Page 34 of The Good Girl

Chapter Thirty-Three

The morning sun did little to warm the garden, which lay shrouded in a misty haze that seemed to match the atmosphere within the house. Once her mum’s pride and joy, it looked unloved, its flowerbeds slightly overgrown, the soil dry where it had been left un-watered.

Molly stepped out onto the patio, coffee in hand, seeking air and hoping it might settle her stomach.

Since Yates’ visit the day before, her nerves had been twisted so tightly she’d had cramps, or maybe that was hunger she couldn’t be bothered to feed.

She wore one of Julia’s old sweatshirts, fashionably oversized, the hem brushing against her thighs over leggings.

Her face was pale, drawn, and her eyes were dry and burned by Mr Sandman whose efforts couldn’t thwart her sleeplessness.

One look in the bathroom mirror was enough to make her feel older than her years, outside and in.

Nancy had persuaded Dee to go with her for an early morning walk, insisting some fresh air might help lift the cloud of misery that had settled over the teenager.

Molly had watched them from the lounge window with the heaviest of hearts.

Dee’s thin frame was bundled into a jacket too big for her, a knitted hat drooping over her ears, walking slowly beside their aunt who gestured gently, trying to coax some conversation out of her niece.

The image hurt. Dee looked so much like a child again.

And now it was just her and Shane. Home alone.

That thought made her cringe because in the past, they would have made good use of that situation and now, nothing revolted her more.

She hadn’t said one word to him that wasn’t totally necessary, yes or no was as chatty as it got.

She’d even wedged a chair under her door handle in case he got any ideas about wanting to sneak into her room but surely even he could take a hint.

Cold glares and silence weren’t that hard to read.

She found him already outside, leaning against the pergola post near the back terrace, a matching mug of coffee in hand.

He wore his favourite designer jeans and a fine knit jumper, pale blue flecked with slubs of cream, the hem of a white T-shirt peeking out underneath.

It was the kind of outfit that made him look relaxed but she knew it would’ve been carefully chosen; such was his vanity that had no regard for circumstance.

His dark hair was tousled just so, and his face, clean-shaven and calm when he turned, gave nothing away.

But there was a tension in his jaw, a tightness in his stance that betrayed something beneath the surface, waiting to be said.

‘Morning,’ she said, her voice clipped.

‘Morning. Sleep all right?’

‘Not really.’ Molly sipped her coffee, the bitterness matching the thoughts in her head.

They stood apart, the space between them charged with things unsaid.

‘Can we talk?’ she said after a beat.

He nodded, but didn’t move closer. The breeze ruffled the clematis that trailed over the trellis behind him, its leaves whispering in the awkward silence.

‘Why didn’t you tell me about the row with Mum? Before you came to the hotel?’

Shane let out a breath, eyes on the garden. ‘Because it would have ruined the night. I wanted to be with you, not bring that into it.’

‘You think that was fair? I had to hear it from Magda. You lied to me.’

He turned to her now, that familiar charm dialled low but still simmering behind his gaze. ‘I didn’t lie. I withheld. I just wanted to keep it separate. I knew she was angry, and I didn’t want to offload on you.’

Molly narrowed her eyes. ‘You’re very good at pretending. The performance you gave when you came home, the devastated husband. It was… Oscar-worthy. Had it been different circumstances I’d have stood up and applauded.’

Shane’s mouth twitched. Not quite a smile, more of a tell. ‘I was shocked. And sad. Whatever issues Julia and I had, I wouldn’t have wished this on her.’

‘Did you know she was going to divorce you?’

He hesitated. Just a second too long.

‘I saw an email,’ he said. ‘From Nancy. Julia had left her laptop open. I didn’t mean to snoop, but I saw the subject line. That was enough.’

Molly studied him. His answers felt too off-pat. Then a thought she had to vocalise. ‘You said you took Mum a bottle of wine up and wanted to chat. Why? You hadn’t done anything like that with her for ages and it seems odd.’

