Page 35 of The Temp

‘You won’t mess up.’ I curl a stand of hair behind my sister’s ear tenderly. ‘We’ll back you all the way.

‘Okay,’ Zelda nods furiously, sniffs. ‘Thank you. You two are the best.’

Linda sighs, tone hesitant. ‘Frank’s injury is going to be a problem. Will they really believe she had no knowledge of it? The police aren’t stupid.’

‘Frank was off of his head on cocaine and alcohol, got into a fight once he left. He’s obviously a user, mixes with the wrong crowd of people. It’ll be his word against Zelda’s.’

‘They’ll still do forensics on this place,’ Linda warns. ‘A sniffer dog will pick up Frank’s scent on the lawn, even a droplet of blood on a blade of grass is enough.’

‘So what? He was her boyfriend. Accidents happen all the time – he cut his hand gardening or barbequing.’

‘What about the letter opener? The dagger might still have traces of his blood on it. It gets into all the nooks and crannies. I remember a case study I read about once where they found dried blood on the knife that was used to murder someone, even after it’d been washed. That’s how they caught the assailant.’ Linda rubs her lips. ‘It’s too risky. She’s tampered with evidence. No doubt, Frank will deny attacking her. He’ll probably try to frame her; say she lost her mind and stabbed him in a jealous rage after finding out he’d tried it on with you.’

‘Oh, God, Bella.’ Zelda starts breathing heavily. I think she’s hyperventilating. ‘Linda’s right.’

‘We’ll get rid of the letter knife,’ I blurt, without thinking. ‘They can’t do her for attempted murder if there’s no weapon. Where is it, Zelda?’

‘I put it back on the microwave.’ I tell her to go and fetch it and she dashes off to the kitchen, while Linda goes off on one – what do I think I’m doing, we’re in too deep, what if Frank dies and the police want to search our houses too, do I want them all to rot in prison?

‘Here.’ Zelda holds the weapon out to me with both hands, while Linda continues to whine in the background.

‘Linda’s got a point, Bella. Helping me is one thing but lying to the police...’

‘We can’t just dump it,’ Linda points out. ‘What if someone finds it?’

‘They won’t. I’ll make sure it disappears.’

‘So, you’re a magician now, are you?’ I don’t answer.

‘What about the lawn?’ Zelda cries. ‘What if there was a lot of blood? What if they check it? Maybe I should just take my chances – tell them the truth.’

‘Google how to get rid of blood on grass, Linda.’

Muttering to herself, Linda starts jabbing at the screen of her phone. ‘Dilute bleach with water and pour over the area, or burn it.’

‘We’ll mop the floor tonight, clean the entire kitchen, including all appliances. We’ll dig up the lawn and burn it, then returf it in the morning. I’ve got turf in my garage. We were going to replace a dry patch that went brown and crispy.’

‘Burn and returf the lawn in front of the entire neighbourhood in broad daylight?’ Linda says, astonished. ‘Have you completely lost the plot?’ Actually, right now, I think I might’ve.

‘Just bleach it then,’ I reply briskly. ‘I’ll get rid of this.’ I pat my pocket, feeling the long blade of the letter knife. ‘Okay?’

‘But, Bella,’ Linda cries. ‘It’s illegal.’

‘Okay?’ I yell, ignoring Linda.

‘What’s going on?’ We all turn towards the voice, like deer in headlights. ‘Get rid of what?’

Chapter 32

Daisy is standing in the doorway in my dressing gown, looking drained. On her feet are my black and white animal print faux fur cross slippers. In my haste to get here earlier, I didn’t notice her wearing them. I don’t remember lending them to her. I usually keep them in the bathroom. But now is not the time to question Daisy about a pair of slippers, not when I’ve got more pressing things on my mind, like how long was she standing there and how much did she hear?

‘Get rid of what?’ Daisy repeats. A strand of red hair escapes from her messy bun and hangs loosely on the side of her face. I watch as she steps into the hallway, almost as if a slow-motion dial has been pushed. Stripped of make-up, Daisy’s skin is pale but she’s still stunning. I tear my eyes away from her seductive beauty as Linda’s voice bellows in my ears – Does she look at Tom with those do you want to fuck me eyes?

‘Yes, um…’ I begin, pushing Linda’s voice out of my head, ‘we need to get rid of…’

‘We need to get rid of an old bicycle of mine that Zelda has been storing in the garage for me,’ Linda interrupts, saving the day. ‘Zelda’s landlord wants it gone.’

Daisy doesn’t look convinced. ‘But I heard you say it’s illegal.’ She touches the ruby that’s set in her gold crucifix, pasted against her smooth, glowing skin. ‘Is it stolen?’

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