I didn’t expect to see her face on the other side of that prison glass. “Didn’t expect to see you,” Maria said, settling into the chair. “I can visit my mate in prison, can’t I? Even if she is a murderer.
Oh, sorry. Did I forget to say? Yeah, Garry’s told me everything. ”
My stomach dropped.
“What’s he said? ”
“Don’t play that game, Sarah. Just tell me all of it. How you killed Theo and then called my husband to come and clean up your mess.
”
I tried to explain. Garry was a friend. An ex, yes, but a friend. I couldn’t call Keith because he’s a police officer.
I couldn’t put him in that position. “Because it would mess up your happy little life,” Maria spat. “No, and the first person that popped into your stupid little head was Garry. ”
“Why did he help you?
Why did he risk everything? Me, his kids, his freedom for you. ”
“I don’t know. ”
“You know, it’s only because there’s a prison officer stood over there that I don’t jump across this table and whip your red off.
”
“Maria, I’m sorry. ”
“You know that you might go down for this? ”
“He won’t. ”
Maria leaned in.
“Your Harry might be used to a new stepdad every month, but my Liam’s pretty set on Gary. ”
“Listen, Maria, don’t be funny. You can hate me, but you say another word about my child and I’ll kill you. ”
“What?
You’re going to ruin my marriage. You’re going to break up my family. Oh, no, wait, you’ve already done that, haven’t you? ”
“I just panicked.
I panicked. Look, if I could do it again—”
“What, murder Theo? Just keep your voice down. You do know that I’m his alibi, don’t you?
So, there’s a world in which both of us could go down for this. ”
“Listen, Maria, that is not going to happen, okay? I can promise you. You have my word.
”
“The word of a cold-hearted killer. Wow, thanks. I feel so assured. ”
“Look, I am never going to say Gary’s name, not ever, okay?
So, you’ve just got to hope that you two sort this out. ”
“I think it’s a little bit late to start pretending that you give a toss about either of us, don’t you? ”
She left me sitting there, the weight of everything pressing down on my chest. At the salon, David and his wife were planning their evening.
“Got a lilac rinse at 11:00 and then I’ve got Miss Pritchard booked in at 2:30. Curly blow. ”
“Isn’t she 108? ”
“She’s 86.
And it’s date night. ”
“Ooh. Yeah, you best be having curly blows when we’re in our 80s. ”
“Mhm, we hardly have date night now, do we?
”
“Yeah, well, that’s because we’re too busy at parents’ evening, aren’t we? And hospital visits and football practice, but all that will be a distant memory when we’re gray and old. ”
“I know, don’t wish it away, though. We’ve already missed so much time with Arthur as it is.
”
“Yeah, I know. You’re right. I tell you what, I’ll go down to hospital tomorrow. I’ll ask Maria to get Miss Pritchard ready for a night of debauchery.
”
“Really? ”
“Yeah. I mean, all this would be a lot easier to plan if the family weren’t a woman like—”
“Yeah, well, Sarah will be out soon, you know. ”
His wife’s phone rang.
“It’s the hospital. Answer it, then. ”
“No, what’s so much wrong? Lee.
Hello. Yes, this is she. Ignore that. I’m sorry about him.
No, this is Shona. Right. Right. Right.
What’s going on? Right, okay, I see. You see what? Right, thank you.
What’s happening? ”
“She’s coming home. What? Our baby girl’s coming home.
”
Harper. Our daughter was coming home. Across town, Gary’s marriage was falling apart in slow motion. “Trouble in paradise?
” his friend asked. “Yeah, I had a bad back from sleeping on the sofa. ”
“Well, I can give you a few exercises to fix that. But can you fix things with Maria?
”
“Tried it, mate, but she’s not having any of it. ”
At the hospital, I went to see our son Arthur. The doctor said he could go home tomorrow. “That’s brilliant.
”
“Yeah, we can’t wait to have you back. ”
“Yeah, me too. ”
“You’ve just got the psychiatrist appointment and to take your medication. ”
“Dad, I know.
