‘What’s this all about, Tom? What’s the end game?’ Caroline asked.
‘I’m keeping her safe. Protected,’ Tom replied.
‘She doesn’t look like she feels safe, Tom. She looks scared. Upset. Is that what you want?’
Tom looked towards his quarry, and Caroline noticed a poignant look cross his face. It was the first time she’d seen him contemplate something outside of his own head. It looked almost like empathy.
‘She’ll be fine. She doesn’t know it now, but this is what’s best for her.’
‘She has a husband and kids, Tom. They miss her.’
Tom scoffed. ‘He doesn’t care about Amie. All he’s ever wanted is a trophy wife. You should see how he behaves around them. She deserves better. So much better. She always has.’
Tom’s voice was tinged with emotion, and Caroline thought she saw a way in. ‘You’ve always loved her, haven’t you?’ she said, her voice soft and genuine.
Tom nodded a little, his eyes glistening. ‘Always,’ he croaked.
‘It must be hard. I can’t imagine how difficult it must be watching the person you love go through life without you.’
As she spoke, thoughts of Mark filled her head. She’d been pushing him away. She knew she had. But at the same time there had been nothing she could do to stop herself. She’d spent so long wrapped up in her own head, she’d failed to see the small, simple ways in which she could have made things better for both of them.
‘You have no idea,’ Tom said. ‘No idea at all what it’s been like.’
Caroline let out a small sigh. ‘I think I’ve come closer than I’ve realised. If you love her, Tom, you need to do what’s best for her. She’s scared. She’s upset. She wants to be at home.’
Tom shook his head vigorously, and spoke between desperate breaths. ‘No. That’s not best for her. I know what’s best for her. I’ve known her longer than anyone.’
‘Tom, can I ask you something?’ Caroline asked calmly.
Tom nodded.
‘Did you kill Martin Forbes and make it look like Gavin had done it?’
Tom looked at Amie, holding eye contact with her for a few moments. Caroline could almost see the burden weighing down on him as he began to try to explain.
‘Martin wasn’t a good man,’ he said, shaking his head. There was almost a childish quality about the way he spoke. ‘Nuh-uh. Most people saw one side of him, but some saw a different one. Women, mostly. Amie,’ he said, looking at her. ‘I saw the way he was towards her. I always notice the way people are towards her. She’s my world. Always has been. He couldn’t take it that she wasn’t interested. He’d always had his way with women, but not with Amie. Amie’s too strong. She’s too good. She didn’t give in. But it didn’t make him stop. I saw the way he was towards her at work. He victimised her. Everything was her fault. He picked holes in every little thing, tried to make her life hell. All because she wouldn’t sleep with him. Because she’s good. She’s a good girl. A good little girl.’
Caroline looked at Amie, whose face told a story that was anything but. She seemed to be growing ever more furious, buoyed with a new confidence now she and Dexter were here and fighting her corner. Caroline knew she had to keep Amie calm, too — possibly even calmer than Tom, as otherwise she was likely to provide the tinderbox that’d blow the whole situation apart.
The quietude of the woods was pierced by the shrill ringing of Caroline’s mobile phone. Instinctively, she took it out of her coat pocket. It was Mark. Ringing to say dinner was on the table, no doubt, complaining that she was late home again without bothering to tell him.
‘Don’t answer that,’ Tom replied. ‘Who is it? Police?’
‘No, it’s my husband.’
‘Don’t answer.’
Caroline pressed the rocker switch on the side of her phone, switching it to vibrate-only mode.
‘What about Russell Speakman, Tom?’ she asked, trying to change the conversation slightly towards something she was sure she already knew the answer to, and which might help placate Amie somewhat.
Tom’s eyes narrowed. ‘What about him?’
‘Did you kill him too?’
‘No,’ he replied, looking almost offended. ‘No, of course I didn’t. I knew that’d never last. Not with how many women he had on the go. I knew sooner or later she’d come to me. It was just a matter of waiting. It was sheer luck what happened to him. When I found out about the others, I told that gobby cow Layla I’d seen Russell and Amie kissing in town. I knew she was best friends with Ruby Clifford, and that she’d take the credit and say she saw it with her own eyes. I just wanted to make life hell for him. I didn’t want him to die. I didn’t kill him.’
‘I know, Tom. Someone’s already come forward and admitted to what happened. It was an accident.’
‘Gavin?’ Tom asked.
‘No, not Gavin.’
‘I never liked him,’ he replied, lost in his thoughts once again. ‘Horrible prick. Always doing the white knight act, there to save the day. He did bugger all. He just wanted his leggy blonde. He’s corrupted her. He doesn’t know the real Amie. He doesn’t know her at all.’
‘I know. But he’s her husband, Tom.’
‘He’s nothing. He’s worse than nothing. You know what? I didn’t need to make it look like Gavin had killed Martin, because the stupid prick had set it up for himself.’
Caroline glanced at Amie, hoping she wasn’t about to see an explosion. On the contrary, she appeared to have been stunned into submission.
Tom continued, oblivious. ‘I knew what Martin was up to. I wanted to take him down. For the way he treated everyone. Women. The way he treated Amie. I’d thought of a few things, but nothing quite seemed to gel. I don’t know if I ever would’ve gone through with any of it. Probably
