And Then There Were Two: Lilly Beveridge Investigates, #1

By Katrina Deverill

And Then There Were Two
Three friends, one journey. It should have been a quiet weekend. Until one of the girls vanishes. The problem is, it's Lilly and she's the queen of mystery solving. But there's more to her disappearance than they first think. She isn't the first girl to disappear and the last one was never found. Worse than that, it seems that was 10 years ago. Can her friends find her, or will their mini-break end in disaster? And if they fail, who will discover the other mystery that's unfolding?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Katrina Deverill
• Release date: Mar 22, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215623633

Katrina Deverill

I live on the beautiful island of Cyprus where the sea is cobalt blue, and it rarely rains.  Because I believe some of the best books are the ones that have yet to be discovered, I read on average four novels a month, sometimes more, but I schedule my writing time into each day. It’s a full-time job. There’s something special about curling up with a book and being transported to another dimension. Although I write in several genres, they all have one thing in common: mystery. I’m a sucker for whodunits and whether there’s a ghost, some historical data, a smattering of magical realism or a full-blown serial killer, the characters guide me through all the way to the end. If you enjoyed this title, all my books are on my website in my portfolio, where you’ll find both my current titles and those soon to be released. You can also sign up for early-bird offers, news and giveaways, but if you're more interested in leaving a comment or asking about a particular character, I’d be happy to respond. I look forward to hearing from you when you visit my home from home https://katrinadeverill.com Katrina Deverill

Book preview

1

When Jessica and Anne hadn’t heard from Lilly for over a week, instinct told them there was something wrong. And when she didn’t answer her phone, ignored their texts, and disappeared from Facebook, they knew it was serious. Armed with their signature remedy of compassion, and several bottles of wine, they went round to her place, to trade in sympathy. It was a given that the problem was Tom, because nothing else could turn Lilly into a self-imposed hermit. They were on a mission. It wasn’t as if they hadn’t seen it all before.

Lilly opened the door. She was a mess. She hadn’t dressed for a week. PJs stained and wrinkled an old pair of slippers, her usually pristine, glossy hair hung in a tumble of rats’ tails. It hadn’t seen a brush in a long time either. Her skin was blotchy, her eyes red rimmed. She held a tight smile at the sight of her two friends.

With a weak apology for her silence, Lilly ushered Jessica and Anne in. Her scruffy slippers flopped as she walked, a faint tinge of ‘feet’, hot and unwashed mingled in the stale air, Jess thought of her trainers after a long run, she held her breath looking at Anne, her eyebrows lifting, her nose wrinkled in disapproval.

The room was like Lilly’s mood, dark. The curtains pulled roughly closed, an aroma of stale air. Anne crossed the room and opened a window without asking, taking a deep breath as the warm fresh air entered at her bidding. Coffee cups abound, chocolate wrappers strewn, abandoned where they’d fallen. It was so unlike Lilly, the fastidious house-proud woman, bordering on OCD. It had to be serious for her to appear this messed up. Anne started the clear up. This wasn’t the Lilly they knew with her prissy ideals; this was someone else. The girl was a complete mess.

They cleared the debris and prised the facts from her. Jessica went to the kitchen. She found the corkscrew and three glasses. Jess also found broken glass and a dried sticky mess on the worktop next to the toaster. It looked like it had been languishing there for some time, and she made a note to clean it up later. Anne completed her impression of a domestic goddess cleared the mess in the living room away before they settled down to hear the grim story that plagued Lilly’s happiness.

With the stale air diffused, the curtains fluttered in approval, while Lilly languished on the sofa. Now the only pervasive smell was the sickly sweet aroma of sweat coming from the sofa; from Lilly. ‘God, Lilly, you’re a mess. When did you last shower?’ Lilly looked embarrassed. ‘Mm... not sure. Okay, hint taken.’

Rising without enthusiasm, sulking, she stomped out of the room, to the sound of slapping as her slippers threatened to disintegrate. Jessica and Anne settled down in the overly stuffed chairs. Jessica rose again rather abruptly and made her way to the kitchen, opened the cupboard under the sink, and returned with a spray bottle in hand. ‘Let’s see if Febreze stands up to its claims, eh?’ The perfumed smell filled the air. Anne spluttered. ‘Easy goes it Jess!’ They were chuckling at the absurdity of the situation. This was Lilly. Although, if they didn’t know better, it could have been any bag lady, not someone lucky enough to own a shower with a plethora of smellies at her disposal.

