Deception on His Mind (Inspector Lynley, #9)(108)

He was still on the pier. Rachel knew that from the sight of his BMW, parked in its usual spot just beyond the Lobster Hut, a tiny yellow and green striped cabin beyond the abandoned hotel that had never sold lobster and probably never would. She stared at the cabin's handpainted sign—BURGERS, HOT DOGS, POPCORN, DONUTS—and while she watched an elderly couple make a purchase of popcorn, she chewed on her lip and tried to consider all the ramifications of what she was about to do.

She had to talk to him. Theo may have made his mistakes in life—and certainly not leaping immediately to Sahlah's rescue upon the death of Haytham Querashi was one of them—but he was not a bad person at heart. Rachel knew that he would make things right in the end. After all, that's what people did when they were in love.

True, it hadn't been wise of Sahlah to keep the news of her pregnancy from Theo. And it had been even less wise to agree to a marriage to one man while she was carrying another man's baby. Theo could do his maths as well as anyone, and if Sahlah had married Haytham Querashi and produced a child—supposedly by that marriage—in less than eight or nine months … Well, Theo would have known the child wasn't Haytham's, and what would he have done then?

Of course, the real question was what had he done three days ago, on Friday night, out on the Nez. But this was a question that Rachel didn't want to answer and could only pray the police didn't ask.

This is all about love, she told herself stoutly. This isn't about hate and killing. If Theo had done something to hurt Haytham—which she didn't for a moment actually believe—then doubtless Haytham had provoked him to do it. Accusations might have been hurled. Nasty comments might have been made. And then all in a terrible instant, a blow might have been struck in anger, a blow from which this terrible situation that Sahlah was in had grown.

Rachel couldn't bear the thought of Sahlah submitting herself to an abortion. She knew it was the anguish of the moment that was propelling her friend in this direction, anyway. Because Haytham was dead and it appeared to Sahlah that no other immediate solution to her troubles was available, she wanted to take a course of action that Rachel knew quite well she would live to regret.

Girls like Sahlah—sensitive, creative, protected from life, completely gentle and without guile—didn't get over abortions as easily as they thought they would. And they especially didn't get over abortions of babies whose fathers they obviously adored. So Sahlah was mad to think that ending the pregnancy was the only option she had. And Rachel was set upon proving that to her.

What bad could really come from Sahlah's ending up in a marriage with Theo Shaw? It was true that her parents might be peeved for a while when they discovered she'd run off with an Englishman. They might not want to speak to her for a few months, even. But when the baby was born—their own grandchild, the son or daughter of their own beloved child—then all would be forgiven; the family would reunite.

But the only way that any of this could happen was if Rachel warned Theo that the police might try to tie him to Haytham Querashi's murder. The only way that this could happen was if he got rid of that damning bracelet before the police connected it to him.

So her path was clear. She had to warn him. And she had to nudge him, however delicately, towards doing what was right by her friend and doing it before another day passed. Not that Theo Shaw would need nudging, of course. He may have been hesitating over the last few days because of what had happened to Haytham, but he'd be determined to do his duty once he learned that the clock was ticking on an upcoming abortion.

But still Rachel hesitated. What if Theo failed Sahlah? What if he didn't do what was right? Men often ran the other way when responsibilities cluttered their paths, and who was honestly and absolutely to say that Theo Shaw wouldn't do the same? Clearly, Sahlah believed he'd abandon her, or she would have told him about the baby in the first place. Wouldn't she?

Well, Rachel thought stoutly, if Theodore Shaw didn't take up the burden of his obligations to Sahlah, Rachel Winfield would step in. That last flat of the Clifftop Snuggeries still remained to be sold, and Rachel's savings account still contained the money to put down towards a purchase. So if Theo didn't behave the way he ought to behave, if Sahlah's parents disowned her as a result, Rachel herself would provide a home for her friend. And together they would raise Theo's child.

But that probably wouldn't happen, would it? Once he learned about Sahlah's intention to be rid of their child, Theo Shaw would act decisively.

With all the ramifications explored, Rachel turned from the Lobster Hut and set off down the pier. She didn't have far to go, however. Just inside the arcade, she saw Theo Shaw talking to Rosalie the Psychic.

This was definitely a positive sign, Rachel decided. Despite the fact that their conversation didn't actually look like a psychic consultation—since instead of his palm, the tarot cards, or a crystal ball, Rosalie appeared to be doing her reading from a piece of pizza in a plate on her lap—there was still the chance that between bites of pepperoni, Rosalie was giving Theo the benefit of her experience in dealing with the problems of her fellow men.

So Rachel waited until their discussion was at an end. When Theo nodded, rose, touched Rosalie's shoulder, and began to come in her direction, Rachel drew a breath and straightened her shoulders. She adjusted her hair to cover as much of her face as she could do, and she walked to meet him. He was wearing that gold bracelet, she saw with some concern. Well, he wouldn't be wearing it for much longer.