herself Jeanette? Whose are the two children that live in that house? They’re yours and Flora’s, aren’t they? So why are they living with Kevin Cater? I’ve seen them, Lewis. I know you’re their father.’
‘Are you lonely, Beth?’
‘No. I’m not lonely at all.’
‘Are you fulfilled?’
‘What do you mean?’
‘You’ve flown all the way from England to sit in my office and fire strange accusations at me. They do sound like accusations, whether that’s your intention or not – as if you’re a TV detective trying to crack a case. Which casts me in the role of “villain you’ve exposed, about to be locked up at Her Majesty’s pleasure”. In fact, I’m someone who’s done nothing wrong and who used to be your friend. Whose third child died tragically many years ago, and who didn’t and doesn’t want to talk about that with someone he’s no longer close to. There’s nothing in my life that justifies a manic interrogation, so … this has to be about whatever’s going on with you. I’m wondering if you’re okay.’
I decide to try a new tactic. ‘Tell me the truth, Lewis. I don’t much care what it is. All I want is to know. People are trying to tell me I didn’t see something I know I saw, and I’ve had enough. At least confirm that it was Flora I saw, even if you won’t tell me anything else.’
A flicker of impatience passes across his face. ‘Beth, I can take you to Flora right now if you like.’
‘She might be in Florida now, but she wasn’t the two times I saw her.’
‘Yes, she was.’ Lewis raises one hand, finger pointed upwards. ‘I’ve thought of a solution.
Can you tell me the exact dates and times of your alleged Flora sightings? There’s rarely a day that she doesn’t see someone – her friends, charity committee ladies, tennis club people. I can probably track down whoever she was with when you claim to have seen her in the UK.’
‘To provide an alibi, you mean?’ An extremely well-paid one, no doubt. ‘I’m sure you could, but why would you? If you’re telling the truth and nothing dodgy’s going on, why would you indulge my irrational obsession?’
‘The very question I’m asking myself at the moment.’ Lewis smiles again. ‘Because you were once a good friend, I guess. As for something dodgy … even if Flora was in the UK, which she wasn’t, how is that dodgy? She has a passport. She’s allowed to travel.’
‘The two children living at 16 Wyddial Lane are called Thomas and Emily.’
Lewis laughs. ‘Yeah, right. Of course they are.’
‘I heard Flora call them by those names. They look identical to …’ I point at the photo on his desk. ‘To they way they looked at the same age. That’s how I know they’re yours.’
‘Wait, wait …’ For the first time since I arrived, he looks as if he doesn’t know exactly what to say next. ‘Beth, I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but … do you realise how unwell you sound?’
‘I might sound that way to someone else, who knew nothing, but it’s not how I sound to you. To you, I sound like someone who knows a bit too much. Whereas to me, I sound like someone who knows too little.’
‘This is verging on pathological now,’ he says.
‘We could easily sort it out once and for all.’
‘How?’
‘Take me to see Thomas and Emily. If they tell me Flora lives with you all and hasn’t been in England recently, I might believe them.’
‘You know what?’ He sounds angry. Finally. ‘I’m not going to do that. I’m not going to introduce my kids to someone displaying pathologically obsessive behaviour. Even if she is an old friend.’
‘All right. Never mind. They’d probably lie for you anyway if you paid them enough. If mine are anything to go by, teenagers are generally bribe-able.’
‘Are you listening to yourself? Can you hear how you sound?’
‘Who’s Chimpy?’
‘Chimpy?’ I see a flash of what looks like genuine confusion. ‘I have no idea who Chimpy is. Who is it?’
‘I don’t know. I think you do, though.’ As I say it, I’m aware that it doesn’t feel true.
He doesn’t know. Everything else I’ve said, even if he wasn’t expecting it, he knew it might come up. But not this. Not Chimpy.
‘What’s happened to you, Beth? Hearing you say these things … it makes me ashamed for you. How have you become this? I can withstand any attack you want to launch at me, but it