I nod mutely. Mum sips her tea and Adrian looks confused. He clears his throat. ‘So, you’re here to support us?’
‘For how long?’ asks Mum.
‘For as long as it takes.’
‘And Ruby?’ I ask. ‘Selena has a daughter.’
‘As you’re family, and she’s comfortable here, she can stay with you tonight. But custody would usually go to her next of kin, which I expect is her father. We’re still trying to contact him. Neighbours have said he’s often away on business.’ Rachel puts her cup down. ‘We will make sure Ruby’s needs are met. Please don’t worry about that. I understand she’s ill?’
‘Yes,’ I say. ‘Crohn’s disease, among lots of other things.’
She pulls a sympathetic expression and adds softly, ‘I can also put you in touch with any bereavement charities.’
Mum scoffs. ‘We don’t need anything like that. Thank you all the same.’ Mum doesn’t believe in counselling. She didn’t have any when Natasha died, although I think she would have benefited. And so would I.
Rachel ferrets inside her blazer and retrieves a card. ‘I’ll be back here tomorrow with more information, but if you need anything in the meantime, this is my number.’
Adrian shows Rachel out, leaving me and Mum to stare at each other over the rims of our mugs.
‘I still can’t believe this is happening,’ she says eventually. Her face is haggard, her cheeks hollow, her eyes lined and red-rimmed.
I inhale deeply. My chest feels tight. ‘Me neither. They can’t really think her death is suspicious, can they?’
I remember Dean and his hurried departure. I should have told the police about him. The way he ran off without saying anything, the row I overheard them having in the street. My stomach twists.
‘No. Of course not. It’s just procedure,’ insists Mum.
How many times have we said that to each other since the police arrived?
After a few minutes I go to see the girls. Evie is still glued to the television and Amelia is drawing, her A4 art pad resting on her knees. I haven’t the heart to turn the television off, although I’d never normally let them sit watching it all day. But I’m hoping it’s taking Evie’s mind off what’s happened to Selena.
I sit between the girls and lean over to see what Amelia’s drawing. She has such a talent for art. I’m not sure where she gets it from as neither Adrian nor I can draw, although Selena was always creative. She used to sell her drawings of Garfield in the playground, they were so good. When Amelia sees me trying to look she moves away and pulls the cover over so I can’t see what she’s sketching. She’s never normally so secretive. She usually can’t wait to show me her doodles.
She stands up with the pad under her arm. ‘I’m going upstairs,’ she says, looking at me as though all of this is my fault. I know she can be surly, especially since we moved here, but things were getting better and she’d seemed happier over the last few weeks. It’s like she’s regressed since Selena was found. But I know that’s to be expected.
I stand up and switch off the television. Evie cries out and jumps up, shouting, ‘I was watching that!’
‘You’ve been watching it for hours.’ I hold out my hand to her. ‘Come on, why don’t we go and see Ruby?’
She looks as though she’s about to have a tantrum. Her brows furrow and her lip trembles. Then she takes my hand. ‘Will Ruby have to go and live with her dad now?’ she says, as we walk out of the room.
I think of all the negative things Selena had said about Nigel. ‘I don’t know, honey.’
I leave Evie with Mum and Ruby and head up to the attic to find Amelia. I need to try to talk to her.
She’s sitting on the edge of her bed, flicking through a Top Model colouring book.
‘Moo,’ I begin, sitting beside her. She doesn’t answer or even acknowledge that I’m there, but I continue anyway. ‘I had a chat with Evie about Dad. She said you’d told her he was possessed. What did you mean by that?’
She shrugs.
‘Amelia …’ I press.
She throws the colouring book to the floor and sighs. ‘Just that he’s different now. Like he’s another person.’
I uncross my legs. ‘Okay. Do you mean because of his illness?’
‘My friends in London said he was crazy.’ She stares down at her hands in her lap.
