Her Perfect Family(55)

‘No idea.’ Ed’s eyes are wide. He sits down while we wait, crossing his legs and jiggling his right foot up and down.

I glance at Gemma, her face as still as ever, the headphones in place. A sweep of dread as I think of all the horrible things we have to tell her when she wakes up.

Suddenly the reporter is looking at the camera with the update. ‘I’m being told the situation has been resolved safely.’

I feel my shoulders slump. We wait in silence as words scroll across the screen, confirming that Alex is now in police custody. The news feed immediately updates to live pictures and we watch as uniformed officers remove the banner Alex hung from the top ledge of the car park.

I can feel my heart still beating too fast as my phone goes. I pick it up from the side table to see an unknown number.

‘It’s probably the media. Don’t answer.’ Ed sounds nervous.

‘How would they get my mobile number? I’ll just listen. See what it is.’

I don’t know what to expect but the voice is measured and calm. ‘Hello. It’s Amanda here. Helen’s sister. Helen got your text and asked me to ring you, but please say if it’s a bad time to talk.’

‘Oh, no. It’s fine. I’m grateful Helen passed on the message.’

‘I was just wondering if you knew the latest? That Alex is in custody? Literally this minute. I’m watching it on television.’

‘Yes. We’re watching it too.’

‘Look, I’m not really sure what you were hoping. Helen said you were worried about the media? That you needed help?’

‘Yes, we are. We’re beside ourselves to be honest. We can’t understand how this was allowed. All over the television?’

Ed’s staring at me, frowning, and so I hold the phone away from my face for a moment to mouth that it’s Helen’s sister.

‘Be very careful what you say.’ He’s whispering, eyes wide. ‘I’m not comfortable with this.’

‘We were just after some advice about how to handle this. The media, I mean. We’re taking legal advice too but it’s all a bit overwhelming. The coverage of the shooting was bad enough. But this . . .’

‘I’m just about to go into another meeting at the university.’ Amanda’s tone is guarded and I feel a wave of disappointment. ‘We’ll be liaising with the police. They have a good press office. Have their people not been advising you? They’re normally very helpful in situations like this.’

‘Sort of. But through DI Sanders.’ I don’t add that I don’t much like the police comms guy. ‘We feel a bit exposed, to be honest. A bit helpless. We just wondered if you could give us some advice? You know – independently?’

There’s a pause. ‘Please know that I feel for you and I want to help. Of course I do. But it’s just a little bit tricky, given my role here, I mean.’

There’s another pause and I realise Ed was right. She’s not going to help us.

‘Listen, Mrs Hartley—’

‘Rachel, please.’

‘Rachel. We’re all so devastated about what’s happened. We think of Gemma all the time. How is she today, by the way?’

‘The same.’ I glance again at Gemma. ‘I’m with her now. She’s just the same.’

‘As I say, we’re all thinking of you. And I will get back to you, once I’ve got a stronger picture of what’s going on. Does that sound OK?’

‘Yes. Thank you. I appreciate it.’

‘You’re welcome.’

I hang up. ‘Helen’s sister. She works in PR for the university.’

‘Yes, I know. But they will be more worried about the university and its reputation than Gemma. You do realise that?’

‘I think that’s a bit harsh. She sounded nice. And she didn’t have to ring.’

‘She’s paid by the university, Rachel.’

‘Yes. I did get the feeling it’s tricky for her.’

‘Told you.’

My heart sinks. I feel that I need someone on our side. My side. I don’t know what we should be doing next. Or not doing. To speak up for our daughter while she can’t.

There’s a knock on the door to the cubicle and the police guard then leans in to check that we’re up to date. We nod. He says that the team have been in touch and DI Sanders will talk to us as soon as she can but she’ll be tied up with interviewing Alex first.

‘Thank you. Good.’ I try to find a half smile. He meets my eye, closes the door again and retreats.

And then Ed and I just sit in silence for a bit as the television screen moves to a shot of DI Sanders, who is making a short statement. We watch the words scroll below her, summarising. Ed reaches for the remote control and puts up the volume, just a little. DI Sanders is saying only what we know already. The situation has been resolved safely. No one was hurt and a man’s now in custody. She thanks everyone for their cooperation at the scene but says it’s too early to comment further.

I can see a number of reporters moving forward with microphones, all talking over each other, trying to pose questions, but DI Sanders just smiles and steps aside, ushered swiftly into a waiting car.

And it is the sight of her, DI Sanders, that suddenly pulls me back to reality.