They both heard the shower running. What they couldn’t hear was the usual singing. Lilly finished and taking clean clothes from the airing cupboard she dressed slowly, she dreaded the whole storytelling, the renewed pain, the feeling of total abandonment. Although she did feel better for seeing them, Jessica and Anne were amazing friends but right now, she felt unworthy of such loyalty, they were too good for her; did she deserve them, after what she’d done?

The person who entered the room now smelt lovely, wet hair wound in a towel, pristine PJs in a subtle shade of pink enveloping a clean Lilly. Her feet were now devoid of the ratty slippers. Both women nodded in approval. ‘Wine time.’ Jessica announced. ‘Now spill.’ Anne said, taking a more serious tone, her head cocked to one side in anticipation. Between them, they cajoled their inconsolable friend to open up; it was a start. Lilly flopped back into the sofa, nodding as she readied herself to tell all.

As she relayed the events leading to this moment, the floodgates opened, her tears flowed. ‘Here.’ said Anne, sliding a fresh box of Kleenex across the glass coffee table, cleared now of the debris, shiny again now the sticky rings had gone, polished away with a damp cloth, and wiped dry with a micro cloth. The Kleenex, just one more item they’d picked up on their way. Now, armed with a fistful of tissues and a glass of wine, Lilly launched into the story they were waiting to hear.

They sat, leaning forward in their separate chairs, eyes fixed on the narrator, both women listening intently. ‘He just walked in last Friday, after work a week ago and announced his promotion,’ ‘That’s good news, isn’t it?’ ‘Brilliant news if it hadn’t meant packing up and moving.’ ‘Moving, where?’ ‘The city.’ ‘Oh.’ Anne looked at Jessica, then at Lilly. ‘Go on.’ ‘Well, I sort of lost it, told him I wouldn’t give up everything. My job, my friends, my home.’ Her words were almost inaudible through the sniffles and sobs, but the girls pushed on. ‘And then what?’

Lilly tried to control her breathing, her nose running, eyes streaming, she blew on a tissue, took a gulp of much needed air, knocked back a full glass of wine, her hand stretched out looking for a refill as she ranted, ‘He called me selfish, accused me of never being happy for him. Then he stormed out. Like I was in the wrong.’ ‘Didn’t you go after him?’ ‘Hell no, I threw my engagement ring at him.’ ‘And the champagne glass?’ ‘No, not at him.’ ‘Go on.’ ‘What else could I do? He said nothing, he just picked it up.’ ‘What did he pick up?’ ‘The ring, he stuck it in his pocket.’ ‘Then?’ ‘And well... I haven’t heard from him since.’ She stopped there, eyes full again, red rimmed, a flush on her cheeks.

Lilly’s sobs started again, great wracking sobs, uncontrollable and, frankly, bloody annoying. Anne pushed her way onto the sofa, passed an arm around her friend’s shoulder to console her. ‘He’s probably not doing much better than you, you know.’ Anne knew they could both be stubborn. ‘I doubt it. He’s made it pretty clear, Anne, it’s over, finished. Done!’

‘What happened to the wineglass, Lil?’ Lilly couldn’t look at them. ‘It just, sort of well, it just sort of flew.’ ‘What, all on its own?’ Jessica and Anne had to hold back the laughter that was threatening to spill, the picture in their mind; perfect Lilly, losing her cool, violence coursing through her veins. The sheer absurdity of the image it threw up, so unlike anything they’d ever seen. Lilly didn’t offer any other explanation.

They left the question hanging there like the sword of Damocles. It was clear Lilly was ashamed. It was also quite clear Lilly was not ready to admit she might be to blame. After she spilled the beans on the catastrophic breakup, they gave their commiserations. Jessica had opened another bottle, as their friend poured out the full story, she poured out the wine. Her one-sided account, as full as she was likely to give. As expected, it sounded biased, her view of what was probably a vitriolic outcry. Lilly, at her worst.

