Page 223 of Murder in the Family

Mitch, you were seeing her at the time – did she ever say anything to you about what really happened that night? I’m assuming she never said anything about abuse or you’d already have told us.

MITCHELL CLARKE

(shaking his head)

That night was the last time I ever spoke to her.She sent me a text breaking up with me the following morning. I tried to talk to her for weeks after but she refused to take my calls.

HUGO FRASER

Which to my mind is revealing in and of itself.

BILL SERAFINI

(to Mitch)

You didn’t think that was odd?

MITCHELL CLARKE

(shrugging)

Not at the time. Not with all the crap that was going down. And let’s face it, 21-year-old blokes aren’t exactly renowned for their emotional intelligence. I just thought she had enough shit without me being in the mix.

And yeah, maybe, being totally honest, I thought I was well out of it. I’d already dodged one bullet that night.

(looking towards Bill)

And for the record, you’re right: she never said a word to me about anything inappropriate going on with Luke. Not one word.

ALAN CANNING

(sitting back)

So if itwasMaura, do we think Caroline knew?

It takes a moment to sink in. Bill gives a low whistle.

BILL SERAFINI

Jeez—

ALAN CANNING

It has to be the obvious conclusion, doesn’t it? Maybe not that night, but soon after.

Remember what Shirley Booker said about the kids having therapy? If Maura really did kill ‘Luke’ I can easily see why she’d have needed a shrink. She’d have been a psychological basket case.

LAILA FURNESS

(clearly annoyed at his choice of language)

Shefoundhim. Do you not thinkthatalone—

(gesturing at the crime scene photos)

—would be enough to mess with your typical 15-year-old psyche?

ALAN CANNING

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