Page 82 of The Guilty Girl

‘What have you done now?’ She bunched up the sheet, her fingers turning white.

‘Nothing, I swear. But the thing is, two detectives called to the house and interviewed me about last night’s party at the McAllister house.’

‘They what?’ She sat up in the bed and the monitor slipped from her tummy. The room dipped into silence without the baby’s heartbeat echoing in the air. Brontë soon filled the silence. ‘You can’t be interviewed without a solicitor. I hope you didn’t tell them anything.’

‘Of course I didn’t. There’s nothing to tell.’

‘You are so full of shit, Richie Harrison.’

A nurse arrived to strap the monitor back on her tummy, saving Richie from a tongue-lashing.

* * *

Magpie, that’s me. I am glorious and magnificent. I hide but I want everyone to know me. But that’s not possible.

Standing at the window I stare out at the fading evening light. I hear the birds twittering in the branches and wonder what it would be like to sleep in a tree.

Daft thoughts.

I turn back to my laptop and stare at the clock in the top corner. I have time to view a few more video clips before I must wipe the device clean. It’s crucial that I leave no trace of my work online. I’ve been careful, but have I been careful enough?

But I can’t help having a final look at my beautiful, profitable work.

38

It was beginning to rain as Lottie unlocked her mother’s front door and walked into stifling heat. Rattled after the confrontation with Superintendent Farrell, she’d decided to call on Rose before heading home to have it out with Sean. She didn’t want to be in attack mode when she talked to him.

‘What temperature have you the heat at? It’s like the Sahara in here.’

Without waiting for a reply, she went outside to check the boiler. It was humming away with the thermostat clipping ninety degrees. She turned down the gauge and went back inside.

Rose was sitting by the stove with the door open, a blazing fire burning in the grate.

‘It’s the middle of summer,’ Lottie said.

‘I’m perished with the cold.’ Rose pulled a multicoloured fleece blanket up to her chin.

‘Maybe you’ve caught the flu.’

‘There’s no flu this time of the year.’

Lottie could never win where Rose was concerned. She busied herself by rinsing a cup and plate under running scalding water. It was unlike her mother to leave dirty dishes lying around, but at least it proved she had eaten something.

‘I’ve a pain in my ear,’ Rose said. ‘Need my ear plug. Can you get it for me?’

‘You don’t have any ear plugs.’

‘Of course I do. On the dresser in my bedroom. Small bottle. It’s still in the box.’

‘Oh, you mean ear drops.’

‘That’s what I told you.’

Not wanting to argue, Lottie said, ‘Do you want to come over to mine for dinner?’

‘I had my dinner. Sean brought me groceries. He’s a good boy. More than I can say for my own daughter.’

‘What did you eat?’ Lottie bristled at Rose’s pointed barb.