‘Anything we can help you with, bro?’ asked Gary, pouring himself a coffee from the percolator.
Did you just call me bro? Carlos’s eyebrows hit the ceiling. Although a geeky scientist, his brother-in-law showed a keen interest in Carlos’s work. Gary wouldn’t have the stamina or the stomach to deal with the things he got involved with, though.
‘I’ll let you know if I need anything, but I’m hoping it will be over in a few days so we can enjoy Christmas.’
Gary kissed Sophie on the head. ‘I’ll take a quick shower, then I can help you.’
‘No need, it’s all under control.’
3
Sophie cooked spaghetti alle vongole, knowing it was one of Carlos’s favourite dishes. They shared a bottle of Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio, a famous white wine from the Valdadige region of northern Italy. Carlos had produced a case from his car shortly after Gary arrived home – it was his brother-in-law’s preferred Italian wine. They talked easily during and after dinner, and Carlos relaxed from his hectic day.
‘I’d better take Lady out for a walk before it gets any later; the poor girl’s been cooped up all day. I took her to the office today so we could head straight up here after work.’ Carlos checked his watch: ten-thirty. ‘Where do you recommend?’
‘There’s a green close by. I’ll come with you,’ said Gary. ‘We can take torches.’
‘What about the woods?’ asked Sophie.
‘That sounds good. Lady loves woodland – is it near?’
‘Yep, just across from the green. Would you rather go there? There’s a circular path we can take, runs for about three miles. We might even hear some owls now the rain’s stopped lashing.’
The rain had turned out to be a heavy downpour with strong winds that battered the building for the first few hours after Carlos arrived. Now it was eerily quiet, the calm after the Derbyshire storm.
Carlos nodded. He and Lady often went for late-night walks in London, as his job frequently meant burning the midnight oil and he preferred the solitude the dark offered. He picked up the dog’s lead, which caused her to leap up and race round in circles, tail wagging like a helicopter rotor blade.
‘I sometimes think she’s going to take off,’ he laughed while waiting for her to settle. Eventually she sat and allowed him to apply the lead. Carlos exited first with Lady and subconsciously turned to look to where he’d seen the old lady earlier. He was disturbed to see the gaunt shadow still at the window, staring out into the darkness from an unlit room.
‘What’s with your neighbour? She’s been staring out of her window since I got here, I think.’
‘That’s Mrs Sissons. Her husband went missing a week ago. She’s more or less sat by the window ever since. The police think he’s done a runner, she tells us. It’s odd, because they seemed such a devoted couple; a little eccentric, but decent and welcoming when we first moved in. Soph pops in most days to make sure the old dear’s had something to eat, but other than that—’
Before Gary launched into one of his long-winded explanations, Carlos cut in. ‘Why do the police think her husband’s left her?’
‘I’m not sure, Soph knows the details better than I do. In fact, she’s going to ask you to investigate his disappearance. Mrs Sissons has convinced her there’s something sinister going on, but don’t tell Sophie I told you or I’ll be in the doghouse. Sorry, Lady – no offence.’
Carlos’s interest was piqued; Sophie wasn’t easily taken in, so if she thought there was more to the story than a wayward husband, there probably was.
They crossed the field in the dark as drizzle started to fall again, making him wet.
‘Do you still want to go into the woods?’ asked Gary, not appearing quite so keen now.
‘I’m game if you are.’
‘Why not?’ Gary shrugged. ‘It’s just across the road there.’
They crossed a dimly lit road and entered a clearing through a kissing gate. Carlos shone his torch and noticed the path went in both directions.
‘Which way?’
‘Either. It’s a circular, so you choose.’
‘Looks like Lady’s chosen for us.’ Lady had her nose to the ground, taking the path to the left. Going clockwise, she raced ahead, clearly delighted by the new smells. She dashed in and out of the woods, always coming back to check that Carlos was where she thought he should be.
Gary laughed. ‘She’s enjoying this.’
‘I expect she can smell other dog scents and squirrels; she has a great nose. She’s an ex-police dog, belonged to a friend of mine. He emigrated to Australia.’
‘Why isn’t she still a police dog?’
‘Seems she has some quirks that make her difficult to work with. Barry told me she wouldn’t work with the guy who was supposed to take her on. Refused to do his bidding, so they decided she was too unpredictable for a police dog. Can’t say I’m complaining, though. She’s been a great help with my investigations. I’ve taught her some new skills; she’s a fast learner. She obviously likes your woods.’
‘This is a dog walker’s paradise, so I’m not surprised.’
The two men walked along the path with Carlos training his torch to light the way ahead. The path was wet and muddy from the earlier rain and the drizzle fell a little more heavily, although the larger tree branches and evergreens provided some shelter.
‘I bet this is beautiful in the summer,’ Carlos remarked.
‘It is. Once the leaves are on the trees, they form a canopy. They’ve taken a lot of the trees out to let some light in. It’s called Shady Woods because it used to be exceptionally dark. Now, it’s just dark. The woods are a wildlife haven with many varieties of birds nesting in the spring. We’re looking forward to that. The locals tell me they often get a pair of green woodpeckers. There are bats, badger setts and fox dens.’
‘Sophie spends a lot of time here, then.’ It was a statement rather than a question. Carlos was aware his sister loved bird watching and he imagined her out with binoculars and camera.
‘She’s started to. At first, we were too busy doing up the house and arranging furniture how she likes it. You know what your sister’s like; has a real eye for interior design. Wait until you see what she’s done upstairs, I think you’ll be impressed. Her new job’s time-consuming as well, but she loves it.’
Carlos smiled at the pride in Gary’s voice, feeling as much pride himself. He was pleased that the man next to him loved his sister. It made him easier to get along with despite his nerdy ways.
As children, Carlos and Sophie were sometimes teased for their Italian accents. Sophie had been a sensitive little girl who never saw bad in anyone. She took it badly. Carlos dealt with boys who teased his sister, but he couldn’t do anything about the girls, as he had been taught to treat girls with courtesy and respect. The teasing only lasted a few months. Sophie toned her accent down, told people to call her Sophie rather than Sofia and adapted so much, she sounded English until she got excited. Carlos hung on to a slight Italian accent more by stubbornness than necessity. He was proud of his heritage, but could sound as English as anyone when necessary.