The Marriage

by K. L. Slater

  In the end, Audrey had taken some of her own advice and realised that she too was in a kind of denial. Although she’d never want to give up completely on Jill, she accepted nothing she could do would stop her friend grieving for a son who had not yet died. Nor would Jill admit that her life would be so much better without Robert eroding her confidence.

  After a few years, Audrey had taken a step or two back and turned her attention to someone else instead. In short, she had got herself in a bit of a mess and she wasn’t sure how to get out of it.

  She rang the bell and watched through the coloured glass panels of the Billinghursts’ front door as someone appeared in the hallway.

  She took a breath and steeled herself as the door opened.

  ‘Come in,’ Robert said, the mere sound of his voice turning her knees to jelly. ‘She’ll be out for a while. We’ve got plenty of time.’

  Forty-Eight

  Jill

  When Tom and Bridget returned from Coral’s house, it was clear to me something had happened between them. Tom brought in a great armful of clothes, heading straight upstairs to offload them. I recognised the dark eyes, the beetled brows. Something was bothering him.

  ‘Did you get everything you wanted?’ I asked as he passed me.

  He nodded, then stopped and looked at me over the tangle of fabrics. ‘You can get off if you like now, Mum. Thanks for watching Ellis.’

  I wanted to blurt out what Ellis had told me about his altercation with Coral, ask him what it meant. Had something gone on between Tom and Jesse on the night Jesse died that Tom had never told anyone? What would he say if the police asked about his relationship with Coral? Would he tell them about the argument Ellis had witnessed?

  As he climbed the stairs, Bridget appeared in the hallway, a smaller clutch of garments in her arms.

  ‘I can help you unload the car?’ I offered.

  ‘No, no. We’ll do it, thanks,’ she said dismissively. Then, ‘Has Ellis been OK?’

  ‘Fine. He asked me to sit with him a while.’

  ‘He did?’ She lowered her arms and looked at me. ‘Did he … say anything?’

  ‘About what?’

  She shrugged. ‘He’s not been very talkative with me, that’s all.’

  ‘He didn’t say much,’ I said. ‘If you don’t need any help, Tom said I should get off.’

  ‘Yes, thanks again for staying,’ she said. An awkward silence settled between us, then she said, ‘The police want to speak to us in the morning at ten.’

  ‘They want to speak to Tom, too?’

  Bridget looked at me steadily. ‘Yes, Jill, they do. At the station.’ A whirl of emotions rose inside me, and I took a step back. ‘Are you all right? You’ve gone very pale. They said it’s only routine, they have some questions about Coral.’ I pushed away the images of the police taking Tom back to prison. ‘I wondered if you’d mind having Ellis again. We’ll drop him off at your house on the way to the police station if that’s OK.’

  ‘Course, that’s fine,’ I said quickly. ‘He’s a lovely boy.’

  Bridget beamed. ‘He’s very special. Being a grandparent is the best feeling in the world.’

  She locked her eyes onto mine. Was that the faintest of smirks forming on her lips? Or was I imagining it? A flutter started in my chest.

  Tom came back downstairs. He walked past Bridget and she glanced at him, but he kept staring ahead. They’d definitely had a falling-out and I wondered what it was about.

  I said a hurried goodbye to Bridget and followed Tom out to the car. I had to play this cool, otherwise he’d shut down.

  ‘I’m off home,’ I said lightly, standing by the car as he leaned into the back seat and scooped out more clothing. ‘Any time you fancy a cuppa, pop in. We’d love to see you.’ I thought about the strained relations between Tom and his father. ‘I’d love to see you. We could have a proper talk.’

  I expected him to wave my offer away, but instead he turned and looked at me. His posture sagged, his forehead crinkled. He looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. ‘Thanks, Mum,’ he said. ‘I know you care and I’m sorry I’ve caused you so much heartache. I want you to know—’

  ‘Tom?’ Bridget called from the front door, hands on hips.

  He gave me a peck on the cheek. ‘See you, Mum, thanks again.’

  ‘But what were you going to say? You want me to know what?’

  ‘Nothing important,’ he said, turning away. ‘I’ll come over soon and we’ll talk. I promise.’

