Page 36 of Good Bad Girl

“Stealing from Mum.”

“I don’t think they would have sent a detective, two cars, and two officers for some money disappearing from Mum’s bank account, do you?”

“Why would someone murder Joy?” he asks.

“I imagine there was a queue of volunteers a mile long.”

“Doyouthink the girl did it?”

“No,” Clio says. “I’m almost certain she didn’t.”

Jude stares at her. “Do you think our mother did it?”

“Why would Mum kill the care home manager?”

“It would explain her disappearing act if she bumped Joy off and ran. But you’re right, that’s ridiculous.” His face resets, and it’s as though he has snapped out of a temporary trance and is back to being his awful self. “Well, we may as well put this money to good use, it was probably our mother’s anyway,” he says, starting to pick up the cash from the bed.

“The police said not to touch anything until they can send someone.”

“What difference does it make if there are a few hundred pounds on the bed instead of a few thousand? It could take months to resolve Mum’s will if and when this does go to court. Don’t tell me you don’t need the money too? There must be at least one month’s mortgage sitting right there.”

“You’re acting as though Mum isdead. She’s only missing. We might find her.”

“You can’t find something you’re not looking for.”

Clio tries to hide how his words make her feel.

“What about the girl’s belongings?” she asks.

“That’s what bins are for. I’ll get rid of it all once the police have everything they need to charge her. Apart from the art—I can sell that downstairs.”

“I think we should leave everything where it is for now,” Clio says, but watches as Jude takes more of the money. Something about all of this is niggling her. Something doesn’t feel quite right. A piece of the puzzle is still missing, she knows it.

“Mum had three visitors at the care home yesterday. That’s what the police told me,” she says, wondering whether it is a good idea to share this information with him.

“Popular! Who knew!”

“Me, a lawyer, and a woman pretending to be me.”

“Why wouldanyonepretend to be you?”

“That’s what I want to know. They signed the visitor book using my name—it was a shock to see it. I’m sure all of these things are linked.”

“Well, I think the mystery is solved. The girl conned Mum, probably killed Joy, and now that she’s been caught and arrested the new will won’t be valid. Everything in here is rightfully ours as far as I’m concerned. Regardless of whether Mother dearest turns up.”

Jude’s floppy hair falls into his eyes just like it did when he was a kid. He has to sweep it away in a fashion that makes him look quite ridiculous at his age.

“What if you’re wrong?” Clio asks. “What if the girl was telling the truth? What if she is innocent and our mother left everything to her simply because the girl was kind?”

“I think you’re the one not being honest,” Jude says, turning to face her.

Clio’s chest tightens. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“We both know that the girl looks like someone else, and that’s probably the real reason why Mum did what she did.” His words feel like a punch but Clio nods. He does have a point. “Look, I know all of this has been... difficult,” Jude continues. “But it will be over soon.” It almost sounds as though her little brother is being kind for the first time in years and it causes her to feel off balance. Things weren’t always like this between them. But by the time he finishes his speech, it’s obvious that her brother is exactly who she thinks he is.

“When all of this is over...” he says, taking more of the cash from the bed and stuffing it into his pockets, “there’s really no need for us to stay in touch. Once she’s dead and buried, let’s just go our separate ways. Okay?”

His words dismantle her.

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