Chapter 25 Rosie – Day 6
Rosie slips on her sandals and heads down the corridor that takes her outside.
She wants to be alone with her thoughts.
But as she turns the corner she sees Luke slumped on a plush, plum-coloured velvet chair.
The bags under his eyes are the same colour as the fabric.
He’s eating an apple and looking at his phone.
He thrusts it away when he sees her coming and quickly positions himself as if admiring the painting on the opposite wall.
‘Afternoon, Rosie. God, it’s a hot one today. Where’s Theo?’
‘He’s gone for a run.’
‘He’s insane. In this heat?’ He shakes his head.
Every day he seems to be out longer. She told him he should have a rest day, especially after his fall the other day, but he brushed off her concern, reminding her that running is good for him to clear his head, and will keep him on track to hit a PB before the race.
‘He said Richard had suggested a new route? One that he wanted to try?’
‘No idea. I was pretty wasted last night. He must love being Uncle Dickie’s favourite.
’ He lets out a hacking smoker’s cough then takes a noisy bite from his apple.
His phone starts to ring. The jaunty tune echoes.
He pulls it from his pocket and cancels the call.
‘So, how does it feel to be “the chosen one”?’ he asks with his mouth full.
‘Sorry?’
‘The wearer of Grandma’s ring?’
‘Well, I mean . . .’
‘You hate it, don’t you? Well, don’t worry, I won’t mention anything. My lips are sealed.’
‘I love it. Seriously,’ she says, hoping he can’t hear the white lie.
‘If you say so. Big week for you guys with the engagement party too.’
‘It’s so kind of your mum to organise something. She doesn’t have to; I wasn’t sure if we should maybe have something quieter. You know, with Carla still missing . . .’
She trails off and waits for his reaction. It might be her imagination but she’s sure he stiffens at the mention of her name. The memory of them kissing in the alleyway zooms to the front of her mind.
‘Carla’s gone to see family, that’s what the police think. You heard Giovanni.’
She tries to summon the courage to confront him. ‘So you’re not worried about her?’
‘No. Why? Should I be? Carla’s not Danielle Dixon. She’s not some stupid schoolgirl.’
‘You were here that summer when she disappeared, weren’t you?’
He nods and takes another bite of the apple.
‘What was it like?’ she asks.
There’s a long pause as he swallows. She thinks he’s going to change the subject but to her surprise he draws a breath.
‘It was mad. At first, the Italian police didn’t do much, then, once the Foreign Office was involved – well, and the papers – that was when it went wild.
’ He rubs a hand across his neck. Is that growing red blotch sunburn or something else?
Stress? ‘The town was overrun with reporters and detectives. You couldn’t sleep because of the helicopters.
I was here for a week or so, but had to get back to go to get ready for uni. ’
‘Did you meet Danielle? Before she vanished, I mean.’
He lets out a brittle laugh. ‘No.’
‘You know, Laprezia is small and, as a teenage boy knowing an all-girls school was staying in the village at the same time, I figured that . . .’ She trails off at the change in his body language.
The atmosphere has suddenly cooled.
He crosses his arms. ‘No. I didn’t meet her.’
She knows she shouldn’t push any more. It’ll get back to Theo. Why was Rosie asking these questions? But she can’t let it go.
‘What were you doing on the night she disappeared?’ she asks.
‘Jesus, Rosie.’ His eyes widen. There’s a lightness in his voice but that doesn’t hide the steely undertone. ‘Are you interviewing me?’
‘I’m curious.’ She smiles as sweetly as she can.
‘I was stuck watching football with Gerry. I don’t know why you’re so interested in this all of a sudden, but I have nothing to do with Danielle Dixon. None of us do.’ He spits out a brown apple pip into his cupped hand. A string of saliva trails after it. ‘You need to watch out, you know.’
Her chest thrums under her summer dress. ‘Sorry?’
‘If Fenna could hear you talking like this, digging into all this Danielle nonsense, she would think you had an ulterior motive for being here. It’s ridiculous, I know. I told her to chill out, said there was nothing to worry about. We don’t need to be wary of you.’
She knew Fenna was suspicious of her.
He leans closer. ‘You’re not lying to us are you, Rosie?’ He keeps his eyes on her for a second longer than necessary.
She swallows.
‘I’m teasing. Anyway, I’ve got to go and drop the kids off at the pool, if you know what I mean.’ He throws his apple core into a wastepaper bin with a loud clang.
As he starts to walk away she blurts out, ‘I know what you did.’
He turns. ‘You know what?’
She drops her voice. ‘I know about you and Carla.’
‘What? There is no me and Carla.’ He looks genuinely amused. ‘Are you ok, Rosie? You’ve not had too much sun, have you?’
‘I saw you when we went to the bar. You kissed her,’ she hisses.
He shakes his head with mirth. ‘A word of advice? I’ve learnt it’s best not to get involved in other people’s relationships.’ He looks her right in the eye. The smile fades. ‘You never know what’s going on behind closed doors. Right?’
He walks towards the downstairs bathroom without another word.