Heathen/Nemesis

Twenty-Eight

She didn’t count the cars parked outside the house but there seemed to be at least a dozen, parked on the driveway and in the road.

As Donna moved through the sitting-room she glanced out of the window at the horde of vehicles. Inside, a low babble of chatter rose from the mourners who had returned to the house.

The caterers Julie had hired to provide food and drinks had set up a large table in the sitting-room, where they served guests with sandwiches and other snacks. In the kitchen they were using a tea urn and countless coffee pots to keep thirsts quenched.

The talk was subdued but interrupted by the odd laugh here and there. Laughs of relief, perhaps, now that the worst of the solemnity was over. A number of the men present loosened their ties.

Donna sat down by the window with a cup of tea in her hand, her eyes sore from crying, her head aching. She received the kind words and the advice with humility, concealing her desire that they should all simply leave her house as quickly as possible. They had paid their respects; now they had no reason to remain. But she pushed that thought to one side, grateful also for the concern.

Jackie Quinn glided across to her, kissed her on the cheek and squeezed her hand tightly, perching on the arm of the chair.

‘Today seems to be lasting forever,’ Donna said, smiling wanly. She squeezed Jackie’s hand more tightly. ‘Thanks for coming, Jackie.’

‘I wish there was more I could have done to help,’ she said, ‘but your caterers seem to be coping.’ She smiled.

‘Where’s Dave?’ Donna asked.

‘Getting himself a drink. I told him to get you one, too.’

‘Jackie, I couldn’t drink. Not now,’ Donna protested.

‘Yes, you can,’ Jackie said quietly. ‘A brandy will help you relax.’ She turned and saw Dave Turner entering the room, a glass in each hand. He smiled at Donna and made his way past a group of guests standing by the door talking.

As he stepped clear of them another man almost walked into him.

Donna frowned as she saw him.

It was one of the men who had been standing at Chris’s grave when the car had brought her away, she was sure of it.

The man apologized to Dave and made his way out of the room, followed by a companion.

Another of the trio of mourners she’d seen as she’d left the cemetery. Donna was certain of it. She still didn’t recognize them.

Turner handed her the brandy and watched as she sipped, wincing as it burned its way down to her stomach.

‘Thanks, Dave,’ she said. He smiled down at her. ‘That guy you just bumped into. Did you recognize him?’

‘Should I?’ Turner wanted to know.

‘I can’t place him. I saw him at the cemetery, him and two other men. I knew all of Chris’s friends, or so I thought, but I can’t seem to put a name to those three.’

‘I wouldn’t worry about it,’ Jackie told her, squeezing her hand again. ‘Drink your brandy.’ She smiled.

Donna took another sip, wincing again, then she got to her feet, looking around the room.

From one corner, hidden from her view, Martin Connelly watched intently.

‘Have you seen Julie anywhere?’ Donna wanted to know.

Jackie shook her head.

‘I’ll be back in a while,’ Donna said, excusing herself.

She made her way across the room, pausing to speak to Chris’s publisher, then to a couple of magazine editors he’d been friendly with. More condolences were offered.

How many different ways were there to say, ‘I’m sorry?’

She found more people in the hallway. They smiled politely at her as she passed, making her way upstairs, anxious to be away from everyone, wondering how long it would be before the guests started to leave. She paused on the landing for a moment and exhaled deeply. The top storey of the house seemed quieter, the atmosphere heavier. Donna crossed to her bedroom and entered.

Julie looked up in surprise as her sister entered.

Tears had stained her cheeks and her mascara had run, causing ugly black marks around her eyes. She wiped self-consciously at them as Donna entered, a worried expression on her face.

‘I’m sorry, Donna,’ Julie said, wiping her face. ‘I didn’t want this to happen. I didn’t want you to see me like this.’

Donna crossed to her and the two women embraced.

‘I wanted to be strong for you, to help you,’ Julie said, angry with herself. ‘That’s why I came up here.’ She sniffed and smiled. ‘I’m okay.’

‘Stay here for a while if you want to,’ Donna said.

‘It’s me who should be saying that to you,’ Julie told her, waving away the suggestion. ‘I told you, I’m okay now.’

‘You don’t have to feel sorry for missing him, too, Julie. A lot of people will,’ Donna told her.

The younger woman nodded slowly and stood up. She glanced at her reflection in the mirror and shrugged.

‘Perhaps I’d better just touch up the worst bits first,’ she said, smiling thinly.

Donna smiled too and walked out of the room.

She stepped back in only seconds later.

‘Julie,’ she said, her voice low, her expression troubled, ‘did anyone else come up here with you? Follow you up here?’

‘Like who?’ Julie wanted to know.

‘You haven’t heard anyone come up here since you did?’ Donna persisted.

‘No,’ Julie replied, looking puzzled. ‘Why do you ask?’

Donna stepped back onto the landing, followed by her sister. The older woman was looking down the short corridor towards the door which was normally kept shut.

‘I think there’s someone in Chris’s office.’