‘I can’t help it. They live next door.’
She glances up at me. ‘So? It’s not your business. I don’t know what my neighbours are up to and, frankly, I don’t care.’ Jo lives in a detached townhouse on one of Redland’s premier streets where everyone keeps to themselves.
‘Look, I know you’re only saying all this because you’re worried, but it became my business the night I overheard them.’
‘Lena. You keep saying you’ll drop it and then you don’t!’
I put my glass down. ‘That was before I found a keyring that looks very much like Oliver’s in the Morgans’ garden. And it was before I saw the photograph of her pinned to their wall. They’ve changed their locks now, so I won’t be able to get back into the house, even if I wanted to, and I’ve misplaced Joan’s key.’
She runs her hand through her dyed red hair. ‘When you do get hold of Simone, what are you going to ask her? How is any of this going to help you solve whatever you think you’re trying to solve?’ She throws her arms into the air, exasperated.
‘I just want to ask her how she knows the Morgans. Or if she knows something about them.’
‘Just because the keyring is similar to Oliver’s it might not be hers. And the newspaper clipping isn’t just about her. It’s about an electrical company winning an award. They might have that for any number of reasons. And you said yourself it might not even be her.’
‘It certainly looks like her. I don’t know what all this means, Jo, but I can’t let it go. Please don’t ask me to.’
‘It’s your life. You’re a grown woman. Just be careful.’
I offer to drive Jo home and we make a detour to Freddie’s house. I pull up across his driveway and text Rufus to say I’m outside.
Jo is in the front passenger seat fiddling with the vents. Even with the air-conditioning there is still a sheen to her skin. She sits back in her seat, the aircon on full blast and directed onto her face. ‘That’s bliss.’ She sighs. ‘God, I can’t remember what it’s like to feel cold. Oh, that reminds me.’ She turns to me. ‘There might be a full-time job coming up at my chambers. How good is your typing? Are you fast?’
I sit up straighter. ‘I think so. I mean, I can touch-type.’
‘It’s just admin stuff, but Betty, who works there now, is retiring soon. I could put in a good word …’
‘Oh, my God, Jo, that would be amazing! Thank you.’
She beams at me. She wants to keep an eye on me, which is lovely in one way but also quite mortifying.
‘Where’s my child?’ I say, looking down at my phone. I’m just about to text Rufus again when Jo nudges me. I glance up to see him walking around the side of Freddie’s house. But he’s not with Freddie. He’s with Jackson.
I gasp.
‘What is it?’ asks Jo.
‘That’s Jackson, Collette’s son. The boy who bullied Rufus.’ What is he doing with Jackson? And how does Jackson know Freddie? Freddie is a new friend from college. He didn’t go to Rufus’s school. Panic travels through me, making me feel even hotter. Is this some kind of set-up to hurt Rufus? I lean forwards so that the edge of the steering wheel is pressing against my chest. But, no, it looks like Jackson and Rufus are chatting amicably. Freddie is nowhere to be seen. ‘What is going on?’ I mutter, more to myself.
‘Maybe they’ve made up.’
‘I don’t understand how. He’s the reason why Rufus left that school.’
‘You know what kids are like. So fickle.’
Unease spreads through me. I watch intently, trying to gauge their body language. Rufus is standing with his head bent towards Jackson, as though listening intently. Jackson is the one doing the talking. And then he steps forwards and, to my surprise, embraces Rufus. I exhale in relief. I still don’t trust Jackson but at least it looks friendly. He disappears around the side of the house and Rufus walks towards the car. He’s smiling.
‘Hi, Jo,’ he says, as he gets into the back seat.
‘All right, Ruf?’ says Jo, but I don’t speak. Instead I watch as Rufus fastens his seat belt. When he still doesn’t say anything I clear my throat.
‘What?’ He looks up.
‘You? And Jackson? I thought you hated each other. Why is he at Freddie’s house?’
‘Oh,’ he waves a hand dismissively, ‘long story. But it’s all fine between us now. Can we go?’
I continue to sit there, my body contorted so that I can see him in the rear seat. He’s avoiding eye contact. ‘You can’t just leave it at that. I fell out with Collette. I handed in my notice on a job I enjoyed. I did all those things because of the way you were being treated.’
