Restless Dead (Harry Grimm Book 5) by David Gatward (english reading book TXT) 📗

‘Agreed,’ Patricia said. ‘I’ll go and put the kettle on. We’re going to need more tea.’

Chapter Twenty-Three

Harry was in the kitchen sitting at the large table opposite Patricia, with Jadyn beside him. Matt was with Jen and Ruth in James’ study, and Dan was on his own in the lounge. Jadyn had just confirmed Patricia’s details, her name, her telephone number, and was now waiting, pencil poised to start taking notes.

‘So, what is this, exactly?’ Patricia asked. ‘An interrogation? Surely I need to speak to my solicitor first, wouldn’t you agree?’

‘No, this isn’t an interrogation,’ Harry said. ‘Right now, we’re just here to ask you all a few questions, that’s all. Obviously, I can’t stop you calling your solicitor, but that will take time, and like I said, this is just us trying to establish what happened last night in the run-up to your father’s death.’

‘So, you’re not accusing me of anything?’

‘No,’ Harry said, shaking his head. ‘I am most definitely not accusing anyone, at this moment, of anything at all. This is just a few questions, a little chat, that’s all.’

‘But you think one of us killed Dad, don’t you?’ Patricia asked. ‘I can see it in your eyes, it’s in your voice. Otherwise, why would you be here at all?’

‘Like I said,’ Harry reiterated deciding to avoid Patricia’s questions, ‘we’re just going to run through a few details, that’s all for now. If we need to question anyone further, then that will happen in due course.’

Patricia stared at Harry for a moment then switched her glare to Jadyn.

‘He means later on,’ Jadyn said. ‘As in another time, like, you know, not right now?’

Harry had to wonder if Jadyn’s brain was incapable of stopping his mouth from talking or was simply happy to spend its life lazing about in the passenger seat.

‘I know what he means,’ Patricia said, her voice seething through her teeth, ‘but how much later? We’ve got so much to be getting on with now, as I’m sure you’ll understand. I don’t think any of us have time for this. And really, how much more do you think we can handle? You’ve seen Ruth, haven’t you? She’s a mess! We all are.’

‘I know, and I completely understand,’ Harry said.

‘Do you, though?’ Patricia snapped back. ‘Experienced many murdered family members yourself, have you?’

Yes, actually, I have, Harry thought, but he said, ‘I understand you came up last week?’

‘Yes,’ Patricia nodded. ‘We’re both self-employed so we can be flexible.’

‘And what is it you do?’ Harry asked.

‘Finance,’ Patricia said. ‘I’m setting up a new consultancy, advising companies on accounting, investments, tax, that kind of thing. I’ve a lot of experience in those areas, you see. Best way to make money is to work with money, you know?’

Harry really wasn’t interested, but asked for a few more details for Jadyn to write down, then said, ‘Can you just run through what happened last night?’

‘What else is there to say, other than what you already know?’ Patricia replied. ‘Dad burned to death!’

Harry breathed deep.

Jadyn leant across the table and said, ‘Would you like a glass of water?’

‘Pardon?’ Patricia said.

‘A glass of water,’ Jadyn repeated. ‘Sometimes helps, you know, with the questions I mean.’

‘Does it?’

‘Yes, it does,’ Jadyn said.

‘Well then, yes I will, thank you,’ Patricia said, and Jadyn got out of his chair and fetched her a drink.

‘Look, I’m sorry,’ Patricia said, taking a sip of water, her voice calm for the first time. ‘This is all just rather a shock, you know? What with the car accident, Mum’s death, Dad’s behaviour, and now this? It’s just too much, for all of us.’

‘Perhaps you can tell us about what happened earlier in the evening then,’ Harry suggested. ‘Just run through the events as they happened.’

‘You mean the séance?’ Patricia said, a laugh at the back of her throat. ‘Really? You want to know about that?’

Harry said nothing, just nodded, and noticed that Jadyn was already scribbling away.

‘Well,’ Patricia began, ‘this woman, this medium or psychic or whatever the hell she says she is, she turns up last weekend, invited over here by Dad.’

‘Why?’ Harry asked.

‘Because ever since the accident Dad was acting off, wasn’t he? Which is fair enough for most people, but Dad wasn’t most people, was he? He was a military man, good at keeping himself together.’

‘I was in the Paras myself,’ Harry said. ‘And I’ve seen how death can affect everyone differently.’

‘Yes, but this was different, wasn’t it?’ Patricia said.

‘You mean about how he thought he was seeing—’

‘Mum?’ Patricia said, finishing Harry’s sentence. ‘Yes, exactly that. The accident was horrible, but I think it affected him in ways none of us will ever really understand. Anyway, that’s why he invited this Beverly, this medium over, because he wanted to contact Mum. By which I mean talk to her, communicate with her spirit, I suppose. See? That’s just not normal.’

‘And how did you all feel about that?’ Jadyn asked.

‘Sad, more than anything, actually,’ Patricia said. ‘Mum is dead and we were all having to deal with it, with that loss, and yet there’s Dad, talking about it all like he would see her again or had seen her or was going to speak to her. It was mad.’

‘So, this behaviour wasn’t entirely normal, then?’ Harry asked.

‘Good God, no!’ Patricia replied. ‘Military man, remember? But he’d been blaming himself for what happened, the accident I mean, and then he was seeing things, wasn’t he? A woman he thought was Mum, which was clearly the most ridiculous thing ever.’

‘And do you know why he blamed himself?’ Harry asked. ‘Did he say anything to you about it?’

‘I have no idea at all why,’ Patricia said. ‘Just guilt I think.’

Harry remembered then what Ruth had said about Helen not being too happy about driving at night. ‘So, he never said anything specific?’

Patricia shook her head, then said, ‘Oh, you mean about Mum and her not being able to see in the dark thing? That?’

Harry