Venetia really did feel sick, she realized, making her way to her room, Felipe hovering behind her. The bedroom was in darkness, her grandmother’sheavy, lined curtains shutting out July sunlight. Good. Venetia never wanted to see day again.
Felipe pulled back the duvet for her and she curled on to the bed, still in her clothes. He pulled the covers up to her shoulders and sat on the bed beside her.
Something niggled as she closed her eyes.
“Why do they think it was just the disk, the weight at the end of the barbell, I mean? What she said—that the person was right up close to Rory?”
The person. Her.
Felipe tucked the covers closer around her. “That is not a thing you need to worry about.”
What does that mean?But Venetia was too tired to ask. Finally, mercifully, sleep took over.
93
Nika
Thursday
Nika’s heart is hammering in her chest as she speeds out of Oakpark. Blood pounds in her ears. She can’t believe what she just did. Did she mean to do it? She’s not sure. Rage just seemed to take over. Her hands were definitely not fully in her control when she steered the wheel toward Maeve. Notfully. But…a little. And it felt good. Exciting. In that moment, satisfying. Now, driving back toward Jessica’s house, she feels sick. What if she gets caught? What if Maeve dies and she gets done for murder? She won’t. Nobody saw. That stretch of road is bordered by two greens, both lined with oak trees. No houses overlooking. She just needs to get back to Jessica’s and act as though she never left. Jessica can say Nika was in her room the whole time. She pulls in to the side of the road and shares a photo on her Snapchat Story, one from her Gallery, taken in Jessica’s bedroom about half an hour ago. Would the police be able to tell it was a Gallery photo and not a live Snap? The police probably don’t know much about how Snapchat works. She shares one more, turns off her location and sets off for Jessica’s house.
• • •
But Jessica isn’t answering. She’s either asleep or taking a shower. She’s not replying to Nika’s messages and she’s not coming to her window. Nika can’t call at the door; then Jessica’s parents will know that she left and came back. But she needs to be somewhere: she needs an alibi. She can’t be anywhere near Oakpark, so she can’t go home. The only other person who lives nearby is Ariana, on Westminster Road. They haven’t spoken in the last few days and Ariana probably didn’tlovethe diary pages Nika had shared, but they’d been friends for five years; that had to count for something. She reverses out of Jessica’s driveway and heads for Westminster Road.
Driving back up Carysfort Avenue, she hears sirens. As she passes the turnoff for Oakpark, the sound grows louder. Ambulance? Police cars? Scared now, she puts her foot down on the accelerator.
94
Savannah
Last week
Jon had gone, leaving his wife to do the talking. And, Savannah realized now, that spoke volumes. Slinking away at the first sign of trouble. When someone shows you who they are, believe them.
With a shake of her head, she stepped toward the kettle. She was having more coffee. Whether or not Susan wanted to join her was up to her. She had to admit, though, she was curious. What kind of person agrees to an open marriage? Especially with a newborn baby in the mix? Unless…Maybe the baby wasn’t Jon’s?
She turned and inclined her head to invite Susan into the kitchen for what was surely to be the strangest conversation of her life.
“Coffee?” That seemed like a reasonable start.
Susan, looking grim and irritated, stepped into the kitchen and nodded. “Sure.”
She nodded toward Savannah’s wedding photo on the shelf by the back door.
“You’re married too, I see?”
“Divorced. Your…arrangement is not for everyone. Is Jon telling the truth? You really don’t mind him seeing other people?”
Susan exhaled heavily. “It’s not an ideal marriage,” she said dryly, “but we make it work.”
“Why not divorce?”
She rolled her eyes. “We get on well as friends, we both like our house and neither of us wants to move out. And we have Bella to think of.” Another grimace. “The baby.”
“So you…” Savannah tried to think of a way to ask her next question.
“Yes, we occasionally still sleep together, and Bella was the unplanned outcome of one such occasion.” Susan looked deeply uncomfortable now. Perhaps this was the first time she’d come face to face with one of Jon’s girlfriends. Assuming there were others and this had been going on for a while.
