“But he knew they were coming.”

“Perhaps he should’ve, only it sounds as if he didn’t.” Tom smiled to counteract this seeming contradiction of her account of her husband’s state of mind. “Was there any particular reason why you did have these papers served now?”

“Well, no. I just thought it time, that’s all. After all, we’d been apart for two years.”

“I guess that’s what I’m asking. Why did you wait so long? Did you just want to give the marriage more of a chance?” He was giving her the benefit of answering his own question.

“Another chance, yes.”

Though that, thought Jury, would be difficult if they’d stopped talking to each other.

“Well, we won’t bother you any longer, Flora. Bub.”

“You’re not bothering!” said Bub. But Tom was up by now.

Flora Flood said, “You hardly asked me any questions.”

Tom smiled. “I might think of some more.”

She seemed as reluctant as Bub to see him go.

“What did you think?” said Jury as they were getting into the car. He was surprised to discover Tom had walked from Ardry End. “Was she telling the truth?”

“I don’t know. But he wasn’t.”

“He? You mean Bub?”

“He said he hadn’t heard any noises coming from below. Yet he heard us talking at considerably less volume than she and her husband would have been.”

“Why wouldn’t he say so, then?”

“Because he’s a kid, I expect. Kids always seem to think they’re going to be in trouble if they admit to anything. The possibilities are endless when it comes to making mistakes that way.”

It had started to rain and the defogger wasn’t doing much to defog. Tom wiped the mist from inside the windscreen.

Jury said, “You don’t think these cases are connected, do you? The one on Bryher and Flora Flood?”

Tom tossed the cloth on the floor of the car. “I don’t know. Probably not. Though I do wonder at the Summerston connection. Do you mind?” he said as he took a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. When Jury shook his head, he lit one.

Tom said, “Did Brian exact a promise from you to go back?”

“Exact a promise? Macalvie doesn’t do that. He just beats the living hell out of you if you don’t.”

Tom gave a snort of laughter. “He could be right.”

“You’re telling me to go back there?”

“I thought Brian Macalvie already did.”

13

At breakfast the next morning, Jury asked Melrose if he wanted to accompany him to Bryher, to which Melrose responded that no, he didn’t, as he needed to stay with Aggrieved.

“Why? Aggrieved has Sydney; he doesn’t need you.”

“You have Macalvie; you don’t need me, either.”

“Macalvie isn’t going to Bryher; I’m doing it on my own.”