Page 57 of You Lied First

A s Flynn asks his question, I’m already up the path, unlocking the front door.

So it’s confirmed that Celine’s body was found at, it’s difficult to deny, the very spot where we were camping.

What now? How are we going to get around this?

Silently, I lead the way into the living room, where Margot takes the armchair, leaving Guy to perch on the sofa.

I’ve had one or two glasses of wine too many for this level of thinking.

Flynn hugs Liv, who’s scrubbing at her eyes, mascara already trailing her cheeks.

‘It’s definitely her?’ I ask Flynn. ‘The body?’

‘Celine’s dead!’ Liv sobs. ‘I can’t believe it. Like, she was just with us, now she’s dead!’

Flynn hugs her tighter.

‘Where did you see it?’ Guy asks.

‘BBC,’ Flynn says.

‘Okay, phones please,’ Guy says, indicating that we should switch them off.

‘What?’ Flynn scowls.

‘Just do it,’ Guy says.

‘What are you on? Celine is dead and you want us to turn off our phones?’

‘Flynn!’ Guy barks.

‘What’s going on?’ Flynn says. He looks from Guy to Margot to me. ‘What are you hiding?’

‘Nothing!’

Liv comes to sit on the armrest of my chair. I try to put my arm around her but it’s too awkward, so I give her a pat instead. I want to say, ‘She was fine when we dropped her back home.’ But the words get stuck in my throat.

‘As I said the other day, she must have gone back to the desert after we left,’ Guy says thoughtfully, as if he’s just piecing it together. ‘I mean, loads of people like to spend New Year in the desert.’ He finds the news report on his own phone and reads it out.

‘Okay, here it is. “Breaking News. Body found in Oman is missing British expat Celine Cremorne. A body found in Oman has, according to official sources, been confirmed as British expatriate Celine Cremorne. The 32-year-old teacher was reported as missing on 3 January when she failed to report for the start of the new school term. The Royal Oman Police said in a statement that foul play is suspected and a post-mortem will be carried out. No further information was made available”.’

I wish I could be anywhere but here having this conversation.

Guy switches off his phone and paces the room, his hands steepled against his mouth.

‘Foul play?’ Liv says with her hand over her mouth. ‘Like someone killed her?’

‘No, they’re not saying that,’ Guy says smoothly. ‘I imagine that because the body was buried, they think someone must have known she was dead. That’s all.’

Liv squeezes her face between her hands. ‘I can’t believe it. I feel so guilty.’

‘Olivia,’ Guy says. ‘You have nothing to feel guilty about.’

‘I didn’t like her.’ She sniffles again. ‘What if I wished this to happen?’

‘Of course you didn’t!’ I say. ‘We don’t know what happened to her, but it’s absolutely nothing to do with you.

Okay? And, look, I suppose there is a very tiny silver lining to this.

As Adele said tonight, at least her parents can stop searching and get some sort of closure. And a body to bury …’ I trail off.

‘I don’t believe you,’ Flynn says. He looks from his dad to his mum. Margot’s face freezes. ‘We didn’t see her that morning. You said she was sleeping, and then you made us leave early. Where was she? Was she actually in her tent?’

‘Of course she was!’ Guy says.

Flynn stares down his dad. ‘This is too much of a coincidence. Her body’s buried where we camped. You made us shut up in the cab and turn off our phones. You made Liv take down her post. You’re hiding something.’

‘I’m not hiding anything! I left with you – how could I have done anything?’

Flynn turns to his mum. ‘You and Sara cleared up the camp. Did you see her? Was she fine?’ He glowers at her, his hands on his hips. ‘Did she really re-inflate the tyres?’

‘She was—’ Margot says, but she can’t meet his eyes.

‘Sara?’ Flynn says. ‘Will you tell me the truth?’

I feel Liv’s eyes on me. ‘She—’

‘Was she alive or was she dead?’ Flynn demands. ‘Because I think it’s pretty easy to tell. And – oh my God – if she was dead, it means you left her there!’ Flynn is on his feet, his head in his hands. ‘What the hell did you do?’