Jack threw up his hands. “Don’t tell me any more.”
“I wonder if Willa received an urgent call from her company?” Kate asked.
“From her husband?” Jack was frowning. “A man of Byon’s talent should be living in luxury. He should—”
“You’re only as good as your last book,” Sara said. “And they remember the old stuff as perfect and wonderful. Anything new and they say you should retire, that your books have lost their magic. They say—” She cut off at their looks. “Sorry. I found out for sure that Willa has never been married and has no children.”
“A great, whopping lie,” Jack said.
“But I’m sure all the others are telling the truth,” Sara said, and they almost laughed.
“Fake calls, made-up parties,” Jack said.
“Don’t forget the note left in Aunt Sara’s camera bag,” Kate said.
“Someone wants us out of here,” Sara said.
“You think?” Jack said.
“We—” Sara began.
“Look!” Kate said.
They turned to the window. Across the road, a woman was standing outside a Victorian house that had been converted into offices. She was staring at the entry stairs as though trying to decide whether or not to enter.
“Isn’t that...?” Kate said.
“That is Meena,” Sara said. “Owner of Renewal. Successful to the extreme—aka Willa without her disguise.”
“She shouldn’t cover that body up,” Jack added.
“I’m going to talk to her.” Kate left before they could protest. She crossed the street quickly, but she still had time to work up anger. “You lied about having a husband and children.”
“So what?” Willa said. “Did you want me to admit that I’m a failure as a woman? That’s how they made me feel. And they still do.”
“It was your choice to dress like a ragbag lady. You could have arrived in a limo and...” Even as she said it, Kate knew that a successful Willa would have taken the focus off Sean and Diana. Clive might even latch onto her. She sighed. “Okay, so what have you learned?”
“That’s he’s divorced and has two daughters.”
“What? Who?”
Willa nodded toward the building, and Kate saw a sign for an attorney. “Is he the guy you liked?”
“Yeah. I saw Nadine go in there!”
“She’s not after a village lawyer,” Kate said. “She needs money. If she knew the truth about your business, she might propose to you.”
“Then I’d have to support that daughter of hers. No thanks.” Willa kept glancing at the door.
“How old are his daughters?”
“Ten and eleven.”
“They’re young. It’s been over twenty years, so he waited a long time before he married. Why don’t you go buy his kids some gifts, something electronic, then show up as yourself? Tell the truth about your company. Invite him to tea.”
“Nadine’s still in there.” Willa sounded defeated.
“Only you think she’s so beautiful that men fall down in lust for her.”
“You’re the one who should worry. She’s after Jack.”
“That’s because he looks like Sean. You left early this morning. Did you happen to have a work emergency?”
“How did you know that?” Willa sounded angry. “If you’re tapping my phone—”
“We’re not. What is the emergency?”
“Some woman in Manchester wrenched her back. She’s in hospital and I better go see her. Maybe I can prevent a lawsuit. I’ll be back before I’m missed.”
“Not possible,” Kate murmured, then said louder, “Tell me something about the night of the party that no one else knows.”
“I...” She took a breath. “I think Clive saw everything.”
“He told you that?”
“No. I, uh, I kind of followed him when he went outside. There was a fight. Loud voices. I was too drunk to know who it was. Clive was... I think maybe he was hiding from me.”
“In the stables?”
“Not sure. I think—” The door to the office opened and Nadine came out. Immediately, Willa turned and hurried down the street, not wanting to be seen.
“Who was that?” Nadine asked.
“She was asking for directions. Did you see a lawyer?”
“Yes, he wrote my father’s will. Everything was left to me and I’m to take care of Teddy.” Nadine gave a look of disgust. “No debts but no money either.”
“Your father used a lawyer from a small village?”
“Yes. Edward Terran. I always did like him.”
“Willa mentioned him.”
Nadine gave a little laugh. “I forgot about that. They used to walk around the estate together. He was a great history buff and loved to explore. He’s the one who got Bertram to fence off the conservation area.”
“Before or after Sean and Diana disappeared?” Kate snapped.
“I don’t remember. No, wait. I was about thirty months pregnant—at least it felt that way—and Dad came to visit my husband and me. He’d been to Oxley and had news. I remember he said Bertram caring about the birds was odd and it must have been for a tax break. I was too miserable with my body to listen much but I do remember that.”
“What’s the lawyer like?” Kate asked.
“Not bad. He’s kept himself in shape. Let’s just say that if I didn’t need money, I’d go out with him.”
“Did he ask you?”
“No. Not even close. Years ago, I tried, but for some reason, he liked Willa.”
Who could imagine that? Kate thought. “Why did they break up?”
Nadine shrugged. “Nicky and Byon didn’t want to lose her adoration—or the food she brought for us. Truffles cost a lot.” She smiled at Kate’s expression. “It was bad of us to break them up, but kids are a bitch, aren’t they? I need to go. See you later.”
Kate watched her leave. They broke up what might have led to marriage and children, but it was dismissed with “kids are a bitch.”
“You weren’t kids,” Kate said aloud.
Across the road she saw Sara and Jack watching her out the pub window.