But Theo was alive, if not well, curled up on a sofa in the living room. The curtains were still drawn, so Keya pulled them open, allowing weak sunlight to illuminate the room.
Theo was pale and wearing the same clothes as the previous day. Keya thought he’d probably slept on the sofa.
“Theo, I know you’re hurting, but you won’t be able to help Daisy, or help us find out what happened to her, in this state.”
Theo finally focused his eyes on Keya.
“Officer?”
“Sergeant Varma. But you can call me Keya.”
“Keya,” Theo repeated in a dream-like voice.
“Now what I want you to do is go upstairs and shower, and put on a clean set of clothes while I make you something to eat.”
Theo stared at her uncertainly.
“Upstairs,” she instructed more firmly.
Theo uncurled his legs and placed his bare feet on the Indian rug covering the floor. Hesitantly, he stood up muttering, “Shower,” before he wandered out of the room and up the stairs.
Keya checked her watch. It was a quarter past twelve. Nearly lunchtime.
She found eggs in an attractive pottery chicken on the sideboard, and ham, mushrooms, tomatoes, and cheese in the fridge. She’d make omelettes and use some of the mixed lettuce leaves and radishes also in the fridge to create a side salad. There were also attractive and fragrant pots of herbs on the windowsill above the double stainless-steel sink.
She was happily frying a second omelette when Theo appeared in the kitchen. He hadn’t shaved, but his hair was damp, and he was wearing a clean pair of jeans and a green T-shirt with a daisy on the front. On his bare feet were a pair of suede slippers.
“Grab yourself a knife and fork and sit down.” Keya placed his plate down on the table. The omelette was a deep yellow colour from what she presumed were free range eggs. “Help yourself to salad and I’ve found a range of condiments.”
Next to the salad, Keya had arranged containers of tomato ketchup, mayonnaise, a tall bottle with an orange label with ‘hot sauce’ printed on it, and a jar of homemade tomato chutney.
Keya finished cooking her omelette and slid it onto a plate. She sat down opposite Theo.
He picked up the hot sauce, studied it, and then placed it back on the table. “Daisy brought that out when she cooked Mexican dishes, although she only occasionally had any. But she pretended she liked it, as her mum made it. It’s good, but too spicy for today.” He reached for the tomato chutney.
“I might try some.” Keya poured a little of the hot sauce onto her plate. It was spicy, and it certainly gave her vegetable omelette a kick.
She and Theo sat in silence, as she wanted him to concentrate on his food and make sure he ate it before she started asking any questions.
They finished their omelettes, and Keya handed Theo an individual pot of chocolate mousse she’d also found in the fridge.
As she peeled the foil cover off her own pot, she said, “I spoke to Ashley Ricketts this morning. He’s not a fan of yours.”
“I know. But then he and Daisy have been friends for years and I know he thought they’d have the fairy tale white wedding and live happily ever after. He sees me as the evil ogre, so to speak, who spoiled his fantasy. But that’s all it was. A girl like Daisy was never going to settle for someone like Ash.”
“But he was the one with plans for moving to London.”
“Was he? I didn’t know about that. It would have solved all our problems.”
Keya let the comment pass and considered, “I think it was before you came along. But Daisy refused to leave her father and sister.”
Theo dipped a teaspoon into his chocolate mousse. “Now that I can understand. Dennis had Daisy caught in a trap. I’m not sure she’d ever have got out if I hadn’t arrived in the village. I didn’t mean to cause the row which led to Dennis throwing Daisy out, but I’m not sorry I did. That’s when she was finally free of him.”
But did Daisy feel beholden to her knight in shining armour, Keya wondered.
“Didn’t Daisy resent you, even a little bit, for that?”
“She was certainly upset at first. There were lots of tears. But when they subsided, it was Zoe she was most concerned about. She asked me if her sister could live with us. I didn’t have a problem with it. We have plenty of room. But by then, Dennis had his claws into Zoe, just as he had done with Daisy. But Daisy hadn’t given up hope and was still trying to persuade Zoe to move in here.”
“And what about Daisy’s mum?” Keya enquired.
“Doreen? What about her?”
“What was her relationship like with Daisy? Had they had an argument?”
“Not that I’m aware of, but I guess you could say their relationship was a tricky one. I’m not sure Daisy completely forgave her mum for running out on her and Zoe. They were civil, and deep down, I know they both cared for each other. But Daisy moving in here and setting up the bakery, and blossoming into an attractive young woman with prospects… I’d say Doreen was bitter about it. But that isn’t unusual with mother-daughter relationships, is it?”
Keya thought of her own family. Her mother certainly wasn’t jealous of her job, and she’d helped Keya when she started the cafe, but what her mother wanted most was for Keya to marry and produce grandchildren. It sounded very different from the relationship between Daisy and her mother.
“And how do you get on with Doreen? You’re her boss, aren’t you?”
“Yes, but she started working at the mill before I arrived. I think my uncle felt sorry for her, but she’s a hard worker and I have no issue with her. In fact, one of our supervisors is retiring in the autumn, and I’m considering Doreen for the position. She’s capable of taking on the role if her self-confidence will allow her to step up and do it.”
Keya hadn’t thought of Doreen as someone who lacked self-confidence, but she could certainly see her as a hard worker.
“And what about everyone else in the village? Dora appeared upset about Daisy’s plans for Mill House.”
“Is she? She’s always been supportive of them in front of me. But I know she wasn’t happy when she and her father moved out. Uncle Anthony said they could stay, and I’d have been happy with a cottage in the village, but Uncle Thomas, Dora’s father, was insistent. He said it was time to move on and make way for the new manager. Me.”
