Читаем A Dangerous Fortune (1994) полностью

"I got out and threw a stone at Edward. It was a lucky shot: it hit him square in the middle of the forehead, and drew blood. It caused him to leave off tormenting Peter and come after me. I scrambled up the side of the quarry, trying to get away from him."

"Edward was never light on his feet, even then," Hugh observed.

"That's right. I got well ahead of him, then halfway up I looked back. Micky was continuing to bully Peter. Peter had swum to the side and was trying to get out of the water, but Micky kept pushing his head under. I only glanced at them for a moment, but I could see very clearly what was going on. Then I continued to climb."

He took another sip of the wine. "When I got to the rim of the quarry I looked back again. Edward was still coming after me but he was a long way behind and I had time to catch my breath." Tonio paused, and an expression of revulsion crossed his scarred face. "By this time Micky was in the water with Peter. What I saw--perfectly clearly, and I can see it in my memory now as if it were yesterday--was Micky holding Peter under the water. Peter was thrashing about, but Micky had Peter's head under his arm and Peter couldn't break the hold. Micky was drowning him. There is absolutely no doubt about it. It was straightforward murder."

"Dear God," Hugh breathed.

Tonio nodded. "It makes me feel ill to think of it even now. I stared at them for I don't know how long. Edward almost caught me. Peter had stopped thrashing about, and was just struggling feebly, when Edward reached the rim of the quarry and I had to run away."

"So that's how Peter died." Hugh was stunned and horrified.

"Edward followed me through the woods a little way, but he was puffed out and I shook him off. Then I found you."

Hugh remembered the thirteen-year-old Tonio wandering through Bishop's Wood, naked, wet, carrying his clothes and sobbing. The memory brought back the shock and pain he had suffered later that same day, when he learned that his father was dead. "But why did you never tell anyone what you had seen?"

"I was afraid of Micky--afraid he'd do to me what he did to Peter. I'm still afraid of Micky--look at me now! You should be afraid of him too."

"I am, don't worry." Hugh was thoughtful. "You know, I don't believe Edward and his mother know the truth about this."

"What makes you say so?"

"They had no reason to cover up for Micky."

Tonio looked dubious. "Edward might have, out of friendship."