Nine Liars (Truly Devious, #5)(52)

A: I went out the mudroom door, at the back of the house.

Q: Did you see anyone else go out that way?

A: Sooz . . . Suzanna.

Q: Where did you go?

A: I made a loop of the back gardens, which are extensive. There’s a maze, but that seemed too obvious a spot to hide. And there are so many little topiary spaces back there, rooms, but there’s nowhere to hide in them. I left to find a better place. I circled the house at least twice, running all around, looking.

Q: Did you ever go past the woodshed?

A: Yes.

Q: Did you try to get inside?

A: No. The outbuildings were locked. There was no point in that.

Q: And you knew that because Sebastian had said so or because you saw it locked?

A: We were told it was locked. It certainly appeared to be locked. Eventually I had an idea that I would climb up the pergola, hide on top. That’s what I did. I thought I’d get rumbled, but I was there for ages. People walked right under me. At first I was pleased, but I was soaked to the bone. I was there for hours. Literally, hours.

Q: Did you see Rosie or Noel at any point during the game?

A: I saw Noel.

Q: Where did you see him?

A: In the back garden.

Q: Where precisely?

A: In one of the topiary areas. That place is a maze. It’s hard to say, but it was in there somewhere.

Q: And he was alone?

A: Yes.

Q: When was this?

A: Early on. Very early on.

Q: Could you be more precise than that?

A: I only know it was early. I’d say within the first fifteen minutes of the game? It was during my first pass of the back garden.

Q: Did you speak to him?

A: No. I don’t think he saw me. He was moving quickly. He went out one of the exits and I didn’t see him again after that.

Q: And what about Rosie?

A: I didn’t see her.

Q: You and Rosie, you two were recently in a romantic relationship?

A: Yes.

Q: How long had that been going on?

A: A year. Or a little less than a year.

Q: A year? So, quite a long time, then.

A: Yes. I suppose. Yes.

Q: But it had recently ended?

A: Yes.

Q: Why was that?

A: Does it matter?

Q: We need to ask these sorts of questions. Can you please tell me about the end of the relationship? Was this recent?

A: Within the last few weeks.

Q: And what was the cause?

A: I . . . I did something that upset her.

Q: What was that?

A: This really matters?

Q: Please answer the question.

A: About a week ago, we were all at the pub. We were having a laugh. I’d finished my exams and I’d had maybe one too many, and I think I knew Rosie and I wouldn’t be continuing the way we were, and I . . . I kissed another girl. Just some girl I met there that night. It wasn’t serious, but Rosie found out, of course. Everyone saw. But that’s what our . . . these things, we . . . it happens. I’m not . . . I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Rose. I’m sorry.

[Unintelligible.]

Q: We’ll end this for now.





14


THE NEXT DAY, THEY FOLLOWED THE SCHEDULE. THEY BEGAN AT THE Natural History Museum, which was an ornate palace of rocks and bones. From there, they went to the Victoria and Albert Museum, the design museum, which contained, among other things, a massive collection of clothing and fashion-related items from the ages. Janelle was beside herself looking at Victorian ribbon corsets, ancient Egyptian shoes, Balenciaga ball gowns, and Frida Kahlo’s used cosmetics. From there, they were supposed to go to the Science Museum. They took this opportunity to call Dr. Quinn.

“Calling a little early,” Janelle said. “We’re going to the Science Museum after this and there’s an interactive program about climate change that starts at two.”

It helped that this was the truth.

The plan was that Stevie would leave them at this point and take the Tube to meet Izzy. David couldn’t come—he had a class. Going into the Tube by herself turned out to be an exhilarating and nerve-racking experience. Something about being on her own in this place for the first time, without anyone to notice if she was going west instead of east or getting on the wrong train entirely. London was hers in this moment.

She stuck to the plan. Stevie watched the stops carefully, fearful of missing hers. Knightsbridge, Hyde Park Corner, Green Park . . .

Piccadilly Circus. She stepped off the train into a kind of free-for-all of people and coats and bags, a massive crush of humanity that drifted back to the upper world on long escalators, with more of the flashing, synchronized advertisements. It was madness. There were way too many doors leading out and she got turned around and caught up in the crowd and had to make her way back around to meet with Izzy, who was waiting by the statue of Eros. Izzy looked sleepless. Her winged eyeliner was not quite on point, and her cheeks were flushed pink with cold and effort.

“I went up to her flat again first thing this morning,” she said. “To see if she was back and to feed Doorknob. Still nothing. What do we say when we get there?”

“Your aunt thinks that one of her friends might be a murderer,” Stevie said. “She talks when she’s under the influence of painkillers, but that’s the only time. She’s probably kept her suspicions to herself. We don’t tell them about what your aunt said about the lock. We just get them to talk. We ask if anyone has heard from your aunt, and then see if we can get them to talk to me about the case. Let them say anything that comes into their minds. Just let them talk.”