The doorbell rang, and she stood up. “I have to go. He’s arrived. Thank you so much again.”
She was still pleased with herself as she ushered de Jersey into the drawing room, gesturing for him to sit as she took his coat. She had decided not to accuse him of Moreno’s murder immediately. That was to be her trump card if everything else failed.
“Please help yourself to wine,” she said, carrying his coat into the hall.
“I would prefer coffee,” he said pleasantly.
“Oh, well, give me a moment, then.”
De Jersey picked up the bottle of wine and poured some, then took out the morphine and emptied it into the glass. He had just started to pour some wine for himself when she returned with his coffee.
“It’s instant. I hope you don’t mind,” she said.
“No. That’s fine. The wine looked so inviting that I’ve poured some anyway.”
She passed him the coffee, picked up her glass, and lifted it to her lips. “Cheers,” she said and drank. Lowering the glass, she frowned and licked her lips.
“This is very strange,” she said.
De Jersey picked up his glass and sipped. “Do you think so?”
She took another sip. “Yes, is it all right?”
He sipped again. “It’s fine.”
She reached for the bottle to look at the label. “I don’t know, it’s not cheap,” she said and took another gulp.
He raised his glass. “Perhaps it should have been left to breathe awhile longer.”
Sylvia reached for the peanuts, took a few, and munched them like a squirrel. “You must be eager to hear what I have to say. I’m surprised you could contain yourself.”
He smiled. “Of course I’m eager to know, and I’m sure you’re about to enlighten me. It’s obvious that you’ve been very… active, shall we say? So, please.” He sat back and gestured for her to talk.
She laughed. “Oh, you’re a cool customer, Mr. de Jersey, but I don’t think you’ve given me the credit I deserve. I knew how important my discovery was when I found out you’d been to East Hampton. You have control of Alex Moreno’s properties, so you must be working with him, perhaps even helped him leave the country. His apartment and that estate he owned are worth millions, and I daresay you have no desire to share the proceeds with any of the other investors. But you’re going to share them with me.”
“Why would I do that?” he asked softly.
“Because I know who you are, and if you want that to remain our secret, I’ll need a considerable amount more than the money I lost.” She explained how she had discovered his identity through Moreno’s lover, Clint. “Not that he knew your names. Either of them,” she said and giggled. “I also showed your photograph to the site foreman at Moreno’s property. He was not as forthcoming as Moreno’s young friend, but gay men are so much more observant, don’t you think?”
“How much do you want?” he asked.
“Well, I’d say it would be worth fifty-fifty, don’t you? What you have been doing is highly illegal, and I would love to know exactly how you pulled it off.”
“Well, it took a lot of work. Just getting a fake passport was hair-raising. You know, I’ve never done anything illegal in my life before this, but I was afraid of losing everything I had, and when you’re desperate…” He got up and paced the room, continuing to talk about the stress he’d been under. Suddenly she felt hot, and her forehead became damp. She continued to eat the peanuts and drank the remainder of her wine.
Eventually she took a deep breath and interrupted him. “It’s been hard for all of us. The reason I think you should agree to pay me, however, is the disappearance of Mr. Moreno. According to his gay friend, he was alive the evening before he had a meeting with…” She trailed off.
“Are you all right, Miss Hewitt?” he said.
“No, I am feeling very…” Her body heaved and she felt as if she was about to vomit, but instead she flopped forward. She gave a strange laugh as she tried to focus her eyes. “Too much wine,” she said.
He stood up, collected his wineglass and coffee cup, and left the room. She tried to stand, but her legs gave way and she fell back into the chair. Now the room blurred and she felt dreadfully sick.
In the kitchen de Jersey washed his coffee cup and glass, dried them with a tea towel, removing all fingerprints, and replaced them on the shelf. He filled a glass with water, then took a small hypodermic needle from his wallet. He injected the water with ketamine, a horse tranquilizer, then replaced the hypodermic in his wallet. He opened the fridge, put some ice in the glass, and carried it back to the living room.
“Here, drink this.”
Sylvia seemed less drugged and held out her hand for the water. He made sure she had a firm hold of it before he returned to sit on the sofa. She drank thirstily, gasped, and looked at him in terror. “What have you put in this?”
He took the glass from her and checked how much she had drunk. “Just a little sedative, Miss Hewitt. My vet uses it all the time.” He walked out of the room, taking her wineglass and the water glass with him, washed them, and put them away as the lethal cocktail of drugs flooded through her.
Putting on a pair of surgical gloves, de Jersey spent a considerable time gathering up Sylvia’s correspondence with Matheson and any other documents relating to the investment case. Then he went back to the sink in the kitchen and set light to it all. He cleared up the charred remains and placed them in the waste-disposal unit, turned it on, and ground away every fragment. Then he cleaned around the sink, wiping away any possible remaining fingerprints.
When he carried Sylvia to the sofa, she was unconscious. He lifted her head onto a frilled cushion, then went into her bedroom, took a quilt from her bed, and tucked it around her.
Christina was in bed when de Jersey called her from his room at the club. He knew straightaway that something was wrong.
“We have a lot to talk about,” she said rather coldly.
“Why? What’s happened?”
“I’d rather not discuss it over the phone.”
“Fine. I’ll be home in a few days. I have to go to Ireland,” he said affably.
“Why?” she asked.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart, I can’t put it off. You know why.”
“Where will you be staying?”
“I’ll be moving around, but I’ll be in Dublin first, then go to a few auctions. I’ve recently sold off a filly to a friend, so I need to settle her in.” He gave no hint of the tension he felt.
“Well, don’t forget we have the girls’ school play on the second.”
“I haven’t forgotten, darling. I’ll be home in plenty of time. Are you all right? You sound… What’s happened? It’s not Royal Flush, is it?”
“No, he’s fine,” she said. “We can discuss it when you get back.”
“You know I love you,” he said.
“And I love you.” She hung up.
His hand rested a moment on the receiver. She had sounded odd. If something was troubling Christina, he would find out what it was, but it would have to wait. He cleaned his teeth, showered, and got ready for bed. He felt uneasy, however, so he called Donald Fleming. “Sorry to ring so late, but I’m up against it at the moment. I’ve just spoken to Christina. Nothing wrong up at the house, is there?”
“Not that I know of, but she was around the yard this afternoon. I think she’s just worried like all of us.”
“Yes, well, let’s hope I come up with some extra financing. But keep your eye on her for me, would you? I don’t want her unduly worried. We’ll get through this, Donald.”
“I will. I see you’ve earmarked a runner for Brighton on the second. You gonna make it?”
“Perhaps. Depends on a few meetings.”
“But you’ll be at Lingfield for Royal Flush’s race, won’t you?”
“Of course. I wouldn’t miss it for the world. Oh, any news on the other matter?”