Why did she feel obliged to make out her father was so hopeless and helpless when exactly the opposite seemed to be true? Perhaps that was how she had hoped he would be. Then she could have suggested he found a bigger place to live, somewhere where she could move in and take over the cooking and cleaning, and look after him properly. But was that really what she wanted to do?
‘Hi.’ Her mother, who was starting to sound as nauseatingly false as that awful Jude, kissed Alex on the mouth, then perched herself on the edge of his chair.
‘You can sit here,’ said Karen getting up. ‘I’m going upstairs.’
‘Oh stay for a bit, love.’
‘Why?’
‘Because I’d like you to. Isn’t that enough reason?’
At the top of the stairs Karen paused, trying to hear what Alex and her mother were saying about her. She’s so prickly, so over-sensitive. It doesn’t matter what I say it always seems to be the wrong thing. Of course it was the wrong thing. When her father was at home her mother had treated her like most mothers treat their teenage kids. Talking to her in a relatively normal way, not taking much notice of anything she said or did. Now it was as if she had taken lessons in How to Relate to your Daughter. Was it the influence of Jude or was she trying to impress Alex? Ease her own conscience, more like, for breaking up the family.
Karen laughed out loud. She couldn’t stop herself. However much she tried to work up a head of steam the truth was that she was starting to adjust to the situation. Besides she had her own life to lead and as soon as she had finished this assignment she would start work on her ‘File on Natalie Stevens’, making notes, writing down names and addresses, descriptions of the Stevens family, and Olive Pearce and the baby.
She needed to meet Liam Pearce, but that was going to be difficult. Did he ever take the baby for a walk in the buggy? It seemed highly unlikely. If only Mrs Pearce had agreed to let her baby-sit. But there must be another way. All she needed to do was lie on the bed with her eyes closed and let her unconscious mind run free until the solution to the problem suddenly fell into place. Five minutes later she was asleep.
Chapter Six
Simon was leaning against the wall, waiting for her.
‘What d’you want?’ It wasn’t a very nice thing to say but the way he seemed to be following her wherever she went had started to get on her nerves. Only of course it wasn’t really true. Simon was worried about their relationship, that was the reason he hung about, hoping for reassurance that everything was still all right.
‘Had a good time with Russell Donnelly did you?’ he said, referring back to the time at the Sports Centre two days before. ‘I saw him waiting by the counter. I should think he’s just your type. Small brain, large body.’
‘Don’t be so stupid. Natalie Stevens worked at the Sports Centre. I thought he might be able to tell me what kind of a person she was.’
Simon said nothing. He had bought himself a chocolate biscuit, wrapped in the kind of paper you have to tear open with your teeth. The paper came apart in a rush and the biscuit fell in two halves on the coffee bar floor.
‘Simon.’ Karen took a deep breath and spoke very fast, avoiding his eyes. ‘I’ve been thinking. Just lately we seem to be getting on each other’s nerves. D’you think it would be best if we didn’t see each other quite so much? Well, maybe not at all – just for a couple of weeks.’
‘You’re finishing with me.’
‘No.’
‘For that Russell bloke.’
‘Oh, don’t be so ridiculous. I just want a break. You keep acting as though you own me.’
He stuffed part of the broken biscuit into his mouth. ‘Tessie doesn’t seem to mind,’ he said sulkily. ‘The way Glen talks to her you’d think they were married or something.’
‘Yes, well I’m not Tessie.’
Suddenly she felt as if all the people she was closest to were starting to abandon her. Her parents, Tessie, and now Simon. But it wasn’t Simon who wanted to ease up on their relationship. She was the one who had changed, not everyone else. Then it occurred to her that this interest in Natalie Stevens’ murder might just be an escape from everyone else, and her own problems. But what problems? She didn’t have any problems.
‘I saw Dad,’ she said, gathering crumbs into a pile, then sweeping them off the table. ‘Now he has to live in Cobb Street his work’s all squashed into one tiny room. He has to see his clients in the same place where he keeps all his files.’
Simon nodded vaguely. ‘Have cosy little chats, do you, you and your fantastic father?’
Karen erupted. ‘Oh, for heaven’s sake, Simon. It’s all right for you, your parents’ll never split up, they’re not the sort.’
‘You mean they’re boring like me.’
She stood up. ‘Look, I’ll see you around.’
‘When?’
‘Oh, I don’t know. Just don’t keep forcing me to behave in a particular way.’
Out in the street she started to breathe more slowly. Why did people keep putting her in situations where she felt guilty? What was she supposed to have done?
Guilty. The word echoed in her head. A memory of some stupid TV movie. The prison door clanging shut on a man condemned to stay locked up for the rest of his life. Who was it that had been guilty of hitting Natalie Stevens on the back of the head with a heavy object, then rolling her unconscious body into a few inches of water and leaving
