‘You think it was my kids?’ Jeff was leaning on the garden wall next to Leo, a glass of Adnams in his hand. Both men were pleasantly mellow.
‘Yup. It would be just like them.’ Leo was laughing. ‘Go on, deny it.’
‘Well. I can and I can’t.’ Jeff took another deep swig of beer. ‘On the one hand it would be just like the boys, you’re right. Right buggers, both of them, but on the other hand, if it happened today they weren’t here.’
Leo felt a sudden shiver of unease. ‘What do you mean, they weren’t here. Where were they?’
‘They went off last night after the barbecue with a mate who lives in Leiston. I made sure he was sober, then we slung them into his van. They’ll all have a lot more fun together than they would loitering round here, and I know they got there because their mother phoned this morning. Sharon doesn’t seem to appreciate what a couple of losers we’ve spawned.’
Leo looked pained. ‘You don’t mean that.’
‘Oh, but I do, mate. I’m sure they’ll be decent enough young men one day, but just now I’ve had it with both of them.’ He took another lingering sip and sighed with pleasure. ‘I love all my kids, Leo, but really they can be a right pain most of the time. You haven’t got kids, have you?’
Leo hesitated, then shook his head.
‘Lucky man.’ Jeff paused. ‘Look at Rosemary and Steve. I don’t think that woman has spoken to her daughter in twenty years.’
‘I didn’t know she had a daughter.’
‘Oh, yes, and grandkids. Sharon wormed the story out of her. She has never seen her own grandchildren! Can you credit that? Her daughter loathes her so much they won’t even ring her.’
Leo raised an eyebrow. ‘She is not exactly the cuddly nan one might wish for.’
Jeff gave a snort of laughter. ‘Good point.’ He took another sip of ale.
‘Which leaves us with the puzzle,’ Leo steered the conversation onto safer ground, ‘of who broke into The Old Barn and tried to scare Zoë and Ken by rearranging their furniture.’
Both men were silent for a while, contemplating the view.
‘Have you seen the ghost ship?’ Leo asked after several minutes.
‘Excuse me?’ Jeff looked at him, shook his head, and buried his face once more in his glass. ‘Did you say, ghost ship?’
‘A Viking longship which every so often drifts up-river here. Loads of people claim to have seen it over the years.’
‘Including you?’
‘Yes.’
‘And Zoë and Ken?’
‘Yes.’
Jeff put his empty glass down on the wall. ‘Have you ever thought, mate, that it might be something in the water, or ergot in the bread, or something?’
Leo laughed out loud. He picked up the glasses and headed for the kitchen. ‘Hang on while I get us a refill.’ He reappeared moments later with both glasses filled to overflowing. ‘You don’t ever get ghosts in The Summer Barn, then?’
Jeff laughed. ‘My kids would scare termites. You think ghosts would stand a chance?’
‘I’ll take that as a no.’
‘Too bloody right it’s a no.’
‘And you haven’t seen anything like this lying round your house?’ He reached into his pocket and produced half a dozen of the twisted misshapen nails.
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