The Windmill Café. Poppy Blake

collar-length hair was from the way he dragged his fingers through the waves as he struggled to put his brain into gear to answer her question.

      ‘Ask away! What do you want to know?’

      ‘Well, we thought if we could gather as much information as possible, it might help us to understand how such a deadly poison found its way into Suki’s throat spray, who put it there and why. So, can I ask you, whose idea was it to come to Norfolk?’

      William knocked back his coffee and refilled his empty mug with neat brandy before levelling his eyes at Rosie and heaving a long, ragged sigh.

      ‘Suki wanted to have one last big get-together with the people she loves before things got manic. She and Jess spent some of their childhood in Norfolk and Felix knew about this place. Suki thought it sounded perfect and insisted on paying for everyone to come for the week. Bill and Angela left her financially secure and she wanted to share it with her family and friends. She’s an amazing woman!’

      There was now no doubt in Rosie’s mind that Freddie had been right – there was definitely more than a business relationship between William and Suki.

      ‘How long have you and Nadia known Suki? You’re clearly very close?’

      ‘We all met at university. We took the same music degree course in Sheffield. It was my second degree. I’d already fulfilled my parents’ dreams by graduating from Oxford and I thought it was about time to start focussing on my own ambitions. We kept in touch after uni, though. Not only did we have our love of music in common, but I live in Artà, in Majorca, with my parents – they run a tennis academy there – and Suki’s uncle and aunt also live there for half the year. Kenneth Richards is Suki and Jess’s paternal uncle. He pays the rent on their villa when Suki and Nadia are working in the resorts for the summer. So, whenever they come out, we get together. I can usually manage to pull a few favours and get them a couple of gigs in one of the bars for the summer season in Majorca, but this year they got bookings in Ibiza.’

      ‘So how did you and Nadia get together?’ Rosie pressed, starting to feel more confident in her role as examiner-in-chief, keen to know more about the state of their relationship and only a little uncomfortable that it was really none of her business.

      ‘Been together since Christmas. I sort of fell into managing both Nadia’s and Suki’s music careers, even when they were back in the UK. My first degree is in law and business studies. I handle my parents’ tennis academy business, too. My family all adore Suki and Jess – welcomed them both into our lives, especially as their own parents aren’t around. Jess even stays with them sometimes in the holidays. She’s studying for an English Lit degree – says she wants to be a children’s author and illustrator, but my brother, Antonio, thinks she has the potential to make a great tennis player if she’d put a bit more effort in. Or she did until she met Lucas. Pain in the butt, he is. Talks about nothing else except becoming a famous chef and living the “celebrity lifestyle”. I know I shouldn’t say this, but if you want my opinion, he’s only with Jess for her cash.’

      Rosie wondered if it was the desire to find the instigator of Suki’s suffering or the alcohol that was loosening William’s tongue. Should she persuade him to go back to his lodge in case he regretted his honesty the next morning? Would that be the right thing to do? It seemed her initial opinion of William was the right one – he was one of the most straightforward and candid people she had met. However, before she could say anything, Matt had snatched the enquiry baton from her hands.

      ‘You mean the Richards family trust fund?’

      ‘Yes. Jess isn’t due to inherit her share for a few years, but Suki has hers so she spoils Jess. Of course, why shouldn’t she? She’s her little sister and she lost her parents when she was only eleven. Jess is hopeless when it comes to finances; well, anything that requires a cogent thought process, actually. Suki is really worried about what will happen when Jess turns twenty-five and she inherits her share of the trust fund capital.’

      ‘So what’s your theory on what happened?’

      William paused, his eyes resting on Matt.

      ‘Well, didn’t we all see her drag your friend off to her lodge?’

      Matt ignored the implication. ‘And you didn’t see her again until we found her in her lodge in agony?’

      ‘No.’

      ‘Are you sure?’

      William stared at Matt for what seemed like an eternity. Then, to Rosie’s astonishment, he burst into tears.

      ‘Okay, okay. I went to see her in her lodge. I’m so sorry, the charade at the party was a cover. Suki and I, well, we’re in love. She planned on telling Felix as soon as he arrived from Colchester. I was going to break it off with Nadia when we left here so she could go to her parents in Cambridge instead of back with Suki and Jess to Ibiza. The bottle of champagne she snagged on the way to the lodge was for us to celebrate.’

      ‘Well, I don’t think Freddie’s going to be in a hurry to forgive you when he hears that confession,’ muttered Mia. ‘You could have saved him a great deal of anguish if you’d spoken up earlier.’

      ‘I’m sorry about what Suki and I put your friend through, I really am. I will make sure I apologize to him when I see him. I’ve been attracted to Suki since I met her at uni, but there was always some guy lurking around so I never made a move. Suki came over to Artà without Jess at the beginning of May and we spent an idyllic two weeks together playing tennis and taking the bikes to the beach. We didn’t mean it to happen, but we fell in love. Then she was spotted by a contact of mine from Mountside Records and the recording deal followed. I couldn’t dump Nadia right after that and take up with Suki. How would that have looked? I’m not that cruel, even though the offer of a contract came weeks after we got together. We wanted to celebrate in secret because Nadia was crushed.’

      ‘And did you celebrate?’

      ‘Yes, Suki cracked open the Moët and we toasted our future together, made a few plans. I swear she was the happiest I’ve ever seen her when I left the lodge. At last, the world was smiling on her and she deserves it after everything she’s been through. She’s beautiful, a talented performer, a wonderful friend and a fabulous sister to Jess.’ William drew in a steadying breath. ‘Do you really think someone wanted to hurt Suki?’

      ‘I’m not sure. Maybe they just meant to incapacitate her so she couldn’t sing for us on the terrace that night. She did seem to recover quickly after she had emptied her stomach.’

      For the first time since they had bumped into William in the car park, Rosie saw his features relax and his face morphed into the attractive and athletic man that Suki had fallen in love with on the sun-filled tennis courts of Majorca. She watched him drain the contents of his mug and pushed himself to his feet a little unsteadily – after all, he had consumed almost a mugful of Cognac.

      ‘Can I ask you one last question?’ asked Rosie. ‘What time did you leave Suki’s lodge?’

      ‘I watched Freddie leave and I went straight in. We were together for about thirty minutes, then I left so she could get some rest before getting changed for the promised gig and our dinner afterwards.’

      ‘Did anyone see you leave?’

      ‘I shouldn’t think so. We were keeping our relationship secret.’

      ‘Did you see anyone, anyone at all, loitering around?’

      ‘No. I went back to my lodge for a quick shower, and then joined Nadia, Jess and Lucas on the terrace. Felix had just arrived and was letting his mouth go. I think he was drunk. The sooner Suki ditches the moron, the better.’

      William must have had enough of the interrogation spotlight because he purposefully strode towards the French doors, turning back to the threesome sitting on the sofas, their eyes fixed on his agonized expression. ‘Find out who did this, please. For Suki’s sake.’ And he was gone.

      ‘Well, I think we can strike William