‘This is an eerie place,’ Tucker said, looking about him.
‘Yes, the place of legends.’
Willis was distracted, looking at a bunch of roses drying on a rock. Her eyes went upwards to the top of the cliff directly above.
‘It’s a sad place sometimes, did you hear about the tragedy of the suicide a couple of months ago?’ asked Megan.
‘I saw it on the news. It was here?’
‘Yes.’
‘It would be awful to come here for that; such a lonely-feeling place,’ said Willis.
‘Ideal then.’ Megan smiled at her. ‘It’s not that lonely for me. I am surrounded by friends here.’
‘I was telling them about the legends here. The water claims another person each year,’ Tucker said.
‘You’re thinking of the legend about the River Dart crying when it wants to claim a new heart. They say it’s a meteorological fact that it makes the sound like crying when the weather is getting bad, gales are coming and the river is swelling. I suppose in the old days when people had to cross it, there were many lives lost. It must have seemed like a curse. But here in this quarry, the water doesn’t ever disappear. It’s very deep. Surprising it freezes as often as it does.’
‘You love it here?’ asked Willis, looking around at the granite rockface.
‘Yes, I do. My husband loved it here. He came here every day. He was a Wiccan. A Wiccan believes in the power of nature’s spirits.’
‘What about you?’ asked Carter.
‘Yes – I guess I believe in it too. I believe in two gods – the Moon Goddess and the Horned God.’ She smiled at the expression that was creeping across his face. ‘It’s just the male and female sides of the universe, equal and necessary to one another. Yin and yang.’
‘You’re a witch too?’ asked Carter.
‘Not really. I just believe in the power of certain things: moon, stars, earth, sun.’
Her dark eyes were watching him intently – they were bright in the gloom.
‘What is it about this quarry that makes it special to you?’ asked Carter. ‘The landlady at the pub says you come up here most days.’
She shook her head. ‘Just a world of its own in here. Its own climate; its own life. I feel connected here. It gives me inspiration for my work. There – I’ve made you think I’m a complete nutter. Do you want to follow me back to my coven for a witch’s brew, otherwise known as a coffee?’
‘Sounds perfect.’ Carter smiled.
‘Come with me.’
She led them back and up out of the quarry.
Halfway up, Willis stopped.
‘Megan, do you mind me asking? What happens to Wiccans when they die?’
Megan stopped and turned and smiled at Willis.
‘You feel their presence here, don’t you?’
‘Just curious.’
‘Decomposition should happen as fast as possible. No casket, just a cloth and then laid in the ground, or left in the air, placed in the water, so that you can nourish other life quickly.’
‘Are there places you can bury someone like that?’
‘Yes.’
She turned and led them away from the quarry.
‘Please come in, sit down. Make yourselves comfortable.’ They took their muddy shoes off at the door and stepped inside the warm kitchen as Megan stood on a stool and hung the gorse up to dry from the hooks above the dresser. She got down and slid the kettle across onto the top of the Aga.
‘What can I help you with? You have questions you’d like answers to?’
‘Since the last time I saw you, have you had any calls from the women on the list or contact with Ellerman?’ asked Tucker. ‘I understand you went to meet some of the other women.’
‘Yes… I did… last Wednesday. I went to Reading, to meet them in a coffee shop.’
‘Who did you meet exactly?’
‘I met Paula, Emily and Lisa. I can’t believe Lisa is dead.’
‘Who told you?’ asked Carter.
‘Paula – she was very upset – we all are.’
‘Do you and Paula talk often?’
She laughed. ‘We have a lot in common.’
‘How did the meeting go?’ asked Carter. Willis was already taping Megan Penarth’s voice but it hadn’t escaped her notice.
‘It went fine.’ She smiled curiously at Willis.
‘Who called the meeting?’
‘Me.’
‘Why? What reason did you have to do it?’
‘I called the meeting because I felt we all had a lot to discuss – after all, I was the newcomer in terms of knowing JJ but some of these women had known him for years. I felt they needed support. I mean, how difficult must it be to find out something like that?’
‘Something like what?’
‘Like the fact you’re part of a harem.’
‘How did you part that day?’
‘As friends, I hope.’
‘How did you leave it? Were there any decisions made about going forward?’
‘Going forward?’ Megan asked. Willis wrote in her notebook: She repeats question – giving her time to think of an answer.
‘We left it in the air – we decided to support one another as best we could.’
‘Did you stay in London that evening?’
‘Yes. I had things to do.’
‘Busy time?’
‘I spent the evening with my agent.’
‘From what time was that?’
‘From seven. I left the other women and I walked to the station with Lisa. Emily was going the other way, Paula was just next door, working. I left Lisa at the station and then went to do some shopping and met up with my agent at about nine.’
‘That’s quite a long time to go shopping.’
‘Of course it isn’t.’
‘But the shops close normal time now – that’s half five.’
‘Okay, so you’re right – I spent my time drinking in various bars, until I met my agent. I don’t get into town much so I like to enjoy myself. I was staying the night at my agent’s, so I could afford to let my hair down.’
‘Did you drive up to town?’
‘Yes. It’s just too much of a nuisance sometimes to leave the car at Plymouth Airport or at Exeter St David’s to catch the train. By the time I do that I could be halfway there. Then there’s all the disruption to the track because of the storms. Look – I’m sorry but I don’t get your line of questioning. Have I done something wrong?’
‘We would urge that you don’t entertain the idea of having JJ Ellerman to stay here until we solve these deaths.’
‘I can’t believe he is capable of anything like that.’
‘You never saw any flares in his temper, or any behaviour that worried you?’
‘I’ve seen the normal stuff associated with a man who is used to being Mr Big. He loves the sound of his own voice. He is short-tempered, but I wouldn’t say his temper is a major problem.’
‘When we went into Lisa’s house, we found something that we think belongs to you.’ Tucker took out his phone and showed Megan a photo of her painting. ‘We found this on Lisa’s lounge wall.’
Megan shook her head. ‘Figures. JJ often came down with random gifts. I expect we’ve all got things that belong to others. It sums him up, doesn’t it? We’re all part of a chain, aren’t we? Interlinked.’
‘Can I ask you again what you and the other women decided to do about your “interlinked” relationships and financial dealings with JJ Ellerman? I am trying to persuade the women who have invested in his so-called business ventures to consider pressing charges. It will give us the ability to thoroughly investigate him.’
‘Personally? I didn’t invest money and I will chalk it all up to experience. I can’t speak for the other women. I intend to have my say with JJ Ellerman, then walk away for ever.’
After the detectives had left, Megan phoned Emily and left a message for her to return her call ASAP.