‘Okay, breathe in, sweetheart,’ she encourages me gently. ‘Deep breaths and then talk to me.’
I try, but I can’t seem to draw air past the lump in my chest. ‘She’s insisting he cheated on Natalia,’ I continue tremulously after a moment. ‘She’s even saying he’s cheating on me. She’s convinced he had something to do with Natalia’s death, because he wanted custody of Evie, because he thought he could gain financially. Nothing he says will convince her otherwise. She’s influencing Evie too.’ It all comes rushing out now I’ve started. ‘Evie seems to be furious with Jack, and he doesn’t know what to do, how to handle it.Ihave no idea how to handle it.’
Jemma hesitates before answering. ‘Do you think he’s capable of any of the things she’s accusing him of? Honestly?’ she asks carefully.
I’m about to say I don’t know when a stark image assaults me – the dream I’d had, Natalia’s stricken face as the locket was snatched from her neck, Jack holding it in his hand – and my mind thinks the unthinkable: that she might actually have been wearing it on the night she went overboard. ‘I’m having nightmares,’ I confide. ‘I keep seeing Natalia. Jack standing over her when she falls. And she’s wearing a locket. A locket that’shere in my house and which Jack swears she wasn’t wearing. I see her shoe, too. It has blood on it and… It’s as if my dreams are trying to tell me something, and I don’t know what to think any more.’
‘Okay. Firstly, slow down,’ Jemma says, her tone firm but kind. ‘Your mind is racing. We’ve talked about this before, remember? When you spoke to me about the nightmares you were having about Mark and Kai? You were stressed and upset, just as you are now. You’re dwelling on things Lina has told you, which isn’t surprising. Do you recall how we talked about dreams being indicative of preoccupation with a person or event? They don’t necessarily mean anything or indicate the person’s true nature. The dreams are not prophecies or dire warnings. They’re simply your brain’s mechanism for processing emotions.’
‘I know,’ I concede. ‘But they’re just so real.’
‘Have you spoken to Jack about all of this?’ Jemma asks.
‘Not really. We’ve barely had time to talk since Lina…’ I trail off as I hear Jack’s Land Rover pulling up on the drive. ‘Can I call you back tomorrow, Jem? He’s just arrived.’
‘His ears were obviously burning,’ Jemma jokes. ‘No problem,’ she adds. ‘I’m always here. Give him my regards.’
‘I will. Thanks for your shoulder. It’s so appreciated.’
‘That’s what friends are for,’ she assures me.
Ending the call, I hurry to the hall and open the front door, then pause as my phone rings. It’s Evie.
Quickly, I answer it, and my blood turns to ice in my veins. ‘Kara, can you come and fetch me? I’m so scared,’ she murmurs, her voice that of a frightened child.
I clutch my phone tighter. ‘Evie, what is it?’
‘It’s Immy.’ She gasps out a breath. ‘She’s dead.’
THIRTY-THREE
‘Evie, where are you?’ I raise my voice over her raucous sobs.
‘At Immy’s,’ she blurts, finally. ‘She’s dead, Kara. She’sdead.’
‘Evie, listen to me,’ I say firmly, desperate to try to calm her. ‘We’re here for you, okay?’ I glance at Jack, who can clearly sense my mounting fear. ‘Just try to tell me what happened. Can you do that?’
She doesn’t answer.
‘What happened to Immy, Evie?’ I urge her gently.
‘Shefell,’ she cries, sounding close to hysteria. ‘She was in the multistorey car park in Worcester and she fell, and I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what todo, Kara.’
Oh God, no.I feel the blood drain from my body. ‘Are the police there?’ I ask, my gaze fixed on Jack.
‘Jesus Christ.’ His face ashen, he moves towards me, gesturing for me to pass him the phone.
‘Is that Dad?’ Evie asks, her voice small and fearful.
‘Yes. Do you want to talk to him?’
‘No,’ she says, clearly panicked. ‘I can’t. I don’t know what to say. I can’t talk to him, Kara. Please don’t make me.’
‘It’s all right, you don’t have to. Just focus on me, okay?’ I shake my head meaningfully at Jack. He rakes his fingers through his hair, clearly worried, but backs off a little.
‘Uh-huh,’ Evie murmurs. She sounds so young and vulnerable, I feel like crying with her.
‘Are the police questioning you?’ I ask her.
