‘Kate, I’ll ring you as soon as I can get hold of old Amos, then we can go and visit him, okay?’ He smiled at her. ‘And I think you’re making a fantastic job of the room. It’s perfect.’
Kate squeezed his arm affectionately. ‘Thank you, Matt, I want to make Holland House proud again.’
‘Well, you’re doing incredibly well.’ He patted her hand. ‘And Liz and I will continue to look for anything that will help you with your project.’
Outside, Matt exhaled loudly. As soon as the car door closed, he said, ‘Oh my! I’m starting to see why you’re so worried about her. My friend, you have to get her some help. You just have to.’
Will groaned. ‘You don’t know what she suffered last time. It was horrendous. She would never forgive me if I put her through that hell again. I’d lose her, Matt, I know it.’
‘You could lose her anyway. A condition like that left untreated could have terrible consequences.’ Matt started the car and drove slowly down the lane. ‘Look, is there any way you can get into her studio and take some pictures of her latest paintings? I really need to see them. And, Will? With your permission, I’d like to run them past Laura Archer. Besides her work for the force, she also does the occasional session in the community. At the very least, you would get a professional opinion on Kate.’
Will was torn. He didn’t really need a professional to tell him that Kate needed help. ‘I’ll try to get the pictures, Matt. I’m assuming that’s why you are carting her off to meet this Amos character? To give me time to do a bit of breaking and entering?’
‘Neat, wasn’t it?’
‘And very convincing. But just for now, Matt, if I get those pictures, you will keep them just between us — and Liz, of course?’ Matt nodded. They had arrived at Emilia Swain’s cottage.
Will started to get out of the car. He stopped. ‘Jesus! Look at that!’
Emilia’s front door, the limewashed walls of the cottage itself, and her gate, were daubed with black swastikas.
‘Oh shit! The poor woman!’ Will and Matt ran up to the cottage. No one answered their knock, and when they looked through the garage window, they saw that her car had gone. Will wondered if she had already seen the desecration and had gone to the police, or whether this latest bout of vandalism was to be yet another unwelcome surprise for the old lady. They stood in silence, surveying the grim graffiti.
Matt’s phone rang.
‘Liz?’
‘Mattie! I’ve got Mrs Swain here.’ She sounded upset.
‘I know what you’re going to say. Will and I are at the cottage now. Have you called the police?’ he asked.
‘Just done it, they are sending a crew out. Will you wait for them, Matt?’
‘Of course.’ Matt shook his head. ‘Hell, Liz, I was only a few metres up the bloody road! How is Emilia?’
‘Distraught. As you can imagine, this has hit her hard. When you are through there, can you come home and then escort her back to Little Anchor? She’s going to pack a few things and will stay with one of her late husband’s relatives in Louth.’
‘Best thing. And tell her yes, I’ll bring her back as soon as the police have finished out here.’ He ended the call.
Will photographed some of the graffiti on his phone. Then he rang Kate. ‘I’m going to be a bit later than I said, Kate, and I’ve sent you some pictures of what they’ve done. Take a look and tell me what you think.’ For some reason, Will sensed that something wasn’t quite right about the symbols painted on the wall.
After a moment or two she rang back. ‘Whoever they are, Will, they aren’t fascists — well, not very smart ones anyway. The symbols are back to front. Hitler’s swastika was a Greek cross with the arms bent at right angles, going clockwise, but these aren’t like that. The swastika is an old Sanskrit symbol for good luck and well-being. Any real Nazi would get that right, wouldn’t they?’
He grunted. ‘I had a feeling you’d know, but where on earth do you get all this stuff from? No, don’t tell me — research.’
‘Of course. Fairies and other magical beings are all tied in with signs and symbols. Think of the unicorn.’
‘So? If it’s not some neo-Nazi group, then who the hell is trying to frighten this old lady to death?’
‘I have no idea. That’s your department, Mr Policeman. I’m just a researcher. Now I have to get back and finish what I was doing. See you soon.’
Will put his phone back in his pocket and told Matt what Kate had said.
Matt shrugged. ‘Really? Would that honestly make a difference? I’d be surprised if the little shits can spell, let alone get their swastikas the right way round. What else can it be but her being Jewish?’
‘Well, Bryn Owen did say there was a nasty faction operating from out Nottingham way, so if I was them, first thing I’d do is check out any fascist organisations that could have a cell round here.’ It was the correct route to take, but Will couldn’t shake the feeling that all this was about something very different indeed. But what?
Matt paced around the garden. ‘Poor woman! She’s made such an effort to sort out the last lot of damage, now this! It’s so damned unfair! I’d like to knock six bells out of whoever did this.’
Will said, ‘I know her going away makes sense, especially for her safety, but I hope that isn’t what someone is relying on.’
‘Yeah, I get your point,’ Matt said. ‘I must ask her if there’s anything of particular value in that cottage. Something that would be easier to take if she were out of the way.’
‘I thought she was getting cameras installed? They would help with this sort of vandalism,’ said Will.
‘Apparently, the company she chose have gone bust. Unless I’m wrong, Liz sourced another one for her and they should be setting something up later this week.’ Matt sighed. ‘Bit late, but if what you suggest is true, then they could still be useful.’ He stared down the lane. ‘Look, if you want to get back to Kate, I’ll wait for the police. Then I’ll get home and do what I can to sort out Emilia.’
As there was little he could do here, Will agreed. He’d promised Kate regular meals and he had yet to prepare lunch. ‘Okay, but ring me later, won’t you? I’ll start taking regular walks down here, several times a day and maybe once late at night. I swear there’s an ulterior motive for all this, and we’re just not getting it.’
‘Damn right we’re not getting it! Bloody hell, Will, we were a couple of the Fenland Constabulary’s finest, a DI and a DCI, and this piece of shit is running rings round us! Damn it, Will, that hurts!’
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
It was mid-afternoon by the time Matt and Emilia arrived back at Little Anchor. He was surprised to see Will coming towards them down the lane.
‘I just wanted to say how sorry I am, Mrs Swain,’ said Will. ‘And to offer to try and sort this, er, artwork out for you.’
She gave him a weak smile. ‘That’s very kind, Mr Stonebridge, but we’ve already phoned a company who specialise in getting rid of this sort of blasphemy.’ She threw a disdainful look at her once beautiful cottage. ‘They wreck my beautiful garden, then they pollute the very bricks and mortar of my home. I’m speechless.’