Dying Fall

former life.
    ‘Yes it does,’ she says.
    ‘Elaine was doing post-graduate research,’ says Guy. ‘She did her first degree at Preston. She’s had a very hard life. Deprived childhood, abusive parents. And she’s had her own problems …’
    Ruth waits, sure that Guy will tell her what these problems were. Sure enough, after a while, ‘Mental health issues,’ he says. ‘She’s very sensitive. Fearsomely bright. But, sometimes, the slightest little thing …’
    Like being dumped by her next-door neighbour, thinks Ruth. She wonders if she dares ask about the affair with Dan. Luckily Guy seems to assume that she already knows.
    *
    ‘That business with Dan didn’t help, of course. I don’t blame him. I’m sure he never promised anything. Dan hadn’t really got over the break-up with his wife. Elaine, though, I think she was really in love with him.’
    Ruth really wants to ask about Pippa Henry, but if Guy doesn’t know she doesn’t want to be the one to tell him. Instead she settles for saying, vaguely, ‘I suppose Dan had lots of girlfriends?’
    To her surprise, Guy bristles slightly. ‘Well, not that many. There was that business with Susan Chow, of course, and I’d heard rumours about a married woman but, that’sall it was, rumours. Dan wasn’t a lothario, if that’s what you mean.’
    Lothario, thinks Ruth. It’s an odd, old-fashioned choice of word. Guy’s vocabulary, like his face, seems to hark back to another era. But the idea that Dan had an affair with Susan Chow, the county archaeologist, is a completely new one. Ruth thinks of the neat little woman in her book-lined office. She doesn’t seem a very likely girlfriend for Dan but then neither do Elaine or Pippa. Come to think of it, though, didn’t Dan refer to Susan as ‘Sue’ in his diary? In Ruth’s experience, it’s always a sign of something when people start using diminutives, or full names for that matter. She remembers her shock when Shona first referred to Phil as ‘Philip’.
    ‘What did Elaine think about the other women?’ asks Ruth.
    ‘It was a bit awkward,’ admits Guy, ‘living next door and everything. Elaine became a bit obsessed with watching all Dan’s comings and goings. But I’ll tell you one thing, Ruth, my friendship with Dan never wavered. I really loved that man.’
    Ruth looks up and is surprised to see tears in Guy’s eyes. Whatever the truth of Guy’s statement, he is certainly in the grip of some strong emotion.
    ‘I was fond of him too,’ she says. ‘We were at university together.’
    ‘I know,’ says Guy. ‘I bet he was a wild student.’
    ‘He was super cool,’ says Ruth. ‘Dan the Man, we called him.’
    Guy laughs again, a more natural sound this time. ‘Dan the Man. I love it.’
    Ruth takes a gulp of tea. It is so strong that it makes her eyes water. ‘You said you had something you wanted to discuss?’
    ‘Yes.’ Guy looks straight at her, his face serious. Sometimes he looks like a teenager, sometimes a much older man. She guesses he is in his thirties.
    ‘I’ve heard a rumour that Dan’s laptop has been found.’
    Ruth stares at Guy, with his dependable Fifties face. Is it possible that Guy stole into the burning house, took Dan’s computer and infected it with a virus so he would be able to trace its whereabouts? It doesn’t seem possible – but how else would he know that it has been found?
    She tries to keep her face blank. ‘Who told you that?’
    For the first time, Guy looks slightly shifty. ‘I’m sorry, Ruth. I can’t tell you.’
    ‘Well, you’d better,’ says Ruth. ‘If you want me to tell you anything.’
    Guy looks out over the beach and the jolly, holiday-making crowds. When he turns back, his face looks older again.
    ‘I heard about Pendragon. His sister told me. Your wizard friend was in his house. I was sure he must have found the computer.’
    This raises a whole lot of new questions. Guy knew Pendragon, well enough to be on telephoning terms with his sister. Pendragon had links with the White Hand. What other secrets could Guy be hiding behind that
Boy’s Own
grin?
    ‘What makes you think the computer was at Pendragon’s house?’
    ‘Someone told me.’
    ‘Who?’
    ‘I’m sorry, Ruth.’ Guy looks away again. ‘I can’t tell you. The thing is, there are other people involved here. I can’t break their confidence. But if the laptop’s been found there must be all sorts of valuable archaeological information on it. I