As Jane was passing through reception, Miss Thompson was sitting at the desk. ‘I’ve had a very pleasant meeting, Miss Thompson, thank you.’
The woman gave her a quizzical look.
‘I doubt she would have said much to you... she rarely, if ever, speaks to any of us. But we do our best to make her as comfortable as possible, and as I mentioned to you earlier, her lawyer is a frequent visitor. He always expresses his thanks to us for taking such good care of her.’
‘How long has Miss Lanark been here?’
Miss Thompson shrugged her shoulders. ‘I’m not exactly sure... she was here before I came, which was four years ago.’
‘Good heavens, that long. Was she previously more alert?’
Miss Thompson frowned, apparently disliking being questioned.
‘I’d need to check her medical records, but I would need permission to do so. I’m sure her lawyer could give you more information.’
‘I’ll contact him,’ Jane said. ‘Thank you again. I’m certainly very impressed with the facilities you provide.’
Jane hurried out and headed towards her car. She had only just started the engine when she saw Jason Thorpe driving into the parking area in a top-of-the-range BMW. He slammed the driver’s door closed and walked briskly into the care home. Jane patted the photo album on the passenger seat, eager to look through it when she got home.
No sooner had Jane arrived outside her house than Eddie turned up and parked his van behind her car.
‘I hope this isn’t inconvenient, but I’ve put together some costings for the work you were interested in... I just wanted to run them by you.’
‘Please, come on in,’ Jane said, pleased to see him. ‘I’ll make a cup of tea.’
Jane and Eddie sat in her kitchen as they discussed his proposals. She kept on adding more and more work that she wanted done until he leaned back in his chair, laughing.
‘Bloody hell! You virtually want the whole house refurbished! I’m going to have to talk to some mates to see if we can do it all.’
‘This is exactly what I want, and for it all to be done at the same time — but obviously you’ll know which jobs should be prioritised. I’ll leave it to you to give me estimates and a time frame of when you think you could start and obviously complete.’
‘Right, OK. I’ll talk it over with my dad tonight and maybe you should also give it some thought as it’ll be a big upheaval — unless you don’t intend to be living here when it’s all going on?’
‘Oh, I’ll be here,’ Jane said, ‘but I’ll be out for most of the day, so it won’t cause too much disruption. I can sleep in whichever bedroom you aren’t redecorating.’
Eddie stood up and reached for his jacket, which he’d left on the counter by the sink. He almost knocked the photo album onto the floor but caught it and grinned.
‘Family album, is it?’
Jane crossed over and took it from him. ‘No, it belongs to the family I was telling you about. I shouldn’t even have it, but I doubt anyone will notice it’s missing... well, I hope not, as I could get into trouble.’
She carried the album to the table and opened it, leafing through a number of pages, then turned to show Eddie.
‘The three sisters, Helena, Beatrice and Marjorie.’
The large black-and-white photograph showed three girls, one sitting on a swing, the other two standing either side of her. They were all wearing beautiful white dresses with white stockings and patent leather shoes, their long hair hanging down to their waists. Eddie leaned forward as Jane spoke.
‘They remind me of those old photographs of the daughters of Czar Nicholas... you know, the ones that were murdered in Russia?’
‘Yes, the Romanovs.’ Jane looked at Eddie in surprise.
He smiled. ‘I did O Level History, about Lenin and the Russian revolution.’ He tapped the photograph. ‘It’s obviously not quite the same period, though.’
‘I think this is Helena standing holding the rope of the swing, and Beatrice on the other side.’ Jane pointed to their innocent, unsmiling faces as Eddie peered closer.
‘She is very beautiful, isn’t she? The one on the swing?’
Jane nodded. ‘I think that would be Marjorie... You’re right, she is very pretty and obviously younger than the other two.’
Jane eased the photograph out of the album corners and turned it over. In very small, neat, handwriting were the words ‘Helena — Marjorie seated on swing — Beatrice holding swing rope which Marjorie used to commit suicide’.
Eddie leaned forward as she held it up.
‘Wow, that’s a bit shocking.’
‘Yes, very tragic, isn’t it?’ Jane slipped the photograph back into the album corners.
Turning another page over there were photographs of the girls as young children, then a full-size photograph of their father wearing a morning suit, standing in a rigid pose beside an exceptionally delicate-looking and pretty bride. Her veil was edged with roses and draped around her tiny satin Cuban-heeled shoes. But what made Jane look more closely was that the bride was wearing a rather elaborate tiara. Eddie noticed it too.
‘That looks like an expensive piece,’ he said, ‘if they’re real diamonds and drop pearls. You know the Romanovs had the most incredible jewels, and according to historians the Czarina Alexandra and her daughters sewed millions and millions of pounds’ worth of rubies, emeralds and diamonds into their corsets. They were never discovered, but that’s about all I can really remember because we then quickly went on to the Tudors. Just ask me anything about Henry VIII and his six wives!’ He laughed and then nodded at the photograph. ‘He looks twice her age.’
‘Yes,’ Jane agreed, ‘and quite formidable, by the expression on his face. She looks about sixteen, but you can see where her youngest daughter Marjorie inherited her looks from... those huge eyes and little cupid lips. Interesting, isn’t it? I went to visit Helena in a care home today. She’s very frail and suffering from dementia but she had the most vivid icy-blue eyes.’
Jane wanted to talk more but Eddie stepped back and checked his watch.
‘I’d better get going. I’ll be in touch as soon as I have all the costings done.’
He went to shake Jane’s hand, then at the last moment gave her a light kiss on her cheek instead. She was taken aback, and he flushed.
‘Anyway, see you tomorrow... I’ll let myself out, OK?’
Jane put her hand to her cheek as she heard the front door close, wondering what exactly had just happened. But soon the mystery of the Lanark family drew her back to the album and she found herself staring at the photograph of the three privileged young women in their immaculate white summer dresses. She was certain that one of them had given birth to the baby and had then buried it alive — but which one?
Chapter Nine
At nine Jane was at her desk typing up her report following her visit to the care home. There was a light knock on her door and DS Hunt walked straight in. He got right to the point.
‘We’ve just had a very unpleasant call from Jason Thorpe. He’s concerned that a family photograph album is missing from his aunt’s room at the care home. He was told that you visited Miss Lanark there yesterday afternoon, and he’s suggesting that you took it without permission. I don’t want to go and run this by DCI Carter because you know what a prick he can be.’
Jane pulled out the page from her typewriter and held it up between her finger and thumb.
‘I’ve just finished my report on my visit, stating that I asked permission to take Miss Lanark’s photograph album, which she granted.’