The Vow - Debbie Howells Page 0,58

later discovered not to be true, wasn’t it?’

PC Page leans forward. ‘For the record, David Avery, Mr Roche’s boss, said there was no American client. Amy knows this.’

I swallow, remembering how alien the call had seemed. ‘At the time I had no reason not to believe him.’ I stare at him, then at PC Page, because it’s true. ‘No-one’s proved he didn’t,’ I object. ‘It’s still possible there’s a client nobody knew about.’

‘According to our notes, he went for a drink with a work colleague, then spent the rest of the evening with the other woman who reported him missing. It checks out – we’ve spoken to the colleague who confirms he went to a bar with Matt. And a cab driver has also confirmed driving Matt to the woman’s address. You are aware of this?’

I shake my head. ‘I didn’t know you’d spoken to Matt’s colleague.’ But I know about the cab driver. Humiliated by his reminder, I fall silent.

‘It’s a pity your neighbour isn’t alive.’ The DI sits back. ‘She might have been able to vouch for your whereabouts.’

I nod. ‘She would have confirmed what I’ve told you.’ I often used to see her face behind unwashed windows. Then my skin prickles as I realise I’ve played right into his hands. What if he thinks Mrs Guthrie was murdered? That I had something to do with it? Suddenly nauseous, I’m desperate for the glass of water on the table in front of me, but I’m terrified they’ll see my shaking hands. ‘If she could actually see,’ I add bleakly. ‘Her eyesight wasn’t good.’

‘But she could have seen well enough to notice if your car was there or not.’ The DI doesn’t give up. ‘She noticed a van, didn’t she? Quite probably the one that delivered the flowers?’

I nod. ‘Yes.’

There’s an uneasy silence before he changes the subject. ‘So, the last morning you saw Mr Roche, what did you do after you spoke to him?’

‘Apart from making a sandwich for lunch, I was in my workshop most of the day.’

‘Can anyone vouch for this?’

I shake my head. ‘I didn’t see anyone – though my neighbours might have noticed my car parked at home.’

‘Can you tell us who your clients in Brighton are?’

‘Serenity – it’s a business in the Lanes.’ I watch as PC Page notes it down. ‘And Davina Osborne – she works from her home.’ I give her Davina’s address. ‘Both have known me for years. They’ll be able to tell you what kind of a person I am.’

He glances at the notes on the table in front of him. ‘We have the names of two of your friends – Lara Carmichael and Catherine Bowers. Is that correct?’

‘Lara was our wedding planner – Matt had known her for years.’ I break off, not sure whether to mention how, in different ways, both of them had let me down. At least Cath is on her way to Jess. At the thought of Jess, tears prick my eyes. Summoning my strength, I pull myself together. ‘Cath is my oldest friend.’ My voice wavers.

‘We’ve spoken to Lara Carmichael before. She said that your behaviour had become quite unstable, a fact that Mr Roche had also mentioned to her. Latterly, she said you accused her of having an affair with him. Is that correct?’

It’s what I’d dreaded her saying. Leaning forward, I rest my head in my hands.

‘Ms Reid?’

I look up. ‘It’s true. I’d just discovered that she and Matt had a fling a while ago – something both of them had hidden from me.’

‘Long before the two of you were together, according to Ms Carmichael.’ DI Lacey’s voice is sharp. ‘From which you made the assumption that it must have been her who was the other woman now in his life.’

‘After she’d gone, I realised, I’d completely overreacted. It came on the back of Cath telling me that there was an occasion Matt came on to her. I was upset that she’d never told me. Then I found out about Matt and Lara … I wasn’t thinking straight, but my life has been turned upside down.’ I break off. ‘All I want is answers, but there aren’t any. You must understand why I’d be upset?’

‘From what Ms Carmichael said, your reaction was somewhat excessive.’ The DI stares at me. ‘It sounds like you were having trouble accepting what Mr Roche had done.’

‘Maybe I was,’ I say bitterly. ‘Our wedding was a couple of weeks away when he disappeared. I thought we