‘Thank you,’ Tully said. ‘That would be a great help.’

She couldn’t wait to tell Dr Shearer.

41

RACHEL

Rachel stood on her father’s doorstep holding a box of red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. She knew Dad wouldn’t be home; he always cycled on Saturday afternoons. That was why she’d chosen this time.

Heather looked surprised when she answered the door.

‘Oh,’ she said. ‘Hi, Rachel.’

‘I brought cupcakes,’ she said brightly, opening the box. ‘To celebrate you setting the wedding date.’

Heather was wearing jeans with a hoodie that belonged to Dad and she looked tired, as if she’d just woken up. ‘That’s very sweet of you, but your dad isn’t home. He’s gone cycling.’

‘That’s okay,’ Rachel said. ‘You and I can hang out.’

‘Oh,’ Heather said. ‘All right. Well . . . why don’t you come on in.’

Rachel followed Heather into the kitchen and took a seat at the counter. The place was immaculately clean, apart from a half-drunk bottle of wine on the counter, probably from the night before.

‘Cup of tea?’ Heather said.

‘That would be lovely,’ Rachel replied.

Heather wandered around the kitchen, opening two cupboards before finding the correct one. There was definitely something off about her. She rubbed her stomach absently while she waited for the kettle to boil.

‘Are you feeling all right?’ Rachel asked.

‘Fine,’ Heather said. She got out the teabags. ‘Regular tea or herbal?’

‘Regular,’ Rachel said. ‘With a splash of milk. Have you done any wedding planning?’

Heather looked up, pausing from the tea-making for a second. She seemed apologetic. ‘Listen, I’m sorry about how we announced setting the date. It must have seemed very insensitive, us bringing it up straight after the auction.’

‘You didn’t bring it up,’ Rachel said. ‘It was Dad.’

‘Well, yes.’ She smiled. ‘But I did tell him it wasn’t the best idea.’

Rachel feigned a grimace. ‘I bet he didn’t like that. He doesn’t like to be told, does he?’

Heather looked uncertain. ‘Well . . .’

‘I imagine he was pretty angry about what Mum said at Miles’s party too. About making his life hell?’

Heather put the teabags in the mugs. ‘That was a bit weird, wasn’t it?’

‘I thought so. And it’s not the first time Mum’s said it, either. She keeps saying things like that – about Dad hurting her.’

‘Really?’

Rachel nodded. ‘I mean, she’s not in her right mind, clearly. I would totally discount it, if not for . . .’ Rachel trailed off.

Heather was watching her intently now. ‘If not for what?’

‘If not for the hot-water bottle.’

The kettle boiled but Heather ignored it. ‘The hot-water bottle?’

‘Didn’t Dad tell you? I found a hot-water bottle stuffed with cash in with Mum’s things. Nearly a hundred grand! No one knows where she got it. If she had been putting it away, she must have saved for ages.’

‘She stashed a hundred thousand dollars in a hot-water bottle?’

‘I know, right? I’ve been scratching my head over it. But then, after Miles’s party, I wondered . . .’ Rachel trailed off again.