I’ll listen to the doctor, too. ”
“I just think routine would be good for you. And support from family. ”
“I told her I’ve got bags of that.
”
“Well, yeah, you have. Look, why don’t you go and start packing and then I’ll bring you a brew through in a sec, yeah? ”
“Okay. ”
“Sort your face out.
”
After he left, his dad turned to me. “Well, I’m going to tell him that his auntie’s been arrested for murder. ”
“Well, maybe you don’t have to time that right now. ”
“I can’t lie.
It’ll bring on his paranoia. ”
“I know that’s not really how it works, Nick. Look, I know you’re stressed and I totally get why. I mean, you’d be scared for your sister and after Sam, but we’re doing all this together, all right?
He’s going to be okay, isn’t he? ”
Later, the detective pulled me aside. Kit Green, the officer who’d been circling me since Theo’s body was found. “I appreciate you seeing me on short notice.
”
“Did I have a choice? ”
“You did. Actually, so yes, I appreciate it. ”
“Have you had any other visitors?
”
“Maria? Yeah, she popped in to see how I’m doing. ”
“I didn’t realize the two of you were so close. ”
“Well, we’ve known each other since we were teenagers, haven’t we?
So, yeah. ”
“Yeah, of course. Oh, she just popped in, did she? Didn’t come for anything specific?
”
“Okay, then. All right, so we may as well get straight to the point. We’ve had your phone records back from the night of Theo Silverton’s murder. ”
“Records?
”
“Yeah, that’s right. Actually, Maria did want to speak to me about something specific. ”
“And you want to share that with me? ”
“She asked me if I did it.
If I killed Theo. ”
“And? ”
“Told her I didn’t. ”
“I see.
So, about these family things. ”
“To Maria. Because I did do it. I killed Theo.
”
At the salon, David was making plans for Harper’s homecoming. “I just want everybody be there, you know, the whole family for when we bring Harper home. Might even put on that Lion King song. ”
“You do you, babe.
”
“She’s coming. She’s coming. ”
“Who is? ”
“Not your sister, that’s for sure.
”
“Well, that’s unnecessarily mean. ”
“He’s talking about Harper, actually. She’s fighting fit, she’s coming home next week. ”
“Ah, that is good news, David.
You’ve got nothing against my sister, anyway. ”
“Except the whole Gary sitch. ”
“What do you mean by that? ”
“What?
Exes. Why? What did you think I meant? ”
“Nothing.
”
“I hope Sarah’s doing all right. ”
“Oh, she’ll get away with it. She always does. ”
“You know, I can’t tell if you’re trying to wind me up, Maria, but it’s not funny.
”
“Sorry, that was a bad joke. Like the worst joke ever. ”
“Before I forget, you’ve got me this Pritchard booked in tomorrow at 2:00 for Curly Blow. ”
“Well, where will you be?
”
“I’m at the hospital. And I’ll be taking paternity leave as well as of next week. ”
“Uh, hang on a minute, David. I can’t be doing your clients as well as me own.
No offense, but you’re not getting your grubby mitts on my tresses. ”
“That’s all right, I don’t deal with synthetic, anyway. ”
“I need to be at home with my daughter, Maria. ”
“And what about what I need?
What about my family? Oh, no, sorry, I’m forgetting, aren’t I? No one’s as important as the almighty Platts, yeah. Self-obsessed, much?
”
Back in the interview room, Kit pressed me harder. “I didn’t mean to kill him. ”
“And afterwards? I went to my brother’s, David’s, at number eight.
”
“And that’s where you were hit unconscious. ”
“Yeah, that bit was true. Yeah, I was attacked. I just wanted to go get my head together.
I thought maybe my family could help me. ”
“So, your family know? ”
“No, nobody knows. They’re all at your wedding.
So, I go there then, to number eight? ”
“I don’t know. Just I just wasn’t thinking straight. And then, next thing I know, I’ve been whacked over the head.
