She could smell the whisky on his breath; he looked happier than she’d ever seen him.
‘It’s time for us to make a grand entrance,’ he slurred. ‘You’d better take charge of the cake knife though.’
Alice had enjoyed a couple of glasses of wine, but she’d wanted to keep a clear head so she could commit every second of the day to memory.
‘How is my new son-in-law?’ her mum asked.
Ben leaned forwards and planted a kiss on his mother-in-law’s cheek. ‘Does this mean you’re happy with me calling you Mum at last?’
It had been a running joke between them since he’d first strolled into her parents’ kitchen and called her Mum. They’d only been dating for three months at the time, but he’d later revealed that he’d already known he would marry Alice one day. He was a determined individual, and when he set his sights on a goal, nothing would stop him achieving it. It’s why he now headed one of the largest logistics companies on the south coast, and why they lived in a six bedroom house in the affluent area of Chilworth. He wanted to fill the property with the sound of children’s laughter and had implied he’d like at least four children; Alice, though, would wait until they’d managed to conceive one before thinking about more.
Smiling and nodding as she moved through the sea of smiling faces in the suite, she tried not to think about how uncomfortable being the centre of attention made her feel.
Ben was holding her hand, as ever her rock, leading her through the crowd to the large table in the corner where the three-tiered cake stood, miniature marzipan figures of Alice and Ben on the top. The smallest layer was fruit cake, the middle a moist chocolate sponge and the bottom a jam and vanilla mix. Something for everyone.
Moving behind the table, Ben took her hand, and together they coiled their fingers around the cold knife handle and held it on the white icing, pausing and smiling at the cameras as the room erupted with bright flashes, startling them both. In her head she counted to ten, before she pushed down together with Ben, cutting through the light sponge as another wave of flashes erupted.
It was as close to perfect as she could have imagined.
The gathered guests applauded the moment, and as Alice posed with Ben, both beaming into the continued flashes of cameras and phones, she wished she could freeze the moment in time forever.
Tara was the first to come over and hug her, swiftly followed by Faye, who looked much happier than she had in the car. ‘We’ve got something for you,’ Tara said into her ear, just as a man in a shabby-looking brown suit approached Ben and began to say something into his ear. Alice didn’t recognize the man’s face; moustachioed, wrinkles bearing the passing of time, she was sure she’d never been introduced to him.
Before she could interrupt the two men though, Faye and Tara whisked her away to the opposite side of the room, and the two men disappeared behind the throng of guests.
‘Here you go,’ Tara said, handing over a small jewellery box.
Alice craned her neck to see whether she could catch a glimpse of Ben and the stranger, but it was no use.
‘Go on, open it,’ Faye encouraged. ‘We had it specially made.’
Alice unclasped the box and lifted the lid, gasping at the olive-coloured stone hanging from the silver chain.
‘It’s peridot,’ Tara explained, ‘the birthstone for the month of August.’
‘Peridot brings its wearer success, peace and good luck,’ Faye chimed in.
‘My birthday is in June, though,’ Alice said, confused, as she lifted the stone out, reading the encryption.
‘Today is the third of August,’ Tara continued, ‘and this stone represents the birth of your union with Ben.’
Alice held the gemstone up to the light and marvelled at the luminescent green colour, with just a hint of gold. ‘It’s beautiful,’ she said, returning it to the box and pulling her friends closer.
Suddenly Scott burst through the crowd of guests, skidding across the floor towards them, his face drained of blood. ‘Alice, you need to come with me quickly,’ he said.
The ball of worry that had been in the pit of her stomach all day suddenly sprang back to life. ‘What is it? What’s going on?’
Scott opened his mouth to speak, but no words emerged. Grabbing her hand, he pulled her with him, pushing through the guests to where Ben was standing at the cake.
‘This must be some kind of joke,’ Ben was saying, his cheeks red with anger.
The man in the brown suit said something that Alice couldn’t hear as the DJ restarted the disco music.
