The Family Upstairs(61)

‘I am so, so sorry,’ she says. ‘So sorry.’

‘It’s fine,’ says Cerian, turning off her phone and sliding it into her handbag. ‘Let’s crack on, shall we?’

For an hour, Libby has no time to think about the events of the past day. All she can think about is Carrara marble worktops and cutlery drawers and extractor hoods and copper pendant lights versus enamel pendant lights. It’s comforting to her. She loves talking about kitchens. She’s good at kitchens. Then suddenly it’s over and Cerian’s putting her reading glasses back in her handbag and hugging Libby goodbye and as she leaves the atmosphere in the showroom deflates and diffuses and everyone kind of flops.

Dido beckons her into the back office.

‘So,’ she says, clicking the tab on a can of Diet Coke. ‘What the hell happened?’

Libby blinks. ‘I’m not entirely sure. It was all completely bizarre.’

Libby talks her through coming upon Phin on the top landing and walking across Albert Bridge to his stunning riverfront apartment in Battersea with its view directly across to the house. She tells Dido what she can remember of the story that Phin recounted to them on the terrace. And then she tells her about awaking this morning to find herself top to toe with Miller in a big double bed and Dido says, ‘Well, I could have told you that was going to happen.’

Libby looks at her askance. ‘What?’

‘You and Miller. You have a connection.’

‘We do not have a connection.’

‘You do have a connection. Trust me. I’m brilliant at this stuff. I’ve predicted three marriages from virtually before the couples had even met each other. Seriously.’

Libby waves this nonsense away. ‘We were drunk and rolled into bed with all our clothes on. Woke up this morning still with all our clothes on. Oh, and he has a tattoo and I do not like tattoos.’

‘I thought everyone liked tattoos these days.’

‘Yes, I’m sure they do, but I don’t.’

Her phone vibrates then and she picks it up. ‘Talk of the devil,’ she says, seeing Miller’s name flash up.

‘Hi!’

‘Listen,’ he begins urgently. ‘Something weird. I just opened up my file from last night, the recording of Phin’s story. It’s gone.’

‘Gone?’

‘Yes. It’s been deleted.’

‘Where are you?’

‘I’m in a café in Victoria. I was just about to start transcribing it and it’s not there.’

‘But – are you sure it was there? Maybe you hadn’t pressed record properly?’

‘I totally pressed record properly. I remember, last night, I checked it. I listened to it. It was there. I’d even given the file a name.’

‘So, you think …?’

‘It must have been Phin. Remember you said you thought you had your phone with you when you came to bed? Well, so did I. And my phone has a thumbprint recognition. I mean, he must have come into our room, when we were sleeping, and opened up my phone using my actual thumb, while I was sleeping. And taken your phone too. Then locked us in. And there’s more. I’ve googled him. Phin Thomsen. No trace of him anywhere on the internet. I googled the flat he’s living in. It’s an Airbnb. According to their booking system it’s been booked since the middle of June. Basically since …’

‘Since my birthday.’

‘Since your birthday.’ He sighs and runs his hand down his beard. ‘I have no clue who that guy is. But he is dodgy as fuck.’

‘The story,’ she says. ‘Can you remember the story? Enough to work out the truth.’

He pauses, briefly. ‘It’s hazy,’ he says. ‘I can remember most of it. But the bits towards the end are really …’

‘Me too,’ she says. ‘Really hazy. And I slept …’

‘Like a dead person,’ he finishes.

‘And all day I’ve felt …’

‘Really, really strange.’

‘Really strange,’ she agrees.

‘And I’m starting to think—’

‘Yes,’ she interjects, ‘me too. I think he drugged us. But why?’

‘That,’ says Miller, ‘I do not know. But you should check your phone. Do you have a passcode?’

‘Yes,’ she replies.

‘What is it?’

She sighs. Her shoulders slump. ‘It’s my birth date.’

‘Right,’ says Miller. ‘Well, check your phone for anything weird. He might have left something on it. Spyware or something.’

‘Spyware?’

‘God, hell knows. He’s odd. Everything about last night was odd. He broke into your house. He drugged us—’

‘Might have drugged us.’

‘Might have drugged us. At the very least he snuck into our room while we slept, used my fingerprint to access my phone, took your phone from your bag and then locked us in. I wouldn’t put anything past this guy.’

‘No,’ she says softly. ‘No, you’re right. I will. I’ll check it. I mean, he might even be listening to us now.’

‘Yes. He might. And, buddy, if you’re listening, we’re on to you, you creepy fuck.’ She hears him draw in his breath. ‘We should meet up again. Soon. I’ve been researching Birdie Dunlop-Evers. She’s got an interesting back story. And I think I might have found out more about the other guy who lived here: Justin, Birdie’s boyfriend. When are you free?’