Page 54 of The Last One to See Him

Jamie averts his eyes. ‘Around a year. Since the property company failed, I’ve done this for us, can’t you?—’

‘Don’t you dare!’

‘I can stop doing it,’ he assures her. ‘Leave the gym and start afresh. There’s a job being advertised at the FCA for an economist. That’s what I’m qualified to do, Harp. I’d have a good chance of getting it.’

She hates it when Jamie shortens her name. ‘I don’t believe you. And if you’ve had debt problems, you’ll never get a job with them.’

‘Then I’ll get something else. Please give me a chance.’ Jamie gestures to her stomach. ‘Let me be a father to our child. I’ll never lie to you, or keep you in the dark again. Cards on the table, always. I swear, Harp.’ His phone rings again, and he pulls it from his pocket and throws it across the floor.

‘Please,’ he begs.

Harper closes her eyes, and focuses on the jolts and kicks in her stomach. This baby is full of life, strong and healthy.So was Molly, until she wasn’t.Harper opens her eyes again and looks at Jamie. She’s loved him so deeply, but now all that’s left is simmering anger that she needs to use. For the baby’s sake more than anything.

She moves over to Jamie and sits beside him, taking his hand and placing it on her stomach. She senses the change in his body language as he begins to relax. He thinks he’s got her now.

And that’s exactly what she wants him to believe.

TWENTY-FOUR

SUNDAY 2 FEBRUARY

The first thing Harper does when she wakes up is check her phone. It’s now more important than ever that she finishes all this – before Kate ends it herself. Harper hadn’t expected her to be so defiant, to not crumble and fall. It shouldn’t surprise her, though – Jamie would never have picked someone who wouldn’t defend herself. She dreads to think what would have happened if Ellis hadn’t come clean about the cameras.

There’s no message from Faye Held, but there’s a text from an unknown number. Harper opens it, adrenalin coursing through her as she reads the message.

Hi, this is Mona Shaw. I don’t like raking up the past, but Faye convinced me to message you. I live in St Albans now so you’ll have to come to me if you want to talk.

Harper wastes no time replying, telling Mona she can meet her today at eleven.Mona replies:Fine. Meet outside Forest Town Church at 11.

Harper climbs out of bed and goes to check on Dexter. He’s still asleep and she doesn’t want to wake him to drag him to St Albans. Besides, how would she explain what she’s doing? So far she’s managed to keep Dexter out of this mess that Jamie left behind. She puts a message out to the school WhatsApp group, asking if anyone can recommend a babysitter, and within minutes a flurry of recommendations floods in. Harper picks one at random – Phoebe Helsopp, recommended by a parent she’s never spoken to.

She sends Phoebe a message, asking if she’s available right now, and is surprised when Phoebe replies immediately and agrees, on the condition that she’s paid double for the short notice.

It takes Harper over an hour to get to St Albans – a place she’s never been before. Her satnav directs her to Forest Town Church and she finds a parking space across the road. It’s three minutes to eleven when she gets out of the car and makes her way to the church.

It’s silent in the church grounds, and the cold chill pinches her skin, despite the long, padded coat she’s wearing and her fleece-lined boots. She hovers outside, checking her phone every few seconds in case Mona Shaw has changed her mind.

Finally, at five past eleven, a woman who Harper assumes is Mona steps out of the church, heading towards Harper. She’s tall, with curly dark hair tied in a side ponytail. There’s a harshness about the angular lines of her face and she doesn’t smile at Harper, even when Harper greets her and holds out her hand. ‘Thanks for meeting me.’

Mona looks at Harper’s hand with distaste, but lightly takes it. ‘Nearly changed my mind,’ she says. ‘I’ve buried that whole incident. Tried to forget it happened. Do you mind if we walk? I can’t sit still when I’m talking about all this.’ She points to the back of the church. ‘There’s a nature reserve we can walk to if we head that way.’

‘Of course,’ Harper says. She glances at the church. ‘Do you mind me asking why you wanted to meet here?’

‘Oh, it’s nothing weird. I help out here on Sunday mornings with the kids’ sessions. I like to do my bit for the community. Let’s walk.’

‘Do you have kids, then?’ Harper asks, walking fast to keep up with Mona.

‘Not yet. Haven’t met the right person. How about you?’

‘A son. Dexter. He’s ten, and?—’

‘Can we cut the small talk, please?’ Mona says, stopping to face Harper. ‘I’m really not cut out for it.’

Harper raises her eyebrows. Something tells her she’s not going to like this woman. ‘Okay.’

Mona resumes walking. ‘You’re here because you want to know about Kate. What I want to know is why you’re asking about her?’

‘Didn’t Faye Held tell you anything?’ Harper asks.

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