One good lie, p.17
One Good Lie, page 17
‘You haven’t replied to my messages,’ he said.
He was banging on about his request to take the kids early at the weekend again. ‘I sent you one yesterday.’
‘To say you were thinking about it.’
‘The kids love seeing you, Greg, you know that. I just want to make sure they’re ready to change their routine.’
His gaze slid to the Subaru, the bricks beneath the axles. ‘Is he living here now?’
She was tempted to ask him who he was talking about, but there was no sense in antagonizing him further. ‘Ewan stays occasionally. He’s leaving his car here while he does it up.’
‘You need to be careful. He’s getting his feet under the table.’
‘It’s none of your business.’
He crossed his arms. He seemed shorter, stockier than usual, today. ‘It’s completely my business. My kids live here.’
‘Ewan’s great with the kids.’
He huffed and looked away. ‘He’s not what you think.’
Sophie pressed her teeth together. An argument wouldn’t do the kids any good; an argument was what she’d been trying to avoid. But his jealous behaviour was really starting to grate. She took a step closer. ‘That’s rich coming from the man who walked out on us all.’
‘Don’t start, Soph. We’ve talked about this. You know I made a mistake. I’d do anything to turn the clock back.’
‘Then let’s get down to the real reason you want to spend more time with the kids, shall we? Because you’re jealous of Ewan. You weren’t bothered before he came on the scene.’
‘That’s not true.’
‘Isn’t it? Come on, tell me. What’s so wrong with Ewan? What is it I don’t know about him?’
He stared at her, his gaze long and steadfast, as if he was harbouring a secret.
She angled her head. ‘Well? What is it, Greg?’
‘What’s going on?’
Neither of them had noticed the Golf pull up and park on the road.
Ewan walked down the driveway, looking from one to another. ‘Sophie?’
She tore herself away from Greg. ‘We were discussing the kids.’
‘I was just leaving,’ Greg said. He turned to Sophie. ‘I want your decision by tomorrow.’
She watched him stride up the driveway, trying to work out whether he’d been on the brink of saying something, or whether this was yet another ploy to get her to question her relationship choice, and decided it was the latter. If he had something on Ewan, he’d have damn well made sure he’d told her by now.
‘What are you doing here?’ she said to Ewan. He was dressed in track bottoms and a sweat top. No work uniform.
‘Nice welcome. Can I come in?’
He was acting weirdly. Sulking because she’d sent him home last night. Sophie lifted a couple of bags out of the boot. She really had no time for this. ‘Grab a bag. I need to get these unpacked, I’ve got a check-up at the dentist.’
She carried the bags into the house.
‘Shouldn’t you be at work?’ she said, dumping the shopping on the kitchen table.
‘I’ve taken the rest of the day off. I needed to see you.’
Sophie busied herself with putting the shopping away.
‘I’m going out of my mind, Soph. I haven’t slept, I can’t eat. Please tell me everything’s going to be okay.’ He caught her arm, stopped her in her tracks. ‘I can’t lose you, Soph. I won’t.’
Sophie shrugged him off, placed the cereal packet she was holding on the side and rubbed her hands up and down her face. ‘Look, Ewan, there was a lot to process yesterday. I needed time to get my head around it.’
‘And now?’
She thought about how she’d fought for him with Greg, how she’d said he was so good with the children. ‘I’m not sure. I don’t like secrets. I don’t want to play games.’
‘Neither. Do. I. You know why I didn’t tell you about Ruby. I couldn’t. I was thinking of you.’ He reached out and took her hand, rubbing his thumb up and down her palm, one of his usual soothing, affectionate gestures. ‘I’m always thinking of you.’
Sophie broke her hand free from his grasp and collapsed into a chair. She’d barely slept last night, the events of yesterday churning over and over in her mind. Was it possible he was telling the truth? That all he’d done was to protect her? It still left the wound over Ruby’s deception weeping, and her reeling at the idea of lying in bed asleep, thinking he was beside her when he was actually out with her big sister. And all on the night of Charlotte Manning’s murder.
