Maybe it was you, she signed, taking a step closer to me. You look at him like he’s shit on your shoe, maybe you wanted him out of your life for good.

I rolled my eyes, shaking my head before I interpreted her rant for Singh.

‘Miss Northwood has an alibi, because she was with the police when he was attacked, several miles from here,’ he said drily. ‘When you came over to the residence, did you see anyone else?’

Jess stared at me for a moment before answering. No, nobody. Sasha and the students are over in the main building, having lunch.

‘Okay, thank you. I think perhaps you should go now.’

She walked away, throwing a glance back over her shoulder at me.

‘What was that about?’ I asked, genuinely confused as to why she’d decide to cast the blame on me.

‘With Steve dead, maybe she was looking for another man to do her bidding, and she didn’t like it when she found out Mike was pining for you, not her.’ Singh watched me carefully as he spoke.

‘Don’t say it like that,’ I replied. ‘He doesn’t miss me, he misses the way he was able to manipulate me. And that was an old version of me. He’s not going to get back under my skin now.’

‘Sorry,’ he said, and he did look genuinely apologetic.

‘You’re forgiven,’ I said with a wry smile. ‘Is he going to be okay, though?’

I couldn’t stand Mike for the way he’d treated me, but that didn’t mean I wanted him to die. Even though I wasn’t upset in the way Jess was, I didn’t wish him ill. I just wished I’d never met him, or had seen through him much earlier in our relationship.

‘The paramedics seemed to think it wasn’t serious, but obviously they’re taking him to hospital to have him checked over. He seemed very disorientated when I tried to speak to him.’

‘Was it the same person?’ I asked, echoing Jess’s earlier question.

Singh sighed. ‘I can’t answer that, but it looks the same. Stabbing with a sharp implement. There was a kitchen knife lying on the floor next to where the paramedics found him, they said, which I assume was the weapon used. The murderer must have dropped it when they ran off.’

‘You think they were interrupted?’

He nodded. ‘Otherwise why didn’t they finish the job? Jess might have saved Mike’s life.’

Or maybe she was nearly caught in the act, I thought, but didn’t voice it. Even though Singh knew my history with Mike, I didn’t want to come across as the jealous ex blaming another ex.