‘If you must know, it was an excuse just to go up there and talk. Break the ice, I suppose. And let’s face it, she’d been knocking the booze back lately so I thought she’d appreciate it.’

Shane might not have heard the spite in his own voice but Molly had and she was just about to go back with a sarky retort when the doorbell rang.

She turned her head toward the sound, then back to Shane.

He looked annoyed but masked it quickly.

After placing their mugs on the outdoor table, they both moved toward the house, the hallway cold and gloomy as they entered, the echo of their footsteps sounding off the marble tiles.

At the door stood DI Yates and DC Stone.

Yates, tall and lean in his pressed suit, carried an air of practised neutrality.

His sharp grey eyes seemed to take in everything which made Molly self-conscious, her shabby appearance and sickly pallor suddenly bothering her.

Shane’s guarded expression had drawn attention not only from her but Stone, who stood behind Yates, his notepad ready.

‘Sorry to drop in again,’ Yates said, eyes scanning Molly’s face, then moving past her to Shane. ‘We just have a couple more questions for Mr Jones, if that’s all right.’

‘Sure,’ Shane said, folding his arms and leaning against the door frame. ‘You can ask them right here. I’ve got nothing to hide.’

Worried that Dee and Nancy might return at any minute, or someone walking their dog on the path beyond the conifers might overhear, Molly invited the detectives inside. Once the door was closed behind them, she looked expectantly at Yates, willing him to get on with it.

Yates offered a polite smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. ‘It’s quite a simple enquiry really and I’m sure it can be cleared up quickly. When we called the Crowne Plaza in Glasgow, we were informed that you didn’t check in.’

The air shifted. Molly’s blood went cold. She didn’t dare look at Shane and was thankful that Yates had him in his sights, not her. But when she glanced at Stone, she felt her face flush the second she realised she was under scrutiny.

She was so grateful when Yates broke the spell. He continued, voice even. ‘Mr Jones, would you care to explain your whereabouts the night Mrs Lassiter died? Where did you go when you left these premises?’

Shane held up his hands. ‘All right, all right. Cards on the table. I wasn’t in Glasgow. I lied.’

Molly’s legs wobbled beneath her. She gripped the steel banister for balance.

‘I’ve been seeing someone,’ Shane admitted. ‘It’s been going on a little while. I was with her that night.’

Molly blinked, stunned. Her breath caught painfully in her throat. Please don’t say it, please don’t say it.

Shane continued. ‘I booked the hotel because I needed a receipt. It’s a business expense and it would cover my tracks. I didn’t want to deal with the fallout if Julia checked up on me like she always did.’

‘So, by that I’m surmising this isn’t your first affair and Mrs Lassiter was aware of this fact?’ Yates asked.

Shane gave a tired smile. ‘No, it isn’t; and yes, she was.’

Molly sucked in a breath, not sure whether to believe the words that were coming out of Shane’s mouth and praying they were a very clever bluff in order to hide their affair. Bury it deep.

Stone scribbled notes. Yates nodded. ‘So, if we follow up with this woman, she’ll confirm you stayed with her?’

Molly thought she was going to pass out right there and then in the hallway, wished it to be so, because then it would distract them.

Or at least if Shane said her name out loud she’d be unconscious and not have to witness the look in the detective’s eyes.

When he began to speak, bile rose in her throat and she knew her behaviour, red cheeks and an internal tremble she couldn’t prevent spreading, was going to give her away any minute.

‘Look, if it’s at all possible I’d rather you didn’t involve her, not unless it’s entirely necessary because it has no bearing on what happened here that night,’ Shane said, his tone firm rather than placatory.

‘She works at ClearGlass and her job could be jeopardised if word gets out. But if you absolutely must… yes, she’ll confirm that I was there. ’

Yates tucked his notepad into his coat. ‘Understood. For now, as you say, your whereabouts that night are not of concern to us. We just needed to know why you lied. We’ve checked the Ring doorbell which confirms you left when you said you did.