‘What is it?’ Alice asked, wrapping her hands around Ben’s arm. ‘What’s going on?’
‘There’s no need for us to make a scene,’ the moustachioed man said to Ben, ignoring Alice’s appearance.
‘It’s my wedding day,’ Ben shouted back. ‘You don’t realize you’re making a huge mistake.’
The moustachioed man turned and nodded at two men standing beyond the cake. It was only when they moved closer that Alice saw what they were wearing, and realized who they were.
‘Ben, what’s going on?’ she said, the anxiety reaching her voice.
‘Ben Goodman, I am arresting you on suspicion of the murder of Kerry Valentine. You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence.’
FOUR
Murder.
The word echoed around Alice’s head as she tried to reason what the detective had said.
Ben wasn’t a violent man; didn’t they realize that? He wasn’t capable of such a heinous crime. Not Ben. Not her Ben.
Murder?
It had to be somebody’s idea of a sick joke. The kind of twisted prank that only Ben’s friends would think to play on him on such a big occasion.
‘I don’t even know who that is,’ Ben was pleading, as one of the officers in dark uniform pulled Ben’s arms away from Alice and placed cuffs around his wrists.
‘Might be best to keep quiet for now, son,’ the man in the brown suit – presumably a detective – warned.
‘I didn’t do this,’ Ben protested. ‘You’ve got it all wrong. I’m not who you think I am.’
Ben’s face was a mixture of shock and anger, and his head snapped round as he made eye contact with Alice, his eyes begging for her to make the nightmare stop.
She was frozen to the spot, studying his face for any sign as to whether he was in on the joke, and she was the intended victim. She kept expecting Dave and Johnny to appear holding a video camera to capture her shocked reaction. She’d give anything for them to deliver the punchline sooner rather than later.
With the handcuffs secure, the uniformed officer looked to the detective, who nodded, and suddenly they were escorting Ben away from her.
‘No, you have to stop,’ Alice said, taking hold of Ben’s arm again. ‘He’s not going anywhere. Not now. Not today. This is our wedding day.’
The officer was stronger than she’d anticipated, and no amount of digging her heels into the slippery dance floor would stop him achieving his objective. Alice tried to ignore the shocked faces of their friends and family as the police cut through them with Ben, and herself in tow.
Then suddenly they were marching through the hotel’s lobby as other guests gawped at the unfolding scene, Alice scrabbling to keep up with them.
‘Get Dave,’ Ben called out to her.
Alice paused momentarily. What could Dave do? He wasn’t any kind of legal professional. She picked up the pace again, following them out through the revolving doors, down the marble steps and onto the gravel, where a police van and marked car waited.
It was the stuff of nightmares, and she was beginning to question whether the perfect ceremony had all been part of a dream that had suddenly turned sour. The cool breeze blowing at her exposed shoulders, though, suggested she was very much awake. She didn’t want to think about all the gossip-mongering now underway wit
hin the hotel as the news of Ben’s arrest spread like wildfire.
‘Please stop,’ she said, hurrying after the detective. ‘Please, just wait. This is a huge mistake. You’ve got the wrong man. This is Ben Goodman. Can you just call your office and check? They’ll tell you that he couldn’t possibly have anything to do with whatever is going on.’
The detective cocked a sceptical eyebrow in her direction. ‘I’m sorry about your wedding, but I’m just doing my job.’
Alice took a breath, fighting down her anxiety and frustration. ‘Please, just tell me what it is you think he’s done. What is he supposed to have done? He’s been with me all day.’
The detective sighed, nodding for the two officers to put Ben in the back of the van. ‘Your husband has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a young woman called Kerry Valentine last week. That’s all I can say at this time.’
Alice tasted vomit in the back of her throat. ‘Who is she? We don’t know anyone by that name.’
‘I’m sorry, but I can’t say any more right now.’
‘Please,’ she reasoned, forcing eye contact. ‘There must be some kind of mistake. That man there is Ben Goodman; my husband. We have literally just got married. You must have the wrong person.’
