The Whole Truth by Hunter, Cara (ebook reader with internet browser .TXT) 📗

Caller: I don’t know – not that I can see. They were right there, on the corner, but they’re not there now and I can’t see where they went. Sorry – I didn’t mean to waste your time.

Call handler: No, that’s absolutely fine. It’s what we’re here for. Could you just hold the line a moment, please, so I can take your details.

Baxter presses pause and there’s an audible release of breath. Because even if the caller didn’t give the exact address, they all know who she was talking about.

Caleb Morgan and Freya Hughes.

Ev looks around, her eyes wide. ‘I was at her place less than an hour ago, asking about that night, and she never said a bloody word about this.’

‘It’s not just that, though, is it,’ says Asante quietly. ‘What that caller described – the pushing, the fact that Freya was drunk – it’s exactly what Morgan said happened with Marina Fisher barely two hours later.’

Quinn is nodding. ‘So either he shoved two different women that night –’

‘Not impossible,’ says Ev. ‘Sadly.’

‘– or he’s manipulating the memory,’ finishes Asante. ‘Using the detail of a real incident to create a better fake one.’ He looks at the others. ‘You know what they say – best way to get away with a lie? Wrap it up in a whole lot of truth.’

* * *

Adam Fawley

8 July 2018

13.45

‘What do you want to eat?’

Emma stayed another two hours in the end. I don’t know what they were talking about but it sounded pretty intense from where I was. But then again, that was out in the garden, so I didn’t hear it all. Enough, though, to stop me crashing in to get myself some food, and as a result I’m now borderline hypoglycaemic.

‘There’s some cold chicken,’ says Alex, staring into the fridge. ‘And those avocados could do with eating too.’

Frankly, right now, I’d give my right arm for pie and chips.

‘Everything OK with Emma?’ I say it mostly to be polite, but Alex glances at me and gives a heavy sigh.

‘She’s having a bit of a hard time right now.’

I’m frowning, trying to remember something. ‘Hasn’t she got a new bloke, or am I making that up?’

Alex takes the mayonnaise out of the fridge and reaches towards the cutlery drawer for a spoon. ‘She had a new relationship. Past tense. Last time I saw her she was really excited about it, but looks like it’s all fallen apart already. She’s always had zero luck in that department.’

I make what I hope are the appropriate sympathetic noises.

‘And I know she’d like to have kids too.’

She doesn’t say any more. She doesn’t have to. Emma’s the same age as Alex. It’s the eleventh hour for her, just as it was for us. Only our miracle happened.

I move across and wrap my arms around my wife. She jumps a little and I assume it’s my fault for surprising her, but then she reaches for my hand and places it gently over her belly, smiling up into my face.

‘Looks like there are three of us in this hug.’

* * *

‘Caleb?’

The line is crackling and breaking up, but he recognizes the voice.

‘Hi, Mum.’

‘I just wanted to check in – see how you’re doing.’

He frowns; there’s a delay on the line. An international delay that shouldn’t be there. ‘I thought you were due back today?’

A sigh. Or perhaps it’s just more interference. ‘I’m sorry, darling, something’s come up here. I can’t get to see the senator until Friday. But I’ve managed to get some other meetings in, and given it’s the recess, there’s no need to rush back.’

His turn to sigh. Clearly he doesn’t qualify as a ‘need’.

‘Have you spoken to your father?’

He rolls his eyes. ‘No. They’re still in Sydney. You know that.’

‘No need to take that tone,’ she says crisply. ‘At least I’m trying to do something. No doubt he’s too busy being hipster dad to have time to support his firstborn.’

He bites his tongue. His mother is no less absent than his father, it’s just a different sort of distance. But he knows from experience there’s no point saying so.

‘Now,’ she says, ‘I’ve spoken to Meredith – talked her through the whole thing – and they’re going to call you, OK?’

And now he feels like a shit, because she has, for once, actually done something. ‘Thanks, Mum. Appreciate it.’

‘Only the best for you, my darling,’ she says, with more than a whiff of singed martyr. ‘You’ll be in good hands – Meredith has a ton of experience in cases like this. So just do whatever she tells you, OK? And don’t let yourself be bullied, either. Far too many victims back down because the police and CPS make it too damn ghastly to carry on.’

He smiles quietly. ‘Don’t worry about me, Mum. I’ve got it covered.’

* * *

Freya Hughes is hostile even before the door is fully open. ‘What’s this about? I’ve already told you everything I know.’

Ev gives a heavy sigh. ‘No you haven’t, and you know it. So are you going to let me in or would you prefer to do this at St Aldate’s? Either’s fine by me.’

Hughes’ eyes widen for a moment, then she releases her grip on the door.

Ev follows her inside and Hughes turns to face her, folding her arms.

‘When I was here earlier, I asked you about Marina Fisher and you said, “I don’t know her.”’

She frowns.

‘But you do, don’t you? You certainly know where she lives. You were seen there on Friday night.’

She looks guarded, clearly unsure quite how much Ev knows. ‘So?’

‘So you never said anything about it. Why not?’

Hughes shrugs. ‘It wasn’t any of your business. It still isn’t.’

‘Oh, I think it is, don’t you?’ says Ev wearily. ‘Your boyfriend makes an allegation of assault, and you don’t mention that you were round there only two hours before, rowing in the street.’

‘It wasn’t rowing –’

‘Well, pick your own word, but whatever it was, it was serious enough for a member of the public to call