The Therapist(74)

Thomas frowns. ‘What do you mean, prowling around the house? I thought you said he wasn’t living here.’

I give a dry laugh. ‘Exactly.’

‘I’m not sure I understand.’

‘Just that there have been a few nights when I’ve thought there was someone in the room, watching me. It was pretty terrifying the first couple of times but as nothing ever happened, I managed to convince myself that there wasn’t anyone there, that it was Nina’s spirit I could sense.’ My cheeks grow hot. ‘I know that sounds stupid but after my sister died, I used to sense her presence, especially at night, so it was easy to convince myself I was experiencing the same sort of thing. As I said, nothing ever happened and there was never any trace of anyone having been here, so I was fine with it. But then, the other day, Eve told me that before Nina died, there were a couple of occasions when she’d also thought there was someone in the house. Which kind of smashes my spirit theory.’

‘But why would Leo do that?’

‘To scare me into leaving the house.’

‘But, as it’s his house, he would have been entitled to ask you to leave.’

‘Yes – but maybe he wanted it to come from me, so that people in The Circle would think I was leaving because I was too scared to stay in the house, not because he was kicking me out. Everyone knows he didn’t tell me about Nina. He needs to redeem himself if he’s going to carry on living here.’

‘But if Nina experienced the same thing, it must be someone else doing the prowling.’ Thomas sounds perplexed. ‘Who else has keys to your house?’

‘No-one, as far as I know.’

‘Are you sure about that? It’s quite usual to give keys to neighbours, in case of emergencies. My neighbour has a set.’

‘Leo never said that he’d given anyone keys but I can always ask him.’

‘Did you ask him about the prowling?’

‘No, I forgot, probably because it didn’t seem important compared to his other lie. But I asked him about the hair. I told him it was pathetic and he said he didn’t do it so that I would like it. It makes me wonder if I ever really knew him.’ I give him a rueful smile. ‘Can we change the subject?’

By the time he leaves an hour later, I feel we’re finally friends. I know he feels it too. As we stand at the door, saying goodbye, I don’t think either of us wants the afternoon to end.

‘Are you sure you still want to be involved in all this?’ he asks, locking me with his eyes so that I can’t look away.

‘If Oliver didn’t kill Nina, I want her killer brought to justice.’

‘No matter who it is?’ he says softly.

I think of the people here in The Circle, some of who I consider friends. But then I think of Nina, of how she died and how she must have suffered. And of my sister, who didn’t get justice for her death.

‘No matter who it is,’ I reply firmly.





Thirty-Seven


Before going back to the hotel, I call Leo. He’s still at work but I’m no longer worried about disturbing him.

‘Apart from you and me,’ I ask, plunging straight in, ‘does anyone have keys to our house?’

‘Why – is there a problem? Have you locked yourself out? I can come over.’

‘No, it’s not that.’ I take a steadying breath. ‘I’m going to ask you something and I’d like an honest answer. Have you been letting yourself into the house at night?’

‘Sorry?’

‘It’s a simple question, Leo. Have you been letting yourself into the house at night and creeping around, trying to scare me?’

‘It’s also a bizarre one. Why would I do that?’

‘To get me to leave the house.’

‘You really think that’s something I’d do?’ His voice is low and I remember that he’s at work. ‘Anyway, I’m in Birmingham most of the time, remember?’

‘But not all of the time.’

‘Can you hold on a moment?’ I hear him say something to someone about needing to take a couple of minutes and then he’s back. ‘Look, I might be dishonest but I’m not a psychopath.’

‘Really? What about the hair?’

‘What hair?’

‘The ponytail in the wardrobe.’

‘I have no idea what you’re talking about.’

‘Come on, Leo, you admitted it!’

‘Admitted what?’

I can’t keep hold of my anger. I’m tired, so tired of his lies.

‘Hiding hair in the wardrobe and spreading it around the house to make me think that it’s Nina’s!’

There’s a long pause. ‘Alice. You’re beginning to worry me. I honestly have no idea what you’re talking about.’

The calmness of his voice infuriates me further. ‘I messaged you! I told you the hair was pathetic and you said you didn’t do it so that I would like it!’

‘Yes, the shorter hair, my beard. It wasn’t for you, I wasn’t trying to impress you or anything. I just didn’t shave for a few days and liked it, so thought I’d carry on letting it grow.’ There’s a pause. ‘Can we rewind? To the part where you accused me of creeping around the house?’