Strange Affair Read Free Page B

“I understand you found the car?”
    The woman turned her face away from the protection of the man’s shoulder and looked at Annie. She had been crying, that was clear enough, but now she just seemed shocked and hurt.
    “Can you tell me what happened?” Annie asked the man.
    “We already told the policeman in the uniform. He was the first to get here.”
    “I know,” said Annie, “and I’m sorry to make you go through it again, but it’ll help if you tell me.”
    “There’s nothing to tell, really, is there, love?” He said to the woman, who shook her head.
    “First off, why don’t you tell me your names?”
    “This is Sam, Samantha,” he said, “and I’m Adrian, Adrian Sinclair.”
    “Okay, Adrian. Where do you live?”
    “Sunderland.” Annie thought she’d noticed a hint of Geordie bur in his voice, though it was faint. “We’re on holiday.” Adrian paused and stroked Samantha’s hair. “On our honeymoon, in fact.”
    Well, they’d certainly remember it for as long as they lived, Annie thought, and not for the right reasons. “Where are you staying?”
    Adrian pointed up the hillside. “We’re renting a cottage. Greystone. Just up there.”
    Annie knew it. She made a note. “And what were you doing down here by the road?”
    “Just walking,” Adrian said. “It was such a beautiful morning, and the birds woke us so early.”
    They were dressed for walking, Annie noticed. Not professional ramblers with the plastic-covered Ordnance Survey maps around their necks, ashplants, boots and expensive Gore-Tex gear, but simple, sturdy shoes, light clothing and a rucksack.
    “What time did you arrive here?”
    “It must have been a bit before seven,” Adrian said.
    “What did you find?”
    “The car stopped in the lay-by, just like it is now.”
    “Did you touch it?”
    “No, I don’t think so.”
    Annie looked at Samantha. “Neither of you?”
    “No,” Samantha said. “But you might have touched the roof, Adrian, when you bent to look inside.”
    “It’s possible,” Adrian said. “I don’t remember. At first I thought maybe she was looking at a road map, or asleep, even. I went over to see if she needed any help. Then I saw her, with her eyes open like that and…We might never have gone over unless…”
    “Unless what?”
    “Well, it was me, really,” Sam said. “I mean, like he said, Adrian just thought it was someone pulled over to rest or look at a road map.”
    “But you didn’t. Why not?”
    “I don’t know, really,” Sam said. “It’s just that it was so early in the morning, and she was a woman, alone. I thought we should make sure she was all right, that’s all. She might have been attacked or upset or something. Maybe it was none of our business, but you can’t just leave, can you, walk on by?” A little colour came to her cheeks as she spoke. “Anyway, when we got closer we could see she wasn’t moving, just staring down like that, and it looked as if she’d hit the wall. I said we should go over and see what was wrong with her.”
    “Did you know she was dead when you looked through the window?”
    “Well,” said Adrian, “I’ve never seen a dead person before, but you can sort of tell, can’t you?”
    Yes, Annie thought, having seen far too many, you can tell. Nobody home .
    Samantha gave a little shudder and seemed to melt deeper into Adrian’s embrace. “And the flies,” she said.
    “What flies?” Annie asked.
    “On her face and her arms. Flies. She wasn’t moving. She wasn’t even trying to swat them away. I thought how much they must be tickling her.”
    Annie swallowed. “Were the windows open?”
    “Yes,” said Samantha. “Just like they are now. We really didn’t disturb anything. I mean, we’ve seen Morse and Frost on television.”
    “I’m sure you have. I just have to make certain. I don’t suppose you saw anyone, heard any other cars or anything?”
    “No.”
    “What did you do when you found her?”
    “Rang the