Bones Under The Beach Hut

'But why should you?'

'For the same reason you would — to find out if Mark's with her.'

'Yes, but how would you explain why you were doing it?'

'I'd be trying to contact Mark and say I'd been given that number.'

'And who would you claim to be — someone trying to sell him double glazing?'

'If I can't think of anything better, yes.'

'Okay, you try. And make sure you let me know if you find out anything about where he is.'

'Of course I will. Could you give me the number?'

After Philly had done so, she said, 'And of course if you call you might also find out whether anything's happened to Nuala.'

Clearly Philly's anxiety of that morning had not gone away. She was still worried that Mark Dennis might have done away with his inconvenient ex-wife.

Chapter Twenty

'No time like the present,' said Jude, and instantly she was keying in the number that Philly Rose had given her.

It was answered almost immediately, but the voice was male. 'Hello?'

'Good evening. I was trying to contact Nuala Dennis.'

'Oh, were you?' The name didn't seem to prompt happy memories.

'I'm sorry. I was given this number as Nuala Dennis's mobile phone.'

'Well, it used to be hers. Now I reckon it's mine.'

'Oh. Erm, who am I speaking to?'

'My name's Cyrus Maxton. Who are you?'

'Jude.'

'A friend of Nuala's?'

'More an acquaintance, really.'

'And what do you want with her?'

It was one of those moments when the truth might be as effective as any falsehood. 'I'm trying to track down her husband Mark.'

'They've separated.'

'Yes, I know that, but—'

'Listen, I know nothing about Nuala's bloody husband! All I know is that Nuala and I were in a relationship for about three months and then the cow walked out on me, having managed to take quite a lot of my money with her. So you might understand that I don't welcome calls from her friends or acquaintances and I'm damned if I'm going to—'

'Why have you got her mobile phone?'

'She left it here when she stormed out. I was about to upgrade mine, so I thought I'd use hers. Get something out of three wasted months! And so far she still seems to be paying the bill — which suits me fine!'

'Have you had any contact with Nuala since?'

'Texts. I've tried ringing her, but she won't talk.'

'So you do have a current mobile number for her?'

'What if I do?'

'If you could give me that number, I—'

'Why should I? After the way the bitch treated me, I don't feel particularly inclined to help her maintain her social life with her girlfriends.'

'I'm not one of her girlfriends.' That was true, though what Jude said next wasn't. 'She stung me for a lot of money too. That's why I'm trying to contact her.'

Cyrus Maxton's manner changed immediately. Now that he appeared to be talking to someone keen to make Nuala Dennis's life difficult, he was all cooperation. He gave Jude the new mobile number. 'But I should warn you, you may not get through.'

'Oh?'

'I've been texting her regularly trying to get back some of the stuff she nicked from my flat and I haven't been getting any replies.'

'Well, presumably when she recognizes your number she just doesn't text back.'

'Sure. But recently when I've tried I get a different response. Like the phone's switched off. Or run out of juice.'

'You mean she hasn't been recharging it?'

'That's what I've been beginning to think. Okay, not taking my calls, not responding to my texts, I can understand that. But switching the thing off? Nuala's mobile is like an extra appendage of her body. She never switched it off — or at least not for as long as this.'

'You said "recently". When was the last time you texted her phone when it was switched on?'

'Weekend before last. I tried again . . . when? Let's think . . . Today's Monday ... it would have been last Tuesday. Didn't get any response then and the phone's been switched off since.'

Last Tuesday. The day in whose small hours Mark Dennis and a mystery woman were seen by Curt Holderness walking down on to Smalting Beach. The day since Nuala Dennis had perhaps not been able to recharge her mobile phone.

After she'd finished her call to Cyrus Maxton, Jude tried the new number he had given her for Nuala. She was sent straight to voicemail. The phone was switched off... or out of charge.

Chapter Twenty-One

Carole Seddon woke the next morning feeling pressured by time. It was Tuesday and in five days Gaby and Lily would be coming to stay in High Tor. Was it possible that she and Jude could have found a solution to the mystery of the human remains under Quiet Harbour by then? At their current rate of progress the prospects were not promising.

But when she joined Jude later for coffee at Woodside Cottage, they did have a small breakthrough on the case. Without much optimism, Jude once again tried the number Cyrus Maxton had given her. And this time it was answered.

'Hello?' The voice was hard, businesslike and unwelcoming, but there was a little trace of Irish in it.

'Good morning. Is that Nuala Dennis?'

'My name's Nuala Cullan.'

'But is your married name Nuala Dennis?'

'I never use my married name.'

'But your married name is Nuala Dennis?'

'It was once.' Jude felt a little flutter of relief. At least she'd be able to reassure Philly that Mark's wife was still alive, that he hadn't done away with her.

'Who is this calling?' asked Nuala, even less welcoming.

'My name's Jude.'

'Jude who?'

The question was ignored. 'I'm calling about your husband, Mark Dennis.'

'Look, if it's some financial trouble Mark's got himself into, you're calling the wrong person. I have no responsibility for what he's done. We're separated. And you are calling me at work and I do have a very busy day ahead of me, so—'

'I'm interested in Mark's whereabouts.'

'So am I.'

'You mean you don't know where he is?'

'No. Why, do you?' For the first time there was a flicker of interest in the Irishwoman's voice.

'I might do,' Jude lied.

'Tell me what you know.'

'I'd rather we met up and talked about it.'

'Look, who are you? Are you Mark's latest woman? I heard he'd left his little girl at the seaside. Is he shacked up with you now?'

'No. I can assure you he isn't.'

'Then what's your interest in this?'

'I'll tell you when we meet.'

'If we meet.'

'You want to find out where Mark is, don't you?'

There was a silence from the other end. Then a reluctant, 'Yes. The bastard owes me money, apart from anything else.'

'Well, when could we meet?'

'I've got a hell of a schedule today, but I could probably finish early and meet you round seven.'

Seven? Finishing early? Jude realized she was definitely dealing with someone from the City.

'That'd be fine. Where do you work?'

'NMB.'

'Neuchatel Mutual Bank. Where Mark used to work?'

'Yes. Not many people have heard of it.' There was a hint of grudging respect in Nuala's voice.

'Okay. Seven o'clock. At NMB?'

'No, better somewhere else.' Whether this was because Nuala feared eavesdroppers at work, Jude could only guess. 'There's a wine bar called Sec. Just off Milk Street.'

'We'll find it.'

'"We"?'

'Yes, I'll have a friend with me.'

'Look, I'm not sure that I—'

'You do want to find out where Mark is, don't you?' Jude interrupted forcibly.

Nuala conceded that she did.

'Right, we'll be at Sec at seven o'clock this evening.'