Ruth wakes up knowing that something is different. For once the new normal worries – Covid, school, work – don’t come rushing into her mind. But there’s something else. And the bed feels different. Warmer. Uneven. Ruth reaches out a hand and sits bolt upright. Nelson is lying next to her. She can see the ‘Seasiders’ tattoo on his shoulder. He is deeply asleep, his dark hair somehow shocking on her white pillow. The last time Nelson stayed the night here, there was no grey in his hair. That was the night Kate was conceived. Kate! She mustn’t come in and find a strange man in Ruth’s bed. Well, not exactly strange – Nelson is her father, after all – but definitely unexpected. Ruth looks at the green numbers on her alarm: 8.04. It’s years since she slept this late. Recently she’s been waking up before dawn. Kate will be awake any minute. She’s starting to sleep later in preparation for being a teenager but it’s rare that she sleeps past eight.
‘Mum?’ The door opens. Just in time, Ruth realises that she’s naked and clutches her sheet to her. The movement wakes Nelson who also sits up.
‘Hallo, Dad,’ says Kate. ‘What are you doing here?’
‘Hallo, love.’ Nelson rubs his eyes. ‘We were just . . .’
‘Are we doing yoga with Cathbad this morning?’ says Kate. ‘It’s five past eight.’
‘Yes,’ says Ruth. ‘Get dressed and I’ll be with you in a minute.’
‘OK,’ says Kate but, instead of going into her room, Ruth hears her feet on the stairs. Then there’s a cry of surprise. Ruth pulls on her best dressing gown and follows.
The door to the kitchen is open and the sitting room is full of shredded cushions. Bruno and Flint are lying on the sofa, side by side. Bruno looks up as Kate and Ruth descend the stairs. Flint pretends to be asleep.
‘I knew they’d be friends,’ says Kate, putting her arms round the dog.
‘They’ve destroyed my Votes for Women cushions,’ says Ruth, looking at the shreds of green and purple fabric covering the floor.
‘That’s because they’re male chauvinists,’ says Kate. ‘What shall we have for breakfast? Dad likes fried stuff.’
Ruth is impressed that Kate knows this expression, though less impressed at the thought that she might have encountered the accompanying attitudes. And she’s rather taken aback by the ease with which Kate has accepted Nelson’s presence in the house.
‘Let’s just make toast,’ says Ruth. ‘And coffee.’ She needs caffeine. About a gallon of it.
Nelson appears while she’s still waiting for the toast to pop up. He’s fully dressed, his hair wet from a hasty shower.
‘We’re having breakfast,’ says Kate from her seat at the table. ‘I told Mum you prefer eggs and bacon. Then we’re doing yoga with Cathbad.’
‘Rather you than me,’ says Nelson. ‘I need to get to work, I’m afraid, love.’
‘Have some toast first.’ Ruth puts a piece in front of him. ‘The coffee’s on.’
‘Thanks,’ says Nelson. ‘You’re a lifesaver.’ Their eyes meet and Ruth quickly turns away to check the percolator.
‘I can do warrior one and two,’ Kate is telling Nelson. ‘And I can almost do crow. Can you do yoga?’
‘No, I can’t,’ says Nelson, spreading butter thickly. ‘I’m glad that Cathbad’s found something useful to do, though.’
Ruth puts Marmite in front of Nelson. She has no idea if he likes it or not and finds herself holding her breath, only to release it when Nelson covers his toast and butter with the black spread. Flint stalks into the room, followed by Bruno.
‘I’ve got nothing to give Bruno except cat food,’ says Ruth. ‘Is that OK?’
‘He’ll probably eat it,’ says Nelson. ‘Don’t worry though. I’ll drop him off with the dog walker on the way to work. She’s got food for him.’
In the end, Ruth puts gourmet cat food down for both animals. Bruno eats his in seconds and then tries to put his muzzle into Flint’s bowl. Flint hisses at him and Bruno backs away, looking hurt.
‘He’s scared of Flint,’ says Kate.
‘So am I,’ says Nelson. He finishes his toast and drinks his coffee in one swallow.
‘I’d better be off. Bye, Katie.’ He stoops to kiss her head. ‘Bye, Ruth.’
‘Bye, Nelson.’
They look at each other.
‘See you later?’ says Nelson.
‘Yes,’ says Ruth.
Nelson walks out to his car, Bruno at his heels. Ruth doesn’t come to the door, but he sees her neighbour, Zoe, at her window. He’d initially been pleased that Ruth had someone living next door at last but now he finds himself wishing that her house was on an island, or in a secret world that only he could visit. That’s what it had felt like last night, seeing her light when he returned from his walk over the marshes. He hadn’t really thought what he was doing when he knocked on Ruth’s window, but he supposes it doesn’t take Cathbad’s sixth sense to guess what would happen. And, what’s more, it looks as if it’s going to happen again tonight.
Nelson knows that he should be worried. He has, technically, broken the Covid rules and he could get into serious trouble for it. He could even lose his job. But it’s a beautiful morning and the marshes are full of spring flowers, the sea a line of blue in the distance. Nelson finds himself singing a Frank Sinatra song as he drives, something about two sweethearts, the summer wind and an umbrella sky. He can’t remember the actual words, but he makes them up as he goes along. Bruno sways on the back seat.
