Darkness in the Moonlight

By Val Walton

The Open University is a perfect place for murder. Thousands of students of all ages from all over England, who are doing degree by correspondence course, arrive at a college for a week. We get to know a small group and feel their sorrow and fear after a murder.

We also meet some other interesting characters. A Sergeant whose unspoken musings are sometimes amusing. An Inspector whose words emerge like bullets from a machine gun and whose smile could quell an army. An old lady who is able to track the energy of our villain. Or can she? One student has a deep understanding of Eastern Philosophy. In occasional conversations he discusses the logic behind his wisdom and helps the friends to think differently about who they are and how to find peace.

And of course the villain, a dark figure hidden in the background.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Val Walton
• Release date: Jan 15, 2024

Val Walton

Val Walton lives on Vancouver Island in the Pacific North West with her dog, Dougal. She has spent many years reading whodunits and always enjoys trying to work out the plots. She has been studying Advaita Vedanta, an Eastern Philosophy, which has brought her a deeper understanding of life and the gift of an ability to live mostly in the peace of the present.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Kate woke with a start. She was alone. She was never alone. Then she remembered. Her girls were safe at home. They were three and five years old and it was the first time she had ever been away from them. The last few days had been spent organising baby sitters and cooking. The freezer was full and detailed lists had been left for her husband in his first marathon stint looking after the children for a week.

She watched the smooth dance of the wires up and away from the telegraph poles as the train rushed by. As they came out of the embankment, wild flowers and bushes were replaced by rows of houses with long thin gardens leading down to the railway line. Children were playing, some people were gardening, others enjoying the newly arrived sun. They seemed totally unaware or uncaring about the fact that passengers on trains had a window into their lives.

She reached for her rucksack. It was heavy and awkward, full of books.

Rummaging around, she found a bottle of water, had a drink and dug out a book. She really ought to be reading in the hour or so before the train arrived. Leaning back against the seat she closed her eyes enjoying the feeling of doing absolutely nothing.

She wasn’t worried about leaving the children as she had a good support system of mothers to back up her husband. It was while baby sitting for one of them she had decided she needed to change her life.

Having forgotten to bring something to read she had been a little shocked to find her very practical friend had book shelves filled with short romance novels, mostly about doctors and nurses. Kate had read one, interested to see the different ways in which man and woman meet, fall in love, have a misunderstanding, meet again, fall into each other’s arms and live happily ever after. By the time her friends returned, a little sheepish at being a few hours late, she had read a couple of books and borrowed one to finish.

That was when she realized she had become so immersed in her role as a mother, she had forgotten she was a person as well, a person with a brain, an intellect even. She had lost interest in the world outside her family and friends.

So she had embarked upon an Open University course. The course on Ancient Greece had been wonderful and she’d worked late at night so drawn by the new information and understanding that it was hard to stop. It was mainly a correspondence course, although she met her tutor once a month at Oxford. And a few months ago, she and about ten students had gone with her tutor to visit the British Museum in London. It had been one of the best days of her life. Her tutor was in love with Greece and everything Greek, and his enthusiasm and knowledge had been uplifting, inspiring. But the course also involved spending a week at summer school.

She watched the steady passage of green fields and grazing sheep and tried to ignore the slight flutter in her stomach. The thought of talking to strangers was a little daunting after five years of being mainly with children and other mums. She picked up her text book to distract herself and, as the gentle motion of the train soothed her worries, her eyes gradually closed.

The old lady sitting opposite studied her. The girl had a kind slightly round face surrounded by a mass of auburn curls which spread in all directions. The blue eyes which reflected her shirt seemed tired and had faint dark shadows under them. Laughter and worry had already started to draw lines on her cheerful face. When the girl had opened a text book from the Open University she had stopped herself from commenting. She understood the gap between the generations and didn’t want the girl to feel obliged to chat with an elderly fellow student.

The train pulled into the station with a gentle squish of brakes, just enough to wake them both. The girl picked up her bulging back pack and

shrugged it on, before offering to lift the case of the rather elegant white haired lady who had been sitting opposite her.

Thank you. Wheels are great but no help with lifting.

The girl took a deep breath, Isn’t it great to smell the sea, she said before dashing off to get in the taxi line. She had sat at the back of the train and arrived at end of the platform furthest from the exit. There were several people ahead of her in the line. She looked at them hopefully. It would be nice to share the cost of a taxi to the College.

A taxi arrived and most of the people, laughing and pushing each other for space, climbed into it. She wouldn’t have fitted in even if they were going to the right place. Her rucksack was dragging her shoulders so she took it off and set it on the ground. The sun was blasting her and she could almost feel its heat starting to paint her skin. There was a hat somewhere in her bag but it would take a while to find.