The detective frowned at her, as he tried to get past and into the waiting patrol car. ‘There’s no mistake, we know who he is. Now, please, I need to do my job.’
The van door slammed behind them.
‘Where are you taking him?’
‘We’re taking him to the Southampton police headquarters building. It’s in the centre of the city on the Millbrook Road. You know it?’
She knew exactly where he meant – down by the docks where visiting cruise ships dropped and collected passengers. The tall building was an eyesore on one of the busiest routes in and out of the city.
‘Well, that’s where he’ll be,’ the detective continued. ‘I’d suggest you contact whatever legal representation you have and tell them where he’ll be.’
With that, he barged past her and was in the car before she could ask anything else. Over her shoulder a small crowd had now gathered by the entrance, eager to see why the blue flashing lights were brightening the night sky.
FIVE
Alice’s legs gave way and she crumpled to the ground, the small and sharp gravel quickly digging in to her skin. Her world had flipped upside down and she couldn’t work out how to move forward.
The sound of quick and heavy footsteps on the gravel behind her was followed by Dave crouching down at her side. ‘Are you all right? What happened? Scott said something about police?’
Alice opened her mouth to speak, but the words stuck in her throat, and she soon felt tears dampening her cheeks.
‘Come on,’ Dave said, pushing his large hands beneath her arms, ‘let’s get you up and back inside.’
She allowed him to lift her like a ragdoll, but instead of following him back inside, she kept her feet where they were. ‘You need to drive me to the police station. I need to make sure Ben is okay and find out what the hell is going on.’
Dave glanced back at the crowd watching them. ‘You have a room full of guests who’ve come to see you,’ he said calmly. ‘The best thing you can do is go back in and be with them.’
‘Not without Ben. I can’t just carry on like nothing’s happened. They arrested him, Dave.’
Dave looked as uncertain as she felt. ‘Okay, okay, tell me what they said. Did they say why they were arresting him?’
She stepped towards him so that the people on the hotel steps wouldn’t hear. ‘They said they suspect he murdered someone called Kerry Valentine; do you recognize that name?’
She thought she saw a flicker of recognition in his eyes, but it could have just been the reflection of the moon.
‘Doesn’t ring any bells. Are you sure they said murder?’
Alice replayed the detective’s words in her mind, nodding. ‘They’ve clearly mixed Ben up with some other Ben Goodman, right?’
Dave nodded, but she could see he was holding back.
‘What is it?’ Alice pressed. ‘What aren’t you telling me?’
He looked down at his feet. ‘It’s just … you don’t need to hear this.’
‘Tell me, Dave. Whatever it is you know about this mess, I need to know. Ben is my husband.’
Dave raised his eyes, narrowing them as he met her gaze. ‘In my experience of the police … they have to have a pretty strong suspicion that the target is involved before they can initiate an arrest warrant.’
‘What are you saying? That Ben did it?’
He shook his head vehemently. ‘No, no, no. What I’m saying is, it won’t be a case of mistaken identity, at least, not the way you’re thinking. There must be dozens of Ben Goodmans across the UK, but they’re unlikely to have simply arrested the wrong one. For whatever reason, they suspect that your Ben – our Ben – is involved.’
‘That’s ridiculous! Ben’s not a killer.’
‘Believe me, I know!’ He looked back at the people gathered behind them, each clearly wondering whether to head back inside or come down the steps and offer comfort and support. ‘Listen, let me go to the police station and see what I can find out. Okay? You should probably make some kind of announcement to quell the rumours circling inside. Just tell people there’s been a mix-up, and Ben has had to temporarily go and fix it. Meanwhile, I’ll go down there and keep you posted via the phone.’
It wasn’t what she wanted, but she could see the logic in his suggestion. ‘You can’t drive, you’ve been drinking.’
