End in Tears by Ruth Rendell Read Free Book Online Page B

appropriate.
    â€œYou will have heard of Amber Marshalson’s death.”
    â€œI suppose that’s why you’re here.”
    â€œYour son is the father of Amber’s child, I believe.”
    â€œI believe so too,” she said. “From what I hear and read, about a third of all men who think they are their child’s father are wrong. It may be so in this case, but my husband and I prefer to think Daniel is Brand’s father.”
    â€œQuite so,” said Wexford, sighing inwardly. “Where is your son now?”
    â€œHe’s an undergraduate at the University of Edinburgh.” She paused as if expecting one of the policemen to ask her what an undergraduate was. “At the moment, however,” she went on, “he’s in Finland with friends. By some lake or other.”
    â€œDoes he know of Amber’s death?” Burden asked.
    â€œMy husband left a message on his mobile. He hasn’t yet responded. He and Amber were no longer…er, together. They hadn’t been since six months before the child was born.”
    â€œWe’d like the number of his mobile, please, Mrs. Hilland.”
    She looked as if about to protest but shrugged instead and wrote it down on a piece of paper she tore from a block on the desk. The girl Cosima came in, drinking Coke out of a can. She passed them without a glance, opened one of the French doors and, leaving it open, wandered into the garden where she lay facedown on the lawn. Mrs. Hilland’s eyebrows went up again.
    Footsteps sounded in the hall and a man put his head around the door. “Just to let you know I’m going into town for that beading,” he said. “I won’t be long.”
    He was handsome, blue-eyed, and smiling. Her face softened. She almost simpered. “All right, Ross. That’s fine.”
    â€œWhen did you last see Amber?” Wexford asked when the man had gone and Vivien Hilland’s flush had faded.
    â€œOh, two or three weeks ago. She used to bring Brand quite often. After all, he’s my grandson.”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œThe last time, if that’s what you want to know, would have been—let me see—July the twentieth. I know the date because it was when the builders started. It was Diana Marshalson who recommended Ross Samphire. He’d done some work through their studio. I remember I was talking to him when she and Brand arrived.” There was nothing granny-like about Vivien Hilland, but now she was talking about Brand a degree of animation had crept into her voice. She had even moved on to answering when no question had been asked. “He’s very like Daniel to look at and that’s as it should be.” She didn’t explain this rather cryptic remark. “My husband and I would have preferred it if he and Amber could settle their differences and he live with her during his university holidays. That’s why we were letting her have the flat. You do know about the flat?”
    â€œNo, we don’t.”
    â€œI thought Diana Marshalson would have told you. Of course you’re aware that my husband, Stuart Hilland, that is, used to represent the parliamentary constituency of South Crenge in the House of Commons for the Conservative Party.” That had to be the most circumlocutory way possible of saying the man was a Tory MP, Wexford thought. “When he went into the Commons we bought a flat in Crenthorne Heath, but unfortunately he lost his seat when this terrible Labour government came in in nineteen ninety-seven. We’ve had tenants in the flat since then, but the present lease comes to an end in November and we offered it to Amber.”
    â€œShe and Brand were going to move to London?”
    â€œWell, very suburban London. She didn’t object. She was thrilled at the prospect of having a place of her own. Kingsmarkham Council wouldn’t do anything for her. Well, what can you expect?”
    â€œThis