Page 23

Nova

Nova walked out of the police station with her head low, a silent Craig at her side. He’d arrived several hours ago with his parents’ solicitor, Bob, a balding man with halitosis who had stared at Nova’s chest but got her released without charge, although Yusaf had made it very clear she was still a person of interest. Even though Nova knew she was innocent, she felt as if she had a guilty sign hanging above her head as she followed Craig to the car.

“Jeez, Nova,” he said, once the doors were closed, his voice more weary than angry. “I thought we’d agreed no more drama?”

“This isn’t my fault, Craig. I didn’t attack Sandy.”

“I know you didn’t,” he said as he started the engine and reversed out of the space. “I just don’t get the coat thing. From what Bob told me, it sounds like this neighbor described your coat exactly. And it’s not like there are loads of people walking round St. Tredock in a bright red furry coat.”

“I wasn’t even wearing that coat to the pub last night. I left it at home, as it was soaking wet. Maybe someone broke into the house and stole it?”

Craig raised an eyebrow. “And then broke back in to return it before I got home at half eleven? I think that’s pretty unlikely; unless you left the door unlocked again?”

Nova heard the slight accusation in the word again and looked out the window. She wished with all her heart that her parents were here right now, to hug her and tell her everything was going to be all right.

“Mum’s completely freaking out, as you can imagine,” Craig said. “She spent the morning checking the wedding insurance documents to see if it covers ‘bride being arrested for assault.’?”

“I’m sorry.” Nova knew it sounded limp, but she’d said the word so many times lately, it had started to lose its meaning.

They were turning left at the roundabout, heading away from St. Tredock, and Nova frowned.

“Why are we going this way? I need to get back to the community center, Lauren’s going to be having a nightmare on her own.”

“The center’s closed. Lauren texted me earlier and said the council have shut it down until further notice.”

“What? They can’t do that!”

“Sandy’s in hospital and you’ve been suspended; Lauren can hardly run the place on her own.”

“Oh my God,” Nova said, putting her hands over her face. “This is all my fault.”

“No, it’s not, babe. The fate of the community center doesn’t sit on your shoulders. It was struggling long before you moved here.”

“But still, if I hadn’t been stupid enough to get suspended then we could have kept it going until Sandy was well enough to return. What’s going to happen to the food bank tomorrow? And where are people like Phyllis and Arthur going to go?”

Next to her, she heard Craig sigh. “Is that seriously your biggest worry right now?”

She turned to look at him sharply. “What do you mean?”

“You’ve just spent hours at the police station being questioned about an assault, and yet you’re more concerned about a couple of pensioners not being able to go to their coffee mornings.”

“The community center is there for a lot more than just hosting coffee mornings, Craig. There are people in this town who can’t afford to heat their homes and come to keep warm; people who are lonely and isolated and have literally nowhere else to go.”

“There are plenty of cafes in St. Tredock.”

Nova glared at him, not quite believing she had to explain this to her own fiancé, of all people. “Cafes cost money; money lots of people don’t have. The community center is free.”

Craig must have heard the anger in her voice, as he shrugged. “Sure, and obviously I don’t want it to close. All I’m saying is that right now, we have more pressing things to think about, like the fact we’re getting married in less than forty-eight hours. Assuming you still want to get married, that is?”

His question hung in the air for a moment before Nova answered. “Of course I do.”

“Are you sure? Because you’ve been completely distracted for the past few weeks.”

“I’m just stressed, Craig. If you hadn’t noticed, there’s been a lot going on for me at work.”

“Is that all it is? Because Mum said when you went to your final dress fitting last weekend, you looked like you were about to burst into tears. Please, tell me, are you having second thoughts?”

Nova remembered that moment in the wedding dress shop: standing in front of the mirror in that huge white blancmange and feeling like she couldn’t breathe. Then she remembered what Lauren had said the other day about being more honest with Craig about her feelings.

“I’m not having second thoughts. But, if I’m being completely honest, there are moments when it feels like this wedding is more about what your mum wants than what we want.”

“Is this about the church thing?” Craig said. “I told you, I’m sorry we had to give in on that, but it means a lot to my parents; they got married in St Piran’s and so did my grandparents. I thought you said you were okay with it?”

“It’s not just the church: it’s also the reception and the flowers and my dress, and even my hen do, for God’s sake. Your mum has made so many of the decisions for us and—”

“She’s only made decisions because you wouldn’t,” Craig snapped. “My mum’s worked her arse off to give us a once-in-a-lifetime wedding.”

