Chapters (67)
- Cover
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Forty-Nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-One
- Fifty-Two
- Fifty-Three
- Fifty-Four
- Fifty-Five
- Fifty-Six
- Fifty-Seven
- Fifty-Eight
- Fifty-Nine
- Sixty
- Sixty-One
- Sixty-Two
- Sixty-Three
- Sixty-Four
- Sixty-Five
- Sixty-Six
The doctor nodded. ‘I’m so very sorry. If I could have done anything else for her . . . Please stay with her, there’s no hurry, you can sit as long as you want to.’
She looked again at the bed and then turned away, knowing that she did not need to stay now. Olivia was no longer there.
Forty-One
‘I’m really sorry but I can’t face that relatives’ room again.’
Serrailler had his hand on the door but dropped it. ‘OK, I understand.’
Jeff was leaning against the wall, his face white, shaking his head.
‘I’ll take you both home and you can collect your car tomorrow, Mr Tonks, you shouldn’t drive tonight. I have to ask you a couple of questions – we can do it there or I can come back tomorrow morning.’
‘I don’t . . .’
‘Jeff doesn’t . . . we’re divorced. He lives in Bevham.’
‘I’ll come back with you, Greta.’
‘What about . . . you should be with your family now, Jeff.’
‘I’ll come with you.’
Greta’s head was clear, as if it had been rinsed through with cool water, she was calm, she could make decisions, she could deal with everything. Jeff was the wreck. Jeff was no use to her. Best get it over with.
‘Shall we go then?’
Greta moved past Serrailler, to get out of the room, leave the hospital. She turned away from the thought that it was also away from Olivia.
At the house, she walked through the hall quickly, looking at the floor, only the floor. The kitchen was just as she’d left it.
‘Can I get you something to drink?’
‘Water will be fine.’ Simon sat down while Greta filled a glass, made two cups of tea. Jeff stared at the kitchen tiles, head down, saying nothing, trembling. Greta wanted to slap his face, tell him to pull himself together and get home to face his responsibilities, tell him he’d made his bed and he shouldn’t let anyone else down.
‘I’m recording this on my phone because it’s quicker and it’s accurate, but I’ll play it back to you when we’ve finished so that you can add or correct anything you’ve said. There’s no rush.’
‘Start,’ Jeff blurted out, speaking to the floor. ‘Get on with it.’
Greta looked at Serrailler to apologise, as he switched on.
‘Mrs Tonks . . . I know what happened when you found Olivia and afterwards, but it’s before that I would like you to try and remember.’
‘I remember everything.’
‘When did you last see and speak to your daughter?’
‘This morning . . . eight o’clock ish.’
‘And were things all right between you?’
‘We didn’t have any argument, if that’s what you mean. Things were – normal. Yes. Just normal.’