He drops Bruno at Maura’s house. He wears a mask when he hands the dog over but, once again, he thinks that he really should be making other arrangements. Again, he considers whether he should ask Jan if she can look after Bruno, just until lockdown is over. He tries not to think about predictions from the Chief Constable that lockdown will go on for months, maybe even for a year. Will Michelle stay away all that time? George is due to start school in September. Nelson tries to put this out of his mind, but he doesn’t sing as he drives the rest of the way to the police station.
Judy is in the shared area, her hand sanitiser and her water bottle, correctly labelled with her name, on the desk in front of her. Nelson is pleased that it’s Judy’s turn in the office because he likes working with her. On the other hand, she’s the most likely to notice if anything is different in his manner. He must be careful not to mention Ruth.
‘Sorry I’m late,’ he says. It feels odd talking to Judy from across the room. Not that he’s one for sitting chummily on people’s desks or clasping their hands, à la Jo, but it goes against human nature to stand so far apart.
‘It’s only nine thirty,’ says Judy. ‘Can I have a word about the Avril Flowers case? I think I might have discovered something.’
‘Of course,’ says Nelson. ‘I’ll just grab a coffee first. Leah!’ He raises his voice to a polite shout.
‘She’s not in,’ says Judy.
‘Really?’ Nelson can’t remember the last time Leah missed a day of work.
‘She left a message on the answerphone.’
‘Jesus. It’s not Covid, is it?’
‘She doesn’t think so. Just a bug.’
‘She should get a test, just in case.’
‘There aren’t enough testing kits. I was hearing something about it on the radio.’
‘There’s not enough of anything, if you ask me. I’ll just go and get myself a coffee then.’ Nelson follows the arrows to the break room but then tracks back to ask Judy if she wants anything.
‘No thanks,’ says Judy. ‘Do you know, I think this is the first time you’ve ever offered to make me a drink.’
‘These are strange times,’ says Nelson.
Ruth finishes her toast, has a quick shower, dresses in her loosest trousers and joins Kate in the garden. The air is so sweet and pure that it almost takes her breath away. It’s as if nature is conspiring to make lockdown a less terrifying experience. Ruth has already noticed herself becoming interested in the tracks left by the foxes and watching the progression of the blossom on her tree. She leaves food out for the birds and has secretly named a crow Corbyn. Ruth wouldn’t normally think about her garden except on the one (usually rainy) day a year when she decides to have a barbecue. Of course, it’s only been a week and Covid hasn’t yet hit her or her friends personally. She’ll feel differently when it does. But, today, she feels alive and invincible. Nothing to do with Nelson and last night, of course.
She props her laptop up on a garden chair. As she does so, a large animal appears in front of her. It’s the size of a small dog but is striped like a tiger. Ruth takes a step backwards, but Kate says, ‘That’s Derek.’ A voice says, ‘Is he with you? It’s the first time he’s been outside.’
Zoe, wearing what looks like pyjamas, appears at the other side of the fence.
‘Yes, he’s here,’ says Ruth. ‘He’s gorgeous.’
Derek is looking at the laptop with interest. Ruth feels that she has to explain, for his sake as much as Zoe’s.
‘We’re doing yoga with my friend via FaceTime.’
‘Can I join in?’ says Zoe. ‘I’m wearing the right clothes.’
Zoe may be in her pyjamas, thinks Ruth, but they are stylish ones, dark green with white spots. Zoe’s hair is tied back with a matching scarf. When Cathbad appears on screen, Ruth explains that they have an extra participant.
‘All are welcome,’ says Cathbad graciously. He is dressed in loose white trousers and a T-shirt with chemical symbols on it. His grey hair gleams in the sunlight. Ruth can see Michael and Miranda in the background. Miranda is standing on her head.
‘Let’s start by greeting the dawn,’ says Cathbad.
‘Are you saying that these women died because of slimming?’ says Nelson. He says the word like it’s the most outlandish activity known to humankind.
‘I’m saying it’s a link,’ says Judy patiently. ‘I’m been checking, and Samantha Wilson, Avril Flowers and Karen Head all attended Lean Zone meetings. Maggie O’Flynn too, Avril’s friend who died. Samantha and Karen were even in the same group.’
‘Lean Zone,’ says Nelson. ‘That rings a bell.’
‘Does it?’ says Judy, surprised. She can’t imagine that Michelle has ever attended a weight loss group in her life.
‘It might be worth checking,’ says Nelson. ‘It’s the first definite connection, any road.’
‘I’ve got numbers for the consultants who run the meetings,’ says Judy. She looks at her notes. ‘Jacquie Maitland and Barb Blakeborough. I’ll give them a ring later. At the very least they’ll give us some more background information.’
‘That’ll be something,’ says Nelson. ‘I suppose we’re no nearer to tracing the person whose prints were on Avril’s bedroom door?’
‘No,’ says Judy. ‘There’s no CCTV that we can find, and Tanya didn’t get anything from the door-to-door.’
There’s a brief silence during which Judy’s phone pings. She glances at it and laughs. ‘Look!’ She shows the picture to Nelson. ‘Cathbad’s taken a screen shot of his yoga session.’ Ruth and Kate are in their garden, both in the lunging pose Judy recognises as warrior one. From the other side of the fence another woman is joining in, laughing as she raises her hands above her head.
Judy thought that Nelson would laugh too but he says, rather dourly, ‘That bloody next-door neighbour gets in on everything.’
How does Nelson know about Ruth’s next-door neighbour? thinks Judy. She looks more closely at the picture and, from somewhere, comes a tiny twinge of recognition. And disquiet.