The Glass Room (Vera Stanhope 5)

we have no answers. We can’t always keep our own family safe.’ Winterton looked up. Joe had the sense that he wanted to prolong the discussion and that he was in no hurry to return home to his empty house. Joe wondered about the ex-wife. Had she had a lover even before the separation? Was that the cause of the divorce? Joe thought it would be interesting to meet her.
    ‘What anxiety did Miranda have? Did she have concerns about her son?’
    ‘Certainly we talked about our children. But I don’t think Alex was causing her any problems. He always seemed the sort of boy you’d be proud of. I did wonder . . .’
    ‘Yes?’
    ‘. . . if she’d had a daughter. Perhaps who’d died when she was still a baby.’ He put his hands on the table in front of him. Ashworth saw he still wore a plain gold wedding ring. ‘Miranda spoke with such understanding about losing a child,’ Winterton said, ‘and last night there was a slip of the tongue that made me think she’d had a baby girl. She was talking about the experience of giving birth. I’d never known pain like it, but once I’d taken the baby into my arms it was all worth it. She was so tiny. ’ Really, I’m sure she said she , but I didn’t want to follow it up.’ He looked up and frowned. ‘Of course none of this is evidence. Perhaps I shouldn’t have mentioned it. But sometimes in an investigation small snatches of gossip can make a difference. I thought you should know.’
    Joe’s attention was caught by a bright-yellow coach that had pulled up outside the hotel. Elderly people climbed stiffly out. The driver began to unload luggage. Joe dragged his focus back to the room.
    ‘Of course,’ he said. ‘Thank you. Would you mind waiting until we’ve finished talking to Mr Thomas? Then we can give you both a lift to the Writers’ House.’
    ‘No problem at all.’ Winterton stood up and gave a polite little nod. ‘I’m not in any rush to get home.’
    Lenny Thomas sat awkwardly looking at them across the table. ‘I wouldn’t have killed her,’ he said without introduction. ‘I mean, I wouldn’t have killed either of them. But Miranda picked me to go to the Writers’ House and I loved every minute of it. I’ll always be grateful to her for giving me the chance. For taking me seriously. As a writer, like.’
    ‘We’re not accusing you, Mr Thomas,’ Holly said. They’d agreed that she should take the lead on this one. Only fair. But Joe wished he was asking the questions. Sharp, bright Holly would make Lenny nervous and tongue-tied. ‘We’re just trying to find out what happened.’ She paused. ‘Last night you read your piece early in the evening, while the group was still in the dining room.’
    ‘Aye.’ He looked at her. ‘You were there. What did you make of it?’
    The question obviously threw her. ‘It was very good,’ she said at last. ‘Very moving.’
    Lenny grinned widely at them both. Joe was reminded of his youngest child, coming home from nursery with a gold star on a painting.
    ‘What did you do later in the evening?’ Holly asked. Joe sensed her, tense and impatient. Under the table her foot was tapping on the floor.
    ‘After Jack Devanney came in, shouting his mouth off, I moved out of the dining room with the others and listened to their readings in the drawing room.’
    ‘And after that?’
    ‘They all went off to bed, but I didn’t. It was my last night there and I wanted to make the most of it. To make it last. Do you understand?’ He directed the question to Joe. He’d think Holly was too young and too confident to understand.
    Joe nodded.
    ‘What did you do, Mr Thomas?’ Holly broke in immediately. ‘Did you sit all night in the drawing room?’
    ‘I sat there for a while. Then I thought I’d take a walk, clear my head before going to bed. Outside it was dead still. And there were all those stars. In the town, with the street lights, you never see the stars. And the moon making a road over the sea. I wanted to remember it. One day I might write about it.’
    ‘Where did you walk, Mr Thomas?’ Holly managed to sound bored and hostile at the same time.
    ‘Onto the terrace. But there was nobody there. No body, either.’
    ‘Are you sure?’ Joe asked. ‘It was dark.’
    ‘Aye, but like I said, there was a moon.’
    ‘And it was cold,’ Joe said. He was aware of Holly firing furious glances in his direction, but he took no notice. ‘Did you go upstairs to get a coat before you went