Page 51 of The Last One to See Him

Hi, Kate.

This is Faye Held, podcast host ofBeneath the Surface. You contacted me a couple of years ago to complain about my podcast episode.

I’m working on a new episode and I could really do with your help. It’s about the murder of Jamie Archer. I believe you know his wife – Harper Nolan.

I’d love to speak to you about her as a matter of urgency.

Best,

Faye Held

Numb with shock, Kate re-reads the email, carefully scanning for underlying meanings. This woman’s podcast brought back all the memories Kate had so carefully buried, sending her spiralling, seeking out help from Rowan Hess. And Kate won’t forget that Faye Held had suggested there might be more to his death than self-defence. Kate should reply immediately and tell her to go to hell, before deleting the email and blocking Faye Held.

But she wants to know what this woman has to say about Harper. It could be the lead Kate is looking for.

With her stomach churning, Kate ignores her tea and checks the time. Quarter to ten. She needs Rowan to get there fast, as inappropriate as it is for her to drag her therapist into this. Ex-therapist. She’s not sure what help she’s expecting from him; all she knows is that she needs to see him, and it’s fast becoming clear that there’s no one else she can trust.

She begins drafting an email to tell Faye Held to stop contacting her, but changes her mind. Maybe Faye Held can help her. She deletes what she’s written and sends off a different response:I can meet today.

By ten past ten, Rowan still hasn’t appeared. Kate looks up every time the door opens and lets in a gust of icy air. But it’s never Rowan. And then a text comes. Rowan telling her that he can’t come. He’s sorry, but it’s for the best. He’ll send her the name of a therapist as soon as possible.

Kate drops her phone and it crashes to the floor, and all eyes in the coffee shop turn and stare.

She reaches down to retrieve it, smoothing her finger over the spiderweb of cracks on the screen, blurring the photo of her and Thomas that she loves so much.

It was Faye Held’s choice to meet in Hyde Park. A strange request, considering the weather. And now, as Kate sits shivering on a bench, heavy doubts set in. Saying even one word to this woman, whose only goal will be to get as many listeners as possible, is dangerous. But clearly she knows something, and Kate needs to know what that is.

Faye is right on time, strolling towards the bench with a confidence Kate has never possessed, and Kate knows immediately that it won’t be easy to lie to this woman. She’s wearing a long, belted coat and flat knee-length boots, with a bobble hat over neat braids. Faye smiles when she reaches the bench, holding out her hand. ‘Thanks for coming. This will be so helpful for me.’

Kate takes her hand. ‘Tell me why I should help you after you dragged my name into your podcast?’

Faye’s eyes widen. ‘It was nothing personal. You do know that, right? Just doing my job.’ She appraises Kate. ‘There were a lot of people who vowed that Graham White was a decent man. That he would never have attacked a young girl.’

But Kate knows the truth. ‘That’s what people have said about murderers before. Things like they were kind and thoughtful neighbours.’

Faye raises her eyebrows. ‘True. But normally you’d expect some kind of unusual behaviour. Even if it’s only picked up in hindsight. With Graham White there was nothing. Zero. Zilch. Nada.’

‘That doesn’t mean anything. I was there. I know what he did. And even if I agree to talk, I’m not sure how you think I can help you.’

‘Let’s sit.’ Faye says, gesturing to the bench. I’ll get straight to the point. Like I said in my email, I’m covering the Jamie Archer case on my podcast. First time I’ve covered something that’s current. And I’m looking into his wife. They say always start with the person closest to the victim, so that’s what I’ve done.’ She smiles.

‘I barely know Harper,’ Kate says. ‘I’m not sure what help I can be.’

‘Oh, any acquaintance of Harper’s will be able to shed light on her. By all accounts she’s a bit of an enigma. And I’ve discovered some…disturbing things while I’ve been doing my research.’

‘Like what?’

Faye pulls out her phone, tapping on it with bright orange fingernails. ‘Firstly, I can’t find any record that she and Jamie were actually married. Yet she’s calling herself his wife.’

Kate sucks in her breath. ‘But wouldn’t the police have checked that?’

‘Have you read any of the articles about Jamie Archer. None of them mentions he was married.’

‘But they have a son. And I’ve seen their wedding pictures in their house.’

‘Well, I can’t explain the photos but this isn’t the nineteen twenties,’ Faye says. ‘You can have a kid without being married. Now, I think I’ve said enough. Your turn.’ She folds her arms and waits.

Kate clutches her bag to her chest. She doesn’t trust this woman, and Faye already knows too much about her. And what Faye doesn’t know, Kate’s sure the woman will make it her job to find out. ‘I told you I don’t know Harper that well. But since I met her a couple of weeks ago, she’s been doing some weird stuff. Pushing our sons into a friendship. Messaging me all the time. She sent me dead lilies and left a threatening note on my car. And she put a photo of her husband in my son’s school bag. She insisted it wasn’t her, but I know it was.’

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