Page 73 of Carbon

“We’ll evaluate the evidence. If we don’t believe he killed Miss Fordham, we’ll do our utmost to get him cleared.”

Was she telling Ned what he wanted to hear or speaking the truth? Either way, Ned seemed happy with her answer.

“You’d better do right by that boy. He did come to borrow a spanner, but like you said, I wasn’t letting him take my tools away with him. He brought the bike with him. And when he’d finished, he helped me to put the gearbox back in a Ford Mondeo. Damn near saved my back.”

“And the other times you spoke?”

“The same. Wanted to borrow a tool or two, but he always gave me a hand in return. You don’t get many men like him nowadays.”

“Can you tell us more about his bike?”

“It’s a Triumph. Modern bike, but he customised it so it looks like a classic.”

“I don’t suppose you know the registration number?”

“I’ve got a photo of it on my notice board. Nice bike, it is.”

20

Ned pointed out the photo, and Emmy snapped a picture of it on her phone. He was right—it was a nice bike. If things had been different, I could have been riding around on the back with my arms wrapped tightly around Ben’s waist. A tear escaped at the thought, and I wiped it away before Emmy noticed.

“Can I offer you a coffee?” I asked as we pulled into the driveway at home.

“I wouldn’t say no. My caffeine levels are already dropping.”

Just when I thought the day couldn’t get any more awkward, it did. “Oh, sh...sugar.”

“What?”

I pointed at the Jaguar parked on the drive, the same model as my father drove but green instead of maroon. “Gregory’s here.”

“Who’s Gregory?”

I shouldn’t have sighed in resignation the way I did—after all, Gregory was a perfectly nice man—but I couldn’t help it. “The man my mother wants me to marry.”

“And I take it you don’t share her enthusiasm?”

“On paper, he’s perfect. He’s got a good job, a wealthy family, and he’s handsome. But there’s something missing. There’s no spark between us, at least for me. Does that sound crazy?”

“No, it doesn’t. The right man’s out there for everyone. You just need to find him. Don’t sell yourself short and settle for less, because in the long run, you’ll only end up miserable.”

I already did find him. Another tear trickled down my cheek, and this time I couldn’t hide it, or the others that followed.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Emmy said, pulling me into a slightly awkward hug with the gear knob poking in my side. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know how to tell Gregory. I keep thinking maybe I should simply abide by with Mother’s wishes, but then I’d hate myself for it. I’ve put off speaking to him since Angie died, but it’s not fair on him to carry on.”

“No, it isn’t.”

“But what should I say?”

“Tell him what you told me—that he’s a nice guy but not the one for you.”

“But what if he hates me? I haven’t got many friends, and I can’t afford to lose another one.”

“If he hates you, he’s not as good a friend as you thought he was.”

“I’m so scared of being alone,” I whispered.

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