Tom rarely disagreed with Lilly, an arrangement that had worked well until now. They knew her well; they loved her, cherished their close friendship, but she was far from perfect. Even though it sounded like Lilly had been a tad selfish, they gave their support; now wasn’t the time to set her straight. They couldn’t tell her she was at fault. She wouldn’t have appreciated it, and their task would have become impossible. However, they were sure that the time would come. For now, they simply poured more wine, listened, and talked, but mainly listened between the sobs.

It would appear Lilly was single again, at least for now, but it seemed strange, out of character, even for Tom to just leave things hanging. There must be more to it. Then again, it wasn’t their place to interfere. Though Jess felt some relief, she hid it well. Anne was heartbroken for Lilly. It had seemed like the perfect match. It was a given. When a man entered a woman’s heart, things changed. Anne had accepted that; in fact, she’d envied Lilly’s newfound passion for Tom. Now it all lay in tatters.

The two friends were there to provide support, stability, whatever was required. The first task: They needed to get her safely back in the fold.

Seeing Lilly’s initial distress, the girls had rallied. They were on a mission to pull Lilly through the peat bog of life she was happily sinking into. The need to get her back on track, to move her closer to the rose garden of life where she belonged. This is where life looked beautiful, a plethora of flowers, a garden of tranquillity; for now, Lilly was somewhere akin to an empty graveyard, where the inhabitants slept endlessly, and their visitors wailed for their loss. She had always been prone to histrionics, outbursts of me, me, me; that was just Lilly.

Tom had heard it, no doubt, all too often. Maybe this was his ‘straw’, and now broken, his heart told him it was always going to happen. Though hard to believe, it was obvious Lilly had gone too far this time.

Although her grief was clear, the pain etched across her beautiful face aged her. A pale, sickly Lilly, wilted by the loss she felt so deeply, tears too abundant to stem. Just a pale shadow of the women they knew, her eyes red, sore, her skin dry, devoid of the fresh-faced delicate flower she derived her name from, usually so apt.

It was clear Lilly required saving; she was drowning in grief and self-pity. With no lifejacket, Jess, and Anne were her saviours once again, but as they threw her a lifeline, they felt nonplussed when she was reluctant to grab at it with both hands. Never easily deterred the friends redoubled their efforts, confident they held both the ointment and sticking plaster she needed to step forward again with renewed vigour, so they continued.

If you’ve never suffered a loss, grief is all-consuming. It becomes an addiction, a haven, somewhere to hide. Yes, an addiction. One that’s hellbent on preserving the wearer from the greater pain felt out there waiting for them in the real world. A world where life insists the addict quits, accepting there is life after pain and forces them to move on. Great, as long as you remember, life is never perfect. There is always more shit to follow. Lilly couldn’t see this, nor could she feel it. Grief had closed her off from reality.

Love it or hate it. Life goes on; it was Jessica and Anne’s job to convince her. ‘It’ll be your birthday soon, let’s do something, just the three of us, like the old days, wad you say?’ ‘Yeah, Lil, there’s nothing stopping us from getting away, doing girlie things, the way we used to.’ Jess liked Anne’s thinking. Just the three of them, setting the world to rights in the old traditional way. It was something they hadn’t done for ages. Lilly said nothing.

The atmosphere was heavy. Her silence hung there like a thunderstorm waiting to break. But they wouldn’t let it go.

‘Hey, why don’t you pick a movie? Take your mind off everything.’ Jessica, and Anne, knew they were on a hiding to nothing. ‘What? And have you guys telling me to shut up and watch the damn film every two minutes?’ Anne looked at Jessica and shrugged, before retorting, ‘It’s not our fault if you insist on talking all the way through and doing a spoiler before we’ve even got to the third lot of commercials.’ ‘Ah, give me a break. It’s not my fault if you two can’t see what’s coming.’ ‘No, but it’s your fault we don’t have time to figure it out for ourselves.’ Anne and Jess were laughing now, but Lilly wasn’t seeing the funny side. It had to be worse than bad if she was turning down an opportunity to show off her biggest talent and her greatest flaw all in one go.

