kids there enjoying the last of their summer holidays. I scrolled through the music on my iPod, put on some Thin Lizzy and just walked around the village.
My mind kept wandering back to Nick. Everything on my route reminded me: Clancy’s pub, the garden and of course the shop, which I couldn’t even bear to look at. Part of me wished that Nick
And, as if I didn’t have enough to worry about, I had absolutely nothing to wear to Mary’s party. I hadn’t packed any fancy clothes and had already worn everything in my suitcase about ten times. I was in desperate need of some company, so I headed for Lydia’s shop.
I flopped down on the stool in Lydia’s workshop. It was the messiest I’d ever seen it. I wondered how she was able to work in such chaos, but it didn’t seem to bother her. She finished steaming a lilac dress, then turned to me.
‘Right,’ she said, ‘my next project is a midnight blue bubble dress. So, The Clash or Bowie?’ Lydia held one CD in each hand.
I wasn’t really paying attention.
‘Well…?’ she said.
‘Sorry, I’m a bit distracted.’
‘What’s up?’ she asked.
‘Everything. I’m supposed to help someone and I’m doing a terrible job, the guy I like hates me and I have nothing to wear to Mary’s party tonight. Mum was supposed to bring me shopping but she didn’t have time.’
‘Well,’ said Lydia, putting down the CDs, ‘I can only help you with one of those things. But luckily it happens to be the most important one.’
‘Thanks, Lydia, but I can’t really afford one of your dresses. I’ll just -’
‘You can borrow one,’ said Lydia. She bounced out of the workshop and weaved through the racks.
‘Oh… no, it’s OK.’
‘Jacki, we’re friends, right? Friends borrow each other’s clothes. Now stop whining and pick something out!’
I smiled for the first time all day. ‘Wow, are you sure? Thanks, you’re a life-saver.’ I liked that I could just be myself with Lydia. The big age difference didn’t seem to matter.
‘I think this short black one would look gorgeous on you,’ said Lydia, taking it off the rack.
‘I suppose I could have borrowed something of Carla’s,’ I said. ‘But we’re not really the same size.’
‘Carla Mulvey? I didn’t realize you were close with her.’
‘I’m not really. But we’re staying in the Mulveys’ house.’
‘How come? Is there something up?’ she asked.
She slipped the black dress off the beaded hanger and gave it to me.
‘Mum is worried about Des. She’s a little bit scared of him ever since she found out he was a suspect in Beth Cullen’s murder.’
‘I don’t think it’s Des she should be worried about,’ said Lydia.
‘What do you mean?’ I said.
‘Nothing… I just have a feeling that Des didn’t kill Beth. I don’t think Rachel should be worried about him.’
‘How can you be sure?’ I said, unbuttoning the back of the dress.
‘Trust me. I’m sure,’ said Lydia.
‘But how?’
‘I just know he didn’t do it.’
Lydia showed me the zip in the side of the dress. I stepped behind the folding screen and took off my T-shirt and shorts.
‘Do you have any idea who did it?’ I said, putting the black dress on over my head.
‘Not a clue,’ said Lydia.
‘You know how you talked with her the afternoon she went missing?’ I said. ‘Do you remember anything strange? Did she mention she was fighting with Des?’ Standing behind the screen seemed to give me a false sense of courage. It was easier to ask Lydia these questions when I didn’t have to see her face. I felt bad. It was probably upsetting for her to talk about Beth, but I needed more information to piece together.
‘How do you know I talked with her? Where did you hear that? Did the Mulveys say something to you?’
‘No. I just overheard you talking to Mary in the pub the other night… I heard you mention something about having a fight. Sorry, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. I was sitting nearby and I’d only just heard the story about Beth so I couldn’t help listening…’
‘We did have a fight, yes.’
I stepped out from behind the screen, adjusting the dress’s straps.
‘That looks gorgeous on you,’ said Lydia, her voice sounded a little deflated now.
‘Thanks,’ I said, feeling guilty.
Lydia sat down on her chair. I knew she didn’t want to talk about this, but time was running out. I needed to find out what had happened.
‘Did you know a girl called Jane?’ I asked. ‘Do you remember… her name was on that note Colin found in the attic… and guess what…’ I reached into my patchwork bag to show Lydia the porcelain doll.
‘… it’s a coincidence but I named this doll ‘Jane’ and then won her at the fete.’
I’ve never seen anyone look so shocked.
‘Oh my goodness. I can’t believe it. This looks exactly like Beth’s doll,’ she said, taking it from me. ‘Where did you get it?’
‘This was Beth’s?’
‘Yes, or one exactly the same. She called it Jane,’ said Lydia, stroking the doll’s black hair. This was Beth’s favourite doll. She called her Jane because that was her birth name.’
‘Birth name…?’
‘Yes, she was adopted. She found out her real name when she was nine. She was rooting in her parents’ room and came across the adoption papers.’
The clues started to slot together in my mind. Things started to make much more sense. Beth and Jane were the same person! I’d been right in thinking they were connected, but I’d never have guessed this. I could hardly believe it. It was a relief to know that there hadn’t been two murders.
‘She didn’t tell anyone but me,’ Lydia continued. ‘Whenever we played games she’d use Jane as her make- believe name. She carried it on into her teens. Whenever we wrote notes in class to each other we’d use our play names. She’d use Jane and I’d use -’
‘Audrey.’
‘Yes. Audrey Hepburn was my idol. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you that was my note you found. I just hate being reminded all the time… It’s so hard for me to talk about her. I feel so guilty.’
‘Because of your fight?’
‘I didn’t mean to fight with her, you know,’ said Lydia. ‘I was just upset. When Beth got a boyfriend she didn’t hang around with me as much as she used to. Obviously, she had to spend time with her boyfriend, but I didn’t take it very well. I was used to doing everything with her. We’d been best friends since we were babies. The Cullens used to live two doors down, where the cafe is now. But when Ali was born they moved to a bigger house up by the mines, but we still saw each other every day. We even took violin lessons together.
When Des came along, instead of hanging out with me every night, she’d just call to visit me one or two nights a week. And some weeks I wouldn’t see her at all. I was jealous. Then one day, it was coming up to Christmas, Beth cycled down to my house and knocked on my door. She was just back from a trip to England with her parents, visiting relatives. She took out this little egg-shaped thing from her pocket, wrapped in tissue paper, and gave it to me. It was the porcelain egg. She’d brought it back from England for me.
‘I asked her if she wanted to go to the cinema that night – there was a new movie out that I really wanted to see. But she said she couldn’t, that she’d already made plans with Des. Then she asked me if I wanted to go
