Page 158 of The Guilty Girl

‘No.’

‘Why were you hiding at the barracks?’

‘Wasn’t hiding. I went there to collect … something. I was wrecked and must have fallen asleep. I never knew Sharon was there.’

Lottie reckoned he’d smoked weed and conked out. Otherwise why not hole up in his own bedroom?

‘That’s enough,’ Rita said.

‘Yeah, enough,’ Ivy said.

‘Shut up, Ivy.’ Oscar thumped her on the arm and the nail polish bottle fell from her hand and smashed on the tiles.

‘Now look what you’ve done. Fucking moron,’ Ivy screamed.

‘Stop it. The two of you are a disgrace,’ Rita said before quickly calming down. ‘Don’t worry about it. Sarah can mop it up.’

‘Do you mean Sarah Robson?’ Lottie asked.

‘Yes,’ Rita said. ‘She comes in once a week. Mary McAllister recommended her and she’s a good worker. Says little. Just my kind of woman.’

‘She never said.’ Lottie tried to figure out if there was any significance to this revelation. She didn’t like coincidences. She’d have to talk to Sarah again.

Ivy stood and stepped over the remnants of her nail polish bottle, hands on hips, her tone mocking her mother. ‘Huh! Anything the McAllisters have, we must have it too. Including their cleaner.’

‘Young lady, sit down.’ Rita’s cheeks reddened.

Ivy sat and folded her arms grumpily.

Parking the information about Sarah, Lottie turned to Oscar. ‘Sharon is dead, Oscar. She was stabbed while you were in that building. What were you really doing there?’

‘Oh for heaven’s sake,’ Rita said. ‘Oscar?’

‘I … I …’

‘You’re such a baby,’ Ivy said.

‘I’m braver than you.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

‘I was there at Lucy’s after you left.’ His lips curled into a sneer.

‘Don’t know what you’re talking about.’ Ivy attempted casualness, but her eyes grew wider. Lottie wondered if she was sending a silent message to her brother.

‘You know right well,’ he said. ‘This is all your fault. And Lucy’s.’

‘Now I want to know what you’re talking about,’ Rita said, leaning forward.

‘I was doing what I was told. Watch and report back. That’s all.’

‘Watch who?’ Lottie said.

‘Jake. Then the next day, you and whoever you were after.’

‘I don’t understand.’ Lottie glanced at Lynch, who shrugged a shoulder.

Oscar crossed one arm over his chest while he chewed a nail on his other hand.