‘It’s Max’s car.’
‘Does he have another car?’
‘No.’
‘But you said he left.’
‘Yes.’
‘So he left on foot?’
‘Yes.’
He turns to the freezer. My heart is beating so hard I think I’m going to die.
Pulling out a pair of blue plastic gloves, he asks, ‘Do you have a key for this?’
I reach for the lock as if I’d never seen it before.
‘I’d rather you didn’t touch that.’
‘I…’ I hesitate. ‘I didn’t know it was locked. It’s been empty ever since we moved in.’
He turns his head slightly, listening. ‘But it’s on.’
‘Is it? I had no idea. Like I said, I’ve never used it since living in this house.’
‘How long have you lived here?’
‘Two and a half months.’
‘So you don’t have a key for this?’
I can barely breathe. ‘If there is one, I don’t know where it is.’
He glances around the garage, then walks to the toolbox on the shelf. He rummages inside then pulls out a pair of heavy bolt cutters, just as PC Watts walks in and joins us.
‘Where’s Holly?’ I ask.
‘She’s with Ms George.’
I wrap my arms around myself. My vision blurs as I watch them move the tins and boxes from the top of the freezer. Then PC Michaels cuts the padlock and gently lifts the lid.
Black dots dance around the edges of my vision. I lean back against the car. PC Watts asks me if I’m all right – or I think that’s what he’s asking. I hear my name.
‘Mrs Price?’
I nod. My vision clears. The freezer is fully open now, and PC Michaels is pressing the crook of his elbow against his nose. A tuft of Max’s black hair pokes out from the top of the tarpaulin.
Suddenly it’s noisy in here. Police radios are crackling. Someone shouts. I’m not sure if it’s me shouting. PC Michaels opens the tarpaulin flaps fully. I can barely watch. It’s still Max, he still looks the same, but a bit blue, a bit waxy.
PC Watts turns to me. ‘Kate Price, I’m arresting you on suspicion of murder.’
And then I faint.
45
I was questioned for hours in a small interview room at the police station. This time, by a detective, a woman with short grey hair and round glasses.