Another taxi arrived. Kate was used to the old fashioned looking black cabs in London and thought that the yellow ones looked much more interesting. There was just one person in front of her now; a man with a hat.

A rather strange looking black hat, more suitable for winter than summer.

He had his back to her. It seemed to be a very unfriendly back. She studied it trying to work out what made it so imposing. There were no bulging muscles but rather a suppleness, a power which somehow made her feel uncomfortable.

He was carrying a leather brief case which looked important. It reminded her of the first time she went to work in London. She had married in her home town in Ireland and she and her very English husband had moved to a tiny house in Strawberry Hill. On her first morning to work she had carried a similar dark green briefcase which contained only her sandwiches.

A slight breeze stirred her curls and as she turned around to catch the cooling wisps of wind, she saw the lady she had met on the train. She had a pale face protected from the sun by a large white hat, and was wearing a long green dress that looked slightly Indian. Somehow she managed to look cool as if the sun weren’t spreading its burning heat. The lady smiled at her, They should build taxi shelters as well as bus ones.

A taxi came round the corner and the man leaned in and gave the address of the College. Kate lunged forward with her back pack. I’m going there too. Would you mind if we shared the taxi?

The man didn’t look at her, but climbed into the taxi and shut the door.

The taxi took off. She stood rooted, in disbelief.

Well, said the lady behind her, that was unpleasant. Anyway, she added, I’m going to the College and would love to share the cost with you.

Another taxi hustled up and they climbed in, the girl helping with the suitcase while the driver waited impatiently in his seat.

By the time they arrived at the college the girl had learned little about her new friend other than her name, which was Eleanor, and the fact that she had almost completed her degree. Eleanor had heard about Kate’s children and had managed to reassure her that, as long as she was enjoying her studies, she would love the course and fit in perfectly.

The surly taxi driver deposited them in a large quadrangle and Eleanor led the way to the registration office. They were surrounded by beautiful old grey stone buildings cloaked with ivy and purple wisteria.

As they walked towards the office a throaty red sports car slid into a narrow parking space. A striking young woman glided out. She was wearing a black and white dress and brilliant red shoes. She started to pull out her extremely large red case and two young men, who seemed to have appeared from nowhere, rushed to help.

Wow. No one’s helping us. Kate looked down at her slightly baggy tee shirt and her jeans which would have gone at least twice round the figure swaying rhythmically on high heeled shoes towards the registration office.

She laughed, I wonder why?

Eleanor snorted with laughter as they followed the girl into the office which appeared chaotic. I wonder if she bought the shoes and suitcase to match the car or the car to match the shoes and suitcase?

I imagine it was just coincidence. Kate replied deciding she really liked this slightly unusual old lady.

Chapter 2

Half an hour later Kate was in an elevator, clutching her key and her paper work which she hadn’t yet tucked away into her bag. The elevator was almost full. She saw the beautiful girl, who had flowed out of the sports car, was already there looking arrogant with perfect red lips which matched her perfect red shoes, her suitcase and her car.

Kate suddenly shivered. Something was giving her goose bumps. A feeling of violence. She looked around. There was a large man with a small clump of hair that looked rusty, as if it had been left out in the rain. He had a tattered greyish beard which had attracted various pieces of debris. He was standing close to her. Maybe it was just his smell of gin and unwashed clothes that had unnerved her.

There were a couple of older looking men, one of whom looked a little like James Bond - the original James Bond. Maybe he’ll meet Eleanor and they’ll have a whirlwind romance, she thought. His eyes passed over Kate and settled on the dark brown eyes and blond hair of the beautiful woman in the black and white dress. She caught his look and turned away almost impatiently.

Kate could feel the hairs on the back of her neck. What was it that was unnerving her? A rather dumpy middle aged woman was talking animatedly to a tall and very thin man with greying hair tied back in a pony tail. He was making no effort to pretend he was listening and stared impatiently at the floor numbers as the lift slowly climbed upwards.

An old man with a curly white beard was also staring at the girl. Kate thought he looked like Santa Claus until she saw the coldness of his eyes.

She wouldn’t want him in her children’s rooms. A young man, whose entire body epitomized the word geek, was also staring at the same girl. His thin face was mostly hidden behind a pair of heavy glasses which magnified his yellow greenish eyes. It made her think of the way her cat stared at mice before pouncing.

The elevator stopped and a few people got out. There was a little more room to turn around. A man with a dusky face who was standing opposite her smiled cheerfully. The elevator rattled to a stop again and the doors opened onto a long dark corridor lined with doors.

Kate turned right and walked down the corridor to find her room a dozen or so doors from the elevator. It took her a while to get the key to work. She was just opening the door when she heard a soft almost timid voice behind her. I can’t get my key to work. Do you think you could try?

