Justin is stomping towards the end of the jetty.
‘It hurts,’ Hattie cries, diverting my attention from what’s going on outside.
‘It’s going to be OK.’ I turn on the taps, adjust the temperature and hold her arm under cool running water.
She tries to pull away, calling out for Harold. ‘Where is he?’
‘He’s not here today, Hattie. I’ll help you.’
Immy has made a dreadful mistake leaving her unattended.
I hope Justin listens to me now.
I talk to her in soothing words, while trying to keep an eye on what’s going on outside. Justin is standing at the end of the jetty, holding out a towel for Immy. The image turns my stomach. Immy’s head appears at the top of the steps. She swipes her goggles from her head. My insides turn at how this is going to play out.
And then joy fills my heart. I didn’t know he was coming here today.
That’s not Justin holding out the towel for her.
It’s Connor.
40
SCARLETT
I look up, surprised to see Connor standing at the end of the jetty, holding out my open towel. I try to act nonchalant as I negotiate the remaining steps, even though my body is shaking.
‘Refreshing in there, was it?’ he asks, holding out the towel.
‘Very.’
His smile gives me the creeps, or am I just freaked out by what I’ve just seen in the lake? ‘Dad’s going to be mad at you. He doesn’t allow swimming in the lake. The reeds are too dangerous.’
A voice calls from the start of the jetty. ‘What’s going on?’ Justin is approaching.
My heart hammers in my chest, and that’s not because of the exercise. A murderer is walking towards me.
‘Didn’t I tell you not to go into the lake?’ His face gives nothing away. I can’t tell whether he knows what I’ve just seen. The dread is in my chest now.
‘The water was just too inviting.’ I find my best smile and reach for the towel from Connor, drying my hair in an attemptto hide my shaking hands. ‘My mother always said I was a water baby.’ My voice is steady for someone who has just come face to face with a corpse and is now standing in front of the man who killed her. But I’m unsure I’ve convinced him.
‘I thought you were going to London?’ Connor says to Justin.
‘Change of plan. I’m not going now.’
Connor raises his hands and drops them. ‘I’ve had a wasted journey, then.’
‘Sorry about that. As I said, plans changed,’ Justin replies curtly.
I look at Justin out of the corner of my eye. Why did he call his son to come here when he knew I’d be here?
‘You’re shivering,’ Justin says, his face deadpan. ‘The water isn’t that cold, is it?’
An involuntary exhale. ‘No, it was lovely.’ I need to stay sharp. One step wrong, and I could find myself joining that woman in a bag at the bottom of the lake. ‘Just my reaction to getting out!’
Justin’s eyes find mine and don’t leave. ‘You seemed in a panic there.’
I avoid his gaze and let the shivering hide how much my body is actually shaking. ‘Got a cramp in my calf.’ I bend over and massage my leg. ‘It was painful.’ A drop of water from my hair rolls down my face. I dare to look at him. ‘It’s better now.’ I fake a smile. ‘I’ll go and shower before Hattie wakes up.’
