“Sure about that, are you?” Hannaford peered at him intently.
“I didn’t look in through the windows,” he replied. “But I can’t imagine why she wouldn’t answer the door if she were at home.”
“I can. And how’re we coming along with our investigation into the good doctor? You’ve spent enough time with her so far. I expect you’ve something to report.”
Lynley looked to Havers, feeling a curious rush of gratitude towards his former partner. He also felt the shame of having misjudged her, and he saw how much the last months had altered him. Havers remained largely expressionless, but she lifted one eyebrow. She was, he saw, putting the ball squarely into his court and he could do with it what he would. For now.
“I don’t know why she lied to you about the route she took from Bristol,” he told Hannaford. “I’ve not got much further than that. She’s very careful with what she reveals about herself.”
“Not careful enough,” the DI said. “She lied about knowing Santo Kerne, as things turn out. The kid was her lover. She was sharing him with his girlfriend without his girlfriend knowing. At first, that is. She?the girlfriend?had some suspicions on that front so she followed Santo and he led her straight here. He seems to have been a bloke who liked them any way he could get them. Older, younger, and in between.”
Although he found that his heart had begun beating quickly as the DI was speaking, Lynley said in an even tone, “I’m not quite tracking this.”
“Not tracking what?”
“His girlfriend following him and the conclusion you’ve drawn: that he and Dr. Trahair were lovers.”
“Sir…” It was Havers’ monitory tone.
“Are you mad?” Hannaford said to Lynley. “The girlfriend confronted him, Thomas.”
“Confronted him or confronted them?”
“Him or them? What difference does it make?”
“All the difference in the world if she didn’t actually see anything.”
“Really? And what’d you expect the girl to do? Jump through the window with a camera while they were doing the deed? So she would have evidence to back herself up if she ever had to talk to the coppers? She saw enough to have words with him and he told her what was going on.”
“He said that Dr. Trahair was his lover?”
“What the hell do you think?”
“It just seems to me that if he had a taste for older women, he’d want to go after one more readily available to him. Dr. Trahair, according to what she’s said, comes here only for holidays and occasional weekend breaks.”
“According to what she bloody says. My good man, she’s lied about nearly everything so far, so I think we’re God damn safe to assume that if Santo Kerne came to this cottage?”
“Could I have a word, Inspector Hannaford?” Havers broke in. “With the superintendent, I mean.”
Firmly Lynley said, “Barbara, I’m no longer?”
“With his lordship,” Havers corrected herself acidly. “With his earlishness…With Mister Lynley…with whatever he wishes to be called at this point…if you don’t mind, Guv.”
Hannaford threw up her hands. “Take him.” She began to walk towards the cottage, but she paused and pointed her finger at Lynley. “Detective, if I find you’re obstructing this investigation in any way…”
“You’ll have my job,” Lynley said wryly. “I know.”
He watched her stalk towards the cottage and knock on the door. When no one answered, she went round the side of the building, clearly intending to do what she thought Santo’s girlfriend ought to have done: peer through the windows. He turned to Havers.
“Thank you,” he said.
“I wasn’t rescuing you.”