The Vow - Debbie Howells Page 0,54

would, wouldn’t she? If you were her, wouldn’t you hate it being public knowledge that your world was falling apart?’

‘It’s clear there had been other women.’ She paused again, thinking. ‘Can I ask you another question?’ Her eyes bored into me. ‘How much do you know about Matt’s past?’

I shrugged. ‘He often talked about Amy. There was a lot to talk about. Before her, he was with a woman called Mandy. Before that …’ I felt a frown cross my face as I realised, there was stuff I didn’t know, but whenever we’d seen each other, caught up in the moment, there’d never seemed to be enough time. ‘We’d only just started. I suppose it takes time to get around to all these things,’ I said at last. ‘But I honestly don’t think he was hiding anything.’

‘You can’t be sure, though.’

My eyes swivelled to meet hers. It was impossible to answer, but I’d become more adept than most at reading liars. ‘Of course not. But because of my job, I’m a fairly astute judge of character and to the best of my knowledge, he was straight with me. There’s another possibility you seem to be missing.’ I paused briefly. ‘Maybe Ms Reid isn’t what she makes herself out to be.’

PC Page’s frown sharpened. ‘What do you mean?’

‘Well.’ I shrugged. ‘You’re saying that Matt was adept at deceiving people – which I have to say is a side of him I’m unfamiliar with. Isn’t it equally possible that Amy – Ms Reid – is just as adept? I’m a divorce lawyer. I’ve seen people stoop to all kinds of tactics to get what they want.’ When she didn’t comment, I went on. ‘Have you considered that maybe she knew Matt was seeing me? That when he told her he was leaving, she lost it with him? Maybe she killed him – even by accident. Playing the helpless victim means everyone will think she’s the last person in the world capable of hurting him.’ Speculating, I had no way of knowing these words would come back to haunt me.

‘There’s a problem with your theory.’ PC Page’s voice was quiet. ‘And that’s proof. Because there is none. Whatever’s been going on between Amy and Matt, there’s absolutely nothing to suggest that she’s a killer.’

I hesitated. ‘The most unlikely person can have a past.’ The police needed to consider that Amy wasn’t the innocent victim she portrayed herself to be.

Her eyes were fixed me. ‘What are you suggesting?’

I held her gaze for a moment, then shrugged. ‘Nothing in particular.’

‘Right now, it’s Mr Roche we’re more concerned about.’ But as she got up, I could see her thinking about what I’d said.

After she’d left, seeds of doubt had taken root. It was impossible to know what to believe. From a lawyer’s viewpoint, both Matt and Amy were equally plausible and implausible. If it wasn’t for the fact that I knew Matt and trusted him, it would be difficult to call.

I think of another time Matt was talking about Amy. He’d never actually shown me a photo of her. Of course, I’d seen her face flash up on his phone by then, but I couldn’t tell him I’d recognised her.

I kept my voice casual. ‘I still don’t know what Amy looks like. Do you have a photo of her?’

Silently he unlocked his phone, then scrolled through his photos. ‘Here.’ He passed it to me.

Her looks contradicted everything Matt had said about her. On the screen, Amy’s face looked back at me, her fair hair glinting in the sun, no hint of instability in her eyes. Instead, she looked calm, striking, composed, self-possessed. I hand the phone back, hating that I can’t tell him what I know about her. How he doesn’t know that all this time, Amy’s been hiding something from him.

Amy

Chapter Twenty-One

In the back of the police car, I’m in a state of shock until slowly, I start to rationalise what’s happening. I’ve been arrested in connection with Matt’s disappearance. It can only mean they’ve found evidence linking it to me – but what? As the police car drives towards Brighton, I’m numb, the roads and hills I know so well suddenly unfamiliar, my landscape changed forever, as I confront the fact that somehow the police think I’m responsible.

Gazing outside, a feeling of dread hovers over me. Anger too – not just with Matt, but with the police for wrongfully arresting me. But my overwhelming emotion is fear. What if no-one believes me? ‘I need