Jason is a bigamist.
Pam takes bribes from prospective parents.
Ryan wears women’s clothes.
Aliyah is a former sex-worker.
‘We know all those,’ Leo says, impatient for the others. Henry has confessed to his alcoholism, but Lucas maintains the only person he needs to confess to is God. Since the vicar’s alibi means he isn’t the frame for Miles’s death, his potential motive is academic, but a murder investigation requires the full picture.
Lucas is having an affair with a married woman in his congregation.
George looks up from the card, eyes round. ‘The dirty old goat!’
‘Maybe Aliyah was right about him,’ Leo says. He leans forward to take the next card. ‘Is that one Henry’s?’
Henry has refused to pay child support for three years.
It seems Henry has more than one secret.
‘What an arsehole,’ Ffion says.
‘There might be more to it than that.’ Leo is trying to be fair, although privately he’s inclined to agree. ‘None of the others’ stories were straightforward, after all, and, given what he told you about his addiction problems, he’s clearly not been in a good place.’
George rifles through the envelopes, frowning.
‘What is it?’
‘There’s one missing. There’s no secret for Ceri.’
Leo looks at Ffion. ‘Could it have dropped out? Where did you bag and tag it?’
‘In camp, then I came straight here.’ Ffion shrugs. ‘Weird.’
‘Not weird,’ Leo says slowly. ‘Suspicious.’
‘I’m sure it’s—’ Ffion starts.
‘There’s no reason why Miles would let Dario climb in through the window,’ Leo says. ‘It only makes sense if Miles’s visitor was someone who shouldn’t have been there – someone Miles didn’t want anyone to see in the courtyard.’ Leo looks at the others. ‘Such as a contestant who should have been in camp.’
George puts the envelopes back on the table. ‘Ceri killed Miles and stole the key so she could remove her envelope from the box and protect her secret.’
Leo pushes back his chair.
‘What are you doing?’ Ffion says.
‘What do you think I’m doing?’ He takes out his phone and pulls up DCI Boccacci’s number. ‘I’m getting the go-ahead to bring her in.’
THIRTY-ONE
PAM | DAY FOUR OFEXPOSURE
It was Pam’s ‘can do’ attitude that secured her the post of head teacher at Heath Hill School for Girls.
‘It’s clear you’re not easily intimidated,’ said Mr Wolfson, chair of the governing board, when he rang to offer her the job. ‘We’re confident you can handle anything Heath Hill can throw at you.’
Pam likes to tell her girls there’s little that can’t be fixed with a cheery smile and a positive approach, but it’s the fourth day ofExposurefilming and if you told Pam to be positive now, the response would be worthy of detention. Pam’s ‘can do’ attitude has abandoned her, her cheery smile a distant memory.
Henry’s clearing the remnants of lunch. He dumps the metal plates in the sink with a clattering noise that goes right through Pam.