Page 61 of The Girl in Room 12

I tell her that’s a lovely idea, and while Molly begins filling the bag, I make my way to the small kitchen, leaning over the sink to open the window. It’s clean and modern in here, and looks as if the kitchen’s been recently updated. There are two cat bowls on a silicone mat on the floor, still with kibbles in them.

‘Alice’s neighbour took in the cats,’ Molly says, appearing behind me. ‘I have terrible allergies so I couldn’t have them.’ She looks up to the ceiling. ‘I hope Alice forgives me for that. They meant everything to her.’

‘I’m sure she does.’

‘I’m going to clean those bowls out,’ Molly says. ‘I can’t leave them just sitting there like that.’

While she sets about washing the cat bowls, I go to Alice’s bedroom to open the window in there. It’s a large room, with two windows on either side of a small white wardrobe. There are more inspirational quotes hung over the walls, and a blush pink faux-sheepskin rug on the floor at the foot of the bed.

I stare at the bed, with its pink silk sheets, and picture Max lying on it.Was he ever here? Or did they stick to hotel rooms?I take a deep breath and force the thought away.

Opening the window, I glance at the door. I can hear the tap running in the kitchen. Quickly, I open the wardrobe door and peer inside. It’s crammed full of clothes and I run my hands over them. Jumpers. Dresses. Skirts. Every imaginable colour.

As I’m pulling at them, trying to get a picture of how Alice dressed, I notice something stuck to the back of the wardrobe, behind the clothes. I lean forward to get a closer look. It’s a white envelope – stuck on with brown parcel tape.

Glancing behind me, I pull it off and shove it inside the waist of my jeans. I’m sure Molly mentioned that the police had searched Alice’s flat, so I’m surprised they missed this.

‘That’s better,’ Molly says, and I jump.

‘I was just…I heard something fall in the wardrobe, so I opened it to see what it was. I can’t tell if anything’s out of place, though.’

Molly’s eyes narrow and she walks towards me. ‘Let me see. Maybe the police have made a mess of everything.’

But of course there’s nothing in there now except far too many clothes.

‘I’ll have to sell this place,’ Molly says, as we go back into the hallway. ‘After she worked so hard to get it. By herself. The only help she had was from the money her dad left her in his will. She wouldn’t take a penny from me.’ She points to the back door in the kitchen. ‘She even got the garden gym installed herself. And now someone else will probably tear it down. Replace it with a shed or something. Or make it into an office.’

Molly’s probably right. There can’t be that much demand for a home gym, despite people wanting to believe they will sort their fitness out.

‘Maybe you can ask the estate agent if you can meet the person buying her flat? It might reassure you. To get to talk to them and know the person who’ll end up living here.’

She stares silently at me for so long that I wonder if I’ve said the wrong thing.

‘You’re right,’ she says. ‘I think I will do that.’ She sighs. ‘I don’t want to take up any more of your time. You can go now if you need to get on. I’ll be here for a while. I think I’ll be okay now. I just wasn’t sure if I would be.’

‘I don’t mind staying.’ Even though the longer I’m here, the more chance Molly might find out I’ve stolen something of Alice’s. The envelope rustles under my coat with every step I take.

‘No, you get off. But thanks for coming with me.’

I give her a brief hug, then make my way towards the door.

‘It’s very strange that Taylor still hasn’t replied,’ she says. ‘I don’t think he said he was going away. I know he often does for work. Maybe he’s just busy with his job.’

‘Yes,’ I say. ‘I’m sure that’s it.’

And then I leave Alice’s flat as quickly as I can.

‘How’s Max doing?’ Cole asks when I make it to the shop.

‘He’s frustrated he can’t be at work, I think.’

‘Yes, I imagine he’s going out of his mind a bit.’

The envelope is in my bag now, and I’m desperate to open it. It might be nothing; I can’t pin my hopes on it, but either way I need to know. ‘I’ve got some accounting to do,’ I tell Cole. ‘Can you manage out here?’ It’s fairly busy in here this morning, and I wonder if we’ll manage without Katy.

‘No problem,’ Cole says.

‘You haven’t heard from Katy, have you? I sent her another message and she didn’t answer.’

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