  * * *

  Back home, Robert seemed nervy, offering to make me a drink which was unusual. He kept gravitating to the window and craning his neck to see up and down the street.

  ‘What are you looking for?’ I said, wishing he’d settle down.

  ‘Nothing, nothing. Just wondering what the weather’s going to do. Any news?’

  I shook my head. ‘Bridget and Tom have to go to the police station in the morning to answer some questions.’

  ‘A terrible business,’ he said. ‘Let’s hope Tom being recently released doesn’t put him under more suspicion.’

  That was Robert all over. Saying the first thing that came into his head without a thought for how I’d worry endlessly over it.

  ‘I don’t want to discuss it,’ I said shortly. ‘I’m sure Tom will show he’s completely innocent.’

  Doubtfully, he twisted his mouth to one side but had the sense to stay quiet.

  When he’d disappeared into his office, I went upstairs and walked to the end of the landing.

  I stepped inside the room and closed the door behind me. The space was unrecognisable. All the football posters, the Star Wars memorabilia and boxing trophies were gone. Reclaiming the space as my own had felt profound. I’d packed Tom’s things safely away in the attic. They were there if he wanted them, but I’d finally set them aside to make space for myself.

  As per my instructions, Joel had dismantled the wardrobe and bed but left the desk and chair and the drawers. My comfy armchair that had been sitting in the other spare bedroom, under a pile of Robert’s old suits, was in here, as was my mother’s lamp. For me, the best thing of all was looking around the walls. Floor to ceiling shelves that provided a home to my books.

  ‘Have you lost your mind?’ Robert had raged when he saw Joel’s handiwork. ‘Money’s tight and you’ve designed yourself an elaborate hideaway!’

  ‘I’m finding a space for all my books as you suggested all those years ago when you evicted me from the office, Robert,’ I said coolly. ‘Somewhere you wouldn’t trip over them was your brief, as I recall.’

  ‘Yes, but I didn’t mean for you to incur all this cost!’ he blustered. ‘God only knows what Joel will charge for a full day’s work.’

  ‘Well, this is just the start,’ I said. ‘I’ve spent precisely nothing on myself for the past ten years and I intend making up for that now. Which reminds me. Can you order me a bank card for our joint savings account?’

  I smiled to myself when I thought about him stropping like a two-year-old, slamming the door on his way out. I’d had no interest in the household finances for a long time now and that had suited Robert. He’d always liked to control the purse strings.

  On one of the shelves next to my desk sat Gran’s Dickens collection. When Joel had finished the room, I’d ventured out to the garage and heaved the box onto the sack barrow. I’d hauled it into the house and unpacked it.

  Several of the books were damp and the ones on the bottom were slightly warped, their spine hinges broken. My grandma had treasured the books and, although Mum hadn’t displayed them, she’d kept them packed and protected.

  Now, thanks to Robert’s carelessness, they were in a worse state than ever. I walked over to the drawers, pausing to look over the view of the garden before opening a drawer and taking out the box containing my book repair tools. Then I selected Oliver Twist – my favourite volume as a child – and sat down at the desk.

  I worked methodicall
y and precisely, cutting out the old stitching and trimming the rough edges. Carefully, I removed the old glue with a sharp craft knife. The front hinge of the cover had become detached through age and wear and tear but that was to be expected with all the joy it had given. My favourite illustrations had been in this particular book and I smiled again as I recalled the hours of contentment spent in my gran’s arms as we’d pored over detailed pictures of Bill Sikes, Oliver and the Artful Dodger. A warm glow filled me up inside, banishing the dark hollow that had been there for so long.

  A sense of peace and calm enveloped me and for the next couple of hours, I had respite from my many worries.

  Sadly, once I’d emerged from my reading room and returned downstairs, my head felt full of Ellis telling me about his mum and Tom arguing. What was it my son had been going to tell me before Bridget whistled him back in the house like a puppy?

  If the police asked Tom about his relationship with Coral, he’d have to tell them about visiting her house that day. He’d have to tell them what they had been arguing about.

  And if that happened, even I had to accept Tom’s prospects did not look good.

