Part 13 (1/2)

'Why didn't you tell the coroner?'

'Luce asked me to keep it to myself, although I did tell my husband. He was very embarra.s.sed. Asked me to keep quiet about it.'

My head was buzzing, and I had difficulty concentrating on what they were saying.

Anna said, 'Embarra.s.sed about what?'

'His misdiagnosis. And the fact that Luce came to me, not him.'

'I still don't understand.'

Pru took a deep breath. 'd.i.c.k was in love with her. Horribly, grovellingly, embarra.s.singly so. Things were pretty bad between him and me at that stage-we went to Lord Howe originally to patch things up after I'd had a stupid affair. We thought it would bring us back together again, the two of us on an idyllic island, but it turned out to be a very bad idea. By the time Luce came along we couldn't stand the sight of each other. We hadn't slept together for six months. And, of course, he couldn't look at any of the women on the island, not in a place like that-everybody would have known about it within ten minutes. We were just about at breaking point, ready to throw it in and return to the mainland, then this beautiful, intelligent, sympathetic girl stepped off the plane.'

'Morning sickness?' I hissed. 'Are you sure?' I felt like the man who was mugged in the library and had to whisper for help.

Pru turned and looked carefully at me. I understood her caution now.

'She came to see me late in the afternoon of that Thursday, before the party, when she knew d.i.c.k wouldn't be at the hospital. She asked me to test her, so I did. It was positive. She didn't say much more other than to ask me to tell no one.'

'Didn't she say how late her period was?' Anna said.

'No. And I didn't ask about the father. She didn't want to talk.'

'How soon does morning sickness happen, after conception?' I whispered.

'Usually between two and ten weeks.'

'Did your husband ...' For once Anna seemed to have difficulty finis.h.i.+ng a sentence.

'Have s.e.x with her? I honestly don't know. He was certainly badly shaken up when I told him about the positive test. That was a couple of days after the accident, when it was becoming clear that she hadn't survived.'

'Did you ask him?'

'Yes, but he didn't say anything. He just burst into tears. I debated what to do, but in the end I decided I should respect Luce's wishes.'

We sat in silence for a long moment, then Anna said, 'What really happened to Luce, Pru?'

Pru frowned, as if not sure what to make of that. 'What the coroner said, presumably. Why? Do you know something different?'

'We're not sure. Can you think of any other explanation for Luce's disappearance?'

'No, of course not.'

'Was anybody angry with her?'

'What are you getting at? Are you suggesting somebody pushed her? The two boys with her that day?'

'Is that possible? Or somebody else?'

Pru shook her head in disbelief. 'I'm sorry, I haven't the faintest idea. They seemed like nice boys. Have you spoken to them?'

'They're both dead, Pru. They were killed in a climbing accident in New Zealand about a month ago. They left a message, you see, that was ambiguous.'

Pru looked shocked. 'My G.o.d, so many accidents ... I suppose theirs was an accident?'

'As far as we know.' I gave her one of Mary's cards and wrote my mobile number on the back. 'Please give us a ring if you think of anything else.'

Anna said not a word as we tramped back to the car. We got in and I said, 'Leichhardt?' and she just nodded. I said, 'Did you suspect it all along, or was it just a sudden brainwave?'

She looked at me as if I was a bit slow, and turned away. I had a powerful urge to kick her out and drive somewhere quiet and just scream or weep or jump into the ocean. But there'd be time for that. I buckled up and started the engine.

We were in luck. Dr Pa.s.slow had a Sat.u.r.day morning surgery, for the older ragazzi and their dads by the look of it. I asked the receptionist for a piece of paper and an envelope, and wrote a short note for the doctor. 'Would you mind giving him this as soon as you can, please? It is rather urgent.'

After ten minutes he appeared, ushering an old man to the desk. He looked impatient as he took the note, ripped it open, read, and then turned very pale. He scanned around the room until he saw us, then gave a brief jerk of his head for us to follow him to his room.

'What did she tell you?' The muscles of his mouth bunched around the words as if they were sour.

But I'd had enough of being questioned. 'Why don't you just tell us.'

'I had no reason to suspect pregnancy. She didn't hint at the possibility to me. The symptoms were compatible with gastroenteritis, which was going around at the time.'

'Can you estimate how far gone she was?'

'No, I've no idea.'

Anna took over. 'Why did you tell your wife to hide it?'

'For Luce's sake. She'd specifically asked Pru to say nothing.'

'You were in love with Luce, weren't you?'

He dipped his head. 'That's none of your business.'

'Did you try to have s.e.x with her?'

He winced, then said, 'No.' It didn't sound convincing, but it was an ambiguous question. Had he had s.e.x, or had he tried?

I said, 'I've been in touch with the detective who drew up the report for the coroner. Maybe we should tell him about this.'

Pa.s.slow shook his head hopelessly. 'Please don't do that. It has no bearing on anything.'

'How can you be sure?'

'Well, you're the amateur detectives!' he shot back suddenly, switching to bl.u.s.ter. 'Work it out. If anything suspicious happened to Lucy then those two on the cliff with her must have been involved, right? And I don't believe that for an instant. They ... they were good friends. They'd never have hurt her.'