‘I’ll get Scott to give me a lift; he’s been on soft drinks all day because of his training. Okay? Will you go inside for me? If you’d prefer, I can make an announcement before I go.’
She rubbed his arm, for once grateful that Ben had chosen him as his best man. ‘I’d rather you go down there straight away, and let me know what’s going on. I’ll make the announcement, or I’ll get Tara to do it.’
He nodded. ‘Try not to worry. I’m sure you’re right, and this is just a huge mistake.’
‘Just bring him back to me, Dave,’ she said as fresh tears fell. ‘Please bring Ben home.’
Tara was waiting for her just inside the swivel doors. ‘Here, I got you this for the shock,’ she said, handing over a tumbler of something caramel-coloured.
Alice accepted the glass, but one sniff of the brandy had her swiftly passing it back. ‘I need to keep a clear head, but thank you.’
Tara led her through the lobby to a small room where the wedding gifts were being stored during the party. Closing the door behind them, Tara wrapped her arms around Alice and gently squeezed.
‘I saw what happened. How are you holding up?’
‘I just saw my husband arrested on suspicion of murder … I’d say I’m somewhere between shocked and outraged.’ Alice had seen Ben’s face as they’d put him in the back of that van, somewhere between anger and panic. The cool demeanour which was usually his trademark had evaporated before her very eyes. ‘You didn’t see the fear in his eyes.’
‘Fear?’ Tara replied. ‘Ben? No chance. You know what he’s like: could charm the hind legs off a donkey. They’ll probably drive him to the station, make him give his name, take his fingerprints and then realize they’ve got the wrong guy.’
Alice stopped. ‘You really think so?’
Tara exaggerated her nod. ‘Absolutely. You’ll see.’
Alice could only hope she was right. The best outcome now would be for Ben to be back before eight so they could continue their celebration and put this nightmare behind them.
Tara extracted herself from the hug. ‘I don’t want to add to your stress … but I think someone needs to make an announcement. It’s better to say something than let rumours spread.’
Alice fixed her with a hopeful look. ‘Would you mind doing it? I don’t think I could stand everyone staring up at me. Just say that Ben’s been called away on urgent business, but will be back l
ater.’
Tara nodded sombrely. ‘Of course, of course, that’s what I’m here for. We should probably have a quiet word with your mum and Ben’s parents first though.’
Alice nodded. ‘Can you find them for me, if I wait here?’
Tara agreed, before handing Alice a small bag. ‘Might be an idea to fix your mascara as well. We don’t want people seeing how upset you are.’
Alice unzipped the bag as Tara slipped out of the room and went in hunt of the parents. Opening the compact mirror, Alice stared at the panda eyes looking back at her. Of all the things that could have gone wrong today – guests not turning up, the caterers messing up the food, Dave making an inappropriate best man’s speech – the thought of Ben being hauled away by the police had never entered her mind. If Dave was right, and the police hadn’t just mixed up Ben with another Ben Goodman, then what did that mean? She’d known Ben for more than five years, and they’d lived together for the last three, since she’d graduated from university. Surely in all that time she would have picked up on any murdering tendencies?
She shook her head dismissively. Of course she would have. Despite Dave’s caution, the police had made a mistake, of that she had no doubt.
A knock on the door was followed by Tara smuggling in Alice’s mum and Ben’s parents. All three looked white as sheets. Ben’s parents, Ray and Hermione, were the first to embrace her.
‘Are you okay?’ Ray asked.
Alice fought back the tears as she nodded. ‘Did you see what happened?’
Ray looked at his wife before shaking his head. ‘We saw the two of you cut the cake, but then we went to the bar to buy drinks. When we returned, neither of you were in sight, nor was anybody dancing. We didn’t know what to think. Then someone mentioned the police and an arrest, and …’
Dressed in the jacket he always wore on special occasions – embossed with his many military awards from years in the services – Ray looked ready to cry, and Alice couldn’t bear to watch. Pulling him towards her, she hugged him warmly.
Till Death Do Us Part Page 3