Page 30 of The Last One to See Him

It’s only when Kate’s outside, breathing in the chilly air, that she realises she’s left the photo and envelope with Harper. And with it, any hope of proving it was Harper who planted it.

FOURTEEN

TUESDAY 28 JANUARY

Harper has spent the morning trying to make sense of what’s happened. Kate appearing on her doorstep has thrown her off course, and she hates surprises.

A printed photo of Jamie in Thomas’s school bag. Dead lilies. None of it makes sense. She and Kate are the only ones who know that Kate spent the night with Jamie, but she hasn’t done any of these things Kate’s accused her of. It troubles Harper that she can’t work it out. Did Kate do it herself? For what purpose? Either way, it’s disturbing. She hadn’t figured that Kate wasn’t of sound mind, but now she’s beginning to wonder.

Harper places her phone in the pocket of her leggings. She needs to run – to clear her mind and help her work out her next move. She hasn’t run since Jamie died, but she desperately needs to feel adrenalin firing through her body. It will help her think. She puts on her trainers and thermal running jacket and leaves the house.

Up ahead, she spots Kate’s friend Aleena walking on the other side of the road, heading towards the parade of shops. Harper had spoken to her yesterday when they were waiting for the kids to come out, and Aleena had seemed kind and friendly. People’s loyalties can be turned, Harper knows – if you approach them in the right way.

Aleena is on her phone, paying no attention to anything around her, so doesn’t notice Harper walking up behind her just as she finishes her call.

‘Hi,’ Harper says, coming up beside her.

‘Oh, hi. Sorry – I didn’t see you. My boss was on the phone harassing me for something I can’t actually do until she sends me the right documents. Which she’s been promising to do for around a week.’ She rolls her eyes. ‘Honestly – some people!’

This is Harper’s chance to make a connection with Aleena. ‘Tell me about it – my manager is dreadful. We’re in human resources so you’d think he’d know a bit about managing staff, but he doesn’t have a clue. I feel your pain. Sometimes it makes me want to resign,’ Harper adds.

Aleena nods. ‘I have that thought most days.’ She pauses, studying Harper. ‘How are you doing, anyway? Having to meet new parents at the school gate can’t be easy with everything you’re going through.’

‘It’s definitely hard to make friends. And I thought I had, but …’

Aleena stops walking. ‘But what?’

‘Actually, do you have a few minutes? Maybe we could grab a quick coffee?’

Aleena checks her phone. ‘Yeah, sure. I’m in no rush to get back to my laptop. The joys of working from home! I just popped out to get milk before we run out.’

Harper smiles as they make their way to the coffee shop. This will get her back on track.

‘Is everything okay?’ Aleena asks, when they’re sitting with their coffee.

Harper takes her time to answer. ‘Actually – there is something, and I was hoping I could talk to you about it. I know we’ve only just met but…you seem like a kind person.’

‘I try to be,’ Aleena says, smiling. ‘Not always easy!’

Harper mirrors her smile. ‘This might be a bit awkward, but I’m a bit worried about Kate.’

‘Kate as in Thomas’s mum? Why?’

‘I really don’t know how to say this, but I’ve found out some things. And I don’t think Kate is who she says she is.’ There – Harper has done it now, unleashed words she can’t take back or mould into something else.

Aleena shifts back in her seat, frowning. ‘What do you mean?’

She’s getting ready to defend her friend, but Harper is sure that won’t last long. ‘It’s better if I show you,’ Harper says, reaching for her phone. She pulls up the local news story and hands it to Aleena. ‘Read this first.’

As she reads, Aleena’s mouth twitches, and Harper feels a flood of guilt for having to involve her. Aleena is innocent – she’s not the one who is responsible for Jamie’s death. But this is a means to an end, and now she’s started it, Harper needs to see this through.

‘I don’t understand,’ Aleena says. ‘What’s this Graham White got to do with Kate?’

‘That’s what I wondered,’ Harper says, her words carefully rehearsed. ‘So I did some digging and I found out that the fifteen-year-old girl it’s talking about was Kate.’

Aleen’s jaw drops. ‘No. It can’t be. That’s not Kate. She wouldn’t?—’

‘That’s what I was hoping. But…it’s her. I know someone who works for the crown prosecution service and they verified it was Kate Mason, and her address was in South Norwood. Does that ring a bell? Did Kate ever tell you she grew up there?’

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