Page 72 of You Lied First
‘Did you bid on anything?’ Ali asks, and Guy nods.
‘Just a bit, for the craic.’ He winks at Margot and she looks away.
‘Look at this,’ he says half an hour later, as he triumphantly carries the cricket bat back to the table to a round of applause. ‘Every signature of the England team from the 2022 Men’s T20 World Cup.’
Margot stares at him, aghast.
‘It’s definitely a piece,’ Ali says. ‘Congratulations.’
But then Guy grins around the table and holds out the bat. ‘I’d love your father to have it. Nothing makes me happier than the charity getting the money, and the bat being with someone who’ll appreciate it. So, please …’
Adele’s the first to start clapping.
The evening comes to a close around eleven-thirty. Margot can’t bear to look at Guy as they make their way back down the red carpet. His hero act nauseates her. He’d tried to gift the bat to Ali but, fair play to the man, he’d insisted on paying Guy what he’d bid. Regardless, Guy still came out of the whole thing smelling of roses. Margot’s teeth grind together as she yanks open the cab door.
She’s relieved that they ride largely in a silence, punctuated only by snorts of laughter from Liv and Flynn as they watch things on his phone. Then Flynn gasps.
‘Click on it!’ Liv says.
‘No!’
They tussle as Liv tries to grab his phone. ‘Give it here! Let me look. What does it say?’
‘What is it?’ Margot asks.
‘Wait, wait, wait,’ says Flynn. ‘It’s loading. God, it’s slow. Give me a minute.’ Then he adds, ‘Oh my God. “The body found in Oman has been identified as that of missing Briton Celine Cremorne”.’
Guy says very meaningfully, ‘That woman who’s been in the news? How awful. Her poor family.’
Liv looks as if she’s about to ask a question, but Sara discretely pulls an imaginary zip across her lips. Liv and Flynn look at each other with wrinkled foreheads. They’re almost at Sara’s.
‘Umm, would you guys like to come in for a coffee?’ Sara says as they turn into her road.
‘Great idea, thanks. We’d love to,’ Guy says. When the cab stops, they all pile out onto the pavement.
‘Why did you want us to shut up?’ Flynn asks as the cab drives away. ‘What’s going on?’
57
SARA
As Flynn asks his question, I’m already up the path, unlocking the front door. So it’s confirmed that Celine’s body was found at, it’s difficult to deny, the very spot where we were camping. What now? How are we going to get around this? Silently, I lead the way into the living room, where Margot takes the armchair, leaving Guy to perch on the sofa. I’ve had one or two glasses of wine too many for this level of thinking. Flynn hugs Liv, who’s scrubbing at her eyes, mascara already trailing her cheeks.
‘It’s definitely her?’ I ask Flynn. ‘The body?’
‘Celine’s dead!’ Liv sobs. ‘I can’t believe it. Like, she was just with us, now she’s dead!’
Flynn hugs her tighter.
‘Where did you see it?’ Guy asks.
‘BBC,’ Flynn says.
‘Okay, phones please,’ Guy says, indicating that we should switch them off.
‘What?’ Flynn scowls.
‘Just do it,’ Guy says.
