‘Great,’ said Gemma. ‘And no. I’ll eat anything.’ She gazed at two framed prints on the wall – cats wearing glasses superimposed against a background of dictionary entries. Like many of the objects and much of the decor in the cottage and, Gemma reflected, on Pete’s boat, they could easily look naff in a different context, but here they actually weren’t at all. That purple velvet chaise-longue had seen better days, and the Chinese rug looked faded and threadbare.

‘It’s a gorgeous cottage. I wish I lived somewhere like this.’ Gemma followed her into the kitchen, admiring the potted orchids on every surface and ledge. It was instantly about ten degrees hotter in there, a warm fug of cooking meat that made Gemma’s stomach rumble. ‘My flat’s in a block of identical ones, built twenty years ago. It’s like they were intended to have no character whatsoever. But it was all I could afford.’

Meredith made a noncommittal noise and clicked open the latch on the door next to the sink, revealing a small utility room, where she opened a drawer and removed a clean dishcloth.

A cat had been lying curled up on a pile of clean laundry on top of a dryer, but when it saw Meredith, it jumped up and ran into the kitchen, leaving a circle of black fur on the top white towel.

‘That’s actually not even my cat,’ Meredith said, crossly. ‘He comes in through the cat flap and waits till he can get onto a bed. He’s called Gavin. He’s actually the house cat, but he seems to prefer it here.’

Gemma laughed. ‘Gavin! Excellent name.’

Meredith dried two mugs and threw in tea bags. ‘Ralph named him.’ Her voice sounded strangled. ‘Just got to mash these spuds then we’re done. Would you like a glass of wine as well as the tea?’

‘No thanks, I’m fine,’ said Gemma, although she’d have loved one. She was feeling strangely unsettled. She’d had numerous previous FLO postings, but never one to a solo woman, and never overnight. She couldn’t shake the faint feeling that rather than being assigned to Meredith, she, Gemma, was more like a foster child – or an exchange student – than the one who was meant to be taking charge of the situation; it was as if she needed Meredith, rather than the other way around. Although of course, she did need Meredith. The investigation needed Meredith.

Meredith needed to be kept safe.

35

1992
Meredith