Time to Pay (33 page)

Gideon laughed. ‘Don't take it personally. She's a bit set in her ways, and not too fond of strangers. It took her almost a month to accept Eve.'

‘That's all right. I'm not really a cat person, anyway. Dogs are more my line. Aren't they, boy?' Lloyd added, scratching Zebedee behind the ears. The dog sat down beside him and assumed an expression of euphoria.

‘Something to drink? Coffee, tea? Something stronger?'

‘The last would be nice. I've only got to drive up to the house.'

‘Think I might join you. I'm not sure tea would quite hit the mark.'

Gideon fetched a half-bottle of malt from the sitting room, soothing the cat's ruffled nerves as he passed. He put the bottle and two glasses down on the table beside Lloyd.

‘Help yourself. There's water in the tap, and ice in the top of the fridge. No soda, I'm afraid, but you might find lemonade somewhere. Look, I'm just going to go and put something dry on. Won't be a minute.'

When he came back downstairs in a clean pair of jeans and a dry rugby shirt, Gideon found Lloyd leaning back in his chair, with a large measure of what looked like neat whisky in his tumbler. He reached for the remaining glass and poured himself one.

‘So, tell me what I walked – or drove – in on,' Lloyd said. ‘Those two men looked as though they meant business. Who were they?'

‘I wish I knew.' Gideon paused, looking thoughtfully at Pippa's boyfriend, and then decided to go for it. ‘If I gave you the names Sam Bentley, Garth Stephenson, Robin Tate, Adam Tetley and Julian Norris, what would you make of it?'

‘Sam Bentley? You were asking about him the other day, weren't you? I'm not sure about him, but the others all did pentathlon at around about the time I did.'

‘Even Garth?'

‘Yes.' Lloyd nodded.

‘Were they all on that training course you went on?'

‘Yes, they were. Why?'

‘But not Sam Bentley?'

‘I'm not sure. There were about twenty of us and I don't remember all the names. Look, what's this all about?'

Gideon took a deep breath.

‘Remember that list of numbers and letters that we found in Nero's things? Those were all initials and telephone numbers. Yours were on there, too.'

‘
Mine
were? How come I didn't notice that?'

‘It was the way it was written out,' Gideon
explained. ‘Actually it was your old number – your wife's.'

Lloyd looked mystified.

‘Why on earth would Damien have had all our names on a list? It doesn't make sense.'

‘I hoped
you
might be able to tell
me
 . . .'

‘Well – no, I'm sorry, I can't.'

‘I – er, wondered if it could have anything to do with Marcus . . .'

‘Marcus Daniels?' Lloyd sounded incredulous. ‘But he committed suicide.'

‘On that training course . . .'

‘Well – yes, but the list must be ages old, if it's got anything to do with that business. I mean, that was all – what? – twelve or fifteen years ago. And as I said, there were twenty or more of us. Christ! I haven't seen those guys for donkey's years. Some of them could be dead by now – well, yes, Julian Norris
is
, isn't he?'

‘Ah, but his name was crossed off, so that argues that the list wasn't so very old, or at least that it had been updated. And however out of date it might be, someone would still much rather I didn't ask questions about it.'

‘Someone on the list?'

‘Well . . . yes, I suppose so. I just assumed it was.' Gideon hadn't considered the alternative. The idea made the whole thing even more worrying. If not one of the names on the list, then where the hell would he begin looking?

‘So what do
you
think it's all about?'

‘Blackmail?' Gideon tossed the word into the conversation like a stone into a pool, and watched to see what ripples it produced.

Lloyd appeared momentarily stunned.

‘
Blackmail?
But don't you think I'd know something about that – as my name's on the list, I mean?'

‘And you don't.'

Lloyd shook his head emphatically.

‘
No
. And while we're on the subject, what am I – we – supposed to have done that we're so ashamed of?'

Gideon hesitated. This was where it could get awkward.

‘I don't know. I haven't got that far. I'm probably barking up the wrong tree altogether, but there's definitely something to hide, because I've been warned off – and pretty forcefully, too.'

