‘Barney would.’
‘Really?’
‘Yes, he always had a kind of … I don’t know what you’d call it – a fetish, maybe – for making love in the open air.’
‘Oh?’ said Carole.
‘And the more bizarre the location, the more he liked it. Something about the situation turned him on … particularly if it was a kind of public place, where there was a risk of discovery. That always added something to the experience for him.’
There was a long silence before the inevitable question arose. ‘And how do you know this, Jude?’
No way round it now. ‘Because, a long time ago, I had an affair with Barney.’
‘Did you? But you told me you didn’t.’
‘I didn’t exactly say that.’
‘You definitely implied that you hadn’t had a relationship with him.’
‘Well, yes, I thought it was probably simpler if I—’
‘This does change things very considerably,’ said Carole, in the manner of a hanging judge.
‘Only a little, really,’ said Jude uncomfortably.
‘I mean, if he was just a friend who had chosen to lend you his villa in Turkey, that’s one thing. If he’s a lover, the situation becomes very different.’
‘An ex-lover, Carole. From a very long time ago.’
‘But it puts me in a very difficult position.’
‘Why?’
‘Well, if I’m benefiting from what I took to be Barney Willingdon’s altruistic generosity and it turns out he’s doing it “for services rendered” …’
Jude had a horrible conviction that she knew how the sentence would be completed – and she was right.
‘Well, it’s as if I’m living off immoral earnings.’
Jude’s inability completely to suppress a giggle when the line was finally spoken did not improve the atmosphere between them.
‘If you’d told me about this before, Jude, I would never have agreed to come to Turkey.’
‘I know. That’s why I didn’t tell you.’
‘And you’re sure the affair’s over?’
‘God, yes. Years ago.’
‘And neither of you thought you might rekindle it while you were out here?’
Jude couldn’t lie in response to the direct question. ‘Barney did imply he’d like us to start it up again.’
‘Did he?’
‘But I made it very clear to him that I wasn’t interested.’
‘And is that true?’
‘Of course it’s true. We had a good time, but as I say, it was long ago. Barney always liked sex and he was good at it, but I’ve never believed in going back over a route I’ve travelled before.’
‘Hm.’ Carole took off her glasses, which didn’t need polishing, and polished them. ‘Well, I can’t say I’m happy about the situation.’
‘No. I didn’t expect you to be.’
‘Particularly if Barney turns out to be a double murderer.’
‘We must find out whether he is or not,’ said Jude, hoping that getting back to their investigation might dilute her friend’s disapproval.
‘That’s going to be difficult if we can’t find him. We seem to have run out of avenues of enquiry.’
‘I wouldn’t say that.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘There is one avenue of enquiry we haven’t explored yet.’
‘And what’s that?’ asked Carole, still grumpy.
‘Henry Willingdon. I think tomorrow morning we should go to the Hotel Osman in Fethiye.’
Carole agreed that was worth trying. There was a long silence between them. Then Carole asked, ‘And are you saying that when you were in a relationship with Barney Willingdon, you and he used to … have sexual encounters in public places?’
‘We did a bit,’ a blushing Jude admitted. ‘Not very often. And we were very young.’
‘Hm.’ Another long silence. ‘And where was the most public … or unusual place that you … used?’
‘The top of a Number twenty-seven bus.’
‘Good heavens,’ said Carole Seddon.
TWENTY-THREE
They arrived mid-morning. The Hotel Osman was set a little way from the sea at Fethiye, with a view over the marina. Rows and rows of yachts were moored along the pontoons, and as Carole and Jude moved from the car to the hotel foyer they could hear the clattering of halyards against metal poles.
The Osman was a small hotel, probably family owned. The urbane gentleman behind the reception desk confirmed that Mrs Willingdon and Mr McNally did both have rooms booked in the hotel, but regretted that Mr McNally had left early that morning in the car. Mrs Willingdon, however, was in her room. If they liked to give their names he would ring through to her.
A short telephone conversation ensued, and then Carole and Jude were told that Mrs Willingdon would meet them on the roof terrace. Would they like some tea or coffee sent up? Both opted for coffee and were then directed to the lift and told to go up to the sixth floor.
The roof terrace was well-appointed and high enough above the city to command splendid views to the sea in front and the forest-clad hills behind. It had a small pool with loungers around it and a shaded area with metal table and chairs near an empty bar.
There was no one there when Carole and Jude arrived, so they took seats in the shade and waited. It was not long till Henry Willingdon appeared. She was wearing white cotton trousers and a light-blue top. They remembered her from Chantry House as a rather pale blonde, and she still looked that way, though possibly even paler. Whatever she had been doing since she arrived in Fethiye, it had not involved spending any time in the sun.
The other striking thing about her was that she seemed to be very nervous, almost fearful.
They had only just got through the pleasantries of ‘good mornings’ when they were interrupted by the arrival of a smiling girl with a tray of two coffees. Henry was asked if she wanted any, but demurred, saying only that she had just had some with her breakfast.
She waited till the girl was safely in the lift before saying, ‘This has worked out very well because I wanted to see you two. Fergus was going to drive me out to Kayaköy this afternoon. You do know who I mean by Fergus, don’t you?’
‘I’d met him back in England,’ said Jude, ‘and then we both talked to him yesterday in Ölüdeniz.’
‘Yes, of course, he told me he’d seen you.’
There was a silence. Henry was evidently not finding the conversation easy, so Jude tried to help out. ‘When we saw you at Chantry House the other week, you said you weren’t going to come out to Kayaköy with Barney. What made you change your mind?’
‘Well, I think the important thing is that I’m not out here with Barney. I hope he doesn’t even know I’m here.’
‘He certainly didn’t mention it when we last saw him.’
‘And when was that?’
Carole and Jude both did mental calculations, then Carole admitted they hadn’t actually seen him since the Tuesday night at Antik.
‘And what did he say then?’
‘He was just asking us how we were enjoying our stay,’ Jude replied.
‘And he also told us that Nita had had to go back to England because her mother was ill.’ Carole just floated the information to see what reaction it would get. She wasn’t about to tell Henry that Nita’s mother had died when she was twelve.
‘I see.’ Henry was still struggling. ‘The reason I came out here was to save my marriage.’
‘Oh?’
‘It sounds melodramatic, but it’s true. Look, this is rather awkward to talk about, but since you’re involved …’
‘I’m involved?’ asked Carole.
‘No, you’re not involved … at least, I don’t think you are, but you’re involved, Jude.’
Jude looked puzzled and felt a little worried. She wasn’t sure where this was going.