Page 107 of A Murder is Going Down

‘That’s why we’re here,’ Elena says. ‘Michael told me what he’d done and I said we had to come out and take thatt-shirt to the tip, where it belongs.’ She adds, ‘If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.’

Does this mean Elena will be the one murdering me to shut me up? It would hurt less than Patrick, at least. Probably not literally.

‘This doesn’t change anything,’ Michael says. ‘It’s a t-shirt. It doesn’t prove anything.’

‘Aunty Sam knows Patrick was here that night,’ I say, desperation making me chatty. ‘She knows everything.’

‘Me?’ Patrick frowns. ‘What do you mean?’

‘I know it was you who pretended to be Felix at the dinner party that night,’ I say. ‘Aunty Sam saw you.’

‘Ididn’t kill anyone,’ Patrick says.

‘It wasan accident, was it?’ I ask, not trying to keep the sarcasm out of my voice. Better to die as I’ve lived – being a snarky bitch. ‘You and Felix just happened to be wearing matching t-shirts, so when he carked it before dinner you could take his place? Super believable, Patrick.’

‘I’m serious, Heidi. I had nothing to do with this. Not at first, anyway,’ Patrick says and he steps towards me. I shuffle backwards and nearly trip over a gnarled tree root. If I fall to my grisly death and save everyone the trouble, I’m going to be so pissed off.

‘Michael,’ Patrick says, turning to his brother. ‘We have to tell her the truth.’

‘Or not,’ I say. ‘You don’t need to tell me anythingat all. You could go to the airport, jump on your plane and we’ll pretend this whole thing never happened. I’ve repressed a lot in my life, one more thing will barely even register.’

‘It wasn’t Patrick,’ Michael says, sounding resigned.

‘But Aunty Sam saw him.’

‘It was me,’ Michael says. ‘Your aunt must have got it wrong. We’re basically the same height. I dyed my hair so it would be closer to Felix’s – and Patrick’s, I guess.’ He puts a hand up to his hair. ‘I dyed it back, but it’s never felt quite the same. Too dry. Maybe I need a hair mask.’

Aunty Sam and her dodgy eyes. Why didn’t I force her to get glasses?

‘Although,’ Michael goes on, ‘I’m slightly insulted to learn that I have the physique of a sixteen-year-old.’

‘Oh.’ I look from Michael to Patrick’s faces. ‘Iknewit,’ I say.

Patrick snorts. ‘Heidi, I know it pains you that you didn’t solve the mystery, butcome on.’

‘I really did.’ I try to explain, ‘Before Aunty Sam called me and said she saw you here that night, Patrick, I was certain it was Michael.’

‘How?’ Michael asks, genuinely curious, and I’m inappropriately pleased to have the opportunity to showcase my brilliance, when possibly I should be running for my life instead.

‘A few things. For one, there was the house alarm and the bathroom,’ I say.

‘What?’

‘When we came out to the house to search for clues, Michael,’ I say. I’m almost apologetic. ‘You’d supposedly never been here before – Patrick told me that. But when we got here you were so busting for a wee you went inside first and put in the house alarm code. Then you ran straight to the toilet, without asking for directions. How did you know the code or where the bathroom was if it was your first visit?’

Michael looks annoyed. Beside him, Elena puts one hand over her eyes.

‘And they say you’re one of the great rising stars of the stage,’ Patrick says.

‘Also, the wholeI’m sorrynote was always pretty unbelievable,’ I add.

‘I told you,’ Elena breaks in. ‘It was ridiculous and you would know that if you’d asked my opinion first.’

Michael looks sheepish. ‘It wasn’t my best idea. But when you said you were going to come here to look for clues, I thought maybe I could help convince you that Felix had killed himself. I had the note in my pocket, and when I spotted the Coke can, I pretended to tie my shoe and just chucked it in there for you to find.’

‘Using stationery from the hotel you’d been staying at before Felix died?’ Elena says.

‘I didn’t see the logo. It was very subtle. Suprisingly classy, really.’ Michael sounds defensive.