Page 79 of You Lied First
I book Margot into the Holiday Inn in Gloucester.
It’s close enough for her to be reachable, but far enough away that she’s unlikely to bump into Guy.
I also save on my laptop a copy of the video, which Margot decided to leave with me ‘just in case’.
Then I look up the number for the incident room.
Detective Sergeant Margaret Ward is the name given.
‘Great,’ I say. ‘So now it’s just a matter of waiting for Margot and Flynn to get back.’
Liv orders dinner for us, though I doubt either of us taste any of it.
After we’ve eaten, she gets up and looks out of the window.
Then she starts pacing the room and chewing the skin around her fingers in a way that makes me nervous.
I gather up the detritus of the Five Guys meal and pack it into the largest paper bag.
‘I hope they’re all right,’ Liv says. ‘They’ll have to be so careful. They mustn’t give anything away or he might …’ She shudders.
‘He’s not going to do anything to them,’ I say.
‘But if he finds out that they know, and they’re planning to hand him in, he’ll be desperate.
He might do anything. I mean, he’s a ruthless person.
We know that now. But I’m so shocked, Mum.
Before Oman, I used to think Flynn was so lucky to have him for a dad.
He was more like a mate than a father. In a good way. I can’t believe it.’
‘Well, as you go through life, you’ll learn that people will surprise you.
You think you know them, then they reveal a whole new side of themselves.
’ I stop. I have more important things to talk about with Liv than Guy’s personality.
‘Livvie,’ I say. ‘While it’s just us, I want to say I’m so sorry that you and Flynn had to go through this.
’ Oh, God, the guttural sound Celine had made as I’d pulled that scarf tight around her carotid arteries.
‘All I ever wanted was to protect you. I want you to know that. That was only ever my intention. And always will be.’
Liv stops pacing and looks at me. ‘And I’m sorry. I get that. I realise that he manipulated you. You had no choice. Flynn made me see that. I’m sorry for what I said.’ Her mouth wobbles. ‘Really sorry.’
‘It’s okay, Livvie. I’m always here for you. Okay?’
‘Thanks,’ she says. ‘Can I have a hug?’
We lapse into silence after our hug. Liv continues pacing. I refresh my WhatsApp constantly, checking to see when Margot was last online, as if that’ll tell me anything other than that she’s still alive.
‘Do you think he’d take them hostage?’ Liv asks.
‘You mean if he finds out about the memory card? He doesn’t even know the camera was there.’
‘What if he remembers?’
‘Let’s think positive. Margot and Flynn are popping home to pick up their stuff.
Flynn’s coming to stay with us, and Margot’s got a meeting with a potential new client who may or may not be royal.
Guy’ll probably be glad to have a night to himself …
we’re overthinking this because we know what’s at stake.
But you’ve got to remember that Guy knows none of this. For Guy it’s just a normal Tuesday.’
It’s well over two hours before we hear from Margot again.
On our way, her message says, and Liv and I both slump back with relief.
‘How was it?’ I ask as soon as I open the door.
‘Oh my God. Farcical,’ Margot says. ‘Flynn and I deserve Oscars. I actually cooked him dinner and we all sat at the table. I barely ate a thing, but he didn’t seem to notice.’
I nod appreciatively, although the word ‘seem’ sticks in my gut.
Could Guy be playing a game here, too? If I’m not careful, I could really spiral.
I’m so far out of my comfort zone my brain feels fried but I can’t let on, not with everyone depending on me to be the guiding hand on the tiller of logic and reason.
‘Nice,’ I say calmly. ‘Nice touch. So, he doesn’t suspect anything’s up?’
‘He doesn’t suspect a thing. He’s actually pleased about the new client lead. He’s in front of the TV with a bottle of red wine.’
‘Amazing. Right – you’re welcome to stay as long as you like. If you want to make the call from here?’
‘Let’s do it together,’ Margot says. ‘Then I’ll go to the hotel. Because if, for any reason, he comes here, my car can’t be parked outside yours.’
‘Well, we’ve got the number of the incident room, so …’ I bite my lip as I look at Margot. ‘Shall we? Are you ready? Everyone ready?’
‘Hang on. I can’t call them from here,’ Margot says. ‘They’ll be able to see my location, won’t they? I should do it from the hotel, shouldn’t I? Otherwise, they’ll come here, and you’ll all be implicated.’
I frown. ‘But wouldn’t you have told us?
Because we were with you in Muscat. We’re a part of the story.
We’re witnesses that you were home in the villa that night …
We can be with you, I think? And it isn’t such a stretch that you’d have come running to a friend if you’d found this out,’ I say.
‘Maybe Liv and Flynn should go upstairs, but I’ll sit here with you if you want me to. ’
‘Okay,’ Margot says rather breathlessly. She fans her face with her hand and tries to calm her breathing. ‘I can’t believe I’m about to do this.’
‘He deserves it,’ Flynn says. ‘You can’t let him get away with it.’
And so Margot dials the incident room. The call handler answers the phone sounding, according to Margot, tired and fed-up, but snaps to attention the moment Margot blurts out her story.
She then waits while she’s transferred to DS Margaret Ward herself, and I follow the conversation through Margot’s nods and affirmations.
Margot hangs up the call. ‘She’s coming here. Now.’
‘What?’
‘The Detective Sergeant – Margaret – she’s coming to collect the memory card and take a statement from me. Oh my God, Sara – this is it. I’ve done it.’
I get up to hug her and she clings to me. I don’t know who’s shaking the most, me or her.
It takes about an hour for DS Ward and another detective to drive up from Oxford.
They take accounts from Margot, me, Flynn and Liv, view the video, and take it away.
Early in the morning, Guy – vehemently protesting his innocence – is taken into custody.
Within twenty-four hours he’s charged with the murder of Celine Cremorne and imprisoned pending trial.
It’s finally over.