“But a wedding of whose lifetime? Because it’s certainly not the big day I dreamed of.”

“Well, then you should have been more proactive in organizing it, shouldn’t you? Because I think it’s a bit rich you complaining now, given the only thing you’ve done is mess up the photographer and get yourself arrested right before the wedding.”

Nova felt the words like a slap. “Is that really what you think?”

Craig groaned. “No, of course not. Sorry, I’m just stressed too; I had a shit ton of work today and could have done without spending my afternoon sitting in the police station.”

Nova didn’t reply, and they drove the last mile in silence. She was relieved to see neither Pamela’s nor David’s car in the driveway when they pulled up at the house. Nova opened her door, but Craig kept the engine running.

“Are you coming in?”

“I need to go back to the garage for a couple of hours and catch up on some work. I’ll see you later, okay?”

Nova thought about asking him to stay then stopped herself. They needed a bit of time apart to calm down before one of them said something they’d regret.

“Okay, bye,” she said, and she watched as Craig drove off, his tires sending gravel flying.

As soon as she got into the house, Nova tried calling her mum, but there was no answer; she must already be on her first flight. Still, at least she’d be in Cornwall tomorrow; Nova couldn’t wait to melt into her mum’s arms for the longest hug.

She had a shower and was getting dressed again when she heard the doorbell ring. When she opened the door, Lauren was standing on the doorstep, brandishing a bottle of wine.

“I thought you could do with this,” she said.

Nova smiled and ushered her through to the kitchen. “Thanks for coming over. Have you heard any more news on Sandy?”

“I’ve just been to see her in the hospital.”

“How is she?”

“In remarkably good spirits, all things considered. You should see how many bunches of flowers she’s got; I think she’s quite enjoying all the fuss.”

“Can she remember anything about the person who attacked her?”

Lauren shook her head. “Unfortunately not. She says she was going upstairs to bed when she heard a noise at the front door, and when she opened it, someone pushed her and she fell backward. But she said she couldn’t see their face, as it was dark outside and they were wearing a hood.”

“The poor woman,” Nova said, pouring wine into two glasses and handing one to Lauren. “Does she really think it could have been me?”

Lauren took a sip before she answered. “She doesn’t want to think it was you.”

“But?”

“Sandy did say you were the only person she could think of who might have a motive to hurt her, given she’d just suspended you. Plus, her neighbor saw your red coat.”

“It wasn’t my coat, Lauren; mine was here at the house, with me.”

“I know, that’s what I told her. But I think after everything that’s happened recently, with the missing money and now this…” She winced. “You have to admit; from the outside it does all look a bit suspicious.”

Nova chewed her lip. Should she tell Lauren the book club’s theory about Cynthia? But where to even begin. The whole thing would sound deranged, and the last thing she needed was Lauren thinking she’d lost the plot. Still, for a second, Nova allowed herself to ponder the idea that Cynthia might have attacked Sandy in order to frame her. It seemed far-fetched, but if the woman was capable of killing her own mother-in-law, getting rid of her husband and poisoning Craddock, maybe she was capable of hurting Sandy too?

“Is Craig not here?” Lauren asked, jolting Nova from her thoughts.

“No, he’s at work. We just had an argument in the car, so we need a bit of space from each other right now.”

“Shit, I’m sorry to hear that. Wanna talk about it?”

Nova took a swig of wine. “There’s not much to say. I think Craig is pissed off at me for getting suspended, although he hasn’t said it outright, and he asked if I still want to go ahead with the wedding.”

“Wow,” Lauren said, and Nova saw her eyes widen. “What did you say?”

“I told him that I wanted to, of course. But I don’t know if he’s the one having second thoughts now.”

“Oh, love,” Lauren said, coming round to stand next to Nova. “You’ve been through so much lately, and now this on top of everything else.”

“I just really wish my mum was here. And my dad too.”

“I get it. And I’m sorry Craig’s being a knob. He should be supporting you now, not making you feel even worse.”

“It’s not all his fault. I have been distracted lately, and I’ve not been focusing on the wedding like I should have been.”

“Do you want me to speak to him? I could have a gentle word and tell him how stressed you are, so he backs off a bit? Or I could have a not-so-gentle word and kick his arse for being an insensitive bastard?”

Nova laughed. “Thanks for the offer, but we’ll be okay. He’s just stressed about everything too. Once Saturday is out of the way, I’m sure everything will calm down.”

“If you’re sure?” Lauren said, and Nova nodded.

“I am. Now let’s drink this wine and you can help me write my wedding speech.”