Page 20 of Her Hidden Shadow

‘I don’t know their numbers, that’s why I need the internet, so that I can Facebook them.’

Nancy could help with that. ‘I have the internet. I need it for Netflix.’

Lauren hit the wall. ‘It’s no use to me if I don’t have a device to connect to it.’

‘I’m sorry.’ Nancy went to hug her daughter, but she recoiled. ‘I didn’t know this was going to happen and I promise I’ll get you a phone in the morning. Please try to rest. The doctor said you should take it easy today and I promised her I’d look after you. It’s all been a huge shock. Let your mum look after you, please.’

Lauren left Nancy standing as she stomped up the stairs like she’d regularly done as a teen. Fifi followed her.

‘Go away.’ Lauren slammed her bedroom door, and the little dog came running back down. As it reached the bottom of the stairs, Nancy scooped the dog up in her arms and kissed its wiry-haired head. ‘She didn’t do it on purpose, Fifi. Your sister’s just upset. Let’s go and make some dinner.’ She placed the dog on the floor and hurried into the kitchen. Her phone buzzed and another message popped up.

You revolting bitch. I hate you!

Yes, of course you do. She didn’t care one bit about her horrible messenger. It wasn’t the first or the last time she’d received messages like this, it came with the territory. Being part of a group that stopped traffic in the name of environmental protests, she often received abusive messages, which was why she’d bought a basic phone and come off social media, but she didn’t want to burden Lauren with her problems. There was nothing else she could get rid of though, she needed to be able to message her fellow activists and remain a contact for any new recruits, so she deleted the message and grabbed her apron. It wasn’t as if this person knew where she lived.

She would do everything it took to protect Lauren. It was time to chop some onions. Another message popped up.

Watch your back, bitch!

Thirteen

Tiffany

Tiffany nervously bit the nail she’d managed to grow on her thumb. Kieron stopped stirring the bolognaise and walked over. ‘Look, the police could come anytime, or it might even be tomorrow. You’ve got to stop worrying like this. You’ll give yourself a heart attack. Have you still got palpitations?’

She nodded. He was right, her heart was banging so loud, if the police were here, they’d tell instantly that she was hiding something. She stood up from the table and walked over to the sink. It was starting to get dark and the little patch of grass outside was coated in a white frost carpet. The smell coming from the pan was turning her stomach. She didn’t know if she’d be able to eat, at least not until the police had been. Why were they taking so long? She glanced at the clock and only another five minutes had passed since she’d last checked the time. The waiting was killing her. ‘It’s no good.’ She opened the medication cupboard and pulled out her diazepam.

Kieron dropped the spoon in the bolognaise and took the packet from her. ‘You had one at lunchtime.’

She snatched the blister pack from him and popped another pill out, swallowing it dry. ‘I don’t care, I need another.’

‘You’ve had your dose for the day. You’ll make yourself ill.’ He left the food bubbling on the cooker and stormed off into the living room shouting, ‘I’m doing everything I can to help you, to make you feel better. I’m working like a dog and saving up for tests and I don’t know why when you’re hell-bent on destroying yourself and I’m saying all this as someone who loves you.’

She turned the hob off and followed him. ‘I’m sorry, it’s just… I need them. I don’t normally take more than I should. When the police have been I’ll be better. My heart won’t stop banging and it feels as though my veins are twitching, like they’re alive and the jitteriness… it’s like insects are under my skin. You don’t understand. I don’t need you turning against me. Please, Kieron. You’re all I’ve got.’

He sighed and turned his back to her. ‘Seeing you deteriorate like this hurts. I do everything I can to care for you and to look after you, and when I see you abusing yourself, it kills a part of me. Can’t you see?’ He turned around.

She could see. His eyes began to glass up as a few tears welled in the corners. He swiped them away. She’d hurt him. Reaching out, she went to stroke his arm, but he pulled it away. She stepped closer and touched him again. This time he didn’t recoil, he wrapped his arms around her. ‘I’m sorry, okay. I shouldn’t have taken that pill. It won’t happen again.’

She flinched and he dropped his arms as someone knocked on the door. Kieron left her standing in the middle of the room and then her heart began to bang even louder as she heard the detectives introducing themselves. She quickly plumped up the cushions on the settee and hoped that the detectives would not be able to tell that they were upset, but then again, what had happened at Lauren’s bungalow was upsetting.

‘This is DI Harte and DS Driscoll. They just want to ask you a couple of questions.’ Kieron sat on the chair and the detectives both sat on the settee. ‘Can I get either of you a drink?’

Both mumbled their nos. The female detective, DI Harte, sat on the edge of the settee. The male detective leaned back and opened a notepad. ‘Can I just confirm your full name?’ DI Harte said as she smiled at Tiffany.

‘Err, Tiffany Crawford. Please call me Tiff.’ Her banging heart was beginning to respond to the diazepam. She exhaled, relieved that she had regained some control over her stupid anxious body. An image of the meat skewer stuck in Kieron’s flesh intruded on her thoughts. Not now. Why wouldn’t they go away and leave her to get through the interview. It was as if her inner voice was torturing her. It was an accident. Kieron was right. Nothing more and nothing to worry about. It was a product of her trauma, and he was the only person in the world who understood her.

‘Tiff, can you tell me how well you know Lauren Cross?’ DI Harte tilted her head. She had a warmth about her, and Tiff felt that she should tell her what she knew.

‘We work together at Hoopers. I clean, so I mainly see her in the mornings. I really like her, and we get on well. I saw her bungalow in the news. What happened?’

‘We’re investigating a murder. Lauren is okay but we’re speaking to her friends and people who knew the couple.’

Tiffany felt the detective’s gaze flitting from her face to her arms, as if she was searching for something. Was she a suspect? Tiffany tried to steady her trembling hands. ‘Who was murdered?’

‘A woman called Sienna Moorcroft. Do you know her?’

Tiffany shook her head. ‘Lauren mentioned that she had a friend called Sienna. She said they’ve been friends for years.’ Tiffany scrunched her brows. ‘Why was Sienna at Lauren’s place? From what I know, Sienna wasn’t going out with Lauren last night. It was meant to be me, Maxine and Dee.’

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