Page 57 of The Guilty Girl

‘Had you been cleaning the house while they were in Spain?’

‘Mary told me Tuesdays would do while they were away, so I thought it was unusual for Lucy to ask me to clean on a Saturday, but I need the money so I wasn’t about to argue.’

‘How are you normally paid?’

‘My wages are transferred to my bank account. All above board. No cash under the counter, if that’s what you’re getting at.’

Catching an undertone of distrust, Lottie said, ‘Sarah, I’m trying to get a picture of what the family was like. The fact is, Lucy was murdered in her own home while her parents were away. Understanding the family dynamic might help us clarify what happened and why. I need to establish as many facts as possible in order to conduct a thorough investigation into her death.’

‘Sorry. I’m still in shock.’ Sarah looked up from the shredded tissue on her knee.

‘Tell me about Lucy. You must have had some personal interaction with her while her parents were away. What was she like?’

‘I don’t like speaking ill of the dead.’

Interesting, Lottie thought. ‘Lucy can’t hear you now. And you might have witnessed or overheard something pertinent in the weeks leading to her death that can help bring her killer to justice.’

‘I got the impression she was Albert’s perfect princess.’

‘I also got that impression from speaking with him earlier,’ Lottie said.

‘She could do no wrong in his eyes, though her mother saw through the doting daughter facade.’

‘Do you mean Mary didn’t spoil her like Albert did?’

‘Suppose so.’

‘What was Lucy like?’

‘I’d have to describe her as domineering, spiteful, spoiled. She could be a bully.’

The words, spoken so softly and calmly, left Lottie dumbfounded.

‘Listen, Inspector, I’m not saying she got what she deserved. Not at all. But she was like a prima donna. I didn’t particularly like her, but she was popular. She had a lot of friends.’

‘Tell me more.’

‘Behind the outwardly confident persona, I honestly think she was a sad girl.’

‘Sad? In what way?’

‘I’m not sure. I just got an odd feeling about her.’ Sarah scrunched her eyebrows into a frown. ‘It was like everything she did and said was an act, while inside her spirit was dying. I believe the prima donna act was just that. An act.’

Lottie filed the observation in her brain. ‘Did you ever meet any of her friends?’

‘While her parents were away, she had her friend Ivy over at least once. They were eating breakfast in the kitchen with school books on the table and I had to clean around them. I didn’t see any boys there. But that doesn’t mean they weren’t around at other times.’

‘Anything else stand out for you?’

‘Not really. They seemed to be genuinely studying. And the house wasn’t a mess, like it was today. I can’t get the image of all that blood out of my head.’

‘The image will fade with time,’ Lottie said. ‘However, it won’t negate the horror of what you witnessed.’

‘I need a cup of tea.’ Sarah stood shakily.

‘Before that, can you tell me more about yourself.’ Lottie wanted to find out what made the woman tick. She’d been first on the scene. She had regular access to the house. She had to be added to the suspect list. ‘I believe you taught in the school Lucy attended.’

Sarah sat again, eyeing the door as if she wanted to escape.