‘You really think they’ll want to talk to us?’ Shirley looked down at her large feet.

‘I’m sure of it.’

‘But we’re just a book club.’

‘We were the last people who may have seen her alive. Apart from her killer, that is.’ Janet sniffed. Hay fever often troubled her. ‘What do you think will happen to the book club now?’

‘I dunno.’ Shirley shrugged and wrapped her arms around herself as if she was cold.

‘It won’t be the same without Toni.’

‘That’s true. Maybe it will be better.’ Shirley’s words were filled with venom.

‘Don’t let the police catch you saying things like that,’ Janet warned.

‘You’ve got a point.’

Janet ran her hand through her thin, greasy hair and pulled it back into a ponytail. ‘I was thinking, you know, just to make life easier, we could say that we were together after the book club.’

‘OK,’ Shirley agreed, without hesitation.

‘You know, we don’t want the police wasting their time by looking into us. That’s all.’

‘Good idea.’ Shirley smiled. ‘You’re so thoughtful.’

‘I’d do anything for you. You know that. No point wasting time on us middle-aged women.’ Janet grinned.

‘Less of the middle-aged, please!’ Shirley nudged her friend in the arm and both women laughed.

‘Do you want to come over to my place tonight? The chip van will be just down the road, I could get us some dinner.’

‘Nah, not tonight. Can’t. Got to get back.’ Shirley checked her Fitbit, which was meant to encourage her to exercise but had achieved no such thing.

‘Another time then.’ Janet couldn’t hide her disappointment. ‘A quiet night in for me.’

‘Where’s Dean?’ Shirley enquired after Janet’s teenage son.

‘He’s always out these days.’

‘How old is he now?’

‘Nineteen.’ Janet grimaced.

‘I forget how grown up he is.’

‘Not grown up enough to do his own washing, or take the bins out.’ She rolled her eyes.

‘You should find yourself a nice man,’ Shirley encouraged, ‘maybe join a dating site or something?’

‘No,’ Janet said as she wriggled on the bench, ‘it’s not really me.’

‘I’m not saying you’re lonely or anything,’ Shirley backtracked.

‘I know. I don’t need anyone else though. I have you.’ She rested her head on Shirley’s round shoulder.

‘Well, you know I’m always here.’ Shirley patted her friend’s head and then got up. ‘Right. Time for me to go. Call, text or message me on Facebook later, if you like.’

‘I’ll do that.’ Janet appeared very small, sitting on the bench alone.

‘Alright, sweets. Speak soon.’ Shirley waved over her shoulder and removed the car keys from her shorts pocket.

Janet watched as the distance between their bodies grew, and she felt utterly alone.

9

6.30pm 23 June