Page 10 of A Village Theatre Murder

‘Ten past ten.’

‘I’ll have to go soon, too.’

He looked at her blankly.

‘To the police station.’

‘Of course. Sorry. I just…It slipped my mind.’

‘You’re worried about Jono. Why don’t you finish your breakfast? Another five minutes won’t make a difference, and if you don’t eat you’ll be ravenous by the time you get to London. And you can leave Leo here, he’ll be fine with Jake while I’m out.’

‘Thank you, you are right on all counts.’ He looked at her, and said with a tired smile, ‘As usual.’ He ate efficiently, with none of the easy enjoyment they’d started out with. Sean wiped his mouth and picked up his plate.

‘Leave it, I’ll tidy up. Go on, Sean. Go to your son. Do what you need to do.’

‘Thank you, Julia. And I hope your meeting with DI Gibson is quick and painless.’

‘I’m sure it will be. Good luck. And drive carefully.’

7

Tabitha was walking to the police station when Julia drew up in her car. Julia gave a quick toot of the horn to attract her friend’s attention. Tabitha stopped and waited for her to park and get out of the car. They greeted each other with a warm hug and lingered in front of the station for a moment, neither eager to go in.

‘How are you feeling?’ asked Julia. ‘Did you manage to sleep?’

‘I feel like I was awake the entire night, but it probably wasn’t thewholenight. You?’

‘Like a log.’

‘Goes without saying.’ Tabitha smiled. In the forty-something years the women had known each other, Julia had always been an excellent sleeper, and Tabitha a reluctant one. Tabitha looked grey and tired, and her smile was tight and dissipated quickly. ‘I keep thinking about Wednesday, when we were at your house sorting out the props. Do you think the prop gun was loaded then? I keep imagining, what if it had gone off? It could havebeen you who…’

‘Or you.’

‘I know. I mean, not that it’s not awful that it was Graham. Or anyone, of course. And I put the gun in Oscar’s pocket, Julia,’ Tabitha said. ‘From my hand to his pocket, to his hand. And it was his hand that pulled the trigger and ended Graham’s life. I can’t stop thinking about it.’

‘I’m so sorry, Tabitha. It’s horrible. But there’s no way you could have known there was a bullet in that gun. It wasn’t even a real gun.’

‘I should have checked.’

‘I’m the one who put the gun in the cupboard. I also didn’t notice anything.’

‘I just feel so responsible.’

‘Well, I don’t, and I’m as involved as you are. It was just a prop; we would never have thought it necessary to check for bullets. Would you even know how to check?’

‘No. What do I know about guns?’

‘I suppose we’d better go in,’ Julia said. The dashboard clock had told her it was three minutes to eleven, which meant it must be eleven now. Julia did not like to be late. Tabitha nodded. As they reached the door, Oscar pushed it open. He almost staggered out, unsteady on his feet. His breath came in rasps, as if he was gasping for oxygen.

‘Hello, Oscar,’ said Julia. ‘How are you feeling?’

He seemed surprised, as if he hadn’t noticed them standing right there outside the door. ‘Feeling? Oh, well, you know. I don’t know what to say. It’s awful. The accident. Graham. And poor Jane. The police. Have you seen her?’

‘Hayley Gibson? No. We are on our way in.’

‘Not her, Jane. I’m so worried about her. She must be in an awful state.’

‘Jane is with her daughter, Hannah,’ Julia said. ‘Sean gave her a lift there last night. At least they are together.’

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