The Serial Killer's Wife by Alice Hunter (best romantic novels to read .txt) 📗

‘She saw the news about Tom being charged with Katie’s murder and assumed he was the same person Natalia had told her about?’ I ask.

‘Yep. At the time of Natalia’s death, she’d reported her concerns about this man and how Natalia had been afraid of him, but she’d had nothing solid. Couldn’t even remember a name, until she saw the news and it sparked her memory. She didn’t think it was enough to go on – she’d no proof, just a hunch, having never even seen him before his arrest. But she did see you, and she could get at you, even if she couldn’t get at Tom.’

‘Bloody journalists.’

‘Once she knew your location, she felt she needed to do something to show you that she blamed you for her friend’s death. She was angry – she needed to hit out at someone.’

I’m about to attempt the ‘how is it my fault?’ argument, but I realise it’s futile. It is my fault. Had I informed the police of my husband’s confession to me, Natalia’s death would’ve been avoided.

‘What’ll happen to her?’

‘Depends whether you want to bring charges.’

‘No,’ I say quickly. ‘I don’t. I understand her need to lash out. I deserve it.’

A solemn silence falls.

It’s a while before Imogen speaks again.

‘I need to ask, Beth – is there anything else you haven’t told me? Any bit of Tom’s past that might now ring alarm bells?’

‘I don’t think so. Why, do you believe he’s killed others?’

‘Do you?’

The question throws me. I shake my head. ‘No … I – I …’ How can I answer that? I hadn’t been aware of Katie and Phoebe until last year. And Natalia’s death was certainly not something I’d seen coming. ‘Tom’s behaviour, up until the night he was late home and lied the next day, hasn’t ever given me cause for concern, really. Not that I can remember.’ I add the last bit, just in case.

‘Okay, Beth.’ Imogen gets up. ‘I’ll leave you to your baking. I just wanted to give you the news.’

‘Thank you.’ Then I remember Adam saying they’d traced the car owner from the spitting incident. ‘It didn’t turn out to be the same person, then? The bloke who spat at me and the ones who left the gallows?’

‘I guess not, but I’m afraid I don’t know the details – I left that one to the local force. You need to call Banbury station.’

‘Yes. I should’ve already called them – I’ve just not got around to it,’ I say, as I walk with Imogen to the front door.

It’s a huge relief she only came here to update me, not to arrest me.

Have I got away with that, then?

‘I really appreciate you coming over,’ I add.

Imogen stops and looks back at me. ‘One more thing.’

My pulse skips. ‘Yes?’

‘Thank you for being brave enough to start the ball rolling.’ Her lips form a half-smile as she gives a curt nod.

I’m not sure exactly what she means by that, but I return the gesture and say goodbye.

Chapter 85

BETH

Now

Julia rushes up to me as soon as I reach nursery at three. ‘I thought you’d come with Adam to pick up the girls?’

‘Why?’ I narrow my eyes into a question.

‘Well, you know – seeing as you two are a thing now.’ I half expect her to give me a nudge and a wink, but her gaze remains stony.

‘We’re not “a thing”, Julia,’ I say, tutting. Her posse are all looking over at us. I suspect Julia is asking the questions all of them want the answers to; they’ve just made her do the asking.

‘But you’re staying with him at his place, aren’t you?’

‘I was there for a couple of nights, yes – but I’m home again now. He was being a good friend and helping us out because I was afraid of being on my own. You know, with the threats and the journalists.’ I’m angry at myself for over-explaining.

‘You could’ve stayed with me,’ she says.

‘Really? Having two extra people in your house would’ve been a real challenge. Remember how frantic you were when you had Poppy over?’

She bristles. ‘Well, yes. But still. I wouldn’t have turned you away now, would I?’

‘Thank you, that’s very kind of you, Julia. I’ll remember that in future. Although I’m rather hoping I won’t be run out of my own house again.’

‘Hmm,’ she says, her eyebrows rising. ‘The trial is coming up. I don’t think it’s over yet.’

‘The trial will prove Tom guilty. He’ll be in prison and I’ll be free to carry on my life with Poppy, here in Lower Tew, doing what I love.’ It’s a pretty sickly speech, I think, once I’ve finished. But I wanted to make it clear.

Julia leans in closer, whispering in my ear, ‘Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.’

‘What secret?’

‘Don’t you remember telling me?’ Her eyes shine with what I assume to be mischievousness. Or is that a flash of malice? I didn’t tell Julia anything even slightly secretive. Why would I? I frown, and silently shake my head.

‘You had consumed rather a lot of alcohol,’ she says. Her stare is fixed. My insides quiver. What is she saying? She was the one who drank the most, not me.

‘Not really, Julia. You polished off the second bottle, if I remember rightly.’

She shoots me a curious look. ‘You really don’t remember, do you?’

‘Obviously not, Julia, or we wouldn’t be having this conversation,’ I say, annoyance tipping my tone into sarcasm.

‘Oh, Beth,’ she says. ‘I didn’t have the second bottle. You did. Not that it matters – don’t worry.’ She lays a hand on my arm. ‘We both shared a lot that night.’

My mind whirls. Is she right? Did I really have the bottle of Prosecco? Not her, like I thought? My mother’s face swims into my mind. Shit.

I decide I’d best play it cautiously. ‘Well, if I told you a secret, then I assume it’ll stay that way?’

Julia smiles and turns her back, walking back to the yummy mummies without