By now they were on the third bottle of wine, they’d broken out the snacks and the chatter turned to all things mundane, work schedules, films they’d watched, a sore point at times, anything, any subject other than Tom, but one way or another Lilly always slumped back into her morose mood.

Once again, they suggested the concept of a girlie holiday, a quiet getaway, somewhere they could relax in the evenings and explore during the day. Before long, they’d hatched a plan.

Their précis to cheer her up involved taking Lilly away for a long weekend break, a weekend that encompassed her birthday. A change of scenery, respite from the constant emptiness, a girly long vacation, a threesome just like the old days; it was a fait accompli.

This idea didn’t go down well. Anne and Jessica loved it but getting Lilly to come around to their way of thinking was no simple task. All this Lilly wanted was a book, a box of chocolates and an abundance of Kleenex, except they would not let her wallow; after all, what bestie would, especially on her 35th birthday?

This cowardice, hiding away, it was not the answer. They told her straight: Regardless; it was not what she wanted, but what Lilly needed that counted according to them. So, with a lot of cajoling, Lilly almost gave in.

More work needed. They arranged to visit again, and this time she’d have no choice, no choice at all.

The following day, after Anne and Jessica gave Lilly time to come around to the idea they were back in her home, armed with more wine and a huge takeaway pizza, they set about their delicate task.

As they all tucked into the pizza, melted cheese dribbling down Lilly’s chin, it looked like Tom wasn’t the only thing she needed. ‘Whoa, leave us some.’ Jessica said as she grabbed a second slice. Anne topped the wine glasses up. The only sound, slurping, chewing and a loud burp from Lilly. It wasn’t pretty, but it broke the ice. As Anne cleared the empty pizza box away, she said. ‘Ok, let’s get down to business.’ The time had come; planning went into full swing.

Operation cheer up had the green light. ‘Lil, get your laptop out, and we can search for somewhere now.’ Anne said, but Lilly groaned in reply. ‘Come on, we just want to look. Maybe we’re too late to book, but it’s worth a try.’ Jessica scanned the room for the laptop she knew Lilly owned, but it wasn’t there. Lilly stood, looking even more crumpled than when they’d arrived the other day. ‘I’ll shower first.’ She said and the two women nodded their approval as Lilly slinked off towards the shower room. ‘Well, that’s an improvement.’ Jessica said. ‘True. But if I know Lilly, it’s only an avoidance tactic. Anything to put us off the task at hand.’ ‘Probably, but right now, we just need to play along. She’ll come round, eventually.’ ‘Really? This is Lilly we’re talking about. Right?’

They were still laughing when Lilly reappeared ten minutes later, clean; her damp hair dripping onto her shoulders. She looked at them, her eyes read disapproval, as if she guessed she was the butt of their joke.

Jessica and Anne waited, then getting impatient, they broached the subject again, hoping the pizza and wine had softened Lilly’s resolve so she wouldn’t stay moody and sullen forever.

After another round of tears, where Lilly’s glass emptied in one swift gulp, Anne asked again. ‘Laptop Lilly? It would help.’

Lilly wobbled as she stood. The wine had gone to her toes. She opened the sideboard drawer and pulled her laptop out, handing it to Anne. She said, ‘If you can figure out the password, you’re welcome to try.’ A dry laugh passed between her lips. ‘Can’t be that difficult if you can remember it.’ Jessica said with a broad grin. It brought a chuckle from Lilly, but it appeared she was serious. ‘Ok, here goes,’ Anne had the laptop open, the password screen her only adversary, t-o-m she typed, pressing enter. It didn’t work. She tried a capital T. Trying again, she hit the keys with loud abandon, Capital L, lowercase i, l, l, y, a, n, d, t, o, m. Nope, wrong again. ‘Ah, come on Lil, this is stupid.’ ‘Try again, or don’t, it’s up to you.’ Lilly shrugged her shoulders, picking up the book she’d been reading. Anne looked annoyed. Lilly was being difficult again. ‘Ok, here goes.’ This time she typed; Accentuating each letter as she input what she hoped was the real password. Capital I, lower case o, v, e, t, o, m. then she hit enter.... ‘Seriously?’ Lilly smirked, ‘Clever clogs.’ It was the first time she had laughed in over a week, really laughed, and before long, all three were in hysterics. ‘What kind of password is that?’ ‘Well, I do, and I can’t forget it.’ The laugh she had elicited stopped abruptly, making way for a return to her sobbing. ‘Come on, have another glass of wine.’ Lilly held out her glass for the top up and sunk back into the sofa with her book, Broken Dreams by Sylvia Scholtz. They were on their own. Lilly wasn’t in the mood for planning and anyway, she thought she might be back with Tom by then.

