Cold Justice (Willis/Carter #4)(64)

‘You want to show her who’s boss.’ Stokes shrugged, exasperated. ‘Does she listen to her brother?’

‘Depends what he’s saying. He’s not made himself popular since he’s been back. He hasn’t won many hearts.’

‘But at least he’s a go-getter. At least he tries things. He’s got the balls to stand up for himself. He’s a great asset. Mawgan’s got to realize we all pull our weight for each other in this place. Towan’s done well since he came back. I think he’ll make a place for himself here, if he does things right.’

‘One day he’ll push her too hard. I can see it in her eyes.’

‘Is Towan in the house? I need a word with him.’

‘What for? We’ve got no secrets here.’

‘I just want to tell him how much I appreciate the work he’s doing for us, that’s all. Praise is what he needs. Did you find those contact details for the guests at Kellis House yet?’

‘No, I can’t find them.’

Raymonds eyed him suspiciously. ‘Why do I get the feeling you’re lying to me?’

‘I’m not. I can’t think where I put the book with their details in.’

‘We won’t even be able to buy it unless we put some pressure on those men in that book. For Christ’s sake, Martin, our future is resting on it and you’ve messed it up as usual.’

‘Now just hang on a minute, don’t speak to me like that.’

‘You’re drawing a lot of unwelcome attention to yourself. I heard about your stupid episode in London – what the hell were you thinking, kerb-crawling?’

‘I was just thinking maybe . . .’

‘What, that you’d draw attention to yourself?’

‘There’s no need to talk to me like I’m an idiot.’ Stokes was fuming.

‘Have you asked Towan?’

‘Asked him what?’

‘To try and find the book for us.’

He shook his head. ‘I’m worried about involving Towan in too much.’

‘Why? Because he’s likely to be better at things than you?’

‘No, because he does what he wants in the end. He’s always one to spot an opportunity. He’s been in trouble for it before. It’s every man for himself with him. He’s up to something with that Jago and your Marky, I know it.’

‘Well, don’t tell me we couldn’t do with a bit more ambition in this place. We need to push Toby to accept our offer for the house now.’

‘What, now, while his son is missing?’

‘What better time could there be? They’re never going to want to live with the memories down here, added to the fact that their boy is dead, thrown off some cliff somewhere.’

Stokes scrutinized Raymonds for a few seconds than walked back to his tractor. The birds began their flying frenzy again.

Inside the farmhouse Raymonds found Towan looking at porn on his laptop open on the kitchen table. He glanced Raymonds’ way as he came in but he didn’t stop watching it. Now he viewed the screen with a mocking smile on his lips as he eyed Raymonds out of the corner of his vision, making his way around the kitchen slowly. He was taking it all in, swaggering through; Raymonds leaned slightly backwards as he walked. He came to a standstill beside Towan and snapped the laptop lid down as Towan pulled his fingers out of the way.

‘We need to talk. The shop needs opening every day. The shelves need stocking with veg and meat from this farm and you need to get up off your lazy fucking arse, otherwise I’ll make sure you go back inside for a good long stretch. You’ll be my age by the time you come out.’

‘Ha . . . don’t think so. After talking to those detectives, I realize that you should be quite grateful to me; after all, you’re in deeper than anyone.’

‘I want to make a deal with you, Towan. Your father’s getting on, he doesn’t seem to have the stomach for things any more, and I believe we have the future ahead of us. I’d like you to be my right-hand man here in Penhal. I can see you inheriting all this and more. You just need to prove yourself to me.’

‘How?’

‘There are people who are out to drag you down. They just want to stitch you up. I’ve offered your father a partnership in any new business I set up. That includes buying Kellis House and running it as a highly serviced guest house, but we need to find the clientele. We need the book of contacts that your dad says he can’t find. The regular users of Kellis House may want to put money in the pot towards buying it, a timeshare arrangement. And you and your dad can go on providing any extras that will be wanted when they get down here. This is the future for us. That house is ours by right. Forbes-Wright should have kept to his word and it should have been left to us in a will. I haven’t invested this much in this town to see it go under and take us all with it. If strangers move in then we’ve lost the opportunity of a lifetime. At the moment that opportunity is split three ways, but . . . your father has to give over the book.’





Chapter 30


Willis called Jeanie on her police radio.

‘I’ve left Lauren walking back to the house on her own – she’s phoning Toby.’

‘I don’t know where Toby is right now. But I know he’s being followed, so I’ll find out soon enough. How’s Lauren coping? I’ve asked him, but he’s not ready to come to Cornwall.’