‘He then joined Frances and left her sleeping, to cause the noise and mayhem in his car for the Major to complain about. Jodie’s body was already in the car boot. Afterwards he put her in the park and dumped the car over Rocky Point. He had a busy night.’
‘You have Michael to thank too. It was brave of him to come forward. It took a good deal of courage to confess to my son that he was gay. And how Aiden had behaved towards him sexually, during his school years. Aiden blackmailed him into silence, threatening to tell his father that it was Michael who made advances towards Aiden. And not the reverse. Berkley would have believed Aiden rather than his own son.’
‘Yes I suppose he meant to do that when he when he tried to confess to the crimes. He thought he was indirectly to blame for Maureen’s death. And the other two girls too.’
‘Jon- Thora won’t come into the limelight, will she? She won’t want people to know about her sister’s problem.’
‘Poor old girl. There’s no need for her to come into it. Aiden didn’t notice that the anklet had broken during the struggle. He took an earring each, from Maureen and Yvette, and the nose and tongue studs from Jodie to incriminate Raymond. And guessed I’d follow up the hints he’d given of Raymond’s dodgy past.’
‘Now do you want to know something funny, Viviane? If I can lighten things up a little can you guess what starring role Aiden Ludlam was taking on in the Mikado?’
‘No-o, you tell me.’
‘KoKo the Grand high Executioner...’
‘What! How apt. He must have been secretly delighted in that. I bet it gave him a real buzz. Now can we forget that evil man, Jon. Till he comes up for trial at least.’
‘And I think I’ll take Esmeralda’s talents far more seriously in future. I must thank her too. The anklet and the letter counted in the end, like she said. But it’s thanks to your inside information that I’ve overcome some considerable obstacles,’ he said with a smile.
‘I was just glad to help,’ Viviane said. ‘It made me feel personally as if I’ve got back into the life stream once more. The house will soon be without Simon’s noisy presence.’ She smiled. ‘I shall miss him. But I was thinking.’ She hesitated and then said; ‘Wouldn’t you rather buy your own place, Jon? It would probably work out cheaper in the long term for you rather than renting.’
He sat relaxed back into the garden chair. ‘Do you want to be rid of me?’ he said. ‘Just tell me if you do. It’s not been too difficult for you having me here, has it? Do your children mind? ‘
She grinned. ‘No, they don’t. They have hinted that having you here has been most beneficial for me. In fact, Jill said that I can do with a good man’s company. And she personally approves. And, according to my cheeky son, in his own words, ‘The mental stimulation you’ve had lately from the case, and Jon Kent has done you a power of good, Mum’.’
She bit her lip nervously, wondering if she’d gone too far; said too much.
‘That’s great. Now can you take tomorrow off?’
‘I think I could manage half a day at short notice. Why?’
‘I haven’t celebrated my birthday yet. And I’d like to spend it with you. So- how about taking a look round the antique shops at Brighton to see if there’s anything worth picking up? And I’ll stand you a slap up meal, and a stay at a good hotel afterwards. So how about it?’
She wrinkled her forehead. ‘I don’t know - I rather like the idea of a trip to Brighton. And a browse around the shops. But not the hotel bit though.’
‘Tell you what then, if I promise to cook you a superb meal here. Plus a bottle of bubbly? No! Better make it two. You can decide afterwards whether it’s to be your place or mine upstairs? So how’s that as an improper suggestion, Mrs Sherlborne?’
She laughed. ‘I think I like it very much, Inspector Kent.’