The girls browsed the online listings, looking for the perfect cottage for a long weekend break. At first, they mulled over lots of different locations, but the idea blossomed into a plan to keep Lilly in the moment. Once there, no distractions. But only once they’d dragged her out of this one. They declared she could have her books and chocolate infused sessions, but the Kleenex, no way; not happening, not invited.

Jessica and Anne made their eventual choice. With Lilly still uncooperative, there was no new input, but they continued without her, and chose a stone-built cottage in the Brechfa Forest. It was Anne’s idea. ‘Listen to this!’ Anne, excited by the description, read aloud, trying to raise some enthusiasm. ‘Set in over 6,500 acres, the stunning Brechfa Forest in Carmarthen is one of Wales’s best-kept secrets. It boasts an ancient Roman goldmine, with cycling paths, beautiful scenery along safe, well-constructed trails for walkers, crystal clear waterfalls and caving for the more adventurous. All amid a forgotten industry of lead workings, farming, quaint country pubs, providing home cooking and real log fires. The local community of Aber-Y-Plwm, always ready to provide a warm welcome, makes this the perfect getaway for families and friends. The Brechfa Forest welcomes tourists into an area of outstanding beauty. Within its exceptional scenery, hidden away off the beaten track, are many luxury holiday cottages available to rent all year round. This area awarded The World of Beauty Platinum medal, five years in a row, attracts people from across the globe.’

‘What do you think ladies?’ ‘Sounds perfect!’ Both looked at Lilly for approval, but her face wasn’t showing it. Her head, back in her book, the Kleenex box, half empty, mirrored her mood. She hadn’t heard a word.

Anne reminded them, ‘I often went to Wales on holiday as a kid and, apart from the rain, the scenery was to die for.’ On one occasion, as children, the three girls had gone to Wales with Anne’s parents. Jess nodded. ‘Yeah, I was landed when they invited us to join you. We had a great time exploring the coastline, collecting all those shells, and playing beach volleyball. Remember? Even your parents joined in.’ ‘Yeah, and we whooped their asses.’ Even Lilly managed a strained laugh at the memory. It was a time before they had become fanatic about social media, online games, and all things techno, when boys were still an annoying distraction that none of them needed; that was the idea now. A step back, to better times, when all they needed was to be together, walking, talking, having fun as only girlfriends knew how.

‘Ok, Wales it is then. Now we just need to find a suitable cottage.’ Lilly seemed oblivious, her mind elsewhere.

Anne and Jessica continued to scroll through lots of potential holiday lets, each lacked something. Until one cottage jumped out at them. ‘What about this one?’ ‘Hey, that looks good!’ and she read the description aloud, hoping for some reaction from Lilly. ‘The Smithy’s Cottage is traditional with a touch of luxury, having undergone a recent though sympathetic renovation to a high standard. It boasts a stunning, contemporary country kitchen, luxury furnishings throughout to fulfil the promise of a cosy feel with a touch of extravagance. The Smithy’s Cottage sits in the heart of the forest, maintaining its original charm. Its setting within the forest provides a peaceful backdrop to a full and varied holiday. With lots of exciting activities on offer in the vicinity, this venue provides the perfect retreat after a full day of walking, cycling...’

‘Love it.’ Jess said, as she perused the boxes that showed the available facilities. ‘And we each have our own space, three bedrooms!’ Reading on, she confirmed there was no Internet, no phone, and no television. It seemed more than perfect. It was exactly what they all needed.

By now, Lilly had gone back to her book, but both Anne and Jessica agreed The Smithy’s Cottage looked perfect. ‘Ah. Brilliant, the dates are free too.’ ‘Well, book it quick, before they go!’ Jessica said. She found the idea exciting as she stretched her hand into her bag to retrieve her purse. Opening