Page 90 of Murder in the Family

BILL SERAFINI

You and me both, JJ – and I don’t think Guy will mind me saying that he was just as stunned as the rest of us.

CUT TO: Guy at Dorney Place, the chair is in the middle of the room, he’s in shirtsleeves and jeans this time.

GUY HOWARD

To be honest I’m still trying to get my head round this. I had no idea – honestly. I know I was only a kid at the time, but children can be surprisingly good at sensing whether people aren’t genuine. I never got that vibe off him. Not once.

CUT TO: Maura, sitting on the same chair. She’s now wearing a black long-sleeved T-shirt with a scoop neck. Her nails are painted black too.

GUY HOWARD – off

You know I told you Luke wasn’t who he said he was? Turns out he wasn’t even Australian. He was from Alabama.

MAURA HOWARD

(staring)

Alabama?Seriously? What the fuck?

GUY HOWARD – off

Did you ever suspect anything?

MAURA HOWARD

Me? Of course not – why would I? I was, like,thirteenwhen Mum met him, how the fuck would I know? He didn’tsoundAmerican.

GUY HOWARD – off

(with a quick laugh)

At least it explains why he was so crap at cricket.

But seriously, you don’t remember Mum ever saying anything – about his accent or anything like that? Or how old he looked? Even as a joke?

MAURA HOWARD

(frowning)

I’m not with you—

GUY HOWARD – off

It wasn’t just that his name was fake, Maurie – he was living on someone else’s identity. Someone a whole lot younger than he was.

When they first met, he wasn’t 23 like he told Mum. He was 34.

MAURA HOWARD

(her eyes widening)

You havegotto be kidding me. Thirty-four? All the shit she went through about the age difference and all the time they’re basically the same fucking age?

GUY HOWARD – off

Yup.

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