Mel heard another car pull up outside and her body tensed. She had been waiting in the lounge for over an hour, endless cups of tea to keep her going until Karin got here.
‘Is that you?’ Mel shouted, nervously. She sprang up as soon as she heard the key turn in the lock and hurried into the hallway.
‘Put the bolts on,’ she instructed, once Karin was inside.
‘Mel, what’s up?’
‘Just put the bolts on. Top and bottom.’
‘Okay, okay.’
After Karin had done that, she rushed over to Mel and put her arms round her.
‘She says she’s coming for me,’ said Mel, wiping away her tears.
‘What?’
‘She was here. That fruitcake ex-girlfriend of yours.’
‘Louie? Was here?’
Karin held onto Mel’s shoulders, trying to keep her steady, desperate to get more information out of her. Mel caught a glimpse of herself in the hall mirror; her cheeks were streaked with mascara and she was shaking.
‘Calm down and explain what happened,’ said Karin, guiding her to the stairs.
She perched on the bottom step, leaving room for Karin.
When Mel still didn’t speak, Karin tried to coax it out of her. ‘Are you sure it was her? Are you sure it was Louie?’
‘Of course I’m bloody sure,’ Mel shrieked. Then, more calmly, ‘I thought it was you, that you’d lost your key or something. So I opened the door, and she forced her way in.’
‘What did she want?’
‘She said she wants a million pounds, even if you have to ask your mother for it.’ Mel handed her another note, letters and numbers cut out from newspapers, similar wording to the last one that had been sent. ‘She-she bloody threatened me, told me all the terrible things she’d do to me. Then when I said I’d call the police, she said she can go to the police any time she likes and say that either one of us killed that homeless freak.’
‘That’s what she called him?’
‘Fuck’s sake, Karin. Political correctness isn’t the issue here. She threatened to kill me if you don’t pay her the money. Tonight. As much as you’re allowed to transfer electronically, and the rest via the bank tomorrow.’
Karin stared at her, blankly.
It was worrying that she didn’t seem to be getting the urgency of this. ‘She’s backed us into a corner, Karin. Wake up, will you?’
‘I’m-I’m just trying to make sense of—’
‘Well from where I’m looking it seems she’s more in love with your money than with you. Psycho bitch, she terrifies the life out of me. So what’re you going to do?’
Karin looked down at the note in her hand. After a few seconds she tore it up, in as symbolic a fashion as she had the previous one, screwing the remnants into a tightly packed ball and throwing it at the wall. It exploded on impact, and what was left of it rolled onto the floor like some benign cat toy.
‘What the hell did you do that for?’ shouted Mel.
‘Because I’ve already done it.’
‘Done what?’
‘Louie pretty much kidnapped me on Friday afternoon. Made me go to the bank, forced me to transfer the money into her account.’ Karin let out a groaning sound. ‘I just can’t believe she’s doing this.’
‘What? So-so how much did you give her?’
‘She promised to leave me alone. She promised.’ Karin was digging her nails into her head. ‘How can she possibly want more when she knows damn well I can’t ask my mum for anything. It’s already nearly a million pounds, surely that’s enough.’
‘What? You fucking gave her all your money? Are you serious, Karin?’
‘She left me with five hundred.’ Karin hesitated. ‘Pounds, that is.’
‘Well why didn’t you say something?’
‘I just don’t get—’
‘Crap!’ Mel was on her feet now, pacing up and down in the hallway. ‘Did you honestly think someone like Louie would go away that easily? I thought we were meant to be handling this together.’
‘What difference would that have made?’
‘She’s trying to kill me! Got rid of Will and now it’s my turn.’
Mel noticed that Karin was pulling her phone from her pocket. ‘What’re you doing?’
‘I’m calling Louie.’
‘Wait! We need to think about this first. If you tell her there’s no more money, well then she might do what she says she’s going to do. To me. Or to Aaron. What about him? He’s not safe either. Why can’t you just ask your mother for some more? We’re screwed otherwise, and she terrifies the fucking life out of me.’
‘You know I can’t, Mel. Look I’m sorry you’re involved, but I don’t think Louie really means this. It’s still just a game she’s playing. I’ve been thinking about Will too, and she would never do that. He must have drunk those bottles of whisky and then bought some more with the money I gave him. Later he just stumbled into the river. A tragic accident.’
Mel was laughing. Shaking her head at Karin as she continued to protest Louie’s innocence.
‘She wouldn’t kill him, Mel. I know she wouldn’t.’
Mel produced the evidence from her pocket, dangling it from her fingers. ‘She told me to give you this.’
Karin stared at the rainbow keyring in Mel’s hand.
‘That crazy bitch said she knew it was yours and thought you might like it back.’
Karin refused to take it. The look on her face was somewhere between horror and revulsion. Mel put it down next to her on the bottom step, where they were still sitting.
‘But I just don’t see how,’ Karin began, swallowing her tears as she contemplated it, ‘how would she know that? I only got this keyring a few months ago and it’s only ever been on Will’s set of keys.’
Mel studied her. ‘Well maybe she’s been spying on you more than you think. She’s completely insane.’ She tapped her phone against her chin and then checked the time on it. ‘I really have to go,’ she announced, getting to her feet.
‘Go? Go where?’
Karin stood up as Mel was looking in the mirror trying to tidy her appearance.
‘To work. Even with this shit happening, life has to carry on. Ugh, God.’ She drew breath. ‘It’s okay, I-I’ve calmed down now.’
‘But Louie might still be out there,’ said Karin, speaking to Mel’s reflection.
‘I’ll be in the car.’ Mel was unbolting the door now. ‘If I’m not back in a few hours, then I’ve been murdered. I’ll leave it up to you to decide what happens after that.’
‘Mel!’