The Breakdown(98)

‘You’re right, it is,’ I say.

‘Has he had an accident or something?’ She can’t hide her panic.

‘No, nothing like that. Can we sit down?’

She follows me into the kitchen and sits down opposite me. ‘Just tell me what’s happened, Cass.’

‘Matthew’s been arrested. The police came and took him away for questioning.’ I look at her hopelessly.

‘What am I going to do, Rachel?’

She stares at me. ‘Arrested?’

‘Yes.’

‘But why?’





394


b a paris


I wring my hands. ‘It’s my fault. They wrote down

every little thing I said and now I’m scared they’re going to use it against him.’

She gives me a sharp look. ‘What do you mean?’

I take a deep breath. ‘This afternoon, while I was doing some gardening, I found a knife in the shed.’

‘A knife?’

‘Yes,’ I say, happy to see she’s gone pale. ‘I got such a fright, Rachel, it was horrible. It looked exactly like the one in the photo – you know, the one that was used to kill Jane. I don’t know whether I told you, you know what my memory is like, but one evening, when you were in Siena, I saw a huge knife lying on the side in the kitchen. But when I called Matthew to come and look, it had disappeared. So when I found the knife in the shed, I thought the murderer might have hidden it there. I called the police—’

‘Why didn’t you call Matthew?’ she interrupts.

‘Because he didn’t believe me last time and I was

worried he wouldn’t believe me this time. Anyway, he was already on his way home.’

‘So what happened? Why did they arrest Matthew?’

‘Well, the police came and they started asking me all sorts of questions, about where he was on the night of the murder…’

She looks suddenly frightened. ‘You’re not seriously suggesting that they think he’s guilty of killing Jane?’

‘I know, it’s mad, isn’t it? The thing is, he doesn’t really have an alibi for that night. I was out in Castle The Breakdown





395


Wells – it was our end of term dinner – and he was here


by himself. So he could have gone out. At least that’s the way the police seem to be looking at it.’

‘But he was here when you got back, wasn’t he?’

‘Yes, but I didn’t see him. He had a migraine and

went to sleep in the spare room so that I wouldn’t disturb him when I came in. But listen, Rachel, there’s something I need to ask you. You know the

tea towel you brought me back from New York, the

one with the picture of the Statue of Liberty on it?

You said you bought one for yourself too.’ She nods.

‘Who else did you give one to?’

‘No one,’ she says.

‘You must have done,’ I insist. ‘It’s really important that you remember because it will prove Matthew’s innocence.’

‘What do you mean?’

I take a deep breath. ‘When I found the knife this afternoon it was wrapped in a Statue of Liberty tea-towel, and when the police asked me if I recognised it, I had to say yes, that it was ours. I felt terrible because it made Matthew look even guiltier. But after the police left, I found my tea towel in the cupboard – which means that whoever killed Jane is someone who has the same tea towel. So think, Rachel, because it will prove that Matthew is innocent.’

I can see her mind racing, looking for a way out. ‘I don’t remember,’ she mumbles.





396


b a paris


‘You bought one for yourself, didn’t you? Are you

sure you didn’t give it away to someone?’

‘I don’t remember,’ she says again.

I sigh. ‘It would make the police’s life easier if you could remember but don’t worry, they’ll get there in the end. They’re going to test the knife for fingerprints and DNA – they said there’s bound to be some. So Matthew will be in the clear because they won’t find any of his.

But it might take a couple of days and, apparently, they can keep him in for twenty-four hours, and if they really suspect him of being involved in Jane’s murder, it can be for longer.’ I let tears fill my eyes. ‘I can’t bear the thought of him sitting there in a prison cell being treated like a criminal.’

She takes her car keys from her pocket. ‘I’d better go.’

I watch her face. ‘Don’t you want to stay for a cup of tea?’

‘No, I can’t.’

I go to the door with her.

‘By the way, did you find your friend’s phone, you know the one you lost in the Spotted Cow?’

‘No,’ she says, flustered.

‘Well, you never know, it might still turn up. Someone might have handed it into the police by now.’

‘Look, I’ve really got to go. Bye, Cass.’

She hurries to her car and gets in. I wait until she’s started the engine then go over and knock on the window. She winds it down.