Page 113 of No Safe Place

Click.

‘By the time we left he was much better, and he wanted to get on with his life.’ He shifted in his seat, unable to get comfortable.

Click click.

Was that one or two?

He forced himself to concentrate. ‘Andy was always the quiet one. He got a lot out of being around us four, but I think in the end, he wanted a fresh start. We all did.’

Field put the pen down and relief flooded through him – chest lighter, hands unclenching.

Field pulled a book from her bag and put it on the table. A well-read copy ofDarlings, Obsessed.

‘Andy isn’t a character in the book, is he?’

Callum gripped the edge of the table. ‘I didn’t base the characters on those guys.’

‘Oh, I don’t know,’ Field said, picking it up.

Dr Maxwell was making eyes at the solicitor, but Callum shook his head, to indicate he could go on.

‘There’s a character with an eating disorder.’ Field looked up to gauge his reaction. ‘Like Lily Stewart. Counting and magical thinking, like you – that’s the term, isn’t it? And skin picking, like Sam. The youngest character has contamination OCD, like—’

‘Okay,’ Callum interrupted. ‘I didn’t use misophonia.’

‘Remind me, what is misophonia?’

He’d lost count of her questions – did they start from “How are you?” or when the recording started? Were they at nine yet? Maybe she was counting to see if he would react to question nine – trying to test him.

Before Callum could answer, Maxwell interrupted.

‘Fear of sound, or an extreme anxious reaction to certain sounds.’ Maxwell crossed his arms. ‘But Callum wasn’t the psychologist treating this patient, so I don’t think it’s pertinent to question him on medical terms.’

The latest anxiety spike flattened. Maxwell answering for him was like a stay of execution.

Field gave Maxwell a frosty look. ‘Big picture, Callum. Do you think Andy is capable of these attacks?’

‘No.’ He didn’t want to look at her. He stared at a spot on the wall behind her left ear. ‘Not the Andy I used to know. But it’s been a long time.’

Field looked down at her notes. ‘What about Lily? Could she be capable?’

‘Lil? No. No way.’ He suppressed an eyeroll. The police must be desperate, Callum thought, if they were looking at Lily.

‘What makes you say that?’

He went through a rolodex of examples in his mind. The fact she never let him kill spiders, even though she was terrified of them. Her fear of blood. The pervadinggoodnessof her, that he relied on as much as it infuriated him. Took advantage of.

‘She just wouldn’t,’ he said, finally. ‘Why would she? What possible reason?’

He took a sip of water, the tremor in his hand making it hard not to spill any. They must be past nine questions now.

It was fine.

It was all going to be fine.

He sensed Field’s next question before she asked it.

‘If you don’t mind, Callum,’ Field said. ‘I’d like to know more about Paige. It must have been difficult for you, when she passed away. Could you tell me about her?’