Page 48 of The Dead Ex

‘Nor had I,’ I said quietly, ‘until it happened. And I’ve never been in this one either. I don’t have anything todo with my ex’s disappearance, you know.’

Her eyes sharpen. ‘Then who might?’

I have a flash of the second trip after Hong Kong.

‘Why didn’t you tell me you’d gone to Paris?’ I’d asked David when he finally came home.

‘I did.’

‘No you didn’t.’

‘You’ve been busy. Probably didn’t hear me.’

At the time, I’d accepted it. After all, I’d had a lot on my plate and might well have not taken thisin. Now I know better. David could worm his way out of anything. Is that what he’s doing now?

I turn to face her. ‘Like I told your boss, I think he’s just taken himself off somewhere.’

‘Is there anyone you can think of who might want him harmed?’ Her voice is softer as thoughsheis the one who is trying to get me to be her friend.

I laugh, even though it isn’t funny. Her face turns suspicious.Instantly, I know I’ve made a mistake. I try to get out of it. ‘When you’re a wheeler-dealer like David, you are bound to make enemies.’

‘What about his family? His wife, for instance. What do you know about her?’

I hadn’t trusted Tanya from the moment David had introduced me to her at the staff party. We’d been married for barely a month. ‘My right-hand woman,’ he’d said. Tanya’s eyes had glittered.Jealousy spat out of them.

‘Not much,’ I say tightly.

‘David has a daughter from a previous relationship,’ perseveres the policewoman. ‘Right? In her early twenties?’

They’ve clearly done their homework in that department, even if they haven’t rumbled me. Surely they must be aware of my past by now? Then again, it wouldn’t be the first time I’d discovered a lack of communication in the policeor failure to follow things up. So perhaps theydidn’tknow. Our justice system has more failings than people realize.

I swallow the hard lump which has suddenly sprung up in my throat. ‘That’s right.’

Nicole never cared for me, even though I had nothing to do with her parents splitting up. They’d been so young that they’d barely been together. Nicole’s grandmother had brought her up so herown daughter could finish her education. David had only become interested in his child’s welfare when she was older. Yet he’d been excited enough about the baby.

Patrick …

A mental image of a pram flashes into my head. ‘Will you excuse me?’ I blurt out.

Without waiting for a reply, I go into my bedroom and close the door of the en-suite behind me. Then I reach for the bottles at the back ofthe cabinet. Lavender. And two other essential ingredients too. That’s better.

I return to the sitting room. DI Vine is back with a white box. The silver ribbon that was around it has been untied.

‘Your wedding album, I presume,’ he says.

Oh no.

Without waiting for a reply, he opens the first page. There’s a picture of David kissing me on the steps of the register office. I’ve blacked outhis face with a thick felt tip. In fact, I’ve done the same in all the other pictures too.

‘So?’ I say defensively. ‘I bet lots of women deface their wedding albums after they get divorced.’

‘Why not chuck it?’

Because then it would be gone for ever. And I’m not ready for that. I’m not ready to admit this either, so I just shrug. That’s when the policewoman comes in. She is holding a smallblack book. My heart sinks as she holds certain pages out for her boss’s inspection. His face darkens.

So they’ve looked behind the radiator (the one that’s turned off). And I thought I’d been so clever.

‘Victoria Goudman, I am arresting you … do not have to … on in court. Anything you do say …’