Heidi returns her attention to Lara’s email. There is no mention of the maths course at school, the reason Rachel gave for cancelling the lessons. She doesn’t buy into the money excuse; besides, she offered to teach the classes for free and Rachel turned her down. If she was a real friend, she wouldn’t have done that. There’s a reason she wants to keep Heidi away from Lara, and Heidi is now convinced she must know about the notes. That would make far more sense. What if she’s come up with some kind of evidence? If she knows Heidi is behind the notes, she will be wondering what she is going to do next. If she goes to the police and the notes are proved to be a forgery, she’ll assume that Tom really is dead and the house will finally be hers. Danny is right: it’s time to act before it’s too late, and for that she needs him, but not tonight – she can’t face the inevitable guilt that seeing him sets off in her.
Another night of television on her own beckons, and she flicks through the channels, unable to decide what she’s in the mood for. It’s so hard to settle not knowing whether Lara has come home. She decides on a drama, but the first scene, set in a cosy kitchen with a happy two-adult two-children family, has her switching over. She can’t help picturing Rachel’s kitchen, Lara’s seat empty, the agony she must be going through not knowing where she is.
She hates to think of Lara out there on the streets, needing help but not daring to reach out to anyone. Perhaps Rachel should know about her email after all. It shows Lara’s frame of mind, and anything that might help shed light on her recent thought processes will be important. She knows that much from the investigation into Tom’s disappearance. But what if Rachel refuses to take her call? The way she cut her off earlier when she offered to go round reinforces her belief that Rachel wants to keep her at a distance, away from the children. Maybe she’s jealous of Lara’s obvious attachment to Heidi, and that’s why she’s cut her off – nothing to do with the anonymous notes at all. Heidi has a spike of adrenaline at these thoughts; this is far more plausible a solution. But the most important thing is Rachel needing to know about Lara’s emotional state. She reaches for her mobile.
The doorbell rings and she freezes. It’s the police, come to question her about Lara. Or the notes. Or it’s Danny, though he never turns up without warning, he always texts her first. It rings again, less forcefully this time, and she goes to open the door.
Lara stands on the doorstep, her shoulders damp with raindrops, a hood over her head, a holdall at her side. Heidi didn’t realise it was raining, she’s been so absorbed by her thoughts. Lara’s face is pale against the dark of the night. Heidi reaches out her arm to bring her in and Lara bursts into tears, reminding Heidi that she is still a child.
‘Come in, let’s get you into the warm.’ She guides Lara into the living room. ‘I’ll get you something dry to wear and make you a hot drink, and you can tell me what’s going on.’
Lara sits in the armchair and Heidi runs to her bedroom to grab a sweatshirt. She helps Lara out of her wet hoodie and makes her some hot chocolate while Lara puts the sweatshirt on. She wants to make sure she’s OK before she rings Rachel, and she also doesn’t want to scare Lara away by immediately mentioning her mother.
‘Are you hurt?’ she asks, pulling up a chair so their knees are almost touching. Lara’s legs are shaking, and Heidi fetches a blanket to wrap around them. ‘Drink this,’ she says, handing her the mug. ‘It will warm you up.’
Lara shakes her head. ‘I didn’t know whether you would let me in,’ she says. She’s stretching the sleeves of the sweatshirt over her hands, as if to protect her.
‘Of course I would. What are you doing out so late? Your mum is worried, she rang me.’
Lara’s expression darkens. ‘I don’t want to go home.’
‘I won’t make you do anything right away, but I will have to call your mother and let her know where you are.’
‘Please don’t call her. She’ll make me go home and I don’t want to. She’ll force me to go back to that school, and I can’t do it any more.’ She’s crying now, wiping tears away from her face, which are immediately replaced by a fresh set. ‘You helped me understand maths, and now she says you can’t teach me and she’s taking away the one thing that was good in my life. And she doesn’t like me asking questions about Dad or anything I do. It would be so much better for her if I wasn’t there any more. Then she can just have Josh, who does everything right and is going to be a star. I love him, but he makes me look even worse and I’m supposed to be the eldest, and I’m just useless and…’ She breaks down into sobs and Heidi puts her arms around her.
‘Shh, you must never say that. You’re a wonderful human being. I was gutted about the lessons too and I’m going to do my best to make your mother change her mind.’
Lara listens, her eyelids drooping with tiredness.
