Page 77 of You Lied First

M argot tells the kids as little as possible in the car on the way to Sara’s – just that she and Sara have something to talk to them about. Liv starts to kick off about not wanting to go to her mum’s but Margot cuts her off.

‘This isn’t about you, Olivia,’ she says. ‘Can you please just grow up?’

The car journey after that is quiet and Margot doesn’t bother trying to engage them in chat about school. Sara gives them a guarded smile as she opens the front door.

‘Come in, come in,’ Sara says. ‘I’m just making tea.’

She tries to give Liv a hug, which Liv shies away from, then exchanges a grim smile with Margot and shows everyone into the living room.

They take their seats while Sara goes off to get a tray with the tea things.

Margot tuts to herself. It’s not a social occasion; they just need to get this ball rolling.

Still, Sara sets about serving everyone a cup like she’s the hostess with the mostest while Margot wonders if she’s the first person in the world to tell their child that their father is a murderer over a cup of Earl Grey tea.

‘So what’s this about?’ Liv says when they’re all seated. ‘You know I didn’t want to come, but she made me.’

Sara opens her mouth to speak, but Margot answers first. Her husband. Her story. She’s telling it.

‘It’s to do with what happened in Oman,’ she says. ‘Some evidence has come to light.’

Liv gasps and her head swings from Margot to Sara to Flynn and back.

‘Do you know who did it?’ Flynn says.

Margot nods. ‘I do.’

‘Well then? Was it Dad?’ Flynn’s on the edge of his seat, his leg jiggling with nervous energy.

Suddenly heat flushes through Margot making her wipe her brow with a hand that comes away damp. She blows air out like she’s been exercising and ploughs on before Sara can say anything.

‘Do you remember the night-vision camera your dad bought at Christmas?’

‘The one that was supposed to be for you but was really for him?’ Flynn asks. Then his eyes widen as he realises the implication. ‘Wait. Was it there? You mean … fuuuck! Was it on?’

Margot nods, ignoring the profanity.

‘And what’s on it? Can you see what happened?’ Flynn leans forward.

‘No, you can’t see exactly what happened. But what you can see is that your father argued with Celine outside the tents, then shoved her into hers and went in after her at 2.45 a.m. and came out half an hour later … which, of course, doesn’t “prove” anything … but also does …’

Liv’s hand is over her mouth; her eyes glued to Flynn.

‘So, he did it?’ Flynn asks.

‘No one else went into her tent and she didn’t come out alive.’

Flynn flings himself back in his seat. ‘Why didn’t you tell us this earlier? Why only now?’

‘I actually forgot about the camera,’ Margot says. ‘And when I remembered, I couldn’t find it. I searched everywhere. You have no idea. I thought your dad had hidden it.’ She shakes her head. ‘But then I emailed Di and she found it with the camping gear.’

‘Did she watch it?’

‘No. She wasn’t suspicious. You know Di. Anyway, then, when I found it, I looked at the footage, and it’s all there.’

Liv’s face is white.

‘Drink some tea,’ Sara says to her. ‘You’re in shock.’

Tears well in her eyes. ‘I can’t believe it. I can’t believe any of it. Guy wouldn’t do that. Flynn …?’ She turns to her boyfriend, her mouth working but no words coming out. But Flynn shakes his head.

‘I can. I knew it. I always knew it,’ Flynn says. ‘So, what are we going to do? Are you going to tell the police? Or what?’

‘Well,’ Margot says. ‘I think we have to. I know your father thinks this will all blow over but, in my opinion, it’s only a matter of time before they come after us all, and a way to stop that happening is to tell the truth.’

‘But what’ll happen to him?’ Liv asks.

‘He’ll be questioned and charged for what he did.’

‘Will he go to jail?’

Margot nods. ‘If he’s found guilty.’

‘Which he will be,’ Flynn says.

‘But I need for everyone to be in agreement with this if we’re going to do it. If any one of you doesn’t agree, speak up now.’

‘I agree we should go forward,’ Flynn says. ‘It’s so stressful wondering when the police are coming for us. I’m a nervous wreck, Mum. Every time the gates open or the phone rings.’

‘I know, babe. I’m the same,’ Liv says. ‘I’ll go with what you think. It’s your dad.’

‘Sara?’ Margot asks.

She bobs her head. ‘Yes.’

‘Okay, agreed,’ Margot says.

‘But how can you hand in the memory card without all of us being in trouble?’ Flynn asks, and so Margot explains how she plans to send the memory card anonymously to Celine’s parents but, before she gets to the end, Flynn stops her.

‘No,’ he says. ‘Not like that. Don’t do it anonymously.’

‘What? Surely if I just send it to the parents with Guy’s name, we’ll all stay out of it.’

‘That doesn’t work,’ Flynn says. ‘Think about it. Who would have sent the memory card to the police? If Dad was there alone and set up the camera himself, he’d hardly send it to the police, would he? Someone else would have sent it, and that someone else is pretty much only you.’

Margot stares at Flynn, astounded, because he’s totally right.

‘They’ll know you were involved,’ he continues.

‘Either you were there yourself, or you found the memory card and sent it in. It’s far better that you own it.

Hand it in to the police yourself. Say Guy went out for the night and left us in the villa – where, by the way, we had never seen Celine – and you only found the camera and memory card just now.

You watched it and pieced together that he’d lied to you to meet Celine and go camping with her.

You admit that he’s had an affair with her.

You’re horrified that your husband had taken up with her but it makes sense that he went into the desert with her when you thought he was in town meeting an old friend. ’

‘Okay,’ Margot says, frowning as she follows Flynn’s logic.

‘I could say that it’s Guy’s camera – he bought it, after all, if they check.

And that he went into town for a night – said he was meeting a friend or something.

Some sort of cover story a man would give if he was taking his lover to the desert for the night. What do you all think?’

‘It’s the best plan, Mum,’ Flynn says.

‘I’d believe you,’ Liv says, and everyone looks at Sara.

‘Sheesh. Hiding in plain sight,’ she says, shaking her head. ‘Isn’t that always the best policy?’

‘Okay,’ Margot says, ‘so we just need to agree to stick to that story ourselves. As far as we’re concerned, we never saw Celine the entire time we were in Oman.

We slept in the villa every single night.

Guy stayed out for one night. We thought nothing of it.

I only just found the camera. It’ll be our word against his, and all the evidence they need is right there on the screen.

Done. And maybe this whole thing will finally be over. ’

‘Amen to that,’ Sara says.