The Stepmother(112)

 

The woman comes storming up the front path in full aerobic gear and Luke, who’s been skulking round in an anxious, hovering sort of way – as if he’s scared he’ll miss something – lets her in.

 

‘Is Scarlett here?’ Kaye’s straight past her surly son, straight into the room, facing Matthew, hands on Lycra-clad hips.

 

I deduce from Kaye’s attitude all is not all right between these two.

 

But last time I saw them, they were kissing.

 

‘No.’ Matthew rubs his face tiredly. ‘She’s at Alison’s, isn’t she? I’m seeing her later.’

 

‘She’s bloody well not there.’

 

I step out of the shadows.

 

‘Oh you! What are you doing here?’ She narrows cold blue eyes.

 

‘This is Marlena, Jeanie’s—’

 

‘I know who she is.’ Her purr is laced with venom. ‘But what I don’t know is why you’re here?’

 

I might ask her the same thing exactly.

 

‘I came to talk to my sister’s husband,’ I say politely, though what I’d really like to do is to order her to Fuck right off, Beaky-face.

 

‘Oh.’ She slumps a little. ‘Right.’

 

‘I’m interested in the campaign of terror waged against my sister since she moved in.’

 

‘Terror?’ Matthew pulls a face. ‘A campaign? Oh come on!’

 

‘Oh come on yourself, mate.’ I’m almost laughing at his denial. ‘You didn’t notice someone trying to scare Jeanie out of her wits?’

 

‘Oh not again.’ Kaye lays a hand on her chest in well-feigned shock and horror. ‘Luke? I think we have something to say, don’t we, Luke?’

 

I’m taken aback. I wait for an explanation. We’re all waiting: we all look at Luke.

 

‘Lucas?’ Matthew frowns. ‘What’s your mother on about?’

 

‘He can’t help it. He’s just being loyal, aren’t you, baby? You’re the one who’s made life so miserable recently, aren’t you, Lukie – because you were so sad.’

 

‘Oh Jesus.’ Matthew emits a long whistling breath. ‘Oh for Christ’s sake, Lucas.’

 

Luke just hangs his head and refuses to look at his parents.

 

‘You knew?’ I ask Matthew and Kaye, incredulous.

 

‘What is it you’ve done?’ his father asks him urgently. ‘Lucas?’

 

‘I didn’t mean to,’ Luke mutters to the floor. ‘It was a joke.’

 

‘Didn’t mean to what?’ Matthew’s exasperated.

 

‘You must have had an idea,’ I interject, ‘and you did nothing. You covered it up, Matthew, like you did with that poor girl, Daisy…’

 

‘‘But we dealt with that.’ Matthew almost looks relieved – almost, but not quite. ‘It was an accident, truly, and Daisy’s going to be fine…’

 

‘You “dealt” with it?’ I think of Peter Bedford’s distress. ‘Not what her father thinks.’

 

‘He didn’t see her,’ Matthew interjects.

 

‘Look, sorry, but I’m more interested in Jeanie right now. Tell me, Luke, what did you think would happen if you scared her out of her wits?’

 

‘It was a joke,’ the boy repeats pathetically.

 

‘Like killing your own dog was?’ I hazard a guess.

 

‘Oh God! I thought you’d stopped murdering animals, Lukie.’ Kaye’s sigh is as dramatic as her statement. ‘We’re going to have to go back to the psychotherapist I realise.’

 

‘Murdering?’

 

‘I didn’t mean to,’ Luke mutters. ‘They were accidents…’

 

‘Oh, Luke.’ Matthew sits heavily. ‘What did you do?’

 

‘Made Jeanie think she was mad, mainly, I think,’ I say. ‘How did you manage it, Luke? All the whispering walls? The flickering lights.’

 

He shrugs. ‘S’not hard.’ And I’m amazed. He’s fessing up; rolling over apparently. ‘I just rigged up the Sonos system.’

 

Of course he did. The sound system in every room; the sound system that Frankie had been so impressed with; the horrible jazz rattling to its end now here and in the kitchen.

 

‘And the porn on Frank’s computer? That disgusting porn?’

 

Luke just stares at the floor.

 

‘And the emails from ‘Helpful’?’