A Finer End

the Galatea, in the High Street. And the Assembly Rooms café.’
    ‘Do you know anything about Nick, where he comes from, for instance?’
    ‘Somewhere in Northumberland. He’s got a first from Durham in philosophy or something. And I think his mum is well off.’
    ‘So why is he working as an assistant in a bookshop?’
    ‘I don’t know. He’s always on at me about finishing my education, but I can’t see that it’s done much for him.’
    ‘What about Garnet? Do you know anything about her background?’
    ‘Not much,’ Faith replied. ‘Her parents died when she was fairly young, and she didn’t have any other family. She came to Glastonbury for the first Pilton Festival, in seventy-one, and stayed. What do you suppose will happen to her house?’
    ‘Did she leave a will?’
    ‘She never mentioned one.’
    ‘If she died intestate it will be a complicated process, but I’d imagine the property would eventually go to the state. Unless, of course, some long-lost relative comes out of the woodwork.’ It was a remote possibility that some distant cousin had decided the property might be worth murdering Garnet for, but one they should check. ‘Do you know anything about Garnet’s friends?’
    ‘She knew people in the Archaeological Society, because of her restoration work. And then there’s Buddy, of course. They’ve been friends for ages.’
    ‘Buddy’s your boss?’
    ‘Yes. And he’ll be run off his feet if I don’t get to work.’
    Kincaid fished his car keys from his pocket. ‘Faith, on the night of Winnie’s accident, what exactly did Garnet say when she left the house?’
    Faith snatched a shapeless cardigan from the peg on the kitchen door as they passed. ‘She said... "I have to go. I’m late for an appointment.” ‘
    ‘And you assumed it was a delivery?’
    ‘She’d said so in the café, when Winnie invited us to Jack’s.’
    A peep into the sitting room showed Winnie not waiting for the tea he’d promised, but fast asleep on the sofa.
    When they reached the Escort, Faith said, ‘I like your car. It’s purple.’
    ‘Wild Orchid, actually. But it’s not mine. It’s Gemma’s.’
    Faith gave him a sideways glance as she stretched the seat belt around her stomach. ‘She’s nice.’
    ‘Very nice,’ Kincaid agreed.
    ‘She said she has a little boy, and she’s raised him by herself since he was born.’
    ‘That’s right.’ Kincaid answered cautiously, wondering where this was going. ‘It hasn’t always been easy, but she’s done a terrific job.’
    ‘What about his father?’
    ‘He and Gemma divorced just after Toby was born, and he disappeared not too long afterwards. Didn’t want to pay his child support.’
    Faith digested this in silence as they drove to the cafe.
    ‘Not all men are like that, you know,’ Kincaid offered. ‘Are you wondering if your baby’s father will help you?’
    ‘I don’t need his help.’ Her voice had grown steely. ‘Faith, Gemma and I went to see your parents this morning.’
    ‘But I— You didn’t tell them—’
    ‘No, we didn’t tell them where you were. But we did promise we’d tell you how much they want you to come home.’
    ‘That’s the last thing my father would want!’
    ‘I think your dad misses you. It’s just hard for him to say so. Sometimes love and anger and worry get all tangled up, and the wrong thing somehow spills out.’
    Faith was out of her seat belt as he came to a stop in front of the café, but not before he’d seen the tears in her eyes.
    ‘I’ve got to go. You can pick me up at five if you want.’
    ‘I think I’ll come in for a cup of tea,’ Kincaid decided abruptly. ‘I’d like to meet Buddy.’
     
    ‘Charles Barnes,’ said the café’s proprietor, gripping Kincaid’s hand. ‘But most folks call me Buddy. What can I do for you?’
    ‘Just a few minutes of your time, if you can spare it.’
    ‘Sure I can. Any friend of Jack Montfort’s is a friend of mine.’ Buddy motioned Kincaid to a seat at a nearby table. ‘He’s been good to Faith. Garnet would have’ — he cleared his throat — ‘Garnet would have appreciated that.’
    ‘Garnet was fond of Faith, I take it.’
    ‘More than fond,’ Buddy replied. Glancing at Faith, busy in the kitchen, he lowered his voice. ‘There were times I wished I’d never told her about Faith, thinking to do a favour for them both. Garnet worried about her so, you’d have thought she’d brought that girl into the world herself.