‘Kirsty!’ Adrian calls from the bedroom.
I dart into the room to see him holding up a key. ‘I found it on the dressing-table,’ he says.
I take it from him. ‘He left it here? He skulked out without saying he was leaving? How strange.’ I pause. ‘And when did he go? Before Selena fell … or after?’
23
When Adrian and I return downstairs Mum is coming out of Ruby’s room. She’s changed her clothes but still looks dishevelled, her hair, usually lacquered to within an inch of its life, all over the place. Her smart blouse and navy M&S trousers are creased and she looks as though she’s been crying. She tells me the police and the forensics team have left. ‘Ssh. Ruby’s cried herself to sleep. She’s distraught, as you can imagine.’
I peer over Mum’s shoulder. Ruby is curled in the foetal position, her face resting on her hands, her long lashes creating shadows on her cheeks. I want to weep for her. ‘It’s just so awful.’
Mum touches my shoulder. ‘I know,’ she says softly. ‘I’m going to stay with her tonight.’
‘She needs some food,’ I whisper. ‘Look at her. She’s so thin and pale. We’ve all been too distracted and we’ve missed lunch.’ Not that I have an appetite, but it’s nearly three o’clock.
‘If she wakes up hungry I’ll bring her into the dining room and we can give her something. Although …’ she pauses, looking panicked, ‘… I don’t know what shecaneat.’
‘She’ll know,’ I say, sounding more confident than I feel. ‘She can tell us what she’s allowed.’
‘She’s only seven,’ Mum says. And then she bites her lip and I can tell she’s stifling tears. Before today I can’t remember the last time I saw her cry.
‘I’m sorry, Mum,’ I say. I mean for another loss in our family. First Natasha, then Dad and now Selena. Three Hugheses.
She must think I’m apologizing for something else, though, as she says, softly ‘All those wasted years.’ She shakes her head sadly. ‘All that time lost being angry with Selena. What was the point?’ I get the impression she’s not talking about me.
I try to keep busy. Adrian is preparing food for the girls without being asked, and Mum is with Ruby. Julia and Nathan must have gone out. Nancy is upstairs, cleaning rooms.
I can’t stop thinking about Dean. Why didn’t he check out? And when did he leave? I clean his room anyway, ready for the next guest.
I’m just wiping down the bathroom tiles when Nancy pops her head around the door. ‘There’s someone here to see you,’ she says. ‘The police.’ Her eyes shine with excitement. ‘What’s going on?’
The police? Here again? They’ve only just left.
‘There was an accident this morning. My cousin fell down the stairs and died,’ I explain.
Her hand flies to her mouth and her eyes look like they’re about to pop out of her head. In that moment she reminds me of Horace and I feel guilty for such an inappropriate thought. ‘Oh, my God!’
‘Can you take over?’ I thrust the bleach and cloth into her hand and head downstairs without waiting for an answer.
DS Middleton is standing in the hallway. He has someone with him. An attractive woman in her early thirties with clear green eyes, freckles and long red hair tied up in a bun. She looks sombre, slightly intimidating, until a smile lights her face, making her look warmer, approachable. He introduces her as DC Rachel Banner, our family liaison officer. ‘I’ll leave you in DC Banner’s capable hands,’ he says. ‘I’ll be in touch.’
I watch as he strides out of the front door – his legs are so long, he seems to be wearing stilts. Then I turn to DC Banner.
She smiles again. Her skin is so pale that I can see the blue veins mapped out on her eyelids. ‘Please, call me Rachel.’
I try to return her smile but I can’t. I don’t feel like I could ever smile again.
‘Can I speak to you and your immediate family? In private?’
‘Sure. Please go through to the kitchen.’ I indicate the way, then round up Mum and Adrian. Mum is reluctant to leave Ruby but I tell her it’s important and she finally agrees because Ruby is still sleeping.
I put the kettle on and make tea. Rachel takes hers gratefully. I notice her nails are short and painted a pale pink. I think of Selena and her toenails and my eyes well up again.
Rachel notices. ‘I’m so sorry for your loss,’ she says. ‘I’m here to offer you support, particularly if the police decide there will be an investigation into Selena’s death. I’ve been trained to assist with practical matters and to help you liaise with the media.’
Media? Why would Selena’s death be newsworthy?
‘And I have a logbook, which I’ll use to record our conversations,’ she continues. ‘This is to help you and to remind me to do anything in the future for you.’ She blushes slightly as she comes to the end of her speech. It sounds pat, like she’s said it many times before.
