Sharon pointed a scarlet-painted talon at Petra. ‘Tell her, not me. I’m not the one being bloody awkward just for the sake of it.’

‘Awkward? You’ve got a bleedin’ nerve. Do you hear that, Kelly? Calling me bloody awkward after everything she’s done.’

Kelly shook her head despairingly. ‘God, I’ve got enough to worry about without you two going at it. I want you both there on Friday. What’s wrong with that? Can’t you just call a truce and get on for a few hours? That’s all I’m asking.’

‘Ain’t a problem for me,’ Sharon said. ‘Not so sure about your mother, though.’

‘I ain’t getting in a car with that,’ said Petra, stung by her daughter’s words. Since when had she and Sharon got so pally? It wasn’t that long since Kelly had hated her guts, since she wouldn’t have given her the time of day.

Sharon glared at her. ‘Well then, you’ll have to walk there or get the sodding bus.’

‘Please, Mum,’ Kelly pleaded. ‘Don’t be like that.’

Petra glanced at Wayne, but if she was hoping for any support there she only had to look at the expression on his face to know it wouldn’t be forthcoming. He’d gone over to the other side and there was nothing she could do about it. Before she could say something she might later regret, she clamped shut her mouth and marched towards the door.

‘Mum?’ Kelly said.

‘What?’

‘You will come on Friday, won’t you? Please say you will?’

Petra hesitated. ‘If that’s what you want.’

‘Of course it is.’

‘All right, then.’

‘Thanks, Mum.’

Petra went out of the room and walked stiffly up the stairs. The rage inside her was so strong, so intense, that it took every effort of will to stop it from exploding. She went into the small bedroom, carefully closed the door and slumped down on the single bed. Sharon’s smug face danced in front of her eyes. ‘Bitch, bitch, bitch!’ she repeated like a mantra. Her hands clenched into two tight fists. Well, the filthy little whore might have stolen her husband, might even have got temporary possession of the house, but she wasn’t having her daughter too. No, enough was enough. As soon as the funeral was over she’d find a way to get rid of her once and for all.

30

By ten o’clock on Thursday morning, Sadie had her holdall packed and was physically if not mentally prepared for another journey to London. This time instead of searching for Eddie she’d be attending his funeral. The thought filled her with dread. How was she going to endure it, knowing what she knew? A shiver ran through her. She would have to shake the hands of Eddie’s parents, expressing her sympathy while all the time —

Her thoughts were interrupted by the piercing ring of the doorbell. ‘Oh, who’s that?’ she said, glancing at her watch. She had a train to catch in half an hour and didn’t want to miss it. ‘Can you see?’

Joel went to the window and looked down. ‘No worries. It’s only the postman. I’ll go.’ He flew down the stairs and was back thirty seconds later brandishing a small parcel. ‘It’s for you.’

Sadie’s heart sank as she took it from him. The address on the front had been written in the childlike scrawl that was unmistakably Mona’s. Aware that Joel was watching her, she opened the package with trembling hands, afraid of what lay hidden beneath the brown paper wrapper. It wasn’t heavy but as she tore at the sheet she found her thoughts racing. God, what if it was bullets or something crazy like that? She shifted her body to try and obscure Joel’s view.

In the event, she needn’t have worried. Inside was a silk print Liberty scarf in delicate shades of blues and greens. She held it up, aware even from the feel that it must have been expensive.

‘That’s pretty,’ he said. ‘Who’s it from?’

‘Anne,’ she replied, feeling the blood rush to her cheeks. She hated lying to him. She hated the fact that it was becoming second nature to her. ‘There’s a card with it. It says: Thanks very much for taking me to the party. Hope to see you soon.’

‘That was sweet of her.’

Sadie quickly shoved the scarf and card back in the brown paper. ‘Yes,’ she said, forcing a smile. ‘She shouldn’t have, though. I mean, there was no need. She didn’t even stay long.’ She’d had to invent a story about Mona having a headache to explain the girl’s abrupt disappearance from his parents’ house on Sunday afternoon.

‘You should invite her for the weekend. After everything’s got back to normal.’

Normal? Sadie couldn’t imagine her life ever returning to that halcyon state. It seemed like a place where other people lived, a land of milk and honey from which she’d been permanently excluded. ‘Yes,’ she murmured. ‘Maybe.’

‘Are you going to wear it?’

‘What?’

‘The scarf,’ he said. ‘You should wear it. It’ll suit you.’

But Sadie would rather have put a noose around her neck than the silken scarf. ‘Not today,’ she said. ‘I’ll… I’ll save it for a special occasion.’ She went through to the bedroom, opened a drawer and pushed the unwanted gift, still in its wrapping, to the very back where she wouldn’t have to look at it. As soon as she got home, she’d return it to Mona.

‘Are you ready?’ Joel called out from the living room. ‘We should make a move.’

‘I won’t be a second.’ Sadie took a moment to try and regulate her breathing. She could feel her heart thumping in her chest. Mona’s present, although innocuous enough on the surface, served as an untimely reminder of the ‘deal’ that was still apparently in place. What if she turned up at the funeral and started making demands? But no, she had no way of knowing when or where it was, unless —

‘Joel,’ she said, quickly walking back into the living room. ‘If Anne rings, you won’t tell her about the funeral, will you?’

Joel gave her a puzzled look. ‘Why not?’

‘Oh, because she just has a habit of turning up out of the blue. I know she means well but tomorrow’s going to be difficult enough without… Just say I’ve gone away for a couple of days and I’ll give her a call when I get back.’ She knew that Joel didn’t really get it, that in his world people were always pleased to see friends and never tried to avoid them. ‘You don’t mind, do you? I don’t want you to lie or anything.’

‘It’s okay, I understand. Sometimes you just need a bit of space, huh?’

‘Something like that.’

A few minutes later they were in the van and on the way to the station. Sadie kept her eyes on the side mirror, wondering if they were being followed. Ever since Royston had approached her, she’d been constantly glancing over her shoulder. He was the type of journalist who wouldn’t think twice about putting a tail on her.

‘Are you going to stay in the same B&B?’ Joel asked.

‘No, Oaklands is more of a boarding house. They don’t rent out by the night. I’ll find somewhere else; there are lots of places I can go.’

‘At least it’ll still be light by the time you get there.’

‘I’ll give you a call when I’m in Kellston.’

Joel pulled the car into the station, cut the engine and looked at her. ‘Are you sure you’ll be all right on your own? It’s not too late. I can still come with you.’

‘No, it’s fine. Honestly. There’s no point in both of us missing a day’s work. Thanks for the offer, though.’ She leant in to kiss him, wishing that she didn’t have to leave, that she didn’t have to face the awfulness of Eddie’s funeral alone. But it would be even more of a trial if Joel was with her; she’d be constantly worried about bumping into Nathan Stone, or Mona turning up or some dreadful confrontation with the Gissings. ‘I’ll be home before you know it.’

‘Let me know what time the train’s due in and I’ll come and pick you up.’