Page 19

CHAPTER 19

SALLY – D AY T WO

‘So why the hell didn’t you say something while she was on the phone?’ Sally’s staring at Matthew, hardly able to take in what he’s implying. ‘You’re seriously saying the police will see Carol as a suspect ?’

‘No. I’m not saying that. What I’m saying is that they will want to question her to eliminate her from the inquiry, which will be upsetting for everyone, especially for Carol. I’m just preparing you. Warning you.’ Matthew pauses. ‘You’re right. I should have warned her when she called but the press conference was just about to come up on the news—’

‘I don’t believe this.’ Sally’s head is spinning as she tries to take this in properly. Matthew has turned away as if watching something in the garden. ‘No. Please. I need you to look at me.’

Slowly he turns back, his expression strained. Sally looks straight into his eyes. ‘Tell me the truth. Do you think Carol could be involved?’

‘No, I don’t think that personally.’ He holds her gaze. ‘But you must see that Mel will have to be told of the history. What happened.’ He thinks of the baby. Of it all over the news all those years ago, just like now. ‘Otherwise, I will lose her trust. This is protocol, Sal. We can’t not tell Mel.’

‘Protocol?! You point the finger at one of my best friends, who has been to hell and back, and you call that protocol?’

‘Please, Sal. I’m not pointing the finger. I’m just being straight with you. Let’s not do this, not now—’

They both fall silent. Both still standing. Matthew keeps facing her but looking at the ground, his eyes closed, and so finally Sally takes out her phone. ‘Right. I’m calling her. Telling her not to come. I’m not having her put through all that. No way.’

She tries to dial but the call won’t connect. Damn. ‘Looks like she’s switched the phone off. Sal checks her watch. ‘Maybe she’s already at the airport. Has put it into flight mode. So what do we do?’

Matthew looks up and opens his eyes. ‘I’m so sorry, Sally. But there are procedures. Rules. It’s tricky for me.’

‘But why? We both know that Carol has nothing to do with any of this. So why can’t we just keep quiet? Spare her the trauma.’

‘We can’t do that.’

‘Why not?’

There is this terrible pause in which Matthew scrapes his hand through his hair. His tic. The signal that he’s totally exasperated.

Sally finds that she’s on the verge of crying again and she’s now the one to turn away. It’s too much. Thinking of Amelie. Where are you? And now on top of that horror, she has the worry of what Carol may be put through just for trying to be a good friend.

For a terrible moment Sally travels back to that hotel room all those years ago. The moment in which she and Beth found out the truth about their friend Carol. She remembers the complete and overwhelming shock of it all.

She can picture the baby in the cot. The disbelief. But most of all she remembers her fear. How brave Beth was and how terrified she felt herself.

Call security. Call the police ...

She turns back to look again at her husband, remembering his part in their history with Carol – how much he helped them – and she realises the worst thing of all.

That he’s absolutely right.

She should have thought this through the moment Carol rang; she should have made some excuse. Spared her.

It doesn’t matter that in her heart she knows that Carol would never harm a fly. The police will see it differently. Mel will see it differently.

She should have told Carol not to come.