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at the top of your to-do list.”
    Davies sighed and glanced out the car window. The afternoon was wearing on and the countryside would soon be shrouded in semidarkness. It got dark early, this time of year, in this part of the world, and the day had brought the kind of rapidly changing weather often seen here. Rain, heavy at times, had now eased off, giving way to a pale sky filled with purplish-grey clouds, some of them tinged with pink along the tops. The waters of the Menai Strait, which separates the mainland from the island of Anglesey, pounded the shore in white-capped waves. His thoughts returned to the question of the weapon when his phone rang. He checked the caller ID and then pressed the button.
    â€œHello, Penny.” He listened for a few moments. “She did? We’ll need a statement from you, then. And can you ask Victoria to gather up everything for us. Envelope and all the contents.” He peered out the window. “We’re just approaching Conwy, so we could be in Llanelen in about forty minutes. Are you still at work?” He exchanged a quick glance with Bethan, to see if she’d picked up that their plans were changing. She gave him a quick nod. “Right. We’ll meet you there.”
    He ended the call and replaced his phone in his coat pocket.
    â€œGlenda Roberts dropped off a packet for Victoria at the Spa yesterday morning. It’s probably nothing, but it’ll fill in some gaps on the timeline. We’ll talk to Penny at the Spa.”
    â€œWhat was in the packet?”
    â€œSheet music.”
    A light, misty drizzle was now falling so Bethan switched on the windscreen wipers and leaned forward to turn up the car’s heater. A welcome warmth soon wrapped itself around their legs.
    â€œEver think about retirement, sir?” she asked.
    â€œRetirement? Why, are you after my job?”
    She laughed. “From DS to DCI? Not likely. No, I was just thinking how good it would be to go somewhere sunny. Get away from this awful wet weather. It’s endless, this time of year.”
    â€œI would like to see you sit the inspector exam, though,” said Davies. “You have a wonderful career ahead of you and you’re ready for promotion.”
    Bethan smiled her gratitude.
    â€œThank you, sir. That means a lot to me.”
    They rode the rest of the way in silence broken only by the soothing, rhythmic sound of the windscreen wipers.
    As they entered the market town of Llanelen, Davies’s chest constricted in a familiar tightening that was a pleasurable mix of anxiety and anticipation. He’d been in love with Penny almost since the moment they’d met a year and a half ago, and for a while, it had seemed that his feelings were reciprocated. But gradually he’d come to accept that the romantic feelings of the early relationship had run their course and given way to a deeper underlying friendship marked by respect and admiration on both sides. Although he knew that part of him would always love her in a gentle, undemanding way, he wished their relationship could be more.
    Bethan parked the unmarked police car on a side street and they walked across the cobblestoned town square. The black wrought iron gate that separated the path leading to the Spa from the pavement squeaked in protest as Davies pushed it open. “Every time I come here I tell myself we need to put some oil on that thing,” he remarked as he held the gate open.
    â€œDo Penny and Victoria not have a handyman to take care of things like this?” Bethan asked as she passed through.
    â€œOnly me as far as I know, and based on results I’m not really up to the job, am I?” He closed the gate behind them and they made their way up the path.
    The door opened and Penny smiled as she held it open for them. And his heart felt a little lighter and fuller.
    *   *   *
    Penny was glad to see him. She’d always liked and respected this