It was the arrogant woman. Kate looked around. No men about. She took the key from the tiny hand noticing the long perfectly formed finger nails were exactly the same vibrant red as the lipstick. She wiggled the key in the door. Nothing. She turned it upside down. It wouldn’t even go in.

A door opened and a small slight man came though. Is this the tenth floor? he asked, I decided to take the stairs but there’s no number on the stair case door.

Kate smiled at him. She had no idea why. He just had that kind of face. It was pale brown with high cheek bones she associated with Tibet and soft looking brownish green eyes.

Yes. It is, she said, happy that his eyes hadn’t just flicked over her on the way to her neighbour. Are you any good at keys?

Brilliant, he replied. He put his scruffy backpack down. A minute elapsed as he attempted to make the key work. Well, maybe not this kind of key. But, I used to be a burglar. Can some one lend me a credit card?

The girl produced a credit card from her case and handed it to him.

Within a minute he opened the door and bowed to the girl. Kate was a bit taken aback but the woman laughed a light tinkling kind of laugh that made Kate feel like joining in. The man added in slightly accented and almost too perfect English, I think you had better see the porter and get it sorted but you are inside now. I will teach you the credit card trick if you would like.

He showed the girl a few times but it was difficult to learn. Kate left them to it and entered her cell. It was minuscule with a skinny bed, a small pink armchair, a tiny desk with an even tinier chair, a window almost too high to see out, a sink, and a kettle balanced on a small rather wobbly table. The walls were a kind of institutional brown or dirty green which clashed slightly with the orange floral curtains.

She was delighted. Her very own space. No one to share it with, or ask her for anything, or make suggestions as to what she should be doing. Tea, she thought as she put the kettle on.

She poked her head out the door. Progress seemed to be made. The man was just putting his small bag in the room next door to the girl. Without even thinking she offered them tea. They both accepted. Damn she thought. What is with me? How come I’m always too ready to offer people things. I was looking forward to a few hours by myself.

The arrogant woman smiled at her. I’ve got chocolate digestives.

Kate immediately felt like a bitch. No one who carried chocolate biscuits could be totally arrogant. She may have misjudged her; a little. As the girl dug into her huge perfect leather suitcase, Kate’s eyes caught the man’s and she felt as if he had read her thoughts.

They squashed into her room while she found three cups, and put a tea bag in each. A general getting to know you conversation started, a relaxed rather untidy kind of chatting with no one taking control.

Kate discovered that the arrogant face was rather shy and when relaxed had an air of almost belonging to another world. She learned the woman was twenty four years old, and her name was Jenny. I’ve just escaped from a long stay in a rehabilitation centre, she explained with an air of finality. It was obvious she didn’t want to discuss it any further. It feels really hard being back among so many people. I’ve loved doing the studying but didn’t want to come here. I’m nervous. She looked at her watch, which Kate noticed was gold and very delicate. We have to go downstairs for a talk from the tutors and a ‘getting to know people party.’

She hesitated. Would you mind if we went together?

The man dipped his biscuit in the tea. He had said vey little and seemed content to leave his status as a burglar unexplained. All that Kate had elicited from him so far was his name, Ben. I would be delighted to accompany two such beautiful women. Although once the party starts I will not stay. I do not enjoy trying to listen to people in a noisy room and I am not accustomed at small talk.

Kate grinned. She enjoyed being included in the category of beautiful women. There was something very restful in his presence. She loved the slightly stilted formality of his language. Good plan, she said, "I’m hungry.

Would you like to meet around five and we can go and find the canteen for supper first."

She noticed that Jenny, who despite looking like a wraith, had managed to down several biscuits.

Jenny said, I’m hoping it’ll be old fashioned kind of school food.

You are? Kate asked.

The place where I was staying had nothing but healthy food. Nuts and seeds and salad. It’ll be a long time before I can face salad again. I spent so much of my life in boarding schools I kind of got to like stodgy food.

Kate replied, I’m not so sure. I was just at a day school but we were’t allowed to leave food, even spam. Apparently leaving food was bad for the starving children in the world. I never could quite work out how it made a difference to them.

Jenny looked her as if she would like to say something helpful but didn’t quite know what. Kate caught a smile from Ben as he held the door open for Jenny.

Chapter 3

Kate lay on the bed to catch up on a bit more reading. About two hours later she was woken by a knock on her door. She jumped up, deciding in future she’d do her reading in the uncomfortable arm chair.

It was Eleanor, the elderly lady from the train. Kate had almost forgotten that when she’d confided her nervousness at going to the first evening meal and the party, Eleanor, as a student of many years standing, had offered to keep her company.

Come in, sit down. You can choose between the chairs or the bed. I wonder what happens when they get students who don’t fit into the chairs.

She grinned. I fell asleep, haven’t even unpacked yet.