‘You mean those men today?' Lloyd asked, watching him closely.

‘No, it was a couple of days ago. I got a call to go and see a pony and found two men waiting for me, instead. It was obviously a set-up. I'm not sure whether it was the same guys, it might have been, but there was no doubt about the message – stop poking your nose in where it's not wanted, or else!'

Lloyd took a long considering sip of his whisky.

‘You told the police, of course.'

‘Yeah, I did.' Gideon didn't elaborate.

‘Good. And?'

‘They're looking into it but there isn't a lot to go on.'

‘And what did
they
make of the list?'

‘I didn't show it to them.'

‘Why ever not?'

‘Because I didn't want to make more trouble for Tilly and her family,' Gideon hedged. He fancied Lloyd relaxed a degree or two at the words, but then, guilty or not, he wouldn't welcome the publicity that a police investigation would bring.

‘So why didn't you tell anyone about the attack?'

‘I told Eve. There didn't seem any point in worrying Pippa and Giles.' Gideon drained the last of his drink and stood up, collecting Lloyd's empty tumbler along with his own on his way to the sink, and rather hoping he'd take the hint and be on his way.

No such luck.

‘So how long have you known about the list – the names and numbers, I mean?' Lloyd asked.

‘Oh, not long.'

‘Why didn't you tell me? Don't you think I had a right to know, as my name's on there?' Lloyd sounded a bit peeved, and Gideon couldn't really blame him.

‘I wanted to try and find out what it was all about, first.'

‘Well, I might have been able to tell you.'

‘Or not,' Gideon couldn't resist saying.

‘As it turns out, but you didn't know that. Don't you trust me?'

About as far as I could spit you, Gideon thought, but he merely said, ‘I'm telling you now.'

‘So have you spoken to the others? What did
they
make of it?'

‘I spoke to a couple of them,' Gideon said, deliberately vague. He shrugged. ‘They either didn't know, or they weren't telling; it's difficult to say
which. But one of them must know something, else why go to the trouble of warning me off?'

Lloyd was silent for a moment, and Gideon leaned back against the range, enjoying the warmth and thinking over what had been said. If Lloyd knew anything, he was hiding it well. He'd volunteered the information about the connection between the names, and seemed more upset about being kept in the dark than at the prospect of Gideon's investigations.

‘Well, all I can say is if there is something going on, nobody's let me in on the secret,' Lloyd said suddenly. ‘It's strange that Tetley's name is on the list. I suppose you didn't get a chance to speak to him?'

‘No, I didn't.'

‘So what are you going to do now? It seems to me that whatever reason Damien might have had for making that list, it's probably died with him. Is it really worth getting yourself beaten up for?'

Gideon shook his head and sighed.

‘Probably not. I really don't know any more.'

‘Will you give the list to the police?'

‘I haven't decided. I guess I should ask Tilly what she wants to do.'

‘Well, speaking for myself, I'd just as soon you didn't,' Lloyd said, getting to his feet. ‘Give it to the police, I mean. The less of that kind of attention I get, the better it is for my political career. But, of course, that's purely selfish. If you think it's important . . .' He smiled. ‘Well, I guess I'd better be going. Pippa's expecting me.'

Lloyd walked through to the hall, took his coat
off its hook and then paused with his hand on the front-door handle.

‘Look,' he said, with a touch of awkwardness, ‘I know Pippa's pretty special to you, but she is to me, too, and I will take good care of her, I can promise you that. The thing is, we're not saying anything just yet, but we intend getting married when my divorce comes through, and I'm going to do everything I can to make her happy.'

‘Married? Congratulations!' Gideon managed a smile, even though he had the strangest sensation that someone had clamped an iron band round his heart and lungs. ‘What does Giles say to that?'

‘Actually, we haven't told him yet. I shouldn't really have said anything to you, so don't breathe a word, eh? Not even to Pippa. I just wanted you to know that I'm serious.'

Gideon shrugged. ‘It's none of
my
business – surely you should be talking to Giles, not me. But, anyway, I hope you'll be very happy.'

