A fortnight had gone by since making her statement to the police. They had seen Will’s message on the wall and carried out a handwriting match against the forms he had filled in on his arrival at the charity. Karin was told it would take a while to investigate all the other leads she had given them. They were fairly hopeful, however, that they had tracked down a couple, likely to be Aaron and Mel, to an address in Greece. As Karin suspected, they hadn’t used false names or attempted to cover their tracks. The other good news was that CCTV had shown Mel purchasing three bottles of whisky at the Tesco Express, after leaving Karin on the night of the art exhibition. Karin had proof that she wasn’t with Mel at that point because she had an Uber receipt for the taxi she got back to Aaron’s.
Sooner or later the police would want to speak to her mother. The money had initiated from her and they would want to check it was legitimate in the first place.
Karin wasn’t afraid of the truth coming out any more, but was determined to make the most of the time she had left. She had met up with Louie a few times, on the understanding that, at least for now, they were rebuilding a friendship so that neither of them would be hurt when it came to being separated. In the end Louie had given her full support for Karin going to the police. Between them, they agreed to say that the fake death was all part of the blackmailing pressure Louie had been put under in order to protect Karin. Which it was, in effect.
Karin intended to carry on working for as long as she could. She was campaigning for the next housing project, while also making sure that someone else could pick up smoothly from where she left off. She had been asked to do a succession of radio interviews and give talks at local schools on being the voice of a generation. It seemed that people really did want to listen to what she had to say. Karin had to decline these, however. It wasn’t sending the right sort of message out if she was then arrested. The case would be huge when it finally hit the news. Her mother was well known; two people dead, one fake death, and a juicy blackmail trail.
Karin never expected to get that call. Even though she had dreamed of it many times. It happened in the middle of a meeting. Although she didn’t recognize the number she felt she ought to take it, due to everything that was going on. Karin excused herself and stepped outside.
‘Mamma? Are you okay?’ She was shocked to hear her mother’s voice.
‘Did you go to the police, Karin?’
‘Erm yes. Yes, I did.’
Karin closed her eyes, her body slowly sinking.
So this was it then.
‘Have they – have they been to see you already, Mamma?’
Her chest felt as though it was being crushed between two giant slabs of ice.
‘No, not yet. But am I still to assume that they will be coming?’
‘Yes, for sure. And look, I don’t blame you.’ Karin had to whisper into her phone, not wishing to be heard by people passing in the corridor. She turned to face the wall. ‘I didn’t mean to make you sad, Mamma. I really didn’t mean to do it. I didn’t mean to kick the steps away. I really didn’t mean—’
‘You didn’t.’
Karin stared at the wall.
‘What?’ She thought she must have missed something.
‘You didn’t kick the steps away, Karin. Okay?’
‘No, I did. I really did. But I didn’t mean it, Mamma. I’m sorry, I truly am. He told me those things I told you, about my dad, which made me so angry and I just—’
‘Shush, Karin. Listen to me.’ Her voice was stern, sharp-edged. ‘I know what I saw.’
‘Well, so what did you see?’
‘It’s what I told them in the first place. He kicked the steps away and hanged himself. That’s what happened. Because that’s what I saw.’
Karin lowered the phone, letting her forehead fall onto the wall.
‘Thanks, Mamma,’ she whispered. ‘Thank you.’
Karin wasn’t sure what to do with the silence that followed. But Birgitta was still there; she hadn’t hung up.
‘Does that mean, do you think, I can come and see you? Some time? Up in Scotland?’
She waited but nothing came back.
‘There’s someone I’d really love you to meet. She’s an artist. I think you’ll like her. Remember what you said, Mamma? You said, when that person enters your life you just know. And that you should hang onto them no matter what. Well it’s her. She’s called Louie.’
The next pause was worrying. A forever pause.
‘I’d like that too, Karin. You should come. Bring your friend.’