But if he was telling the truth, it wasn’t his fault. None of it was.
That morning, on the way to school, Daisy had asked if he was coming over later – to finish the game on the Xbox he’d been playing with her yesterday. She’d looked at her daughter’s face in the rear-view mirror, her innocent brown eyes, eyes that were oblivious to their argument. Ewan had given up a lot for her. She came as a package. She’d made that clear from day one. It was her and the kids, equally. Yet it wasn’t just a proposition he’d accepted, it was one he’d embraced. He treated those children like they were his own and the little gifts he bought them, the way he reasoned with them when they argued with tenderness in his voice, the way he rolled around the floor with them in mock combat… How many other men would do the same? Daisy and Alfie were invested in Ewan. He was generous with them. Never complained. Never moaned, even when Daisy was ill and he couldn’t stay over because she slept in Sophie’s bed for almost a week.
The whole package. That’s what she needed to consider here. Not only her needs, but the needs of her family.
‘Please, Soph. Let me make it up to you.’
Greg’s words filled her mind. ‘He’s not what you think.’ Wasn’t that what Ruby had said yesterday? What was it about Ewan that made them wary?
‘I’m thinking about letting Greg have the kids early this weekend,’ she said, surprising herself with how quickly she’d decided. ‘It might do them all good.’
‘Sure,’ he said. ‘If you think that’s best.’
* * *
Three hours later, Sophie watched Ewan pull off the drive in her car, on his way to collect the children from school. He’d wheedled his way into her conscience, persuading her to cancel the dentist and spend the day together because they rarely got time alone. And it had worked. She needed a rest after the events on Sunday, the sleepless night that followed. He’d been gentle with her. Ran her a bath, washed her from head to toe, paying special attention to her bruises. Then they’d made love and he’d been sweet and kind, whispering beautiful sentiments about the depth of his love.
She let the folds of curtain fall against the side of the window and turned back to the room. Why couldn’t he always be that tender?
Chapter 41
Ruby stepped out of the house, shook the hands of her clients and thanked them for their time.
She bade them farewell and made her way back to her car. Monday had passed in a whirlwind of telephone calls, enquiries and appointments. Not helped by Mark leaving suddenly that morning with a family emergency, and not returning until the afternoon, leaving her, Kat and Sara to cover everything.
She crossed the road and climbed into her car. All day she’d smarted over the phone call from Colin. How dare he? Did he really think she’d chat away normally, as if he was an old friend? He clearly thought Charlotte Manning’s murder exonerated him in some way. But did it? And asking her and Sophie to be careful. What did he mean by that?
Ruby scratched the back of her neck irritably and pushed the call aside. It was almost 6:30 p.m., her back and her feet were throbbing, and she still needed to go to the police station and correct her account.
Had Kat spoken with Graham? They’d been out on separate appointments for the latter part of the afternoon and she hadn’t called. Ruby dialled Kat’s number, tapping her foot as the phone rang out.
‘Hey,’ Kat said. She sounded as if she’d been running.
‘Hi. I’m on my way to the police station. I wondered if you’d spoken with Graham.’
‘Only just now. He’s been in court all day. He said they’d be unlikely to arrest you with perverting the course of justice. You haven’t deliberately lied to assist an offender, as such, you’ve kept unimportant stuff back. The worst-case scenario is they might look at you for wasting police time. Doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll take any action. If they do, it would only be a fine.’
Ruby’s shoulders relaxed. ‘Okay, thanks.’
‘He did say you were doing the right thing by speaking up. Better late than never.’ She was trying to sound upbeat, but there was a distinct rasp to her voice.
‘Thanks. Did you manage to speak to Sophie?’
‘I texted her this morning. She hasn’t responded. I’ll try calling her this evening.’ Kat coughed uncomfortably. ‘There’s something else I need to tell you.’
