Page 95 of You Lied First
‘That doesn’t work,’ Flynn says. ‘Think about it. Who would have sent the memory card to the police? If Dad was there alone and set up the camera himself, he’d hardly send it to the police, would he? Someone else would have sent it, and that someone else is pretty much only you.’
Margot stares at Flynn, astounded, because he’s totally right.
‘They’ll know you were involved,’ he continues. ‘Either you were there yourself, or you found the memory card and sent it in. It’s far better that you own it. Hand it in to the police yourself. Say Guy went out for the night and left us in the villa – where, by the way, we had never seen Celine – and you only found the camera and memory card just now. Youwatched it and pieced together that he’d lied to you to meet Celine and go camping with her. You admit that he’s had an affair with her. You’re horrified that your husband had taken up with her but it makes sense that he went into the desert with her when you thought he was in town meeting an old friend.’
‘Okay,’ Margot says, frowning as she follows Flynn’s logic. ‘I could say that it’s Guy’s camera – he bought it, after all, if they check. And that he went into town for a night – said he was meeting a friend or something. Some sort of cover story a man would give if he was taking his lover to the desert for the night. What do you all think?’
‘It’s the best plan, Mum,’ Flynn says.
‘I’d believe you,’ Liv says, and everyone looks at Sara.
‘Sheesh. Hiding in plain sight,’ she says, shaking her head. ‘Isn’t that always the best policy?’
‘Okay,’ Margot says, ‘so we just need to agree to stick to that story ourselves. As far as we’re concerned, we never saw Celine the entire time we were in Oman. We slept in the villa every single night. Guy stayed out for one night. We thought nothing of it. I only just found the camera. It’ll be our word against his, and all the evidence they need is right there on the screen. Done. And maybe this whole thing will finally be over.’
‘Amen to that,’ Sara says.
78
SARA
Margot goes to the police station that very afternoon. The kids and I stay at mine, expecting a long evening while we wait. I call Michael to tell him that Liv is revising and might stay the night, and he accepts it without question. That seems odd to me, and I have to remind myself that he doesn’t know a fraction of what’s really been going on.
It’s really not that much later that we’re scrolling through Deliveroo, debating Five Guys versus tacos for dinner when the doorbell rings. Seeing Margot’s distinctive shape through the glass, I rip the door open and throw my arms around her, suddenly overtaken with the most unexpected emotion. I’m also wondering why it’s so quiet. I’m half-expecting sirens, handcuffs, news helicopters overhead and Guy arrested on the spot. But, of course in real life, things just aren’t like that.
‘How was it? How are you?’ I stammer, realising that Margot is as surprised by my hug as I am myself. But she’s precious to me now, and I’m glad to be able to express that properly for once. Margot gives me a squeeze and I get a grip of myself and bring her through to the living room, surreptitiously wiping my eyes.
‘Mum!’ Flynn’s on his feet and in her arms as they rocktogether and she kisses his hair, then he pulls Liv, who’s been dithering about, half sitting, half standing, into the hug. Then Liv looks sheepishly at me and extends her arm, welcoming me into the group and we all four stand there for a what seems like ages, hugging each other with tears running down our faces, even though we still don’t know what happened at the police station. I break the hug first – I really, really need to know – but keep my arm around Liv. Now I’ve got her, I’m never letting her go.
‘So, what happened? What did they say? Tell us everything.’ I’m imagining the gratitude of the officers having evidence handed to them on a plate; their eyes gleaming as they picture the recognition they’ll get for solving an international murder case.
‘Are they going to arrest Dad?’ Flynn says.
‘I didn’t hand it in.’ I can’t tell if Margot’s laughing or crying. She fishes in her handbag. ‘I’ve still got it!’
My body sags onto the sofa. ‘What?’
‘I went in and, look, it’s just a local police station. I didn’t want to hand it to just anyone and risk it being lost in the system. I realised that we need to get it to the people actually working on the case. Right? Wasn’t there a number you had to contact if you had information? Maybe we should do that. So I brought it back!’
We all look at each other. Now we’ve come this far, we want a solution. As quickly as possible. We’re all psyched up for it. Waiting is torture.
‘There was a phone line for the incident room,’ I say. ‘We could call that and say we’ve got a strong lead. But, in the meantime, Margot, you’re going to have to go back home andcontinue living with Guy. How do you feel about that?’ Flynn and Margot glance uneasily at each other.
‘You could stay here,’ Margot says to Flynn. ‘I’m sure Sara won’t mind, given the circumstances.’
‘Of course. You’re always welcome. You know that.’
But Flynn is shaking his head. ‘No way. I’m not leaving you, Mum. If you’re at home, I’m there, too. He’s killed someone! I can’t leave you alone with him.’
Margot’s face is grim. She clearly doesn’t want to be there either.
‘Could you … invent an urgent work trip or something?’ I say, speaking my thoughts out loud. ‘A supplier problem with a mansion or something? That needs you there to sort it out?’
Margot nods. ‘Maybe. And then what? Just stay in a hotel …?’
‘I guess. I’d invite you to stay here but … I mean, I could sleep on the sofa and you could have my room.’
Margot throws me a quick smile. ‘Thanks. It’ll look more convincing if I’m in a hotel near to where one of the suppliers are, for sure. Rather than staying down the road with my friend. Or maybe it could be a new client. Yes! There could be a prestigious client who’s reached out to me in confidence and wants a personal visit, like,now. You know how clients can be like that. And it’s too far to go in a day.’
