‘They asked me if I know what happened,’ she answers tremulously. ‘But I don’t. I was supposed to be meeting her, but she didn’t show. I told them I didn’t believe it. I said she wouldn’t have gone up there on her own. She doesn’t like heights. She wouldn’t havejumped. Shedidn’t. I know she didn’t.’ She’s talking rapidly, her words almost tumbling over each other in her haste.
‘Don’t say anything else, Evie,’ I instruct her, concerned they might be questioning her without an appropriate adult present. ‘Are Imogen’s parents there?’
‘Her mum.’ She gasps out another ragged sob.
‘Okay,’ I say, my heart wrenching at the thought of what the woman will be going through. ‘Listen to me, Evie. I need you to hand the phone to one of the police officers. Can you do that?’
Evie doesn’t answer me. I hear a muffled exchange of words in the background, and a second later, a woman comes on the phone. ‘This is DI Blake,’ she says. ‘Who am I talking to?’
‘Kara Keenan, Evie’s father’s partner,’ I reply. ‘Hold on, I’ll put him on.’
Jack grabs the phone as I offer it to him. ‘Jack Conley,’ he says tersely. ‘What the bloody hell is going on? Why are you questioning my daughter without?—’
He stops as the woman speaks over him. I watch him breathe in sharply, wonder if he’s ever going to breathe out. ‘Right,’ he says after a pause. ‘So I can come and collect her?’ He nods as she answers. ‘We’ll be straight there,’ he says, his voice thick with emotion. ‘Could you put Evie back on, please?’
Pulling the phone away from his ear, he addresses me. ‘She was there when they arrived to inform her parents,’ he says quietly. ‘They’re awaiting CCTV footage, but they think it was suicide. There was a note.’ He stops, going back to the phone as Evie’s voice drifts from it.
‘Evie? Hey, hey, don’t cry, sweetheart,’ he says, his voice cracking. ‘It’s okay. I know you didn’t do anything. Just try to stay calm. I’ll be there as soon as I can.’
‘I’m coming with you,’ I tell him as he hands my phone back to me.
Jack nods. ‘I’ll make sure the back’s locked up,’ he says, turning to the kitchen.
There’s no way I’m about to let him drive in the state he’ll be in. I’m grabbing my car keys from the hall table when there’s a tap on the front door. I feel every fibre in my body tense. It can only be Lina, the very last person he will want in the house right now. Ironically, also the first person Evie will probably want to see.
Trying to still the combination of confusion and nerves churning inside me, I brace myself and open the door. ‘I’ve had a troubling text from Evie about Immy,’ Lina says, stepping in without invitation. ‘She couldn’t get hold of you.Orher father.’
‘He was out,’ I tell her, my tone impatient.
‘Oh yes?’ Lina arches her eyebrows insinuatingly. ‘Out where precisely, my dear? No doubt he told you he was at work.’
‘Of course he was,’ I snap, astounded by the implicit accusation.Was he?The thought creeps into my head uninvited.
THIRTY-FOUR
Jack comes through from the kitchen as I’m about to tell Lina to leave. ‘What do you want?’ he asks her, his voice seething with anger.
Lina’s eyes travel accusingly over him. ‘To know where you were when Evie’s friend died would be interesting,’ she replies with a smirk.
‘Get the fuck out!’ Jack yells.
‘Jack, don’t!’ I spin around as he takes a step towards her. ‘We have to collect Evie.’
Jack looks past me to Lina, his eyes blazing with fury. ‘Getout,’ he grates, his chest heaving.
I turn back to her. ‘Go,’ I urge her. Seeing the glint of satisfaction in her eyes as she turns to the door, my own anger intensifies. At first I was convinced she was struggling with dementia, but now I’m doubting it. She seems to know exactly what she’s doing. She’s goading him into reacting.
‘Tell my granddaughter she knows where I am,’ she says as she leaves.
Fuming inside, I turn back to find Jack grabbing up his car keys. ‘Oh no you don’t.’ I pick my own up. ‘You’re in no state to drive. We’ll take my car.’
He hesitates for a second, then nods and heads past me out onto the drive.
I hurry to catch him up as he strides to the car. I can feel Lina’s eyes on me as I climb in. ‘Seat belt,’ I instruct Jack, quashing a surge of raw emotion as I recall asking Mark to fasten his.Concentrate, I will myself, starting the car and pulling off the drive, away from prying eyes.
Jack is silent for a long moment, then, ‘Sorry,’ he says, blowing out a breath. ‘About my reaction back there. The woman winds me up.’
‘Intentionally.’ I glance at him. He’s tense, his forefingers pressed against his temples. I’m not surprised. ‘You need to ignore her, Jack. At least for the moment, for Evie’s sake.’ I don’t say any more. Having decided to seek alternative accommodation for Lina, I now have no idea what to do. With Imogen gone from Evie’s life, how can I send Lina away too?
