Legacy of Lies Read Online Free PDF Page B

had skipped breakfast, never a good move and now she had drawn his attention to it he realized that his gut churned emptily just adding to the hollow feeling at the centre of him.
    â€˜The salmon,’ he said, falling back on the familiar. ‘And the soup for starters. Thank you.’ He waited until the waitress had departed. ‘Marcus?’
    â€˜Yes, Alec.’
    â€˜Time to talk, I think.’
    Marcus nodded. He took his napkin from the table and unfolded it then spread it carefully on his lap. The wine arrived and, once Marcus had approved it, Alec accepted a glass.
    â€˜Alec?’ Naomi was surprised. Alec rarely drank at lunchtime.
    â€˜If I have more than one we’ll get a taxi back to Fallowfields,’ he said.
    â€˜OK,’ she sounded dubious, anxious even.
    â€˜Nomi, it’s been a strange couple of days and an even stranger morning. Frankly, I think I could do with a drink.’
    â€˜OK,’ she said again then reached for her glass and sipped. ‘Mmm, nice.’ She smiled suddenly in Alec’s direction. ‘I think in that case we should order another bottle.’
    Marcus laughed softly and then sobered. ‘Rupert,’ he said. ‘Of course, you will want to know everything I can tell. Truth is, Alec, it’s mostly suspicion and conjecture but, believe me, I know something is wrong about it all.’
    â€˜Go on.’
    â€˜It’s knowing where to start.’
    â€˜Well,’ Naomi prompted. ‘How about you start with when you noticed something was wrong with Rupert. When his behaviour changed?’
    Marcus nodded. He played with the stem of his wineglass, frowning at the deep red liquid. ‘It’s hard to know,’ he said, ‘but I think, the first time I really noticed something odd was about three weeks before Rupe died.’
    â€˜I live in the flat over our shop. I’m not like Rupert; never felt the need for a garden, and the isolation of a place like Fallowfields would drive me mad, I think. Anyway, this one particular morning I heard someone banging on the shop door long before we were open, so I looked out of the window to see who it was and there stood this teenager – a boy, really – banging on my door and shouting for Rupert.’
    â€˜You didn’t recognize him?’
    â€˜No. Not at all. And he wasn’t the kind of customer I’d expect in our shop even during opening time. He wore those baggy trousers young people seem to like these days and a hoodie, I think they call them, don’t they?’
    Alec nodded.
    â€˜Anyway, I called down and asked what he wanted and he said he had to talk to Rupert. So, I told him Rupert wouldn’t be in until ten and to come back then, to which he said he couldn’t, he must see him now. I gained the impression that he thought Rupert lived at the shop and he seemed very put out when I told him otherwise.’
    â€˜Did you tell him where Rupert lived?’
    â€˜No.’ Marcus shook his head emphatically. ‘That I’d never do without Rupert’s permission and, besides …’
    â€˜You didn’t like the look of him?’ Naomi asked.
    Marcus hesitated. ‘It wasn’t that, dear. I’d be the last to hold the way someone looks against them. My dear, I recall some of the so-called fashions I indulged in my youth and besides, he was polite enough in his own way. No, it was more that he seemed afraid. Kept looking over his shoulder all the time I was talking to him. It was as if he didn’t want to be discovered asking for Rupert. That he was afraid of the consequences should he be found out.’
    â€˜And when you told him Rupert wasn’t there?’
    â€˜Oh, he took off down the road as if the devil himself was chasing him. He didn’t come back again either.’
    â€˜And what was Rupert’s reaction? Did he recognize the boy?’
    â€˜He said not, at first. Then, as though it had