Darkness Falls (Kate Marshall, #3)(82)

Kate and Tristan jumped when there was the crack of a bolt being shot home, and then the door opened slowly.

Bill was standing in front of them, carrying a washing basket filled with laundry.

There was a moment where they all froze. The 1998 photo taken at the party in the commune had shown Jorge sitting on a sofa with Max and Bill on either side of him. They’d spoken to Jorge again, and he’d confirmed, again, that the person sitting with him and Max was Nick Lacey. It had been a shock to discover that Bill and Nick Lacey were the same person. It was a bigger shock to see it confirmed by Bill opening the door of the house he shared with Max Jesper.

Bill looked between them and opened and closed his mouth. He then seemed to compose himself and smiled. It was an off-kilter smile. His eyes were slightly crazed and bright.

“Hello,” he said.

“Hello, Bill,” said Kate. “Or should we call you Nick?”

Behind Bill was a long, airy hallway with a wide table under a mirror. On the table, Kate could see a selection of personal photos in gold and silver frames. Bill saw where Kate was looking and moved into the gap made by the door.

She took the photo out of her pocket.

“Do you remember this party, Bill? Back in 1998 at the commune on Walpole Street?”

In the photo of Max and Bill sitting on the sofa with Jorge Tomassini, Bill was raising his hand to cover his face, but he hadn’t been quick enough. It was very clear who was in the photo.

“Jorge Tomassini sent us this photo late yesterday afternoon. He also identified you as Nick Lacey. Max Jesper’s boyfriend,” said Tristan.

Bill stood very still, blocking the doorway. Tristan put out his hand and shoved the door open again. Kate pushed past him and into the hall.

“Hang on!” said Bill. He tried to grab Kate’s arm, but she twisted out of his grip. Tristan remained on his other side, blocking the door.

Kate went to the hall table and picked up one of the photos in a silver frame. It was a picture of Bill and Max Jesper sitting in a rubber dinghy against a backdrop that looked like the Grand Canyon. Bill had his arm around Max’s shoulder. She put the photo down and picked up the second, which was in a gold frame. The picture was taken of Bill and Max in a garden. They both wore suits and bow ties; Max had his arm around Bill, and they were smiling.

“You didn’t answer me. What should we call you? Bill or Nick?” said Kate. “Which came first, Bill or Nick?”

All the color had drained from Bill’s face, and he took a step back and leaned on the wall. His shoulders sagged, and he dropped the washing basket. Tristan stepped into the hallway and closed the front door behind him. He moved past Bill to the table of photographs.

It was a surreal moment. None of them spoke.

“You don’t understand,” said Bill quietly. He swallowed and seemed to compose himself.

“How long have you been Bill and Nick?” asked Tristan.

“Too long,” he said. “Bill is my birth name. Nick came later.”

He eyed the landline phone sitting on the hall table, and then he ran for it, pushing past Kate and Tristan and running deeper into the house, vanishing around the corner.

“Don’t let him go,” said Kate. They moved down the hallway, which opened out into a large kitchen and living room area with floor-to-ceiling windows looking over the garden with a pool and terrace and the beach beyond. There were back doors leading out, but they were closed.

“Upstairs,” said Tristan, pointing to a staircase. Kate and Tristan climbed the steps two at a time. On the second floor was a long corridor with a skylight, and rooms leading off it. They could hear sounds coming from the second room along the landing. Kate put her hand in her bag and found the can of Mace. Tristan went first.

The second door was open. It was an office, similar in style to the office in Bill’s house in Salcombe. But there was a glass-fronted cabinet with a row of gleaming black-and-silver break-action shotguns. One of the glass doors was open, and Bill was holding one of the guns. The desk beside him was empty, and on the polished surface sat two shotgun shells.

Kate tried to ignore the feeling of panic as her heart started to race. She was not going to lose it. Tristan reached out and grabbed her arm, stopping her in the doorway.

Bill looked up at them, and he had a strange, vacant look in his eyes. He opened the shotgun. Tristan lunged into the room and swept the shells off the desk. They landed with a clink on the tiled floor and rolled out of sight. Tristan was now standing on the other side of the desk. Bill kept hold of the gun.

“Put the gun down,” said Kate, following Tristan into the office.

“You flatter yourself,” said Bill to Kate.

“Bill. Give me the gun,” said Tristan, holding out his hand.

“And you can fuck off. You’re not going to bully me. I HAVE THE GUN!” Bill screamed the last part, and Kate flinched. Bill and Tristan were nearly a match in height and were both well built. Tristan stayed close, with the desk between them. Bill remained standing with the shotgun open in his hand.

Kate put her hand in her bag and felt the can of Mace again. We have to keep him talking.

“What about Bev? Does she know that you lead a double life? And that your other life is with a man?”

Bill laughed and shook his head.

“Does Max know?”

“You leave Max out of this! He doesn’t know anything. NOTHING!”