Adam and Eve and Pinch Me (43 page)

“I just hope the doctors realize that. Thank the Lord, poor Pete’s going to be okay.”

“What made you ring her doorbell, Sonny? Some sixth sense?”

“Not at all, my deah. I couldn’t claim to have
that.
I was at the window and I saw her come home, which was most unexpected, and I thought I’ll just pop in and tell her Pete’s there in case it gives her a shock.”

“What did she come home for?”

“It breaks your heart, it really does. After the ambulance had been and gone I was dying for a drink of cold water and that stuff that comes out of the tap—well, you don’t know what it’s been through, do you? I looked in her fridge and there were her sandwiches, all nicely wrapped up and waiting for her to fetch them. It brought the tears to my eyes, Laf.” And Sonovia began to cry, sobbing against Laf’s shoulder.

“She’ll be all right,” he said. “It’ll be best for her this way,” though he was by no means sure of this, any more than he had been when they found Minty three hours before.

It was Sonovia who’d said where she might be found.

“Her auntie’s grave is in there.” It couldn’t be, but what was the point of showing the poor thing up as a liar now?

Daniel and his wife and child had come over by then, to be with Sonovia and comfort her. So Laf had gone out with the DI and a detective sergeant and two women officers to search for Minty. The afternoon had grown very warm, sultry and amber-colored, the air heavy and dusted with gold, as it sometimes is in September. They went into the cemetery by the western gate half an hour before it was due to close. The man selling flowers said he’d seen Minty hours ago, she’d come running, out of breath and shivering, but she’d bought more from him than ever before, and she was a regular customer. Chrysanthemums she’d had and Michaelmas daisies, pink and purple asters, and the most expensive things he had, white lilies and pink ones. He’d never have believed she could afford them . . .

It took only about ten minutes to find her. When they did she was fast asleep. She was lying curled up like a child amid bunches and bunches of fast-withering flowers, on the grave of someone called Maisie Julia Chepstow who’d died a hundred years before. No one knew why she’d picked that one. The only man who knew and could have told them was dead, his ashes in an alabaster urn, forgotten at the back of a dark cupboard.

RUTH RENDELL

Adam and Eve
and Pinch Me

Ruth Rendell has been awarded three Edgars for best novel by the Mystery Writers of America, as well as the Grand Master Award. In England, the Crime Writers’ Association has honored her with two Gold Dagger Awards for best novel, a Silver Dagger, and a Diamond Dagger for outstanding contribution to the genre. She lives in London.

ALSO BY RUTH RENDELL

Available in Vintage Crime/Black Lizard

A Demon in My View
The Fallen Curtain
Harm Done
A Judgement in Stone
The Lake of Darkness
Murder Being Once Done
No More Dying Then
One Across, Two Down
Piranha to Scurfy
Shake Hands Forever
A Sleeping Life
Some Lie and Some Die