”
“So, you left Theo, ran to number eight, and was hit unconscious. ”
“Yeah. ”
“That’s all? ”
“Is that not enough?
”
“Well, I’m just trying to figure out that whilst all this was going on, why you decided to call Gary Windass. ”
“I barely remember calling Gary. ”
“Oh, come on, Sarah. You’ve just killed a man.
You’re terrified. So, you call someone. Someone who cares about you. Someone who you know will help you.
”
“No. I mean, Gary’s hardly squeaky clean, is he? I bet good money he’d know how to cover up a murder. ”
“It was self-defense, okay?
It was. I was in shock, and I called Gary. ”
“Thought you didn’t remember calling him. He answered the phone.
And I realized how crazy I was being. ”
“Crazy how? ”
“Okay, fine. I did.
I wanted to tell him what I’d done. And then the second that I heard his voice, I realized I couldn’t. I couldn’t let him get involved and I couldn’t ask for his help because then he would be part of it. ”
“So, he answered.
And you said? ”
“I just made small talk. ”
“Do you usually call up Gary Windass to chat about the weather? ”
“Well, we were friends, so yeah, it’s not actually that weird.
I asked him about a computer game that Jake was playing, some racing car game because Harry wanted it. ”
“What racing game? ”
“Forza something. But he didn’t know about it.
”
“All right. So, you call up Gary and chat about a kid’s computer game and the price of fish. And then you hung up and then you disposed of a bloodied metal pole that you just used to kill Theo Silverton with. Where did you dispose of that pole, Sarah?
”
“I didn’t. I don’t know. I just hit Theo and then I’ll let it. ”
“Let it before or after calling Gary Windass?
”
“After. ”
“Interview terminated at 11:43. I don’t believe a word you’re saying. ”
At home, the family gathered around Arthur, trying to keep things normal.
“She’ll be out soon, you know. Soon as police realize what numpties they are. Honestly, as I should be back nagging you before you know it. ”
“I know she will.
I tell you what, Lily’s been upstairs on the computer all day. Do you want to go and join her? ”
“Yeah, okay. ”
“Right.
Oh, where’s me brew? ”
“Oh, it’s there, that one. ”
“Bless him. I heard him crying last night.
And then when I went to check on him, he just pretended that he was asleep. Just got to be positive for him, aren’t we? And Harper and Sam coming home, hopefully that’s the start of our luck changing. ”
“I should be out in no time, you know.
”
“Said that about 50 times today. ”
“Not my fault. Oh, it’s Kim. Hello.
What? You’re joking. Well, yeah, I know you wouldn’t joke about something like that. What now?
All right, well, just keep me posted. And tell her she’s lost it. All right, bye. ”
“What now?
”
“Sarah’s confessed to killing Theo. ”
“Mom killed him? ”
The news hit the family like a wave. But I knew the truth.
She was protecting someone. Protecting me. At the Rovers, Gary hoped for a truce with Maria. “Buy you a lager, please.
”
“Yeah, I’ll have one of those fruit ciders, please. And maybe a truce with you too. ”
“Which stuff bimbo made this drink? It tastes like dishwater.
”
“Oh, no. The booths look comfy. ”
“Yep. Yep, they are very comfy.
Shall we go and sit down? ”
“Why don’t you call it a day, Maria? ”
“Ooh, is she barring me? ”
“Look, why don’t you just go home?
”
“Cuz I don’t want to. I don’t want to go home either. ”
“What’s going on? Do you want to talk about it?
”
“To you? I’d rather stick pins in my eyes. ”
“I’m sorry. If she did do it, it would be self-defense.
”
“Are you really on her side? Kit, she called Gary. Not you. She was in trouble and she called her ex.
That says an awful lot about what she thinks about you. ”
“I don’t know nothing, Kit. ”
Back at the station, the detective’s partner pulled him aside. “Oh, that looks like it went well.
