“The police are going to advise Mr Clarke that his son got drunk, and fell into the river. Death by misadventure.”
I frowned, getting up with a groan, to walk out of the room. This wasn’t a conversation I wanted to have in front of Julie. Or in earshot of her, at least.
“And you think he’s going to buy that? Were there any noticeable injuries on the body?”
Nige chuckled. “Don’t get too invested, Mr Teller. All you need to do, is sound like you believe it, and your job is done.”
“Well, I think it sounds like bullshit. How did he die? Was he shot?”
“No. He was stabbed in the throat, while he was trying to pin down and rape his best friend, and girlfriend. Would you like to see the fucking video footage?”
I leaned against the wall in the hallway. “Are you out of your fucking mind? You people videoed that? Why didn’t you stop him?”
Nige sighed. “Marco was despatched, but didn’t make it inside the house in time. Lenore had already stabbed Harvey, when he entered. He arranged the clean-up, and then rushed her to hospital when she tried to kill herself. Is there anything else you need to know?”
I closed my eyes. That poor fucking woman. “Jesus Christ. Okay, I get it. I can only imagine how Marco feels, about not getting to them in time. Thank god she was strong enough to stop him. Okay, so he got drunk, and fell in. Do we have any mention of the injury, and how it might have happened in relation to a fall, and accidental drowning?”
Nige tapped away at his keyboard. “The incident report, as well as the autopsy report, are both going to withhold any mention of the stab wound. They refer instead to a head injury, suggesting he knocked his head on something, and drowned because he fell unconscious. Stick to this story, Adam, please. Lenore is relying on you.”
I nodded; eyes still closed. “I’m aware of what’s at stake. And I know that failure will get me killed. Trust me when I say I’ll do my best, to make sure that it doesn’t come to that. For either of us.”
Nige rang off, and I lowered the phone, sighing heavily. It wasn’t even close to being over yet.
“Who was that? Was that about Harvey?” Julie asked, standing in the doorway, arms folded. Shit. I took my eye off the doorway, and she fucking overheard.
I slipped the phone into my pocket.
“I need to go see Jeff. That was an update about what happened to Harvey.”
She nodded slowly. “I figured that much out. The trouble is that it sounds like you’re being told what to say, and it might not be the truth.” She’d heard way more than I realised. Fucking hell. I was going to get her killed too.
“It’s better that you don’t know any more, Julie. You probably know too much already. I’m trying so hard to keep you separate from this whole mess. Safe. I can’t risk you. I won’t. Please don’t ask.”
She tucked her damp hair behind her ear. “The trouble is, Adam, for everything you can’t tell me, you’re telling me a lie instead.”
Ouch. That hurt like a bitch. What could I say though?
“I’m sorry. I know this is the last thing you want to hear from me, but I have to finish what I started. When this is all over, I can tell you everything, I swear. When I know it’s safe.”
“I’m not coming with you to see Jeff.” She declared, turning to walk into the kitchen. I felt like my future turned and walked away from me, in that moment.
“I understand, little angel. I’m so sorry.”
She glanced back to look at me. “Don’t disappear on me, Adam. I just need you to stay away, until you can stop lying to me. I can’t have a relationship with a man who can’t tell me the truth. Whatever the reason might be.”
Fuck everything. By trying not to lose her, I might have just done exactly that.
I left before I made things worse.
**********
JULIE
I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t even stand up. As I heard the front door close behind him, I slid down the wall and sat on the kitchen floor. I’d had no choice but to push him away, because right now I can’t trust a damn thing he says or does.
My phone pinged, but was out of reach, up on the kitchen counter. I hugged my legs, resting my chin on my knees. How had it gone so wrong? Everything had been perfect when we woke up. We’d been perfect together. I thought we were past the bad stuff, and then came more lies.
Whether he thought he was keeping this stuff from me to protect me or not, I couldn’t be left wondering about everything else in his life. What if he was hiding something like a wife? I hadn’t seen evidence of one at his house, but he could have one in another town for all I knew. He disappeared so often.