Page 14

THIRTEEN

TUESDAY 28 JANUARY

After another night devoid of sleep, Kate wakes Thomas earlier than usual. He rolls over and stretches, taking his time to open his eyes.

‘Thomas, I need to ask you something,’ Kate says, sitting on the side of his bed while slowly her son becomes alert. ‘I found a white envelope in your school bag. Did you see who put it in there?’

Rubbing his eyes, he frowns and pulls himself up. ‘No. Why? What is it?’

Kate’s already prepared her answer – a harmless lie she must tell to shield Thomas from this. ‘Nothing important. It was for another parent in a different year. I just wondered how it got in your bag. It wasn’t for you. Are you sure you didn’t see anyone put it in there?’

‘No. I don’t know why it was in my bag. Why are you being weird, Mum?’

Kate takes a deep breath. ‘Sorry. I just wondered how it could have got in your bag. ‘So you definitely didn’t see anything? None of the teachers put it in there? None of your school friends?’

‘No.’ He pulls the duvet back and stretches again. ‘You’re still being weird.’

‘Sorry.’ Kate stands up. ‘I’ll let you get ready.’

Downstairs, she boils the kettle, trying to organise her thoughts so she can work out what to do. It could only have been Harper, and she could have got Dex to put the envelope in Thomas’s bag – no one other than the teachers would have access to it during the school day. Ignoring the kettle, to quell her nausea Kate quickly drinks the water that’s been sitting on the worktop since last night.

Thomas could have opened the envelope – it had his name and class on it after all, not hers – and how would she be able to answer the questions he’d have? He might even tell Ellis. Thinking of her ex-husband reminds Kate that he picked Thomas up from school yesterday – so he might have looked in the bag himself.

‘Mum? Are you okay? You look worried.’

Thomas’s voice startles her – she hadn’t heard him come downstairs. ‘Sorry, just work stuff on my mind. Nothing for you to worry about.’

Kate drops Thomas at the school breakfast club, relieved that Harper doesn’t send Dex to it – at least not yet. Then she walks to the surgery, preparing herself to tell more lies.

David’s already in when she gets there, sitting in his office, frowning as he stares at his computer. He doesn’t look up but waves his hand.

‘Everything okay?’ Kate asks.

‘Yeah. All good with you?’

‘Actually, I need a favour.’

David stops tapping on the keyboard and looks up.

‘Could you cover for me this morning and then I’ll return the favour in the afternoon? There’s something I have to take care of and it really can’t wait.’

‘Yeah, of course.’ He frowns. ‘Is everything okay?’

‘Just stuff going on at school with Thomas.’ She winces at her lie.

‘I hope he’s okay?’

‘He’s fine. I just need to go in and sort something out.’

David offers a thin smile. ‘We’ve actually got a quiet morning for once, so don’t worry. Take as long as you need.’

Kate thanks him, offering to make him coffee before she leaves, and as she makes her way to the kitchen, she can feel David’s questioning glance on her. He knows something is wrong. How long can she keep it hidden?

Standing across from the school, Kate waits for Harper and Dex to arrive. A steady flow of parents come and go, and with one minute to go until the gates are locked, Kate wonders if Harper has chosen to keep Dex at home today. If Harper is the one who put that photo in Thomas’s bag, she’ll assume that Kate’s found it by now, and she’ll have no way to know how Kate will react.

Just as the head teacher Mrs Finnigan pulls out her keys, Kate sees Harper and Dex rushing towards the gates – Harper in Adidas leggings and trainers, her long hair tied back in a ponytail that swings as she runs. At the gate, she stops and says something to the head, then watches Dex as he races in.

When Harper turns and walks towards the park, Kate is confident that she must be going home via the shortcut through the park. Kate follows.

Harper walks fast, never once looking behind, and when she reaches her front door and pulls her keys from her bag, Kate calls out to her. ‘Wait!’

Harper turns around and there’s a flicker of shock in her eyes before she smiles. ‘Kate! This is a surprise. What are you doing here?’

‘Can we talk?’

Harper’s brief hesitation is barely perceptible, but Kate is tuned in to every detail. ‘Of course. Come in. I’m sorry the house is a bit of a mess. We both overslept this morning so Dex was late for school. Thankfully Mrs Finnigan was very kind about it. She knows how hard things are for Dexter right now.’ Harper sighs. ‘For both of us.’

Taking a deep breath, Kate follows her inside, forcing away panic when Harper closes the door. Kate has no idea who this woman is, or what she’s capable of, but clearly that photo, the dead flowers, and that calendar entry were all sent as a warning.

‘Can I take your coat?’ Harper offers, hanging her own on a coat hook.

‘I’ll leave it on. I won’t be staying long.’

Harper’s eyes widen. ‘Okay. Come through – I’m gasping for a coffee. Would you like one?’

‘When’s Jamie’s birthday?’

Harper stares at her. ‘What? Why are you asking me that?’

‘When is it?’

‘It was actually yesterday. Or it should have been. Why do you want to know? Has something happened?’

Kate follows Harper into the kitchen.

‘Sorry, Kate, but you just seem a bit…I don’t know. Off? Have I done something? You haven’t replied to any of my messages.’

Kate reaches into her bag and pulls out the envelope, a flash of heat exploding in her body. ‘I found this in Thomas’s school bag yesterday.’ She hands it to Harper.

Harper’s fingers barely grasp it as Kate pushes it into her hand. ‘What is it?’

‘Open it.’

Harper frowns, staring at the envelope. ‘This is for Thomas. What is this about, Kate? I don’t understand. And I have to be honest, you’re starting to freak me out.’

‘Just open it,’ Kate repeats, trying to remain calm.

Finally, Harper pulls out the picture of Jamie. Kate watches her face, unreadable as always. Harper stares at it for a moment, then tuns to Kate. ‘Why have you got this picture?’

‘Someone put it in Thomas’s bag, addressed to him. Was it you?’

Her mouth hangs open. ‘Why would I do that? This is a picture of my dead husband!’

‘I know that.’

Something passes across Harper’s face. ‘Then I’ll repeat my question. Why would I put that in your son’s bag?’

‘You tell me!’

‘I don’t know anything about this. It’s absurd! Why on earth would I do this? And why are you asking about Jamie’s birthday?’ Harper stares at the picture again, then clutches it to her chest. ‘My Jamie.’ But not a single tear falls from her eyes. ‘Is this why you’ve been ignoring my calls and messages?’

‘There’s no one else it could be,’ Kate says, but she’s wavering, less certain now. Harper looks so distraught – what if Kate’s got this wrong? ‘And you sent me dead flowers. Lilies, like the ones in your living room. You’ve been in my house too. Writing on my calendar – I know it was you. There’s no one else it could have been!’ Her eyes narrow. ‘I won’t let this lie, Harper.’

Harper shakes her head. ‘I don’t know what’s going on, but I think you should go.’

It’s only when Kate’s outside, breathing in the chilly air, that she realises she’s left the photo and envelope with Harper. And with it, any hope of proving it was Harper who planted it.