the tongs he’d been holding. He’d really hit his stride now. ‘Big tall fences mean Heidi can sunbathe naked, just as God made her.’
Everyone laughed and we relaxed, confident there would be no more questions about the fences, for this evening at least.
The truth of the matter was a little different. When the fences were low we could see over the sides to the neighbours’ gardens and their kids’ swing sets, slides and deflated footballs going mouldy in corners. And so, even though it meant that, when the sun moved round, it could get quite dark out there on the grass (so dark there was no way I would ever, ever get a tan), as soon as we could afford it we’d put ten-foot panels in and Jason had spent a day creosoting them.
An hour later and we were running low on glasses. I left Jason teasing Carla about Mark (‘Where did you find him? Studs.com?’) and went to get some more from the cupboard. I wasn’t gone long but when I stepped back outside I was met by the thump and splinter of human hitting wood. It sounded like someone had collided with our garden fence. Looking around, I saw Jason standing over Mark, horizontal in the flower bed. Jason’s fist was raised. Next to him was Carla, her face in her hands.
‘Jason?’ I looked around for help. ‘What happened?’
But everyone apart from Martin, who was already making his way over, remained where they were. After placing one hand on his shoulder, the detective used his other hand to ease Jason’s fist back to his side.
‘I – he – I …’ struggled Jason as Martin guided him away from the scene.
Mark went to stand up, but his navy suit jacket had caught on the bush prickles he’d fallen on and so he was left to scrabble around in the dirt alone. Martin returned and tried to help. Seeing this, Jason ran back to where Mark lay and leant in so close to Mark’s face that, when he next spoke, he speckled it with spit.
‘You sneaky lying fuck!’ shouted Jason. ‘How dare you lie your way into our house and start asking questions like that, saying things like that.’ He turned to face the rest of us. ‘He’s a bloody journalist.’
Martin had been in the middle of helping Mark up to standing but, on hearing this revelation, he let go and Mark fell back into the shrubbery.
‘Oh fuck,’ said Carla. Grabbing a half-open bottle of vodka from the picnic table, she retreated to the bottom of the garden.
Jason, meanwhile, began to pace up and down the decking.
My first instinct was to go and comfort him but I knew that, before I could, I needed to get Mark out of the house, otherwise Jason was liable to take another swing at his face.
Taking one arm each, Martin and I lifted Mark up to standing. Upright, he smoothed back his black hair, unperturbed. I realised this probably wasn’t the first time this had happened.
As we escorted him through the kitchen to the hall, he slowed down to look again at the pictures of Barney and Lauren on the walls.
‘Don’t you dare look at our children,’ I said, opening the front door and pushing him over the threshold.
After telling Martin that I had it from here, I went to close the door, but Mark put out his hand, blocking the way.
‘Do you believe them? Jason and Vicky. What they said happened that day?’
‘Don’t start with that rubbish.’ I knew he was baiting me, but I couldn’t help but respond. ‘Of course I believe them.’
He pushed the front door back open a little wider.
‘It’s just certain things.’ He paused. ‘Certain details about that day and the days after. They don’t add up.’
‘I think it’s time for you to leave.’
He wedged his foot in between the door and the doorframe.
‘I want Jason to find Barney,’ he said, trying a change of tack. He put his hand on his heart. ‘I could help with that. If the pair of you were to give me an interview, something that shows the …’ – he chose his next word carefully – ‘unique nature of your marriage, then I could do a big piece, something that would make people sit up and take notice.’
I crossed my arms.
‘You could?’
Mistaking my response for enthusiasm, Mark continued with his spiel.
‘Absolutely, people are so interested in the unusual bond you two must have.’