I Am Watching You(45)

‘So what’s she like – Caroline?’

‘Caroline is very special.’ Lily cups her coffee in both hands. ‘Very special indeed. You’ll meet her later.’

‘And everyone is cool for me to stay?’

Lily smiles but says nothing. Sarah looks intently at her sister and decides enough is enough.

‘OK. So while I have you on your own, I really do need to talk to you about Dad, Lily. It’s why I came.’

Lily’s face changes instantly, not just turning pale but displaying an expression of something between dread and terrible exhaustion. She is very still suddenly. And then just as Lily draws breath to reply, a man appears in the doorway from the garden. Sarah had not noticed him walk across the lawn and is momentarily startled by the squeak of the door, almost spilling her drink.

‘Sorry. Sorry. I didn’t see you.’

‘My fault.’ The man has his hand outstretched as he walks across the room. It surprises Sarah. The formality of shaking hands. He is dressed like Lily. Like something from a past era. Peculiar baggy trousers in bright green, tied in tight at the ankle. Navy T-shirt.

‘You must be Saffron’s sister?’

‘Saffron?’ Sarah turns to Lily, tilting her head and raising her eyebrows.

‘We all get new names here.’ Lily is smiling at the interloper. ‘This is Moon.’

Crikey. So this is a cult? She notices that Moon is wearing the same brightly coloured bands around his wrists as Lily.

‘Well, it’s lovely to meet you, Moon, and it’s very good of you to let me stay, but I really need to talk to my sister in private, please.’

Sarah had imagined that this claim, this reference to family, would be enough, but no. The man moves even closer to Lily and rests his hand on the beads around her left wrist. He stares into Lily’s face as if reading some secret there.

‘We’ve talked about this, Saffron. It’s up to you now. You want me to stay? Yes?’

‘What do you mean you’ve talked about this?’ Sarah is nonplussed and puts the coffee mug down on a small table so that she can straighten up properly. ‘This is our business. Family business. This is my sister and I need to talk to her about something important. In private.’

Moon does not move. Is he Lily’s partner? Is that what this is?

Lily says nothing to help, her face still in anguish. It is Moon who finally speaks again.

‘Remember this is your choice, Saffron. Do you want to talk to Sarah?’ A long pause. ‘Or not?’





CHAPTER 28


THE PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR

‘Double espresso.’ Matthew is fishing for a five-pound note from his wallet as Melanie appears alongside him.

‘Double? You sure that’s a good idea, Matt?’

He turns to beam at her, genuinely delighted, and kisses her on the cheek enthusiastically, which makes her blush. He reddens, too.

‘And for you, Mel? Cake? Toasted teacake? My treat.’

‘I need to be good. Over-caffeinated.’ Melanie scans the tea display, opting for Earl Grey with lemon and declining cake. This does not deter Matthew, who orders a slice of carrot cake and selects seats in a quiet alcove.

To his surprise, Melanie then produces a gift from her small rucksack. Pink paper with white storks and pink ribbon.

‘Oh, Mel. You shouldn’t have. When did you have time to do this?’ He is a little shaken – so touched.

It’s her turn to beam now as she insists he opens it. Inside is the sweetest babygro and matching hat, in white with pale pink hearts.

‘It’s gorgeous. I’m very touched.’

‘So what’s it like, then? Fatherhood?’

He takes a deep breath. Melanie is the first person he has seen beyond immediate family. Beyond the bubble of the hospital.

‘Completely overwhelming. Sal was amazing but it was a slog.’ He tells her then very briefly, sparing her the gory details, of the C-section drama. The horror of waiting in the corridor for news. The fear. Then the joy. Then this bizarre limbo of not knowing quite how to be or what to do, with Sally stuck in hospital for days.

‘So that’s why you’re working? I thought it was odd.’

‘It’s this case. Got under my skin a bit, Mel. And now . . .’ He pauses as the waitress arrives with their drinks, waiting for her to return to the counter, out of earshot. As Matthew watches her retreat, he notices her strawberry-blonde hair and finds himself thinking of a baby-snatch case he worked on years back. The young mother had the same colour hair. Curly, too, just like the waitress. He remembers that when she was being interviewed about what had happened, she had to break away suddenly to vomit. He had felt compassion for her, watching her sitting there with her hands trembling, pale and terrified. But only now does he realise, with shame, that he was also a little impatient, needing to get on with his job. Only now does he even begin to understand . . .

Matthew looks across to find Melanie staring at him.

‘You OK, Matt?’

‘Sorry. Miles away. Still not sleeping. I’m spending the mornings and evenings at the hospital, and catching up with bits and bobs at home in between.’

‘And working.’

‘And working, yes. Trying to tie up a few things before they come home.’

‘Well, I hope you don’t bank on helping to tie up the Anna Ballard case in that mix, because there’s a lot of muck hitting a lot of fans right now.’