Amanda Cadabra and The Hidden Depths by Holly Bell (best love novels of all time txt) 📕

‘How did the interview with Jonathan Sheppard go?’ Trelawney asked.

‘Oh … no, nothing helpful, not really. He … no nothing, I’m afraid.’

‘Hm. I may pop over to The Grange to see Simon Lawley and Pamela.’

‘Yes, of course. I think they’re both here. Shall I let them know you’re on your way?’

‘If you would, Miss Cadabra.’

***

Simon Lawley was waiting in the small salon whence Moffat escorted the inspector, with assurances that refreshments would be served in 20 minutes.

Lawley stood up at Trelawney’s entrance, and they shook hands.

‘Thank you for seeing me, Mr Lawley,’ the inspector opened civilly.

‘Anything to help. I’ve told your Detective Sergeant Baker all I know, but if there’s anything else …’

‘Let’s see, shall we? There maybe some detail or other that comes to mind that could help. So, Mr Lawley, first of all, please could you describe to me your relationship with Miss Gibbs.’

‘I was her tutor, Inspector.’

‘I see. Were you also friends?’

‘Well, I like to think so. I do try to establish a rapport with my students.’

‘And did you have a rapport with Miss Gibbs, in particular?’

Lawley shook his head and protested,

‘I know what you’re thinking, Inspector. And extra-curricular relationships do unfortunately occur between students and college staff in many institutions, but I do assure you that, Samantha and I …’

Hm, thought Trelawney. A bit of white-washing was going on here. Samantha’s father had money. Was Lawley was an ambitious man? A tutor’s salary at a cash-strapped, down-on-its-luck college like Chalkstable, would likely be insufficient for his needs and wants. He was supplementing it with private tution. Lawley could unquestionably benefit from some of Damian's considerable wealth flowing in his direction via Samantha.

‘You were in no way, shall we say, “close”?’

‘Well, Samantha was a special student, certainly. Troubled and not easy to understand, and it so happened that I did understand her, and felt that I could help her get her life back on track. If I did — and I’m not saying that I did — overstep the mark at times, it was purely with that aim in view. I believe anyone with any insight into the situation would have said the same thing.’

The man was up against the ropes now. Trelawney imagined it must have been a delicate balancing act of no mean order. On the one hand, Lawley would have had to pander sufficiently to Samantha’s vanity to be suitably … attentive. And yet, at the same time, keep it sufficiently PG-13 to satisfy her father. Had Lawley slipped off the knife-edge? Had Samantha, having kissed, been about to tell?

Yet, to what end? What could Lawley have that she could want? Apart from tutoring and a distraction from boredom.

The inspector spoke mildly,

‘I am not accusing you of impropriety, Mr Lawley. I am simply attempting to establish the depth of your relationship with Miss Gibbs, in the hope that there may be insights you can offer.’

Lawley’s ruffled feathers smoothed somewhat.

‘Yes. Yes, of course … Well … what can I say?’

‘You mentioned that Miss Gibbs was “troubled”.’

‘Ah. Indeed. Due to some past misjudgements on Samantha’s part, her parents had taken what she regarded as Draconian measures regarding her finances. They felt that had been granting her the excessive freedom that they considered was facilitating her …’

‘Her …?’

‘Engagement with persons a college student would not normally encounter,’ Simon finished vaguely.

‘Would not normally encounter because …?’

‘Because of being too limited financially to frequent the kinds of places people of … status would be found. Unless with one of her parents, of course.’

‘Yes, I see. And how were these Draconian measures affecting Miss Gibbs emotionally, would you say, Mr Lawley?’

‘Well … she was frustrated, offended at being treated like a child, as she would say — would have said — bored, wanting to get back at her parents in some way perhaps. If I were speaking of a much younger teenager, I would be tempted to use the word “petulant”. But you must understand, Inspector,’ Simon hurried on, ‘that Samantha did have another side to her. She could be sweet and understanding, she could listen to a person in a way … that was accepting; nothing could shock her. But she had been very much indulged, and that isn’t always the best thing for … young people.’

‘Indeed. And would you say that her emotional state could have led her into undesirable company or actions?’

‘As to company, I doubt it, not here, not that I know anyone in the village, but … well, I ask you … in Sunken Madley? Undesirable company?’

‘Have you any idea what Samantha Gibbs was doing in the basement of the library?’

‘None whatsoever. It's been all I could do to get her into the college library, let alone the stacks in a place like this.’

‘Could she have been meeting someone?’

‘I suppose it’s possible. But whom? Who would she have known in Sunken Madley that she couldn’t have met here or … or in the local pub or tea shop?’

‘I must ask this, simply as a formality, Mr Lawley. Was it you Samantha Gibbs was meeting or planning to meet in the basement of Sunken Madley Library on the day of her demise?’

Simon Lawley raised his chin slightly and looked squarely at Trelawney.

‘No, Inspector, it was not.’

After a pause, the man spoke again, more gently.

‘You know, Inspector, the dean has kindly allowed Pamela and me leave to stay on here at The Grange to be available for the police to interview. But we are going to have to return to the college at some point.’

‘Yes, I am aware of that.’

‘Also, off the record, the dean needs this to be cleared up as soon as possible. The connection to the college …’

‘I understand, Mr Lawley.’

***

The interview at an end, Simon excused himself, and Trelawney walked along the hall to the small dining-room. It was currently unoccupied. Miss Cadabra, he concluded, must be in ballroom and that familiar of hers with her, thank goodness. He went to the window