As it happened, Sir Jeremy Chalmers’ family was also from North Yorkshire and had known the Serronis for years. When Veronica came into the fold, Oriana was only five or six, of course, but she was a beautiful, bright child. Jeremy and Veronica soon became very fond of her, and she became a big sister, and later babysitter, to Angelina and Samantha. As she grew up, Oriana also showed remarkable academic skills, in addition to becoming a very organised and efficient researcher. After university, she drifted a little, uncertain about her career path, and that was when Veronica stepped in and suggested she work as her researcher, and perhaps also take on a few household duties, things she had already done with ease at her own family’s home, such as cooking the occasional meal, organising appointment calendars, keeping the books, and so on. Thus, Oriana became Lady Chalmers’ amanuensis. As far as Gerry Masterson could ascertain, Oriana was still single and didn’t appear to have a steady boyfriend.
Oriana seemed to be close to Lady Chalmers, Banks thought. He had noticed how her attitude had changed between visits, how the smile had disappeared and the frozen demeanour taken its place. She was loyal to her mistress, however old-fashioned that might seem, and that was surely a good thing, but perhaps she was also concerned about Lady Chalmers, and perhaps Banks could exploit that concern. He thought he knew how he could go about contacting her with minimum fuss and little chance of official reprisal, though there was always the risk that Oriana might go running to Lady Chalmers, Nathan or Anthony Litton.
Interrupting his chain of thought, a short, plump red-faced woman in an apron came over and deposited a knife and fork on his table, along with an assembly of chutneys and bottled sauces, some of the bottles without labels, indicating that they were probably home-made. There was no sign of a serviette. Moments later she returned with a plate, upon which rested the largest slice of pie Banks had ever seen, surrounded by mounds of vegetables covered in steaming gravy. ‘Watch out for t’shot,’ was all she said before she waddled away. As he watched her go, Banks was reminded of the line from the old folk song, the one about ‘the cheeks of her arse going chuff, chuff, chuff’.
Most of the game pies he had ever eaten had been cold, but this was fresh from the oven, and he had to wait a few minutes for it to cool. It was delicious, however, and he soon found out what she meant about the shot, luckily just sensing a piece of buckshot before it broke one of his teeth. He ate even more slowly and carefully after that, not wishing to precipitate a visit to the dentist. The pie was gamey, of course, but not too much so, and the pastry was light and flaky. Banks ate and drank, reading the reviews in Gramophone and making mental notes for his next shopping trip. He would try to talk privately with Oriana, he decided, but before then, he would try to put Lady Chalmers out of his mind and wrap up the Eastvale College angle.
So what next? Banks wondered when he had finished his pie. He certainly didn’t feel like going back to the station. He was too full, for a start, and if he sat in his office chair he would probably doze off. He would finish his pint, he decided, then head out to Coverton, see what was happening with Doug Watson at the mobile unit, maybe have another quick stroll up to the crime scene, see if anything leaped out at him. Then home. It was a plan.
Chapter 7
‘So what happened to you yesterday afternoon?’ Annie asked Banks on their way to see Trevor Lomax. ‘I tried to call you.’
‘I was out at the crime scene. No reception,’ Banks said. ‘You didn’t call back or leave a message, so it can’t have been important.’
‘It wasn’t. And there is reception at the crime scene, at least at the top of the embankment. I assumed you weren’t answering because you didn’t want to talk about it.’
‘Talk about what?’
‘What happened with Red Ron and Madame Gervaise.’
‘Oh, that. What do you think happened? They warned us off.’
‘Off Lady Chalmers?’
Banks looked around with mock concern. ‘Who else has a title around here?’
Annie squinted at him from the passenger seat. ‘So they gave you a bollocking?’
‘It wasn’t a bollocking.’
‘Whatever. You were off sulking, weren’t you? Drinking and listening to some weird music, I’ll bet. Licking your wounds.’
‘You’ve got imagination, I’ll give you that.’
‘Well? Tell me I’m wrong.’
‘Here we are.’ Banks pulled up behind the college building. ‘Sure he’s in?’
‘Sure as I can be,’ said Annie. ‘I checked with the department. He doesn’t have any classes on a Friday morning. He might be seeing a student or working on Monday’s lecture, but he’s usually in his office.’
‘Right. Lead on.’
Annie led Banks into the squat concrete and glass building and up the stairs to Trevor Lomax’s office. The door was slightly ajar, and they heard voices from inside. Banks tapped softly and pushed the door open. Lomax was sitting at his cluttered desk; a girl sat opposite him with a clipboard resting on her lap.
‘Who the hell are... Oh, Ms Cabbot?’ he said, smiling when he saw Annie.
‘We’re sorry to bother you, Trevor,’ Annie said. ‘This is my boss, DCI Banks. We’d like a quick word, if possible.’
‘I was just—’
‘We’re very busy,’ said Banks. Then he looked at the puzzled girl, bowed and gestured with his arm towards the open door. ‘If you don’t mind.’
Flustered, she gathered up her things and left without a backward glance.
‘Was that really necessary?’ Lomax asked.
‘Like I said, we’re busy.’ Banks proffered the empty chair to Annie and leaned against the wall beside the window.
‘Cast your mind back four years ago,’ Annie said. ‘Several weeks after Gavin Miller’s hearing and dismissal.’
‘I don’t—’
‘Did a young woman pay you a visit and tell you she had evidence that Miller didn’t do what he was accused of?’
‘Why should anyone—’
‘Cut the bullshit, Mr Lomax,’ said Banks. ‘We know the whole story. It’s just a technique we use. You know, feeding it out bit by bit as questions, see if you slip up anywhere. We don’t ask questions to which we don’t already know the answer. With you, I think we can just cut to the chase, can’t we?’
‘Your boss is a bit full of himself, isn’t he, Ms Cabbot,’ said Lomax, smiling at Annie.
Annie didn’t return his smile. ‘You might as well tell us the truth, Trevor. When he gets like this he’s unpredictable, not to mention impossible to call off.’
‘Are you threatening me?’
‘Not at all. I’ll jog your memory a bit, see if it helps. Lisa Gray. Remember that name?’
‘I remember a young woman coming to me with some cock-and-bull story.’
‘Now we’re getting somewhere,’ said Annie. ‘How do you know it was a cock-and-bull story?’
‘The board had made its decision, implemented it. It was over and done with. If anyone had any information, they should have come forward earlier, before or during the hearing. They had every chance.’