Page 43 of The Last One to See Him

‘Jennifer Seagrove. Yes – and she found it hard to believe that he would be violent. She said they’d broken up but he didn’t go crazy or anything like the media suggested. She thought he handled it well. Although she’d only left him the day before he was killed, so there’s no telling what he might have done. Who knows what goes on in people’s minds? But my take is this – the dead can’t speak for themselves, so someone has to do it for them. And that’s me.’

Harper thinks of Jamie, how she has become his voice. ‘Can you give me the contact details for Mona and Jennifer? I’d really like to talk to them.’

Faye frowns. ‘Why? I’ve told you everything they said.’

‘I know. But I’d still like to speak to them.’

‘Hmm.’ Faye studies her with narrow eyes full of mistrust. ‘I can’t give you their details. Data protection – you know how it is. But I’ll tell you what I’ll do. I can contact them both and give them your info. You’ll just have to hope they respond.’

That will have to do; this is as far as Harper can push Faye Held, and she’s already got more than she’d expected. ‘Great. Thanks.’

‘First things first, though. Tell me what Kate Mason has done.’

Harper takes a deep breath, forcing away an image of Jamie lying dead on the floor. ‘She killed my husband.’

Faye’s mouth drops, her eyes widening with shock and something else. Glee.

‘I need to know exactly why you’re saying this. And why you haven’t gone to the police if it’s true. Over to you.’

Harper is ready for this moment, because if she can get Faye Held onside, then Kate’s life will be over. Even if the police never prosecute her, a podcast reaching hundreds of thousands of people will be enough to wreak havoc on her life. A lump catches in Harper’s throat – poor Thomas; he’s a nice kid and doesn’t deserve this. But he also doesn’t deserve a murderer for a mother.

‘I know for a fact that Kate Mason slept with my husband the night before he was killed.’

‘How could you know that? Did he tell you?’

‘No. But I saw them. There was a…a camera in the bedroom of the flat we normally rent out. I saw them together. They were in bed. They…they slept together.’ Harper’s surprised she’s able to get these words out with no emotion. She’s never uttered them aloud but somehow manages to bury her feelings because she just needs this done – she needs Faye Held to believe her.

‘You were filming them? That’s hardly ethical.’

‘I know…but it wasn’t like that. I didn’t watch – I just had to know what Jamie was doing with her.’

Faye raises her eyebrows. ‘Show me,’ she says, beckoning with her hand. ‘Not the whole video, just a still of it.’

‘I don’t have the video any more. I wasn’t able to save it, but I took a screen shot.’ Harper reaches into her bag and pulls out her phone. ‘Here.’

The picture is blurry but it’s clearly Kate Mason with Jamie, her lips caressing his chest.

‘Jesus!’ Faye says, her eyes glistening. ‘That’s…I have no words. Why haven’t you shown this to the police?’

‘Because I can’t prove when it was taken.’ And the truth is, if the police know Harper knew Jamie was having an affair, then they’d start to look into her. She can’t have that – not even for a second. She is all Dexter has left. Jamie was estranged from his parents and Harper’s both died before Dexter was born. Before she’d even been pregnant with Molly. Her mum never got to see Harper become a mum.

Harper will never admit her fear to Faye – she doesn’t want the woman to start investigating her instead. What destruction that would cause.

‘The police would be able to ascertain that it’s legit,’ Faye says, leaning back and folding her arms.

‘Do you have kids yet?’ Harper asks.

‘Well, that’s rude. But no – not yet. I’m only twenty-seven. Plenty of time for that. I’ve got a podcasting goal to reach. One million followers by next summer.’

‘And you’ll get there,’ Harper says, meaning every word. Even the one episode she listened to of Faye’s was enough to show her that this woman is compelling, and thatBeneath the Surfacehas more potential than maybe even Faye realises. ‘The reason I’m doing this,’ Harper continues, ‘is for my son. He lost his dad and I need to make sure that justice is served. But I need to be sure. And you investigating this for your podcast will prove that I’m right. Then the police will have to listen.

Faye’s expression is inscrutable.

‘Please, Faye. You’re the only person who can help me.’

Faye purses her lips and drums her fingers on the table, and Harper focuses on the click-clack of her burgundy nails, willing her to agree.

‘Sod it – what have I got to lose?’ Faye says, finally. ‘But if you’re lying to me about anything I will make sure this ends up in court – got it?’

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