Keeping her voice low, she shared with him, word for word, or as near to it as she could, the conversation she’d had with Finlay that afternoon.
All the time he listened, and with small, barely perceptible movements, he shifted the glass and plate in front of him, a classic gesture on his part that he was thinking hard. ‘And you believe Finlay?’ he asked when she’d finished.
‘I do. Why else would such a young child make up something as twisted and sick as that, and be as matter of fact about it? That was what I found so disturbing, that he didn’t seem to have any idea that what he’d admitted to was so terrible. He wasn’t at all upset that Bon-Bon was dead because of him; instead he was more concerned about me not telling Rosalyn that he’d wet himself.’
‘Surely it was obvious that he had?’
‘He was drenched from all the rain, so probably no, it wasn’t obvious.’
Ben sipped his drink and took a bite of his jam sandwich, chewing on it thoughtfully. ‘Have you said anything to Rosalyn about this?’
‘God no! That’s what I need your advice for.DoI tell her? But what are the chances she refuses to believe me, accuses me of making things up about Drew because I hated him or—?’ Cassie threw her hands in the air. ‘Or thinks I’m jealous of her for having made him happy when I couldn’t.’
Ben frowned. ‘She doesn’t strike me as the sort to think anything like that.’
‘You didn’t see her last night. Undeniably she was out of her mind with fear and panic when Finlay was missing, but the way she turned on Emily, she was so vicious about it. Even when Finlay was found, she was still incredibly nasty to Emily. And she turned on me this afternoon because she thought I wasn’t taking good enough care of her son. It’s like she’s suddenly a different person. She’s scarily volatile.’
‘It could just be shock,’ Ben said. Then: ‘Do you think she has any inkling about the way Drew disciplined and punished Finlay?’
‘I haven’t a clue. For all we know, maybe he treated her similarly.’
‘Treated who similarly?’
The question came from Emily who, wearing a cropped T-shirt and a pair of cotton pyjama shorts, had appeared in the kitchen without either of them noticing.
‘Oh, it’s nothing,’ Cassie said with a shrug. ‘I thought you were having an early night, love?’
‘I couldn’t sleep.’ She came and sat on the stool next to Cassie. ‘Is that what I think it is,’ she said, pointing at Ben’s jam sandwich.
He smiled. ‘Sure is. Want a bite?’
Emily pulled a face. ‘Nah, you’re fine. What were you both discussing so quietly, like you didn’t want anyone to hear?’
‘Your mum was telling me about Finlay going missing and Bon-Bon drowning in the river,’ Ben said. ‘It must have been a horrendous experience for you. How are you feeling?’
‘I’m okay, thanks.’
‘Really?’ he said.
His voice being soft with concern filled Cassie’s heart with love for him. He’d always been so good at cajoling Emily into opening up in a way that Cassie sometimes failed to do.
‘It was horrible,’ Emily admitted. ‘I can’t stop thinking about it.’
Cassie reached over and covered her daughter’s hand with one of her own. But she didn’t speak.
‘I was so scared that Finlay might have fallen in the river,’ Emily continued, ‘and it would have been my fault. As it is, Venetia probably thinks I’m to blame for Bon-Bon drowning. If I hadn’t taken Finlay to go and see her little dog, none of this would have happened.’
‘I doubt very much that Venetia holds you responsible in any way,’ Ben said.
‘You’re wrong, Iamresponsible for what happened and there’s nothing anyone can say to change that.’
This was too much for Cassie. ‘Ems, you only feel that now because it’s all still so very raw for you.’
‘I know you’re trying to make me feel better, Mum, but the truth is I did take my eye off Finlay. I was chatting to Venetia about what I planned to do next, about getting a job, and I was … well … never mind that. The bottom line is that I messed up and now Bon-Bon’s dead.’
Cassie didn’t push it, but changing tack, and knowing that she was entering hyper-dangerous territory, she said, ‘Ems, has Finlay ever said or done anything that has given you cause to be concerned about him?’
Both Emily and Ben looked at her, and for quite different reasons. Ben clearly was wary of what Cassie might be going on to say and Emily just looked puzzled. ‘In what way?’ she asked.
