‘What’s happening?’ I ask, fear gnawing on my entrails.
‘I have some questions to ask you about Beatrice George. Specifically, about the time she stayed with you in your house.’
I glance at my solicitor. She nods.
‘All right…’
‘I’m trying to get clarity on the sequence of events. Now. Let me see…’ She scrolls through her tablet. ‘Your husband left on the Saturday, is that right?’
‘Yes.’
‘Then on the Sunday, you drove Holly to…’
Oh, God. Is this about the accident? ‘I drove her to her friend’s house.’
‘And how long were you away for?’
That’s not the question I expected. I try to think. ‘Well, I dropped Holly off, and then…’Then I went scouting for locations to dump my dead husband’s body.‘I went shopping.’
‘So how long would you estimate that you were out of the house for?’
‘Maybe two hours. I’m not sure. Why?’
‘And when you came home, your husband hadn’t returned?’
‘That’s right.’
‘Did you go into your garage?’
‘No.’
‘Are you absolutely sure?’
I pretend to think about it. ‘I had no reason to go in there. Max keeps his car in the garage, and that’s about it. I don’t remember the last time I went in there, I mean…before…you know. That last time.’
She nods.
I look at my solicitor. She’s taking notes but doesn’t seem bothered by the detective’s questions.
‘Did you notice anything different about the kitchen when you came home?’ DI Sandleford asks.
I take a sharp breath. I think I know where this is going. ‘Actually, yes. The rug had been moved. Normally it’s in the dining room, but somehow it had got pulled into the kitchen.’
‘But you didn’t move it.’
I swallow. ‘No.’
‘Do you know who did?’
This is so bad. I have a terrible feeling I’m about to walk over a cliff. I rub my forehead with my fingertips. ‘I’d meant to askHolly, but then so much happened after that…I never thought to.’
‘What did you do then?’
‘Erm…’ I pretend to think. ‘I was about to prepare my lessons for the following week when my neighbour, Teri, knocked on the door.’
She nods, slowly, like she was expecting that. ‘You’re talking about Beatrice George?’
‘Yes.’
