Rites of Spring

69

She drives home as fast as she can, constantly checking the rear-view mirror. Arne must have put the Green Man on her windscreen. The reason is crystal clear: she has found out his secret. If she had any doubts, they’ve been swept away. Arne was at the stone circle when Elita was killed. Maybe he was the one who killed her. In which case how far is he prepared to go to keep Thea quiet?

She has to talk to David, has to do something – but there is no sign of David’s car by the castle or the coach house.

She lets Emee out of the car, drags her towards the house. The dog resists, plants all four paws firmly in the gravel. She’s had enough of being locked up and kept on the lead.

‘Inside!’ Thea snaps. She notices too late that Emee has managed to wriggle out of her collar. Emee turns and races off in the direction of the bridge.

‘Shit!’ Thea tries the whistle, but to no avail. She runs into the house. Her suitcase is still standing by the wardrobe, and for a second she toys with the idea of disappearing. Leaving Tornaby, the spring sacrifice and her father far, far behind her.

But Margaux would never forgive her if anything happened to Emee.

She changes into her old wellingtons and sets off. As soon as she reaches the forest she turns left, aiming for the deer enclosure. She keeps calling Emee’s name and blowing the whistle. She tries not to think about the dead deer or the fact that Emee is a predator.

After about five minutes she hears rustling in the undergrowth, and to her relief Emee appears. The dog seems tired; her head is drooping and she doesn’t object to being put on the lead. Thea doesn’t tell her off. She’s in a hurry to get back to the coach house. She’s put it off for too long, but now she has to talk to David. Tell him what she found at his uncle’s house, what she suspects.

David doesn’t arrive home until gone eight o’clock, and she can sense his irritation the second he walks in. She’s made dinner, poured them each a glass of wine, but one look at his face tells her that’s not going to work.

‘Mum called me,’ he says without even taking off his jacket or sitting down. ‘Apparently, you’ve been round to Arne’s, asking questions about Elita Svart. What the hell are you doing, Thea?’

‘She was the one who told me to go and see Arne if I had any questions.’

‘Did she tell you to snoop around his house? Poke about among his things?’

‘It was Arne’s Polaroid camera that was used to photograph the four of you and Elita in the stone circle. He knew Elita, and he was there that night. Maybe he was the one who killed her.’

David stares at her. She hadn’t planned on blurting everything out like this, especially not the last bit, and she can see from his expression that she’s made a mistake.

‘Arne was there,’ she says again. ‘He’s threatened me. Left little Green Man figures on my car.’

David shakes his head.

‘I was there, Thea. Have you forgotten that? And I didn’t see Arne. Or do you think I’m lying?’

‘No . . .’ She pauses, playing for time. ‘He might have been hiding. Maybe he came out after you’d all run away.’

David shakes his head again.

‘I went back. I saw Leo bending over the sacrificial stone. Leo, who later confessed to having murdered Elita.’

Thea doesn’t know what to say.

‘I’m in the middle of the most important project of our lives,’ David goes on. ‘I’m working around the clock to get everything sorted, keep everyone happy. And the best you can come up with to help me is to start digging up the past. Making people angry and suspicious.’

Rage takes over his voice, making his accent stronger, oddly enough.

‘Plus you’re hanging out with people from the mining company who want to destroy the whole area. Brilliant way of fitting in with the community, Thea – well done!’

‘I’m not hanging out with him. He’s my patient . . .’

‘After everything I’ve done for you! Everything I’ve given up for your sake.’

The comment makes something that’s been bubbling away inside her for a long time suddenly boil over.

‘What the fuck have you given up, David? Your restaurants, your career? Are you seriously putting that on me?’

She gets to her feet, goes and stands in front of him.

‘You were a crap chef, David. Your colleagues were scared of you. You slept with several of your female employees, and please don’t bother denying it. The only thing that ruined your career was you, and the sooner you accept that, the better.’

She knows she’s gone too far before she’s finished the sentence. David has almost the same look in his eyes as when he was fighting with the builder the other day. He takes a step forward, clenches his fists. Emee stands up, growls loudly.

David freezes. He and the dog stare at each other for a few seconds.

‘Lie down, you little fucker!’ he snaps.

Emee doesn’t obey him. Instead she moves forward and bares her teeth, still growling.

David backs away, then turns and disappears through the front door, slamming it behind him.