Page 127 of The Jealous Girl

‘It incriminates them,’ I realised.

‘They couldn’t arrest you, because they can’t prove you did anything wrong.’

‘Yet,’ I said, as cold dread swept over me.

‘What’s wrong?’

‘I told them about Atlas’s infertility.’

I clamped my hand over my mouth.

What had I done?

‘Okay…’ Ben said slowly. ‘That still doesn’t prove you’re guilty.’

‘But if we’re right… If those foals aren’t his…’

‘Then you still couldn’t have acted alone. At some point they’ll have to figure out Charlotte’s involvement.’

‘How? Even we haven’t been able to prove it, and we’ve been looking for the link.’ I banged my head back against the headrest. ‘And it’s not like the police can interview her and get her to confess. She’s dead.’

‘There has to be someone else involved,’ Ben said, grinding his teeth. ‘This is too complicated for Charlotte to have acted alone. Lineage is recorded and monitored. There’s no way she could have faked all the records herself.’

‘What about Martin?’ I asked. ‘The stables were in financial difficulties when I was there. They were struggling to make their loan repayments.’

Ben raised his eyebrows. ‘I didn’t know it was that bad.’

‘Neither did Ryan. He had no idea when I told him.’ I shrugged. ‘Martin kept it to himself.’

‘What about Ryan then? Maybe once he realised⁠—’

‘He wouldn’t do that,’ I cut in quickly.

‘Well, the only other person is Denise, but she couldn’t have faked the records either.’

‘But a vet could,’ I said, jolting forward in the seat so fast the seatbelt braced against me.

‘Yeah.’ Ben ran his hand across his face. ‘Theoretically. But do you really think this extends that far outside Blackwater?’

‘I lied,’ I blurted out.

‘What?’

‘To Janine. I lied when I said I’d only stalked Charlotte on social media.’ I glanced across at Ben, stunned by what I was about to admit. ‘I followed her in person. In my car. Well, not my car, a hire car.’

Ben’s gaze darted rapidly between me and the road. ‘What did you see?’

I blinked. ‘Wait, that’s all you’re going to ask? You’re not going to comment on the fact I just admitted to stalking someone?’

‘Not someone. Charlotte.’ Ben shrugged. ‘I don’t blame you for doing that. In fact, I think it was brilliant.’

‘Huh.’ I shook my head, staring at him in stunned amazement.

If I’d confessed that to Ryan, I had no doubt that he would not have been impressed. He’d have disapproved. And probably been angry.

‘So, what did you find out?’ Ryan persisted.

‘She met with the Blackwater vet, David Harcourt. I watched her hand him an envelope.’