My head is killing me and my limbs feel heavy and weak. I wonder if I’m coming down with something. I feel quite rough. What I need is a good night’s sleep. I climb into bed and from my bedside drawer fish out a packet of Paracetamol. I pop two from the foil-backed sheet. Hopefully, when I wake up in the morning, my thick head will have cleared and I can start the day fresh.
It feels as if I’ve only been asleep for an hour or two, but I’m woken by my alarm clock buzzing, sounding like a swarm of bees tapping out Morse code. I’m usually up long before it goes off and had almost forgotten what it sounded like. I reach over and silence the buzzing. It doesn’t look as if Luke slept in the bed last night. I sigh as I think back to yesterday and for the umpteenth time wonder how it has all got to this. How my life seems to be unravelling and there’s nothing I can do to stop it.
I shower and dress and make my way downstairs. Mum, Alice, Luke and the girls are all there. We exchange muted good mornings and I take my seat at the table. ‘School swimming today,’ I say to Hannah with a smile, trying to sound cheery for her benefit.
‘I’ve got all her stuff sorted,’ says Luke in a tone that says not to interfere and not to enter into any sort of dialogue with him.
The sound of the doorbell ringing and someone hammering on the door-knocker breaks through the uneasy silence that has descended.
‘Who on earth can that be at this time in the morning?’ says Mum to no one in particular.
‘I’ll go,’ says Luke. We listen to the sound of voices as Luke speaks to whoever it is. Then the door closes and Luke appears in the kitchen, followed by two police officers. One male. One female.
The female officer speaks. ‘Mrs Tennison? Clare Tennison?’
‘Yes,’ I say. A hundred thoughts zoom through my mind as to what they want. This early in the morning can only mean one thing. Bad news. I look at Luke and I don’t think I’ve ever seen such disappointment in his eyes
Chapter 18
I look bewildered at the police officers. I’ve seen enough police officers in my time to know that this is not a friendly visit. I glance at the children.
Chloe is smiling away. ‘Hello, Policeman and Police lady. Ne-nah-ne-nah.’ The female officer gives a small smile in my daughter’s direction.
I look at Hannah and her eyes are full of fear. She shrinks back in her seat and I’m suddenly protective of her. The poor lamb obviously thinks she’s done something wrong. Probably thinking about yesterday and what happened to Daisy.
I stand up. ‘Can we go into the living room, please?’ I say, giving a little nod in Hannah’s direction. Fortunately, the police officers pick up on this subtlety. I smooth Hannah’s hair and drop a kiss on her head. ‘Don’t worry, darling. Mummy just needs to chat to these police officers about work.’ Hannah looks unconvinced.
We go into the living room and Luke follows. I hope he’s there for moral support rather than to gloat over whatever is going on. His eyes are dark and he stands beside me in front of the bay window. None of us sit.
‘What can I help you with?’ I say, my professional voice creeping in. ‘And what did you say your names were?’
‘I’m PC Evans and this is my colleague, PC Doyle,’ says the female officer. ‘And you are, sir?’ She looks towards Luke.
‘Luke Tennison. Clare’s husband.’
Evans gives a nod of acknowledgment and then turns her attention back to me. ‘Can you tell us where you were last night between the hours of eleven-thirty p.m. and six-forty-five this morning?’
‘Can you tell me in what connection?’ I ask. I’m already a step ahead. They wouldn’t be asking me this question if they thought I was some innocent bystander to whatever has happened. I’m clearly a suspect.
‘There’s been a report of some damage to a vehicle,’ says Evans.
‘And why are you asking me about it?’
‘Clare’s a solicitor,’ explains Luke.
I watch the two officers exchange a look before Evans carries on. She adjusts her weight from one foot to the other. ‘I believe you know a Mrs Pippa Stent of Mulberry House, Church Lane, Little Dray.’
‘Yes,’ I say, alarm bells ringing a little louder in my head. Has Pippa put in an official complaint about the park incident? I quickly dismiss that notion as it wouldn’t warrant this early-morning greeting. Besides, I can’t be arrested for forgetting to pick the girls up.
‘Mrs Stent’s car suffered some damage at some point last night. Intentional damage.’
‘And you think I did it?’ I snort. ‘Why on earth would I do something like that?’
‘We understand that you and Mrs Stent had a disagreement yesterday.’
‘She reported me? She thinks I did whatever it is that’s happened?’
‘We have several lines of enquiry and this is just one of them,’ says Evans.
‘What exactly has happened to Pippa’s car?’ asks Luke.
‘It has suffered a dent to the rear, consistent with the impact of another car reversing into it with a tow bar. There’s also graffiti on it.’ Evans fixes me with a look that I’d give one of the children if I thought they needed to own up to something.
‘What sort of graffiti?’ asks Luke.