Chapters (64)
- Cover
- Dedication
- Prologue
- Five Years Later
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-one
- Twenty-two
- Twenty-three
- Twenty-four
- Twenty-five
- Twenty-six
- Twenty-seven
- Twenty-eight
- Twenty-nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-one
- Thirty-two
- Thirty-three
- Thirty-four
- Thirty-five
- Thirty-six
- Thirty-seven
- Thirty-eight
- Thirty-nine
- Forty
- Forty-one
- Forty-two
- Forty-three
- Forty-four
- Forty-five
- Forty-six
- Forty-seven
- Forty-eight
- Forty-nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-one
- Fifty-two
- Fifty-three
- Fifty-four
- Fifty-five
- Epilogue
- Acknowledgements
- Canelo Crime
- About the Author
- Also by Sheila Bugler
Grace too, Rachel thought. But clearly not everyone else felt the same way. In all the years Rachel had worked with Raj Mallick, she’d never known him to call it wrong at a crime scene. If Raj thought Nick Gilbert had been murdered, then that’s what had happened. Ade was right. They were about to face the mother of all media storms.
Three
The Blue Dolphin interior was every bit as beautifully elegant as the exterior. Crossing the entrance hall, Rachel remembered the pure pleasure of being a guest here. Knowing that, for two precious days, her every need would be catered for.
‘Police?’
A stout man with a completely bald head hurried towards her, skidding to a halt in front of her.
Rachel’s M&S trouser suit and cheap haircut clearly marked her out, she thought glumly. Putting her professional face on, she held her hand out and introduced herself.
‘Detective Inspector Rachel Lewis. This is my colleague, Detective Constable Ade Benjamin.’
‘Ah, I see. Marcus Chevalier. Manager.’
‘We’ve met before,’ Rachel said. ‘Although I wouldn’t expect you to remember. You must see so many people every day.’
The frown on his face cleared, replaced by a big smile.
‘Of course! You stayed with your wife. Not long married, as I recall. How is Ms Cotton?’
‘She’s fine, thank you.’
‘Marvellous news,’ Marcus said, still beaming. ‘Please pass on my very best regards, won’t you?’
‘I’ll do that.’
‘Such a shame this visit is under different circumstances.’ Marcus lowered his voice so that she had to strain her ears to hear him. ‘Perhaps we should continue this conversation in my office?’
‘Good idea,’ Rachel said. ‘Why don’t you take me there? In the meantime, are you okay if my colleague speaks to your staff?’
‘I’m sure that will be fine. I doubt there’s very much they can tell you that will help, but I know they’ll co-operate in whatever way they can.’
Rachel told Ade they’d reconvene ahead of speaking to the guests, before following Marcus Chevalier to his office. The bedrooms in the villa were all on the ground floor; each room had French doors with direct access to the gardens. As Rachel passed the room she’d stayed in with Grace, she felt a pang of nostalgia. When she’d first got together with Grace, they’d had lots of weekends away. Now, those weekends were nothing but a distant memory. Saving for a house apparently meant giving up all the fun things in life and eating at home night after night, instead of ever going out and letting your hair down.
Despite the luxury of the public areas, Marcus Chevalier’s office was a remarkably modest room. A single small window looked out over an enclosed concrete car park and nothing else.