‘You’re exhausted, and it’s late. I think you should go and have a sleep in the spare room – I’ll make up a bed for you. Then I’ll ring your mum and tell her you’re fine and you’re staying the night, and we’ll talk again in the morning. OK? You know I have to tell her; you’re an intelligent girl and it would be wrong of me not to put her out of her misery. She’ll be going out of her mind with worry. Whatever you think, she loves you, anyone can see that. We can talk to her together when you’re in a better frame of mind.’
‘OK,’ Lara says, sniffing.
‘Drink your hot chocolate and I’ll sort the bed out. I’ll leave out a pair of pyjamas you can sleep in.’
Heidi prepares the room and pops back in to see Lara when she’s ready for bed.
‘How did you know where I lived?’ she asks her. Lara is lying in the same position she did as a small child, and Heidi feels the same tender feeling she used to get then at how vulnerable she looks. When she plotted to get access to the house, she didn’t expect the added bonus of rekindling her affection for Tom’s daughter.
‘Mum’s ancient address book. This is the flat I came to, isn’t it?’
‘Yes, a few times. We never got to move into the house as we’d planned.’ Heidi strokes her hair. ‘Get some sleep. You’ll feel much better in the morning, and we’ll have a proper talk then.’
‘Thanks, Heidi.’ Lara’s eyes brim with tears.
Heidi kisses her on the forehead. ‘Shall I leave the hall light on?’
‘You remembered?’
‘Yes. Sweet dreams.’
Heidi is sitting in the kitchen wondering what exactly she will say to Rachel when her phone buzzes with a text. It’s from Danny.
I’m outside your flat.
She gets up and peers out of the window. A cigarette tip glows in the darkness, and as her eyes adjust, she makes out Danny’s tall figure on the path, his car parked on the street behind him. She goes into the communal area and opens the front door, shivering at the cold, damp air. Light from the hall makes the rain from earlier glisten.
‘Danny! What are you doing here?’ She’s whispering.
‘I need to speak to you – it’s urgent.’
She bristles at how loud his voice is, carrying through the night air. Most of the houses are already in darkness, the street is quiet, and she doesn’t want to wake Lara.
‘What’s with all the secret squirrel stuff?’ he asks, taking his jacket off and leaving it in the hall. ‘Got a job as a librarian?’ He chuckles as he goes into the living room, and she closes the door. He looks surprised. ‘Am I interrupting something?’
‘No, but keep your voice down. You know what the neighbours are like around here.’
He goes through to the kitchen and helps himself to a beer. ‘Want one?’
She shakes her head. ‘Help yourself, why don’t you.’
‘What’s up with you? You’re not normally like this. You seem edgy.’
‘It’s late and I need some sleep. I’ve had a busy evening.’
‘You’re seeing someone, aren’t you?’ He looks at the door. ‘Have you got a bloke here?’
‘No, but so what if I had. We’re not exactly exclusive.’
‘Fair point,’ he says. ‘Sit down, will you, you’re making me nervous.’
‘What’s so urgent?’ Heidi sits on the armchair, avoiding the spot he indicates next to him on the sofa.
‘I need some money.’
‘How much?’
‘A thousand.’
‘I haven’t got that kind of money. I lost my job.’
‘You got the sack?’
‘No, of course not. I was made redundant.’
‘Same result.’
‘Come on, Danny, I’m tired and I want to go to bed. You can’t just turn up demanding money.’
‘But we both know that I can.’
‘I don’t have it.’
‘Then find it.’ He tips the bottle and drains it, then belches. Heidi flinches. Whatever did she see in him? ‘You’d be very stupid if you were trying to double-cross me. I don’t see how you can, though, because I know you’ll never tell her about our little deal. Get me the money and there won’t be any need for me to pay her a visit.’
‘You mean…’
‘Stop playing dumb. You know exactly what I mean. If you’ve got no money, then we need to proceed with the plan. Get rid of her and you’ve got more chance of getting the house.’
‘You wouldn’t.’
He stares at her unblinking. ‘I thought this was what you wanted. You can’t back out now; you’re involved just as much as I am.’
‘But we haven’t had time to plant the will yet. That’s crucial.’ Maybe when she takes Lara back, she’ll get a chance then.
‘We’ll think of something.’
As he puts his hands on the arm of the chair to lever himself up, there’s a crash from the spare room. He jumps to his feet.
‘I knew there was someone here.’
‘Danny, wait.’ Heidi grabs his arm.