‘What?’
‘Something Graham mentioned when I was telling him the reason for you changing your account—’
‘You didn’t tell him about Ewan and me? Kat!’
‘I had to. You know what bloody lawyers are like. Have to know all the facts before they’ll give an opinion. Don’t worry, he won’t tell anyone, but he did say something interesting. That he wasn’t surprised.’
‘What? Why?’
‘He’s seen Ewan out with other women.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Graham was in The Crown, a month ago, having a drink with a colleague after work, and Ewan was in there with a dark-haired woman, tucked away in the snug at the back. He only saw them because they were having some work done in the pub and he had to walk right around the bar to go to the toilet.’
‘It could have been a work mate or a friend.’
‘I said that. He said it didn’t look like a friend. “Draped all over her” was the phrase he used.’
‘Maybe he was comforting her.’
Kat was quiet a second. ‘It’s not the first time. He also saw him in Costa in Leicester city centre with a different woman a few months back.’
This was worse than Ruby could have imagined. ‘Why didn’t he say anything?’
‘Oh, you know Graham. Doesn’t like to get involved in other people’s business, he has enough drama at work. He didn’t even tell me, for Christ’s sake, and he knows how close I am to you and Soph.’
* * *
‘Let me get this straight,’ TDC Foster said. The light bounced off his pale forehead. ‘You’re now saying you did meet someone else while walking home through town on the evening of Tuesday the 18th of September.’
‘Yes.’ Ruby curled her fingers into tight fists beneath the table. Once again, she’d asked at the front desk for Hitesh. Once again, she’d been told he was otherwise engaged, and she got Foster. Only today, Foster was in a sombre mood.
‘And you didn’t tell me this in your original account because…’
‘I spoke to the guy I was with that night. He didn’t think it was relevant.’
‘Right. Despite being specifically asked.’ He looked older today, closer to thirty. He shuffled the papers in front of him – her original account, written out carefully with dates and times in his spidery scrawl. ‘And you and Mr Ewan Wilson were the couple in West Way,’ he said.
‘Yes.’ Ruby fisted her hands tighter under the table, her nails digging into the flesh. She wanted to slide off the chair and hide under the table. She bet her life Ewan hadn’t felt this bad when he was in the chair. He’d only given one account, delivering all the information in one shot, which meant he could give some pathetic excuse like, ‘Forgive me for not coming forward sooner, I’ve been busy at work, I didn’t see the appeal. I do apologise.’ She could almost imagine him parting his lips, widening his eyes sweetly as he spoke. All the time digging a hole and pushing her further and further into the sludge at the bottom. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said. It was a feeble attempt at an apology, she knew that. ‘Ewan’s my sister’s boyfriend. We were… messing about.’ She squirmed again. Her neck felt warm and clammy. ‘We didn’t want my sister upset. I do hope I didn’t waste anyone’s time.’
He raised his brow. His jaw sagged. Instead of answering, he scratched the last of her answer down. ‘What time did you get home?’ he asked.
‘Pardon?’
‘What time did you arrive back at your house?’ He took his time rephrasing the sentence, enunciating the syllables.
‘Around 9:20. Like I said in my last account.’
‘Ah, yes. The one that isn’t now accurate.’
Ruby swallowed and said nothing.
‘And is there anyone who can confirm the time?’
‘No, I live alone.’
‘Did you make any calls from your mobile?’
‘No, it was late, I didn’t make any calls.’ She stared across at him. ‘Why do I need to confirm where I was?’
‘This is a murder investigation. You weren’t far from the scene of the crime.’ He met her gaze. ‘I should tell you a discrepancy was picked up between your account and Mr Wilson’s and a detective went out to your home this afternoon. He’ll have left a card.’
Ruby winced. She should have come earlier. ‘I was at work.’
He gathered up the papers. ‘Well, if there’s nothing else…’
‘I am sorry, you know.’
