‘How long would you say after you returned home did Ms George knock on your door?’
‘Not long. A few minutes really.’
She looks at me straight on. ‘Why did Ms George come to stay with you?’
I have stressed this part to Holly. If anyone asks, Teri showed up at the house because she’d twisted her ankle and wanted some ice. You weren’t there when it happened. You do not say anything about the accident. Nobody knows about it and Scarlett is never going to tell, so there’s no need to bring it up. If anyone asks, it never happened.
‘She knocked on the door,’ I reply. ‘She’d twisted her ankle when she was out running and wanted some ice. I helped her to our sofa, gave her some ice, and then later bandaged her foot.’
She scribbles on her tablet.
‘Why are you asking me all this? We’ve gone over this already.’
She raises a hand. ‘Was Holly there when Ms George knocked on your door asking for some ice for her ankle?’
‘No. She was still at Scarlett’s. I went to pick her up an hour or so after that.’
‘So you left Ms George alone in the house while you went to pick up Holly?’
‘That’s right.’
‘For how long?’
I try to think. ‘Half an hour maybe?’
She makes a note.
I pray silently that Holly is telling the same story. Oh, God. Who am I kidding? For all I know, Holly is telling them thatIdrove my car into Teri.
‘Then you returned with Holly. Did either of you go into the garage when you got back home?’
‘No.’
‘And Ms George was still in your house?’
‘Yes.’
‘How did she seem?’
‘She was still in pain. She asked if she could stay that night because her bedroom is upstairs and her bathroom is downstairs, and she was worried about going up and down the stairs.’
‘How well did you know her?’
‘I didn’t know her at all. I’d met her the previous Friday for the first time when I helped her move some furniture into her house. Then I met her again that Sunday morning when she came to borrow a screwdriver.’
‘But Ms George stayed longer than one night. How come?’
‘Well, every day I expected her to leave, but every day she claimed she was still very hurt and concerned about using the stairs in her house. We have the spare bedroom downstairs. I liked her company. I didn’t mind her staying. I don’t understand. Why are you asking all these questions?’
DI Sandleford puts her tablet down and crosses her arms. ‘Did you know Mr Price had been in a relationship with Ms George? While married to you, I mean.’
She studies my face, waiting to see how I’ll take this news. I should probably blurt something like, ‘Teri? Really? I had noidea!’ But I don’t trust myself to speak. I’m too busy holding my breath.
‘I…I knew he’d had an affair,’ I say finally. ‘Was it with her?’
‘Yes.’
I swallow. ‘You’re sure?’
