Page 11 of A Murder is Going Down

‘Patrick.’

‘I’m being serious.’

‘I don’t know,’ Elena says, clearly meaningshut up. ‘The police interviewed all of us who were there that night. Everyone had to make a statement. But I’m sure they can’t think anyone else was involved.’

‘What doyouthink happened, Patrick?’ Aunty Sam asks and my head jerks up in surprise at her tone.

‘I assumed it was an accident,’ Patrick says. ‘But it’s not exactly a stretch to imagine someone wanting to kill Felix.’ Elena’s face drops and Patrick adds quickly, ‘Sorry, bad joke.’

I’m not sure he was joking, but I turn the page to read about a new study that shows red wine causes cancer. Or maybe it cures it; I’m reading every tenth word.

‘Sorry, sis.’ Patrick’s second apology sounds sincere, although he ruins its effect by going on, ‘But has Felix ever had an accident on that cliff in the, what, three years since you moved in? Also, it’s kind of weird he’d go out there in the middle of a party in the first place.’

‘Patrick.’ Elena puts down her spoon, looking upset.‘Can we not do this? It’s too early in the morning for your brand of … whatever this is.’

‘This is my personality,’ he says, but not as though he’s particularly offended.

I turn another page of the newspaper, taking nothing in. This is not the first time I’ve wondered if someone else might have been involved in Felix’s death. If you’d known my brother, you’d get it. But Patrick is the first person I’ve heard say it out loud.

Patrick’s suggestion isn’t so wild; Felix had always made friends easily when he was interested in doing so, but he racked up enemies just as fast when he had no appetite to be charming or when he no longer needed something from them. Then again, accidents happen. Senseless death has never shocked me after losing my parents.

A terrible accidentis how Aunty Sam described Felix’s death to me on the phone.

Then she said a series of other things, each more horrific than the last:

1. It happened on a Saturday night when Felix and Elena had friends over for booze and pizza. (That’s not the horrific part. I like pizza. I’m not a monster.)

2. During the party (can you call seven people a party?), Felix went out for some fresh air.

3. Elena got stuck in the house lift, so it took everyonea while to realise something had happened to Felix because they were so busy trying to get her out.

4. Felix was found dead at the bottom of the cliff outside their house. (Yes, they lived in a built-into-a-cliff fancy kind of a house. We’ll get there later.) He’d been banged up by the fall, but the cause of death was drowning.

There’s more – we’ll get into it.

‘What are you two going to do today?’ Aunty Sam asks Elena, changing the subject with chainsaw subtlety.

‘I have to pick up some clothes from the house. I’m running low.’ Elena’s look suggests this is right up there with scrubbing her face with a kitchen scourer as a fun way to spend the morning.

‘Heidi can go for you,’ Aunty Sam says. ‘You shouldn’t have to go there, Elena.’

‘Me?’ I say it automatically, not meaning to come off like quite such a lazy bitch. But also:me?Then I see Aunty’s Sam’s face. ‘Of course I can,’ I say quickly, backtracking faster than a rat in a maze.

‘You don’t have to do that,’ Elena says. ‘Although I’d kill for a lie-down.’

Not the words I’d be using if my husband had just died under mysterious circumstances.

‘I’ve got nothing planned,’ Aunty Sam says to Elena. ‘We can hang out and chat. I’ve taken up knitting again.’

‘Did you ever finish that jumper?’ Elena asks, and I’m reminded of the fact that these two have a whole relationship that exists when I’m not around.

‘It’s fine.’ I say it loudly in the hope of avoiding any more knitting talk. How excited is it really possible to get about wool?

‘But you’re not even old enough to drive,’ Elena says, pointing out the obvious.

‘The train goes most of the way,’ I say, which is true. ‘And I can take my bike. It’s fine.’

It really is sort of fine. I need to stay busy, so I don’t message Lilia or ride my bike past Ben’s house. Again.