It’s what happened before you left that’s important, for now. ’

With that, he turned to Stone and indicated with a nod that they were leaving, before nodding to Molly who quickly opened the door and watched as the detectives made their way out.

The click of the catch once they were gone sounded like the trigger of a gun.

Molly turned to face Shane. Silence fell.

She could hear the blood in her ears. Her whole body shook as she remembered the conversation she’d eavesdropped on.

Her mum told Nancy he was having an affair.

Molly had thought they were discussing her.

Maybe, maybe they were. She was about to find out.

‘Molly…’

‘Are you seeing someone else? Others before me? Or was that all a bluff to divert Yates because if it was, there’s a damn good chance it won’t pay off?

They still might check. So just tell me, and I want the truth because there’ve been too many lies and secrets already and I can’t cope with one more.

’ She glared at him. The man she had loved, who she thought had chosen her, on the brink of breaking her heart or saving it, yet deep down, she knew pain was inevitable.

His excuse came too easily, smooth, like him. He ran a hand through his hair. ‘Molly… look, it wasn’t like you think. You and I… the other woman… it’s complicated. You were going to America and your mum didn’t want me anymore…’

In a split second, Molly’s world caved in, again. ‘Oh God… so, so you replaced me before I even left?’

‘That’s not what I meant.’

‘Is she the only one?’

He hesitated again. ‘It doesn’t matter.’

‘Yes it fucking well does!’ Molly screamed so loud she scared herself and him, but before he could spin more lies she stormed from the hallway, out through the lounge and kitchen and onto the patio.

The mugs on the glass dining table were an easy target for her temper so she swiped at them hard and fast then watched unfeeling as they shattered across the paving stones, porcelain shards scattering like splinters of trust.

Through the open patio doors, she sucked in air and once calmer, looked back through the downstairs rooms and stepped to the side, watching unseen as Shane pulled out his phone, turning slightly away. Stepping quietly back inside she crept closer and strained to listen.

His voice was hushed, fake fatigue dripping in oil.

‘Hey, babe. Yeah, it’s grim here … babe, listen, I need a massive favour.

The police might call and ask you a few questions…

about the night Julia died… No, no, hey, I swear I haven’t told them your name but if they come back I’ll have to…

Yes, yes I’ll try, I promise. Look, I just need you to tell them I stayed at yours that night.

You’ll be doing me a massive favour and I promise I’ll make it up to you. Just don’t let me down, okay?’

Molly’s stomach turned. She listened as he whispered sweet nothings, said he’d try to get away as soon as possible then said he had to go as someone was calling him. Then he ended the call and turned.

His face dropped when he saw her. ‘Molly…’

‘Don’t. Do not speak to me or come near me ever again. You disgust me.’

She walked away. He followed. Even having him a few paces behind was too close now and it made her skin crawl and the hairs stand up on the back of her neck.

‘It’s not serious. It means nothing.’ Shane’s voice was unusually whiny and it grated.

‘I meant nothing. I can see that now.’ Molly couldn’t bear to look at him so stared at the garden instead.

‘No, that’s not what I…’

‘You used me.’

He stepped forward. ‘I care about you. I love you. You have to believe me.’

‘You make me sick. LEAVE ME ALONE.’ She backed away, her voice wobbling. ‘You can lie to everyone all you want. But I know the truth. And I swear to God, if you ever try to manipulate me again…’

He looked wounded. ‘You knew we could never last, we were both going to move on. You wanted to end it but how could we ever be together while…’

‘While what? My mum was alive… is that what you were going to say?’

‘NO! You’re twisting my words.’

‘I don’t believe you. Like I didn’t know you’d cheated on Mum before, and that I was one of many,’ she snapped. ‘Just leave me alone. Don’t speak to me, don’t come near me, in fact don’t even look at me. You make me want to puke.’

With that she turned and left him standing in the hallway, the space between them as final as a locked door.

As she took the stairs at speed, with each one the seed of hatred inside her bloomed.

The man she had once adored was gone. What stood in his place was a fraud.

And now, she wanted nothing more than to bring him down. Whatever it took.