Jonty Charlton does not want to talk. He takes one look at them and begins to push the door shut. “If you haven’t got a warrant—”
“Yasmin says you’ll leave your wife for her,” Ffion says. “That’s sweet.”
Jonty freezes, his mouth slightly open.
“Who is it, darling?” Blythe drifts into the hall. “Oh, hello, officers!” A band of taut stomach is just visible beneath a cropped T-shirt and baggy cardigan. The crotch of her voluminous purple trousers hangs somewhere around her knees. “How can we help you?”
Ffion smiles. “I was just saying to your husband—”
“No!” Jonty’s cry is less word and more yelp. “They hadn’t yet—I mean…” He clears his throat. “If there’s anything I can help with, I’d be delighted to accompany you to the station.”
“That’s very obliging of you,” Leo says. “But we just wanted to clarify where exactly you were at eleven thirty p.m. on New Year’s Eve. Your statement is a little vague.”
“Where I was?” Jonty swallows and glances at Blythe.
“Yes.” Ffion runs an idle finger along the door frame. “You see, you aren’t in any photos taken then, and you weren’t with Yasmin Lloyd, although I understand you do spend a lot of time with—”
“I was doing coke with Ashleigh Stafford.” Jonty’s words come out in a rush, too loud and too fast. “There were too many people coming and going in the lodge, and Ashleigh didn’t want to share, so we went to her place. Did a few lines, watched some crap on TV, talked shit.”
Blythe’s mouth falls open. “Cocaine? Oh, Jonty! How could you?”
“We’ll need to check that out with Mrs. Stafford, of course,” Leo says.
“Of course, of course, but that’s where I was.” Jonty looks at Blythe, who is close to tears. “Lighten up, Blythe. It’s hardly heroin.”
“One other thing,” Ffion says. “Did you take a boat out on New Year’s Eve?”
“No.” Here, Jonty seems on firmer ground. “I told you,Blythe Spirit’s not in the water over winter. The only boats here were motorboats belonging to some of the guests who came over from the village. I couldn’t have taken one out even if I’d wanted to. I happened to take a look at them during the party—I rather fancy getting one—and they all had ignitions with no keys.”
“Thinking about trading Blythe in for something a bit racier?” Ffion says.
“It’sBlythe Spirit,” Blythe corrects.
“Of course it is. Sorry.”
“Therewasa boat on the lake, though,” Jonty says. “I remember seeing it. It’s quite distinctive: green hull, red sails.” He puts a hand on the door again. “Will that be all?”
“That’s fine,” Leo says. “We’ll chat about your relationship with Yasmin another time,” he adds just as the door closes.
“What relationship?” they hear as they walk down the path, Blythe’s voice uncharacteristically strident. Leo feels a splinter of guilt but reasons Blythe’s better off knowing the truth.
Ffion says nothing for a while. Then: “Well,thatwasn’t corporate speak.”
“Maybe I’m not as predictable you as think. Shall we check out Charlton’s alibi?”
“Yeah, he burned through my whole stash, as it happens.” Ashleigh Stafford seems to be oblivious to the consequences of admitting to criminal activity. “One of those guys who only does itsocially, you know?” She wiggles her fingers in the air around the word. “Which is just another way of sayingI’m gonna sponge off everyone else when I fancy a hit.”
“How many times did you go off together during the party?” Leo says.
“God knows. Like, six? Eight? I mean, the last time, we didn’t even bother going back between bumps, just hung out here for an hour or so.”
“What time was that?” Ffion says.
“Half past eleven? He was definitely here at midnight, ’cause we had a bit of a snog.” She grins. “Don’t mean nothing, does it? Not on New Year’s Eve.”
“Bobby gave us the footage from your door camera,” Leo says.
“So?”