Eleanor sat by the table to give Kate a little more room to move around.

She pulled her flowing green skirt round her ankles to stop Kate from tripping over it. Kate found a brush and pulled it through her hair. Eleanor couldn’t see any difference.

It was almost five. I’ve met two other students who are going to come too. I hope that’s okay.

Eleanor laughed. It looks as if you’re not having too much trouble fitting in.

There was a knock at the door. That sounds like them now. She opened the door to find both Jenny and Ben.

Ben beamed. There was something about his smile that could only be described as a beam. His eyes crinkled and even his nose seemed to move. He reached up and gave Eleanor a huge hug. I was hoping you would be present at this course. I so much enjoyed our discussions last year. What a joy to find you so early. They sat together on the bed.

Kate felt a little relieved that the addition to the party was so happily accepted. Jenny was still standing rather shyly at the door. She had changed and was wearing a silver sheath dress which hugged her tightly until it stopped a few inches above her knees. Her feet were hardly touched by skimpy high heeled silver sandals and her toe nails and finger nails were now silver too. She squeezed inside past the bed and Kate rather ceremoniously introduced her to Eleanor.

Eleanor was a little startled to find that the beautiful woman they had seen outside had become friendly with Kate. She grinned at Kate, both of them silently acknowledging their original rather harsh judgement.

They walked together to the elevator. This time Kate felt no frisson of fear. It was a perfectly normal, rickety, slow and lurching means of transport.

In the restaurant Kate and Eleanor noticed the spontaneous reaction that fluttered men of almost all ages when they saw Jenny. This time they also saw Jenny’s discomfort.

It must be difficult to be the centre of attention all the time, whispered Kate to Eleanor as Jenny chatted to Ben about the merits of the jam pudding they had both ordered.

I would hate it. One of the joys of being old is to fade into the background. Eleanor replied. Mind you, if she disliked it that much she should have dressed a little more casually.

Kate looked more closely at Eleanor and noticed for the first time how attractive she was. She had obviously had her share of attention too when she was younger. She was slim, very upright and her casual yellow and green dress hung beautifully from her shoulders to just above her ankles.

Her white hair was pulled back in a pony tail and she had really unusual blue, almost turquoise, eyes.

Kate wondered rather crossly why she was able to fade so easily into the background at any age. It might be nice just once to feel admiring eyes follow her. She said rather petulantly, I wonder why she wears such - I’m not sure how you would describe them - attention attracting clothes. She looked down at her jeans which outlined her perfectly rounded belly.

Eleanor followed her eyes and her snort of laughter drew startled looks from those sitting nearby.

The introduction to the various courses and tutors went by smoothly and the assembled audience was instructed to get to know each other, to have a party. ‘Getting to know you games’ were threatened and the level of conversation almost perceptibly rose to a loud roar. A general unspoken agreement caused all four to edge towards the door.

Outside a distant crescent moon was outshone by the brilliance of the stars. The quadrangle they were standing in was dark, as massive velvet curtains had been pulled across the windows of the conference hall they had just been in. Some of the windows above were lit and looked like bright postage stamps dotting the dark ivy on the buildings. A few people were outside and red tips of cigarettes glowed as they swam in the darkness.

Sounds of laughter and scuffles came from behind some of the pillars.

Kate sniffed the air. I love the smell of the sea. What a waste to be so close and not to see it.

It’s only about ten minutes away, said Eleanor. The problem is you have to cross the highway and the traffic lights are a couple of miles away.

Jenny, who had been somehow flattened by the weight of attention at the party, brightened. My car’s here. I can take us there. The back is a bit of a squash but you can fit in. She looked a little doubtfully at Kate as if she were measuring her girth. Do you know the way Eleanor?

Eleanor and Ben both answered, Yes. And a rather animated discussion took place as to whether to go to Eleanor’s spot, which was closer to the college, but not as beautiful as the place Ben recommended.

Kate had a feeling Eleanor didn’t altogether trust Jenny’s driving so she entered the conversation. The beauty of the cove would be lost in the dark so why don’t we just go to the nearest place?

Good suggestion, said Ben. It will probably be easier to find in the dark as well.

They climbed into the car and Eleanor, by virtue of her age, was given the front seat while Ben and Kate folded themselves into the back. The opposite of my car thought Kate. It smells of new leather rather than vinyl and old milk which permeated her car.

Chapter 4

Minutes later the powerful car cruised up an extremely steep hill and they were rewarded with a spectacular view of an ocean whose darkness reached out to touch the stars. The whisper of the moon’s edge drifted quietly in the black sea. It was almost like being in a huge cavern. The car stopped. They became aware of a gentle sound as tiny waves drifted over the sand. Ben took hold of Kate’s arms and helped