and out walks Chloe, a girl about sixteen years of age with a shy demeanour. She stands behind the basin with a towel in her hand. I take that as my cue to sit down. Closing my eyes, I let the hot water caress my head. I haven’t been pampered in a long time, I’m going to enjoy this.
My head is wrapped in a towel. In front of me, in the mirror, I see the face of a woman who looks tired: black shadows below my eyes, dry skin, signs of ageing presenting as fine lines on my forehead. I remind myself I’ve just had a baby. I’m bound to look tired. But I’m also aware of the worry lodged in my mind. Stress and skin are not friends.
‘Hi, my name is Rachel.’ The young stylist has finished with the girl who found me very interesting, and is now standing over me. She asks me how I like my hair blow-dried and plugs in a hairdryer. The older woman to my left is reading a magazine. How am I going to get talking to anyone?
Ten minutes later, Georgina walks over to Rachel, telling her there’s a call for her. Georgina immediately explains she would not have interrupted Rachel’s work only her mother is very sick in hospital. I tell her it’s not a problem, that I’m enjoying my time here, and I smile. The lady on my left turns her head from the magazine she’s reading.
‘You’re Conor’s wife, pleased to meet you. I’m Iris.’ She holds out her hand and I take it. ‘My husband works with Conor, worked with his father too.’
‘Oh.’ I say, not quite knowing what to say next.
‘Yes,’ she continues, ‘forty-eight years, he’ll be retiring soon.’
‘That will be nice for you.’
‘We’ll see.’ She giggles.
Now is my chance to bring up the subject. ‘Did you know Vicky?’
Iris swings her seat to face me, her expression turned to one of both sadness and interest.
‘I don’t know who could do a thing like that, a young harmless woman, doing her best in life. Everyone loved Vicky, you know. Did you ever meet her?’
‘I did, just a few times.’
Behind me, Georgina arrives to apologise that Rachel hasn’t returned yet and I comment on how I’m in no rush, happy to be getting a break from the house. Iris looks up to direct her next question at Georgina.
‘We were just talking about Vicky’s murder. Do they have anyone for it yet?’
Resting her hand on the back of my seat, Georgina says, ‘Not that I’ve heard.’
‘It must have been an outsider passing through,’ I say.
Georgina huffs before saying. ‘I wouldn’t bet on it.’
In the mirror I see Georgina’s face, excited at the chance to gossip. I will not disappoint her.
‘You don’t believe that, then?’
‘Not for one minute.’
‘Why?’
‘She was in here only days before it happened, getting her highlights done. Vicky liked to get her highlights done every other month.’
Iris has her mouth open, her eyes glued to Georgina’s lips. ‘Did she say something?’ she says to Georgina.
‘She didn’t have to. I knew something was up; there was something edgy about her, something different. I asked her was she okay and she just nodded a yes.’
‘Sure that could have been anything,’ Iris says.
‘Of course it could,’ Georgina says. ‘But now she’s dead.’
Listening intently, I decide to join in. ‘So you think she might have been in trouble?’
‘Don’t think it, I know it: something was going on.’
In the mirror I notice Rachel walking back to us. Apologising, she lifts the dryer in her hand and switches it on just as Georgina says, ‘I’d be willing to bet it was no outsider. Whoever killed Vicky knew her.’ Walking away, Georgina raises her voice so I can hear over the noise. ‘Probably some big shot who thinks he can get away with murder.’
My heart stops. Was she directing that comment at me?
* * *
Outside the door, I get into my car. With my new shiny hair and racing heart I take my phone from my pocket.
Amanda answers after one ring. Immediately she starts apologising for saying what she said the previous night about something happening to Shay. I tell her not to worry about it and fill her in on what Georgina said, and how I felt she was directing the big shot comment at me.
Amanda doesn’t say anything at first, which makes me nervous. What is she thinking? Is she thinking that Conor is definitely a local? And a big shot? Am I thinking that?