  Forty-Nine

  The next morning, I stood at my bedroom window waiting for Tom and Bridget to drop Ellis off when movement across the road caught my eye. A figure dressed in dark clothing lurked at the back of the bus shelter. It was not unusual for people to stand in there, of course, but two buses had sailed past and this person didn’t stop either of them. Unless it was my imagination, he or she also seemed to be staring over at the house.

  I thought about fetching the binoculars when Tom’s silver car pulled up. At that exact moment, the figure emerged from the bus shelter and started walking briskly away.

  I went downstairs and waved to Tom from the front door. He waved back but didn’t get out of the car. I was desperate to talk to him, but now wasn’t the time.

  ‘It’s good of you to have Ellis again,’ Bridget said when she brought the boy to the door. Her eyes looked dark and dull and she wore only mascara, leaving off the heavy liner. ‘Hopefully we shouldn’t be too long. It will be routine questions, I’m sure.’

  I nodded, not wanting to show my concern.

  Instead, I said, ‘I hope you’re bearing up, Bridget. You and Ellis.’

  Ellis scowled. ‘I could’ve stayed at home on my own.’ The attitude was clearly a cover-up. His bloated face and red-raw eyes told another story.

  ‘Well, I like your company even if you’re not fussed about mine,’ I told him, before looking back at Bridget. ‘We’ll be fine. I hope everything goes well at the station.’

  Bridget got back in the car, and I waved in Tom’s direction again before ushering Ellis inside and closing the front door.

  ‘Go through to the living room, Ellis, it’s the first room on the right,’ I said. ‘Are you hungry?’

  ‘No,’ he grunted, the vulnerable boy of yesterday nowhere to be seen.

  His face looked drawn. Now when I looked at him, I didn’t see Jesse’s arrogance or surly expression. I saw a sad young boy and felt a swell of pity and fondness instead.

  He looked around the room, his gaze lingering on the framed photographs, mostly of Tom, dotted about on tables, shelves and the wall. There was a group photo of Tom and his friends, including Jesse and Coral. Ellis stared at it.

  I heard the office door open and Robert came out. Ellis sat down and took his Nintendo console out of his small rucksack.

  ‘Hello again, Ellis.’ I’d assumed Robert would be grumpy at finding the boy here. He didn’t like his routine disrupted. But he sat down at the other end of the sofa. ‘I’m so sorry to hear you lost your mum. I knew Coral back when she was still at school. Did she tell you that?’

  Ellis shook his head.

  ‘Well, I’m very sad indeed to hear what happened. How are you sleeping?’

  ‘I’m not, much.’ Ellis stared at his console but he didn’t turn it on.

  ‘That’s understandable, but it will get better, you know. The secret is to keep yourself strong. Drink lots of water, eat plenty of fresh food and if you can do a bit of exercise, that’s brilliant. It will all help you sleep a little better and you’ll feel more able to cope. Do you promise you’ll try?’

  Ellis nodded. ‘I will.’

  It was astounding to witness Robert with his counsellor’s hat on. I felt quite touched that he was taking the time to help Ellis. If only Tom was here to see it.

  Robert handed Ellis a business card. ‘If you want to talk at all or get anything off your chest you don’t want to bother your nan with, give me a ring, OK? Anything we talk about is confidential.’

  ‘OK,’ Ellis agreed.

  I opened my mouth to say that might not be appropriate, but then decided against it. I imagined Bridget’s wrath if she discovered Ellis was confiding in Robert instead of her.

  ‘Good man.’ Robert looked at me. ‘I’m popping into work to pick up some client files.’

  For once, I didn’t feel irritated with him. I’d seen with my own eyes why he was so much in demand from the students he worked with. When he was in counsellor mode, he lost the fuddy-duddy attitude and actually talked to young people on their level. Ellis had seemed to respond to him in a way he didn’t with anyone else.

  Why wasn’t Robert like this with Tom when he was growing up? What was it, really, that he disliked about his own son? Tom was such a lovely boy growing up and I’d seen another side to Ellis the last couple of days. In fact, he reminded me at times of Tom. I looked across at Ellis, took in his thick hair, his nose in profile.

