Murder of a Dead Man (37 page)

‘I could live with both of you.’

‘No.’

‘Have you asked him to live with you to keep me at bay?’

‘Maybe to keep all personal emotions at bay.’

He looked at Peter. Better never to feel anything for another person again than suffer what Peter was going through over Anna.

Dan walked up.

‘We’re going to the Black Lion for the wake.

Would you like to join us, Lyn?’

She shook her head, biting her lips to hold back the tears. Daisy appeared at Dan’s side and held out her hand. Trevor took it first. When he released it, she offered it to Lyn.

‘You look frozen, Lyn,’ she said. ‘Why don’t you take her home now, Trevor?’

‘Peter…’

‘You can’t possibly know what Peter is going through, or what he needs right now. But I do. I’ve been there, remember. Leave him to me.’ Daisy left them and went to Peter. Wrapping her arm around his shoulders, she turned back. ‘If you’re going to the pub, we’ll see you there,’ she called to Trevor and Lyn as she and Peter walked on together.

‘Conspiracy?’ Trevor asked Lyn.

‘Not one I know about.’

‘I’m sorry…’

She slipped her hand into his. ‘No more recriminations.’

They watched Daisy and Peter join the other mourners in the car park. Within minutes they were lost to sight among the crowd of uniformed officers, who’d closed ranks to shut out the civilians.

‘You were right, Trevor,’ Lyn admitted. ‘I didn’t understand. Not until today. Coppers are different and they’ve every right to be when just wearing a uniform makes them such easy targets.’

He turned to face her. ‘Want to go to the pub, then?’

‘Yes, please.’

‘And afterwards, you go home?’

‘Yes, I’ll go home with you,’ she said, deliberately misunderstanding him. ‘I know this isn’t the time or the place. But we have to make plans. For our baby.’

He stared at her in disbelief. ‘Lyn… ?’

‘But try to book a day off for the birth. I think I can learn to forgive you almost anything. But that’s one thing I don’t want to go through alone.’