Page 7 of The Last One to See Him

For the second time this morning, she runs from Jamie’s flat.

‘Kate?’

She snaps back to the present, focusing her attention on Rowan. Kate needs to tell him that Jamie is dead, but she can’t let Rowan know she’s the one who found him. He would immediately be on the phone to the police and Kate can’t deal with that – not after last time. And Rowan would never risk his career by staying silent. Kate could never ask that of him.

‘The man I slept with died,’ Kate says.

‘Oh,’ Rowan says. ‘I’m sorry to hear that. Can I ask how he died?’

‘It was natural causes. An issue with his heart.’

‘That’s very sad,’ Rowan says. ‘I imagine that’s affecting you.’

Kate nods. It’s possible he can still help her, even if she can’t tell him the whole truth. ‘The woman who wants to kill me…it’s Jamie’s wife. And I think she knows I slept with him.’

Rowan’s eyes widen. In all the time Kate’s been coming here to this mews house in Kensington, she’s never seen him taken by surprise, no matter what she’s disclosed to him.

‘Okay. I can understand how that can be alarming. Has she said something or done something to make you believe this? Has she approached you?’

Kate nods. ‘Yes, a few days ago.’

‘And she’s told you that she knows about you and her husband?’

‘Not exactly. But it’s all too much of a coincidence.’

Rowan clears his throat. ‘Then what makes you think she wants to harm you?’

Kate ignores Rowan’s question, her mind is already steps ahead. ‘What if all this with Jamie is to do withhim?’

There’s no hint of judgement on Rowan’s face – no hint of anything other than eagerness to explore this further. ‘Okay,’ he says. ‘You think this is about what happened when you were fifteen?’

‘When it all comes down to it – everything is about him, isn’t it?

THREE

JULY 2003

Kate and Mona sit on the hard red plastic seats at the bus stop, swinging their legs, glancing at the sign that tells them the bus should have been here four minutes ago. ‘Come on, then,’ Mona says. ‘’Fess up – you like Kian, don’t you?’ She nudges Kate and giggles. ‘He is kind of cute.’

‘No…no way.’ But Kate feels her cheeks flame. Does she like him? Yes, he’s an attractive boy, but everyone at school likes him and she finds that off-putting. He’s not arrogant, though – Kian is surprisingly modest considering how many girls fawn over him.

‘Maybe today is your lucky day,’ Mona says. ‘Got to pop that cherry some time!’

‘I’m fifteen – it’s not even legal,’ Kate protests, half mockingly. But to be fair, her birthday is seven weeks and three days away so it barely makes a difference.

‘Don’t be such a prude,’ Mona responds. ‘I’ve seen the way he looks at you. It’s a bit gross, actually.’ She laughs, but it feels too forced, reminding Kate how much Mona has changed recently. She is usually cheerful, exuberant, and Kate’s often in awe of her. Mona’s home life has been difficult for years, since her dad left them, and her mum hardly knows she exists. As much as Kate wishes her own mum would give her some breathing space sometimes, she’d rather her mum worry about her than be too preoccupied to care.

‘Will Robbie be there?’ Kate asks.

Mona rolls her eyes. ‘Oh, I’m so over him. He’s actually really boring when you’re alone with him. How is that possible? In front of his friends he’s the life and soul, but get him away from them and it’s like watching paint dry. No, scrap that – watching paint dry is way more exciting.’

Kate forces a laugh, but silently feels sorry for Robbie. He clearly adores Mona, and she lets him believe she feels the same – hanging all over him when they’re around the others. It’s cruel. As much as Kate likes Mona – they’ve been friends since primary school – sometimes it’s hard to make excuses for her, even though Kate knows the darkness that is probably the cause of it.

Kate didn’t want to come with Mona this afternoon. Not with her friend’s strange, distant behaviour, barely talking and avoiding everyone until today. It’s like a switch has flicked and Mona is back – eradicating the imposter who’s taken her place. School has just finished for the summer and they’re heading to the canal to hang out with Robbie and his friends. Mona had ambushed Kate when she was slipping out of the gates, grabbing Kate’s arm and telling her she had to come, that they could spend the whole afternoon lazing around, eating and laughing. ‘Robbie’s stolen some of his dad’s gin,’ she’d whispered, as if that would entice Kate. But not being a big drinker like others in her year, Kate couldn’t think of anything worse to pour down her throat. Still, she’s glad Mona is happy, and saying no might have sent her spiralling.

‘This bloody bus,’ Mona says, glancing at her watch. ‘Shall we walk?’

No, no no. Just go home, Kate. This day is bound to end in trouble if everyone is drinking.

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