what?’ Fiona prompted when her friend didn’t continue.
    ‘I’ve noticed things the past few months, around the Vicarage. Papers moved about, things missing. What if — what if Andrew’s been... spying on me?’ Reluctantly, Winnie met Fiona’s gaze. ‘Oh, Fi. What certainty is there in anything, if you can’t trust those you love best?’
     
    The rain that threatened all day had not materialized, but as night came on the air developed a soft fuzziness, hovering on the verge of fog. By the time Gemma and Kincaid arrived back at the B & B, the streetlamps and car lights were haloed with moisture.
    As Gemma got out of the car, she was possessed by a sudden restlessness. ‘Let’s not go in just yet. It’s such a beautiful night.’
    ‘Shall we walk, then? See the sights of Glastonbury by starlight?’ Kincaid suggested. ‘Unless you’d rather go down the pub for a pint.’
    She laughed. ‘You’re such a romantic. A walk would be fine, and we’ll see what strikes us.’
    They let themselves out through the gate, and when they reached Magdalene Street, Gemma hooked her arm through his. T keep trying to imagine what it must have been like, eight hundred years ago. It seems such a long time, and yet people’s emotions haven’t changed that much.’
    ‘Alys and Edmund?’
    ‘Yes. And we don’t even know if they were real.’
    ‘You could get into all sorts of philosophical difficulties with that statement. There’s the subjective approach: ”Are they real if we believe in them?” But that’s only the tip of the iceberg. There are worse dangers lurking. "Do we have souls? Is there life after death?” ‘
    ‘How can you be so flippant?’ Gemma scolded, pinching his arm.
    ‘A defence mechanism, love. Those are places I’m afraid to go, even with my proper Anglican upbringing.’ She glanced up at him, unsure if he was still teasing. He never talked much about such things, but when she’d asked him once, point-blank, what he believed, he’d said he couldn’t imagine a god that would let happen the things he saw every day on the job.
    ‘What about this murder, then? Have you changed your mind about Nick since Greely seems so positive?’ Kincaid kept walking for a moment, then said, ‘I just can’t quite see Nick, or Nick and Faith, committing a deliberate murder. And in this case I think it would have been a bit hard to drown Garnet in a moment of fear or passion.’ They had reached the Abbey car park. ‘Is that Nick’s bookshop?’ he asked, pointing across the street. ‘Jack mentioned his office was upstairs on the corner.’
    ‘It overlooks the Market Square, then. Let’s cross over. Earlier I saw a big second-hand bookshop down the road.’ Continuing the thread of their conversation, Gemma asked, ‘What about Andrew Catesby?’
    Kincaid frowned. ‘No motive. What possible reason could he have for killing Todd, a woman he apparently scarcely knew—’
    ‘Unless he somehow got the idea that she was responsible for his sister’s injuries. But he seemed genuinely shocked by the idea that someone might deliberately have hurt Winnie.’
    ‘Maybe he’s a better actor than we think, and he’s the one who struck Winnie, out of some sort of warped jealousy. Then Garnet found out somehow, and he killed her to shut her up.’
    ‘You’re reaching on that one,’ said Gemma. Then she went on more thoughtfully, ‘When you were asking Winnie about Faith’s parents today, there is a possibility you neglected to mention. Has it occurred to you that the reason Faith won’t name the baby’s father is that—’
    ‘She was abused by her own father? That would certainly explain why she refuses to go home.’
    ‘And it might explain why she’s so set against seeing a doctor. Maybe she’s afraid the baby may have genetic