Page 227 of Murder in the Family

OK if that’s the way you want it, let’s hear it. Tell us your version of what happened that night.

MAURA HOWARD

It’s not aversion—

ALAN CANNING

(shrugs)

Version, account, ‘your truth’, whatever. No need to get hung up on semantics.

Let’s start with the film. Your mother took you and Amelie to the Gate in Notting Hill and bought you your tickets. It wasIntolerable Cruelty, right?

MAURA HOWARD

(muttering under her breath)

How fucking apt was that.

ALAN CANNING

(evidently intrigued but not allowing himself to get side-tracked)

The programme began at eight and was due to finish around 10.15, so allowing for the time to walk back you and Amelie should have been home by 10.30.

(waits for her to reply but she doesn’t bother)

Though evidently you had other ideas. You left the cinema almost immediately, and were picked up by Mitch.

Alan gestures at Mitch and, almost despite herself, Maura looks across at him. The two lock eyes just for a moment; there’s been a lot of water under the bridge since they were last in the same room. Maura looksaway again. Her lip is trembling slightly. Mitch has his back to the camera, but we see Laila give him an anxious glance.

MAURA HOWARD

Right.

ALAN CANNING

You spent the next two hours at his place, after which he dropped you back on Larbert Road at just before ten. You’d arranged to meet Amelie there so you could walk back together?

Maura nods; she’s still not making eye contact.

But Amelie wasn’t there when Mitch dropped you off, was she?

Maura hesitates for a tiny moment then shakes her head.

When did she get there?

MAURA HOWARD

About five minutes later. She was pissed off with me. She’d wanted to go to her mate’s rather than the film but I needed her to be there to cover for me.

ALAN CANNING

What time did the two of you get back to Dorney Place?

MAURA HOWARD

About 10.30. Youknowthat.

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