”
“It may have been, though. ”
“Kind of insensitive. Yeah, I thought you may—”
“Jay was—”
“Sarah. ”
“Okay.
Well, let’s just say that our friend somehow managed to get a hold of them and is now looking in another direction. Which is not what I promised. ”
“So, you’re just going to put his life above ours? ”
“I can’t track anyone else down with me.
”
“Last night, are you tracking me down? You’re decimating my life. Not to mention Bethany’s and Harry’s. ”
“Well, why are you saying this to me like it’s brand new information?
Like I haven’t thought about my kids. Of course I have, okay? And it breaks my heart every time that I do, but that doesn’t mean that I get to destroy anybody else’s life to save my own. ”
“Sarah, I need you.
I can’t lose you. ”
“Okay. I mean, I’ve lied to you over and over again. I think most people would say that you’ve had a lucky escape.
”
“Well, you don’t get to decide that. ”
“Yeah, I’m letting you go. I’m not letting you go. I’m not giving up on this.
Oh, just promise me that you will stick with what we talked about, okay? ”
“Fine. ”
“I mean it. ”
“I said yes, Sarah.
Just look after Harry and Bethany for me, all right? ”
“Of course I will. I mean, all your family are helping out. Even Jodie’s chipping in.
”
“No, look, listen, you need to keep that woman away from my kids. ”
“Sarah, I know you’re not the biggest fan, but—”
“No, no, it’s not just that I don’t like her. I’ve got a reason to hate her. God, this woman’s dangerous.
”
Gary and Maria finally sat down alone. “Hope you’re hungry. See anything bad from the Rovers, by the way? No, well, the log is always flying there anyway.
So, Liam’s at his mate’s. It’s just me and you. ”
“So, we could have a little chat or something. ”
“No.
What about? ”
“Let’s have a chat about that stupid murdering cow who you put before your own wife and kids, shall we? ”
“Yeah, but I didn’t do that, did I? ”
“Yeah, but you did though, didn’t you?
”
“Do you know what, Gary? I just don’t get it at all. Like, if you really love Sarah and you want to be with her, then what are we even doing? ”
“What?
Seriously? ”
“Will you just listen to me? ”
“No. No, do you know what?
All I do is listen to you. And stupid David. And what did Sarah say? ”
“Nothing new.
Just said that you were helping a good friend. ”
“Yeah, because I was, wasn’t I? ”
“Look, I wish I’d missed the call, all right, but I didn’t. She was in a state.
Yeah, I had to help her. I’d have done the same for anyone I care about. ”
“Oh. See?
You care about her, don’t you? ”
“Yeah, as a friend, yeah, but not in the same way that I care about you. Yeah, she’s an ex for a reason. Look, I’m yours.
I’m all yours, yeah, forever. Unless you tell me to get lost. ”
“Okay. ”
“Okay, as in get lost, or okay, as in we’re A-okay?
”
“We’ve got a long way to go. I want you to stay. ”
“Come here, you. Come here.
”
But Kit was already making moves. His phone buzzed. “Hi, it’s Kit. You know what to do.
”
Then he confronted Gary. “I hold my hands up. I went too far, and I’m sorry, all right? I just need you to know what’s at stake if you stand by Sarah.
”
“Look, Kit, just—”
“Don’t blow your life up over this, Kit. I need you to really think about who you’re protecting. ”
Arthur was losing it. He’d heard the news about his mum.
“It’s just a mistake, okay? Mom didn’t do this. Why did she say she did? Why would she say she killed him if she never—I don’t know.
Can I see her? ”
“No, not—I want to see her now. Move out my way. ”
“You can’t do that, mate.
”
“I need to see my mom. ”
“I’ll make sure you see your mom at the minute you’re allowed, but until then, it’s okay to be upset. It’s okay to rage at me and Bethany and all the world, but I can’t let you go right now, okay? ”
“I want to go—I want my mom here.
”
“Yeah, we all do, mate. ”
And I stood there, watching my son fall apart, knowing that the secret I was holding could destroy every one of us.
