Page 82 of A Curious Ending

‘So you killed her,’ Julian Armstrong cut in with a certain grim satisfaction. He had moved to sit beside Pinky and his arm was snaking its way along the back of her chair.

Abby whispered in Lara’s ear, ‘Ah, I see our Mr Armstrong is now hedging his bets and is going to offer comfort to Pinky. He is wondering, with Richard out the way, whether Pinky will be a fabulously wealthy woman. At the very least, he suspects she may have a house to sell.’

Richard met Julian’s statement in silence, his attention focused on the arm that was edging closer to his wife’s back. He had a look on his face that was close to despair. He really does love her, Lara realised with a sense of shock. So maybe he had bought her paintings as a loyal husband, not just as someone saving face within the town.

It was with a certain relish that Lara turned to Julian Armstrong. ‘Let’s take you, Julian. You had a very strong reason for wanting Lady Porter dead.’

‘Barely knew the woman,’ he said dismissively.

‘But you know her daughter-in-law very well, don’t you?’

Julian flushed with anger. ‘Don’t think you can lay this at my door. And don’t think I don’t know where this is coming from, Lara. Look, you were a fling, get over it. It wasn’t the real thing,’ here he smirked at Pinky with a twist of a leery smile and Lara thought she might be sick.

Lara continued, ‘In fact you had every reason to want her dead. You knew about the planned will from Pinky and that didn’t suit you at all. Pinky Porter with her debts wasn’t a particularly attractive prospect…’ Lara saw that Pinky was studying her with fascinated horror. ‘…but Pinky Porter divorced from Richard, after he had inherited his mother’s wealth. Now, that was a different matter altogether. Far more appropriate for an Exclusive Rural Property Consultant.’

There was a snort from Kate.

‘Pinky showed you the original will, didn’t she? You were surprised to find just how wealthy Lady Porter was, weren’t you?’

Julian Armstrong swore loudly and extensively. ‘Total rubbish!’ he concluded.

But Pinky dropped her head and would not meet Lara’s gaze.

Richard Porter watched his wife with a look that Lara could not read, but in her ear she heard Abby encourage her gently, ‘Keep going…’

The rest of the room just heard Julian’s fierce whisper, ‘Don’t say anything, Pinky, they’ve got nothing.’

‘Were you and Pinky in on it together, using the pills she had ready to hand?’ Lara continued remorselessly.

Pinky still sat with her head down. But Julian stood up and for a moment looked like he was going to launch himself at Lara. He turned to the room. ‘She’s bloody mad. You’ve got nothing on me. I wasn’t even here when the old hag died, I was at an executive conference in Edinburgh. It’s all just make-believe in this stupid woman’s head. And Pinky and me,’ he shrugged, now keen to distance himself from any motive, ‘it was just a bit of fun.’

This did make Pinky look up. She contemplated Julian, open eyed, as if she was seeing him properly for the first time.

‘It’s true you were at a conference with other estate agents…’ Lara stressed the words, ‘…when Lady Porter died. And in a way you’re right. The person who killed Lady Porter had to be on hand to ensure she drank the concoction of drugs they had prepared for her.’ For a moment Lara’s voice became choked, her words suspended by tears.

Abby whispered, ‘You can do this, Lara.’

After a pause, Lara continued, ‘The coroner’s report was very detailed about the comings and goings on the day Lady Porter died. So while we have a lot of people with motives – which did confuse me at times,’ Lara admitted, ‘there was only ever one person who could have killed Lady Porter.’ She gazed around at those watching her. ‘It was the person who went round to see her when she was alone in the house that day. Her son, Richard Porter.’

Chapter 41

‘No!’

The cry was not loud but it cut through the room and every face turned towards the sound.

‘He didn’t kill her. It wasn’t Richard.’

There was a collective intake of breath.

‘I killed her.’

Margaret Linton was sitting bolt upright, the hands that were grasping the arms of the chair were rigid and white.

Abby let out a satisfied sigh in Lara’s ear. ‘And now, Miss McGregor, I think the tale unfolds.’ Abby stepped aside from Lara and looked with pity at the small compact form of Mrs M. ‘I believe that Margaret will help you tell her story.’

‘You couldn’t do it, could you, Mrs M?’ Lara stated.

‘But I did do it,’ she was pleading now.