Page 157 of Every Silent Lie

“That’s outside this building.”

“Not so random after all,” she says, changing the screen again. “This is a close-up.”

“Are you kidding?” I blurt out, getting closer to the screen.

“Do you know him?” Hyde asks.

“Yes, I know him.” I look at Thomas. “It’s Phillip West.”

He balks and joins us, having a peek himself. “Jesus,” he breathes. “Camryn fired him.”

“For?” Jones asks.

“He filed a false accusation against another staff member,” Thomas says, shaking his head, his eyes still on the screen.

“His wife,” I add. “He was trying to get her fired. From what I understand, he’s met someone else and wants Meredith out of his life in all capacities.” I falter, more words waiting to spill out, but I’m not sure I should share, given Meredith told me in confidence. And do I need to? No. “He claimed she got aggressive with him one evening in the office when everyone stayed behind to have drinks. We had evidence that proved it was actually the other way round.”

“Right.” Hyde looks at Thomas. “I’m going to need a name and an address.”

“You’re going to arrest a man a few days before Christmas?” Anthony asks, sounding truly flabbergasted. “Based on a few shots from CCTV that put him on a different street a few minutes before Camryn was jumped?”

“The evidence is sufficient,” Hyde retorts, clipped, going back to Thomas. “Name and address.”

Thomas seems lost in a daze, staring forward.

“Sir?”

He snaps out of it, casting a sorry gaze my way. “I’m sorry, Camryn.”

“I fired him, Thomas,” I say tiredly.

“Yes, but I should have fired him first, save you doing it, then we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

“Sir, I’m going to need that address.”

“Yes, right, sure. Follow me.” Thomas turns and leaves, and the officers follow.

“We’ll be in touch. You’ll be required to come down to the station to do a formal statement.”

I nod, a little struck, having to perch on the edge of my desk, my legs wobbly, as Anthony follows them out. I remain where I am for a while, my mind racing, until I see the officers boarding the elevator with their name and address. Phillip West?

My mobile rings, knocking me out of my daze, and I answer on a murmured, “Hello.” unable to muster the strength or effort to sound okay, although I’m quite sure I don’t want to tell Dec about Phillip West.

“What’s up?” he asks, sounding anxious.

Luckily, I have another bombshell to share, although I’m still wondering if it’s new news to Dec. “You didn’t get TF Shipping,” I say.

He’s silent for a few moments. “I hoped to give you the heads-up before your boss. I just found out myself.”

“They let me go.”

He sighs. “Fuck. Camryn, I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” I have a feeling my time here was limited, anyway. This was a double-edged sword for me. I scoop up my box with one arm and head for the elevators. “I’m going to see my mum.”

“Call me when you’re done, okay? We can do something.”

“Sure.” I try to smile and fail. It’s the week running up to Christmas, a time of year I dread at the best of times. Everyone shuts down for weeks, which means I’m in limbo, unable to actively hunt for a new job until the new year.