The Breakdown(17)

by not asking for proof of identity before letting him

in, especially when a woman has just been murdered

nearby, makes me question my lack of judgement.

Feeling suddenly cold, I run upstairs to fetch a jumper

and as I go into the bedroom I see that the window

is open. I stare at it for a moment, wondering what it

means, wondering if it means anything at all. You’re being neurotic, I tell myself sternly, taking a cardigan from the back of a chair and shrugging it on. Even if the man from Superior Security Systems did open it, which he probably did to see where the sensors could be fitted, it doesn’t mean that he left it open so that he could come back and murder you.

I close the window and, as I’m on my way back

downstairs, the phone starts ringing. I expect it to be

Matthew but it’s Rachel.

‘I don’t suppose you want to meet for a drink, do

you?’ she asks.

‘Yes!’ I say, glad of an excuse to get out of the house.

‘Are you OK?’ I add, detecting that she isn’t her usually bubbly self.

‘Yes, I just feel like a glass of wine. Is six all right for you? I can come to Browbury.’

‘Great. In the Sour Grapes?’

The Breakdown





61


‘Perfect. See you there.’


Back in the kitchen, the Superior Security Systems

brochure is still lying on the table, so I put it on the

side for Matthew to look at once we’ve had dinner. It’s

already five-thirty – the whole thing with the alarm

man must have lasted longer than I realised – and I head

off immediately.

The town is busy, and as I hurry towards the wine

bar, I hear someone call my name and look up to see

my lovely friend Hannah making her way through the

crowd. She’s the wife of Matthew’s tennis partner, Andy,

and a relatively new friend but such fun I wish I’d met

her earlier. ‘I haven’t seen you for ages.’

‘I know, it’s been too long. I’m actually on my way to

meet Rachel, otherwise I’d suggest going for a drink,

but you must come over for a barbecue this summer.’

‘That would be lovely,’ Hannah smiles. ‘Andy was

saying the other day that he hasn’t seen Matthew at the

club recently.’ She pauses. ‘Isn’t it awful about that young woman who was murdered last week?’

The dark cloud that is Jane descends on me. ‘Yes,

dreadful,’ I say.

She gives a little shiver. ‘The police still haven’t found the person responsible. Do you think it was someone she knew? They say most murders are committed by someone known to the murderer.’

‘Do they?’ I say. I know I should tell Hannah that I

knew Jane, that I’d had lunch with her a couple of weeks

before, but I can’t because I don’t want her to start asking





62


b a paris


me about her, about what she was like. And the fact that

I can’t seems like another betrayal.

‘It could be just an opportunist murder,’ she goes on.

‘But Andy thinks it was someone local, someone who

knows the geography of the area. He reckons they’re

holed up somewhere nearby. He thinks it won’t be the

last murder around here. It’s worrying, isn’t it?’

The thought of the murderer hiding nearby makes

me go cold. Her words vibrate in my head and I feel so

sick that I can’t concentrate on what she’s saying. I let her talk for a few more minutes, murmuring responses at what I hope are appropriate places.

‘I’m sorry, Hannah,’ I say, looking at my watch, ‘but

I’ve just seen the time! I really have to go.’

‘Oh, of course. Tell Matthew that Andy is looking

forward to seeing him.’

‘I will,’ I promise.

*

The Sour Grapes is packed and Rachel is already there,

a bottle of wine in front of her.

‘You’re early,’ I say, giving her a hug.

‘No, you’re late, but it doesn’t matter.’ She pours wine into a glass and hands it to me.

‘Sorry. I bumped into my friend Hannah and we

ended up chatting. I better not drink the whole glass, I’m driving.’ I nod towards the bottle. ‘You’re obviously not.’

The Breakdown





63


‘A couple of colleagues are meeting me for a bite to


eat later so we’ll finish it between us.’

I take a sip of wine, savouring its crispness. ‘So, how

are you?’

‘Not great, actually. The police have been in the office

for the last few days, questioning everybody about Jane.

It was my turn today.’

‘No wonder you feel like a drink,’ I say sympathetically. ‘What did they want to know?’

‘Just if I knew her. So I said that I didn’t, because it’s true.’ She fiddles with the stem of the glass. ‘The thing is, I didn’t tell them about the run-in I had with her over the parking space and now I’m wondering if I should have.’