She expected him to leave the room, terminate the discussion. Instead, he clasped his hands together and leaned them on the table. ‘This is a serious crime. The last thing we need is people being untruthful. I’d have thought you, if anyone, would understand that.’
Suddenly she felt as small as the fleck of dust on his cuff.
The conversation with Kat about wasting police time pressed on her. ‘Will I be in any trouble?’ she asked.
The chair scraped the floor as Foster stood. ‘That’s not for me to decide. You’ll be hearing from us.’
* * *
The light was starting to fade as Ruby walked out of the police station. She’d tried to ask Foster for an update on the murder inquiry before she left, but once more, he’d said there was nothing he could tell her. According to the news, they still hadn’t made an arrest and the incident continued to shake her. If Charlotte Manning had been killed on any other evening, it wouldn’t have bothered her so much, but she couldn’t deny the timing suggested a link to her family, her mum…
The phone call from Colin didn’t help. She’d considered mentioning it to Foster, but somehow it didn’t feel relevant. It wasn’t as if Colin had given her anything new. He’d just continued to profess his innocence. To be expected in the circumstances.
Her phone vibrated against her thigh. A text from Tom flashed up.
Let me know when you’re free this week. Need to talk.
She was about to switch it off when the sunflower flashed up on the screen: Isla.
I’m away in London with work this week. I’ll give you a call when I get back. Not sure how much I can help you though.
Ruby’s breath hitched. Central London was only an hour or so away on the train from Market Deeton. Perhaps she should travel down there. Over the telephone, people could tell all sorts of lies. Face to face their body language often betrayed them. She typed out a reply.
I’m in London tomorrow. Any chance we could meet for a coffee somewhere near St Pancras? I wouldn’t keep you too long.
She was pressing send when another idea sprang to mind. Sophie hadn’t responded to Kat’s message, but she couldn’t avoid the mums on the school run. She checked her watch. She was due to meet Lewis in The Prince at eight. She quickly tapped out a text to him – Running late, can we meet at nine? There was someone else she needed to see first.
Chapter 42
Farmfield Lodge was an estate of new-builds with mock-Tudor frontages, barely a couple of years old and situated behind the sports field of Welton Primary School. Ruby parked outside a detached house in the corner, with a block-paved garden and a people carrier on the driveway. A hanging basket filled with red geraniums, looking well past their best, hung beside the front door.
It was almost 7:30 p.m. and the aroma of cooked food – a pie or a stew, something hearty – crept out to meet her, reminding Ruby she’d barely eaten apart from a sandwich she’d picked up from the petrol station in between her afternoon appointments.
The door was answered by a short woman with a curly bob and a pretty face. An oversized linen shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a pair of loose jeans hung off her frame.
‘Hi, Louise. You’ve lost weight again.’
Sophie’s friend returned Ruby’s smile, exposing deep dimples in both cheeks. She peered around her, almost as if she was expecting someone else. ‘Is everything all right?’ she said to Ruby. ‘Is Sophie okay?’
Ruby surveyed Sophie’s closest friend. They’d met at antenatal classes when they’d been expecting their first children and their babies, born within a month of each other, socialised at the same mums and tots’ classes, the same swim classes and the same dance classes when they were older. Now attending the same school, Daisy and Chloe were firm friends. Louise was also on the PTA. She’d been out with Sophie on the night she met Ewan, and she’d been a great support to her sister, babysitting and doing the school run during the court case. If there was anyone outside the family who knew Sophie well, it was Louise.
Ruby plastered her brightest smile on her face. ‘Yes. I wondered if you had time for a quick chat?’
‘Oh.’ Louise looked back into the house.
The herby smell of the food was stronger now, making Ruby’s mouth water. ‘If you’re having dinner, I can come back…’
‘No, no. I’ve just got the kids off to sleep, haven’t put ours out yet. Come on in.’ She pulled the door back and Ruby stepped inside. ‘Kev’s watching the rugby,’ Louise added, indicating for her to follow her down the hallway.
