Page 78 of You Lied First

M argot goes to the police station that very afternoon.

The kids and I stay at mine, expecting a long evening while we wait.

I call Michael to tell him that Liv is revising and might stay the night, and he accepts it without question.

That seems odd to me, and I have to remind myself that he doesn’t know a fraction of what’s really been going on.

It’s really not that much later that we’re scrolling through Deliveroo, debating Five Guys versus tacos for dinner when the doorbell rings.

Seeing Margot’s distinctive shape through the glass, I rip the door open and throw my arms around her, suddenly overtaken with the most unexpected emotion.

I’m also wondering why it’s so quiet. I’m half-expecting sirens, handcuffs, news helicopters overhead and Guy arrested on the spot.

But, of course in real life, things just aren’t like that.

‘How was it? How are you?’ I stammer, realising that Margot is as surprised by my hug as I am myself.

But she’s precious to me now, and I’m glad to be able to express that properly for once.

Margot gives me a squeeze and I get a grip of myself and bring her through to the living room, surreptitiously wiping my eyes.

‘Mum!’ Flynn’s on his feet and in her arms as they rock together and she kisses his hair, then he pulls Liv, who’s been dithering about, half sitting, half standing, into the hug.

Then Liv looks sheepishly at me and extends her arm, welcoming me into the group and we all four stand there for a what seems like ages, hugging each other with tears running down our faces, even though we still don’t know what happened at the police station.

I break the hug first – I really, really need to know – but keep my arm around Liv.

Now I’ve got her, I’m never letting her go.

‘So, what happened? What did they say? Tell us everything.’ I’m imagining the gratitude of the officers having evidence handed to them on a plate; their eyes gleaming as they picture the recognition they’ll get for solving an international murder case.

‘Are they going to arrest Dad?’ Flynn says.

‘I didn’t hand it in.’ I can’t tell if Margot’s laughing or crying. She fishes in her handbag. ‘I’ve still got it!’

My body sags onto the sofa. ‘ What? ’

‘I went in and, look, it’s just a local police station.

I didn’t want to hand it to just anyone and risk it being lost in the system.

I realised that we need to get it to the people actually working on the case.

Right? Wasn’t there a number you had to contact if you had information?

Maybe we should do that. So I brought it back! ’

We all look at each other. Now we’ve come this far, we want a solution. As quickly as possible. We’re all psyched up for it. Waiting is torture.

‘There was a phone line for the incident room,’ I say. ‘We could call that and say we’ve got a strong lead. But, in the meantime, Margot, you’re going to have to go back home and continue living with Guy. How do you feel about that?’ Flynn and Margot glance uneasily at each other.

‘You could stay here,’ Margot says to Flynn. ‘I’m sure Sara won’t mind, given the circumstances.’

‘Of course. You’re always welcome. You know that.’

But Flynn is shaking his head. ‘No way. I’m not leaving you, Mum. If you’re at home, I’m there, too. He’s killed someone! I can’t leave you alone with him.’

Margot’s face is grim. She clearly doesn’t want to be there either.

‘Could you … invent an urgent work trip or something?’ I say, speaking my thoughts out loud. ‘A supplier problem with a mansion or something? That needs you there to sort it out?’

Margot nods. ‘Maybe. And then what? Just stay in a hotel …?’

‘I guess. I’d invite you to stay here but … I mean, I could sleep on the sofa and you could have my room.’

Margot throws me a quick smile. ‘Thanks. It’ll look more convincing if I’m in a hotel near to where one of the suppliers are, for sure.

Rather than staying down the road with my friend.

Or maybe it could be a new client. Yes! There could be a prestigious client who’s reached out to me in confidence and wants a personal visit, like, now .

You know how clients can be like that. And it’s too far to go in a day. ’

I nod. ‘Sounds like a plan. So what are we going to do with the memory card?’

‘We save a copy of it. And we hang on to it,’ Flynn says. ‘We can’t give it to anyone until we know it’s in the right hands. Like Mum says, we can’t risk it getting lost.’

Liv shudders. ‘I can’t believe this is our life. That we’re sitting here in Mum’s living room discussing how to get your dad taken down for murder.’

‘I can’t believe my dad murdered someone. Someone we know!’ Flynn says, and they stare at each other, aghast.

Margot’s just shaking her head slowly, looking baffled. ‘Right, Sara, would you mind having a look for a place for me to stay in, umm, say, Oxfordshire? I don’t have the mental space to deal with hotel bookings right now.’

‘Sure. Buy do you actually have to go that far?’ I say, ‘I mean, you could say you were there but actually be much closer … he’s not going to check, is he?’

‘I guess not … in that case, somewhere reasonably close but not too close? Just somewhere simple.’

‘Do you need to pack?’

‘I suppose I need to go home and pack a few bits, yes.’

‘I’m coming with you!’ Flynn says.

‘Okay. Here’s the plan. You two do that first. Before we do anything else. I’ll book you a room. Then, once you’re both safe, Margot, we’ll call the incident room.’

‘Okay.’ Everyone nods.

Sara the sensible one. Sara the rescuer. You couldn’t make it up.