“Yes. I’m here. It’s fine.”
It doesn’t feel fine. It feels the opposite of fine.
• • •
Detective Kellerman and the young garda from last week are in my kitchen, sitting at my table. Bella is in my arms, anchoring me, giving me something to do with my hands. They’d said no to coffee. They won’t be long, apparently. Just a few questions about the morning Savannah Holmes died. I swallow and nod. For a fleeting moment, I consider telling them about Bella, that someone was here, that someone took her and put her outside. But Juliette’s voice rings in my ears. They might have some concerns about Bella’s care.I clamp my mouth shut.
“We have reports of a caller to Ms. Holmes that morning,” Detective Kellerman says, “and we wanted to check if you were anywhere near her house?”
“Me? Of course not. I didn’t know her. We’d never met.”
“You didn’t call there that morning to drop off a package or collect one?”
“No, definitely not.”
“Could you let us know where you were on Wednesday morning last week?”
Jesus. Is this really happening?
“Here. I’m always here.” I dip my chin toward Bella and force a laugh. “She keeps me tied to the house.”
“Is there anyone who was here with you at the time who can confirm that?”
“I don’t—oh, yes! My sister Greta was here.” I’m inordinately pleased to remember this.
“Great, what time was that?”
“From about eight till nine, or nine thirty maybe.”
“And after that? Was there anyone else here with you?”
“No…” My face heats up as I realize I’m lying by omission now. Iwashere early in the morning, and Greta was here, and there was nobody else here after—all of that is true. But of course I did leave then, to drop Bella to Leesa’s and see my counselor. I should tell them that. Or maybe I don’t since they didn’t ask?
Kellerman is eyeing me, noting the color in my cheeks, I imagine. “What kind of car do you drive?” she says.
This catches me off guard. “Um, it’s a dark blue Ford Mondeo.”
“I see. A dark blue Ford Mondeo was seen parked outside Ms. Holmes’s house on Wednesday morning. Does that ring any bells?”
My face is on fire now.Christ. Answer them.
“I…I can tell you with absolute certainty that I didn’t go to Savannah Holmes’s house last Wednesday morning.”
The rest of their questions barely register. My mind is on only one thing. I didn’t have the car on Wednesday morning, Jon did.
74
Nika
Thursday
Nika wakes very late on Thursday—it’s almost lunchtime—and at first, she doesn’t remember what happened yesterday afternoon. Then it all slams back—finding Ms. O’Donnell going through her bag, realizing what she’d done to her lunch, processing the fact that this grown adult—thiscoach—had tried to kill her. Maybe she wouldn’t have died, but Greta O’Donnell couldn’t have known that for sure. What kind of person does this? Adults are supposed to be the calm ones, while teens are “impulsive.” It doesn’t make sense. And on top of everything else, they can’t go to the police because Greta will no doubt tell them that Nika’s behind the online stuff with Maeve’s diary. Nika wasn’t convinced at first that it’s really against the law, but Jess has been sending her links to the Harassment and Harmful Communications Act and, by the looks of it, she could actually be in trouble for the AWGoss account. Jess says she should delete it, but she hasn’t yet. If Maeve Khoury put her aunt up to trying to hurt Nika, she deserves to have that diary video up there for the rest of her life. She slides up in bed so she’s half sitting and asks her Alexa to open her blinds. Bright sunlight dazzles her and she shields her eyes,groping for her phone. Fucking Maeve. She always was a loser. Nika is not one bit surprised she tried to get at her. But Greta O’Donnell? It’s not the kind of thing adults do.
Nika sits up straighter.
Of course it’s not the kind of thing adults do.
It’s the kind of thing a teenager would do. Someone like Maeve, out for revenge. So does that mean…Greta was telling the truth? She was genuinely trying to stop Nika eating the food? And that it wasMaevewho actually put the ground almonds on the brownie? Oh my god. That makes so much more sense. Of course Greta O’Donnell, grown adult woman, head of PE, responsible citizen, did not try to send her into anaphylactic shock. She was trying to stopMaeve. Trying to prevent Nika from getting sick and Maeve from getting caught.