He opened the door and stood to one side.

‘Oh, I'm sure we will. Well, see you later. Let me know if you figure anything else out, yeah? And if you want any help . . .'

Gideon watched as Lloyd climbed into the Range Rover and disappeared up the drive to the Priory. Then, stepping backwards into the hall, he slammed the heavy oak front door with as much force as he could muster, causing Zebedee to retreat into the kitchen with his tail between his legs.

At the Priory the next morning, Pippa seemed a
little out of sorts. Her reply to Gideon's usual greeting was decidedly short on warmth and her conversation was stilted, to say the least.

‘Have I done something to upset you?' he enquired eventually, tired of trying to draw her out. He was helping her prepare the midday feeds.

‘What, you mean apart from lying to me and sneaking around behind Lloyd's back?'

‘Oh, he ran straight to you with that little lot, did he?'

‘And why shouldn't he? Perhaps he felt I had a right to know!' she suggested icily, pausing with a scoopful of molassed chaff in her hand.

‘And exactly when have I lied to you?'

‘All along, it seems. Asking me if Lloyd had worked out what that list was about, when you knew all the time.'

‘I didn't know
all the time
,' Gideon protested. ‘And how is that lying? I just wanted to know if he'd made any sense of it, that's all.'

‘You thought he was hiding something.'

‘Is that what he told you?'

‘He didn't have to. It's obvious, isn't it? Else why didn't you just ask him, instead of going to everyone else first? Maybe you wouldn't have got yourself beaten up, if you'd done that.'

‘I didn't get beaten up. Anyway, I did ask Lloyd what he knew about Sam Bentley and Robin Tate, after hunting the other day. You were there, you heard me.'

‘But you didn't say
why
you wanted to know.'

‘Well, does it matter so much? Lloyd didn't seem too bothered when I told him last night. Why does it matter to you?'

‘Because you've never liked him, and you'd love to find something against him, just so you could say “I told you so” to me!'

‘Well, it's nice to know you've got such a flattering opinion of my character.' He picked up Nero's bucket and began to stir the feed with a wooden spoon.

‘Well, you can't deny you've never liked him,' Pippa declared, turning slightly pink, but pressing on nevertheless.

‘He's not my choice of a lifelong buddy, if that's what you mean, but that's got nothing to do with it. If you must know, I didn't bring the subject up because I thought you might take it the wrong way. Can't think why,' he added, turning away to pick up another feed bucket.

‘Well, how am I supposed to take it when I find out that someone who's meant to be my friend is digging up dirt on my boyfriend? And what's this about blackmail? Who's blackmailing who? Damien?' she asked incredulously. ‘Is that what you're trying to say? That he was going to blackmail the people on the list? That's ridiculous! For God's sake don't try that one on Tilly, it'd just about finish her!'

‘Which is exactly the reason why I was trying to find out what it was all about before I said anything.' Gideon straightened up with a bucket in his hand. ‘I didn't want anyone to get hurt. But if you want to believe I'd do it just to spite you and Lloyd, then you go ahead! And don't go thinking it makes any difference to me if you want to spend the rest of your life with him – I've got my own life to live.'

‘With Eve.'

‘Yes –
with Eve
,' he retorted, shaken by the depth of her indignation. ‘Do you have a problem with that?'

‘No. Why should I?'

‘Well, you seem to have a problem with everything else I do.'

Gideon was aware the argument was degenerating into a childish slanging match, but he'd gone too far to draw back. Blast Lloyd and his tale-telling! He'd never fallen out with Pippa in such a wholesale fashion before. They'd had disagreements, certainly, but nothing like this.

‘Perhaps it's a good thing Nero's going back tomorrow,' Pippa said, and the implication was plain: without Tilly's horse to work on, Gideon wouldn't necessarily have to visit the yard every day.

With an effort, Gideon finally regained control of himself, biting back the heated response he'd been on the point of uttering and gathering up four of the feed buckets. He'd been in danger of doing the very thing he'd been trying to avoid all this time.