  The mad flurry of thoughts that came so quickly made me dizzy.

  One after the other and barely making any sense. Until they began to join up and then, the resulting possibility nearly knocked me off my feet.

  Fifty

  Nottinghamshire Police

  ‘Will you be interviewing both of us together?’ Bridget Wilson’s voice was tense. Hesitant.

  ‘We’ll need to speak to you separately,’ Irma said briskly. ‘Shouldn’t take too long. Mr Billinghurst first, please.’

  Tom and Bridget exchanged glances, then she took a seat in reception while he followed the detectives through to Interview Room 3, a slightly larger than usual space that the team jokingly called ‘the parlour’ on account of the softer chairs and the yucca plant in the corner that broke up the scuffed wall-to-wall magnolia paint.

  Tyra ran through the necessaries. ‘… and we’ll be both voice-recording and video-recording the interview. Do you understand?’

  ‘Yes,’ Tom said.

  She pressed some buttons and then nodded to Irma that the set-up was ready.

  ‘Mr Billinghurst, can you tell us your whereabouts yesterday afternoon?’

  ‘I was at home. As you discovered when you visited the house.’

  ‘Of course. But did you go out at all before we called to tell you about Miss McKinty’s death?’

  ‘I popped out briefly. I wasn’t gone long,’ he said, pulling at the neck of his polo shirt.

  Irma nodded. ‘So let’s talk specifics. What time did you leave the house and where precisely did you go?’

  He thought for a moment. ‘Honestly, I didn’t notice the time when I left. I’d say it would’ve been about four o’clock. I got back about an hour before you lot came to the door.’

  Tyra picked up a pencil and twirled it between her fingers. ‘And where exactly did you go, sir? From leaving the house?’

  ‘I’d been to the gym late morning and I had to go back again to pick up something I’d left behind.’

  ‘Which gym is that?’

  ‘Bannatyne Health Club on Briar Lane.’

  Tyra made a note. ‘Where did you go when you left there?’

  ‘Straight home. I took the long way back.’

  ‘The long way meaning where, exactly?’

  ‘Around the area.’

  ‘To local woodland?’

  ‘No … just around! I don’t know, Bl
idworth, the surrounding area. It was a pleasant day, too nice to be cooped up in the house. It’s a long time since I’ve had the freedom to drive, and I’m getting my confidence back after being out of it so long. I didn’t go far.’

  ‘So you were near Blidworth Woods?’

  Tom frowned. ‘I suppose so – in the vicinity, anyway. Blidworth is very close to Ravenshead, don’t forget.’ He hesitated. ‘I want to make it perfectly clear, I didn’t see Coral McKinty. I didn’t see anyone I knew.’

  ‘I see,’ Irma murmured. ‘Did it not occur to you yesterday to mention the fact that you’d been “in the vicinity” of the very woods we found Coral’s body?’

  ‘No. I mean … why would it? I didn’t know exactly where Coral had been knocked over. The woods are vast.’ Tom ran his hand through his hair as his eyes darted between the two detectives. ‘You drive around here and you sort of pass through places. Ravenshead, Blidworth, Rainworth. You don’t necessarily register exactly where you are.’

  ‘It’s reasonable to assume that if you’d heard about someone you knew well having an accident there, you might have given it a thought,’ Tyra remarked.

  ‘Well, I didn’t,’ Tom said firmly. ‘I’ve got a lot on my mind right now.’

  ‘Such as?’

  He glared at her. ‘Such as personal stuff that’s nothing to do with you and nothing at all to do with Coral McKinty’s death.’

  Irma picked up a piece of paper, her eyes skimming over it.

  ‘You were released from prison very recently. I can imagine there’s an awful lot to sort out, particularly as you got married when you were inside. All change.’

  ‘Do I need a solicitor?’ Tom narrowed his eyes. ‘Because I’m not sure I like your tone.’

  ‘This is an entirely voluntary interview, sir,’ Tyra replied smoothly. ‘You’re free to leave at any point.’

  ‘It would look bad if I did, though,’ Tom said curtly. ‘You lot need little excuse.’