The Locked Room (Ruth Galloway #14)(50)

The door is the stable type. Ruth opens the top half to see Zoe standing on the other side. She’s wearing jeans and a pink jumper but still manages to look somehow chic, pulled together in a way that Ruth can never achieve.

‘Sorry to disturb you,’ says Zoe. ‘But I’m going mad with boredom on the other side of the wall. Do you two fancy going for a walk? We could take tennis rackets and play on the beach. It’s the perfect game for keeping two metres apart.’

Ruth is afraid that Kate is going to pull that face again but it seems that a walk with their fun new neighbour is far more exciting than one with just her mother. She agrees immediately and goes off to get dressed. Ruth makes Zoe a coffee and passes it over the door.

‘Thank you,’ says Ruth. ‘You’ve saved our lives. Or rather you’ve saved our Sunday.’

‘It’s a funny day, isn’t it?’ says Zoe. ‘Even if you don’t go to church it feels different from other days.’

‘My parents were very religious,’ says Ruth. ‘They spent almost the whole day at church. I hated it when I was a child, but I suppose it gave them something to do. I wonder what my dad’s doing now that churches are closed.’

‘Is your dad on his own? Oh no, I think you said he’d remarried?’

‘Yes. It was a bit of a shock at the time but I’m just glad he’s got someone to keep him company. And Gloria is very nice, which helps. She’s religious too. In fact they met at church. This whole thing has made me a bit more tolerant of religion. Their church really does seem to be looking after its parishioners.’

‘My parents went at Christmas and Easter,’ says Zoe. ‘I quite liked the ritual of it.’

‘You must miss them,’ says Ruth.

Zoe looks away for a minute. ‘I was watching a programme about Romanian orphanages the other day,’ she says, ‘and I realised that I’m an orphan. It’s like something out of a Victorian children’s book.’

‘There are lots of orphans in children’s books,’ says Ruth. ‘Anne of Green Gables. Mary in The Secret Garden. Harry Potter.’

‘Why are you talking about Harry Potter?’ Kate appears, fully dressed, even wearing an anorak.

‘Are you a fan?’ says Zoe. ‘I am. Let’s talk about it on the way. Who’s your favourite character?’

Zoe really is the perfect neighbour, thinks Ruth, as she fetches her own cagoule. Ruth would be hard put to think of her favourite Harry Potter character though she does have a soft spot for Dobby the House Elf.



Judy waits until late morning to ring Tina’s number again. There’s no answer but she leaves a message.

‘Hi. This is Judy Johnson. Hope you’re feeling better. When you’re up to it, please give me a ring. I’d love to hear what you remembered about Avril. Take care. All best.’

She feels twitchy all day, all through a long walk along the beach, Sunday lunch and Michael and Miranda’s afternoon concert with Michael playing the piano and Miranda the recorder, accompanied by Maddie’s unexpectedly beautiful singing voice.

When the children are in bed and Cathbad’s listening to music on his headphones, Judy and Maddie settle down to watch Grey’s Anatomy. They are just into the first soothing medical catastrophe when Judy’s phone rings. Tina Prentice, says the screen. It’s ten thirty p.m. Tina must be back from hospital. Thank goodness.

‘Hallo. Tina?’

There’s a pause and then a voice says, ‘It’s Denise. Tina’s daughter. Mum passed away this morning.’

‘Oh my God,’ says Judy. ‘I’m so sorry.’ She stares at the TV. Maddie has thoughtfully turned the sound off but figures in blue scrubs are moving purposefully round a pristine operating theatre. Judy can’t help thinking that Tina’s last moments must have been very different.

‘I’m so sorry,’ she says again.

‘We weren’t allowed to be with her because of Covid,’ says Denise. ‘I just hate to think of her dying alone.’ She’s crying now.

‘I’m sure . . .’ starts Judy but she stops because she isn’t sure of anything any more.

‘I’m ringing because when she went into hospital she was really struggling to talk. Struggling to breathe really. But she wanted to tell you something. She said, “Tell Judy. It was you.”’

‘It was me?’

‘It didn’t make sense to me but that’s what she said. Liam, my husband, remembers it too.’

‘Thank you for telling me,’ says Judy. ‘I do appreciate it. And, again, I’m so sorry. I only met Tina once, but I could see what a lovely person she was.’

‘She really was,’ says Denise. Her voice is choked and she rings off quickly.

Judy turns to Maddie and Cathbad, who are both looking at her with concern.

‘It’s started,’ she says.





Chapter 26


‘“It was you”,’ says Nelson. ‘What the hell does that mean?’

‘I don’t know,’ says Judy. ‘But that’s how the daughter remembered it. Her husband too. I wish I could have spoken to Tina. It’s so sad. She seemed fit and well when Tanya and I interviewed her.’

Although it’s meant to be Tanya’s day in the office, Judy has come in to discuss this latest development. Leah is back too, looking like a secret service agent in a black polo neck.