The Back Road

by Abbott, Rachel

  She was walking dejectedly downstairs with her arms full of the second load of washing when the shrill peal of the doorbell pierced the silence, making her jump out of her skin. Half of the dirty clothes fell to the floor, and she hastily picked them up and dumped them on the hall chair. She stood still, wondering whether she could deal with whoever was on the other side of that door. She didn’t want visitors, so perhaps if she kept quiet they would go away.

  They didn’t. Ellie had no choice but to answer the persistent ringing.

  She didn’t recognise the two people standing there, both smartly dressed in suits. They weren’t smiling though, so she could tell this was no social call.

  ‘Mrs Saunders? Detective Sergeant Crosby, madam. And this is Detective Constable Lacey. May we come in?’

  Ellie was rooted to the spot. This was it, then. Her car must have been seen. Or his car, and he had given them her name. Oh Christ. What was she going to do? Thank God Max was out. She mentally shook herself, and held the door wide, indicating that they should come in. She took them into the library where at least they could close the door and not be heard by Max if he returned.

  ‘How can I help you?’ she asked, hoping that her nervousness would not be misconstrued.

  ‘Actually, Mrs Saunders, it’s your husband we want to talk to. Is he in, please?’

  ‘Max? You want to talk to Max? Why?’

  ‘I’m sorry, Mrs Saunders - that’s something between us and your husband. Is he in?’

  Ellie knew that her face must have looked a picture of fear and dismay - not the face of an innocent person wanting to help the police with their enquiries.

  ‘I’m sorry, but my husband’s out. He’s taken the children to the river. They wanted to feed the ducks, and we had some old bread…’

  Ellie was rambling. She had to shut up.

  ‘Do you mind if we wait, Mrs Saunders? We do need to speak to him, and it is quite urgent.’

  Pulling herself together, Ellie indicated the chairs and both the detectives sat down.

  ‘Would you like a cup of tea or coffee, or anything?’ she asked, hoping this was the right thing to do.

  ‘Tea would be good, thanks. We both take it white, no sugar.’

  Ellie made a quick escape to the kitchen. She filled the kettle with water and switched it on, getting mugs out of the cupboard on autopilot. But before she had finished, the back door crashed open - the only way that Jake knew how to enter a room - and the twins came trudging in wearing muddy wellingtons. She barely registered that she was now going to have to mop the floor again, and she didn’t even ask Max why he’d let them come in without taking their wellies off first.

  ‘The police are here, Max. They want to speak to you.’

  Max looked vaguely puzzled, but to her relief he didn’t seem at all concerned.

  ‘Okay - where are they?’

  ‘They’re in the library. What’s it about Max? I’m making them a cup of tea, do you want one?’

  ‘No thanks. I’ve no idea what they want, so I’d better go and see. Shall I take the tea?’

  ‘No,’ Ellie said. ‘It’s not ready yet. I’ll bring it through in a minute.’

  Max disappeared towards the library, and Ellie finished making their drinks, absent-mindedly watching the twins making patterns on the floor with their muddy boots.

  She put the two mugs on a small tray with a plate of biscuits, and as she approached the library she heard Max ask the police what he could do to help them. She didn’t quite catch the reply, but was very surprised to see Max close the library door. Balancing the tray in one hand, she pushed the door open again, and the room went silent. Max turned a slightly startled face towards her, and then stepped forward to take the tray.

  And still nobody spoke.

  ‘Do you mind closing the door on your way out, love?’ Max asked. ‘Thanks.’

  He gave her a weak smile, which Ellie found even more disturbing.

  As she pulled the door closed behind her, the front door opened, and Leo walked in with a scowl on her face.

  ‘God, my feet hurt. A daft idea, marching up and down the high street in these sandals.’ Leo kicked the offending shoes off and sat down on the stairs. ‘I noticed a strange car in the drive. Have you got visitors?’

  Ellie was quiet for a moment. She was still unsure what to make of Max’s behaviour.

  ‘It’s the police. They wanted to talk to Max.’

  Sitting on the bottom step and rubbing her feet, Leo barely glanced up.

  ‘Oh, they came here did they? I got the impression he’d been down to the police station. Ouch - that’s a blister.’ Leo seemed to suddenly register Ellie’s silence. ‘What’s up, Ellie? You know Max wasn’t driving that night. I can’t think that you’ve got anything to worry about.’

  ‘What if whoever was driving did it, and Max has been keeping quiet?’ Ellie asked.

  Leo rested her forearms on her knees and gave Ellie a puzzled look.

  ‘Max wouldn’t do that - you know he wouldn’t. They probably want to know if he saw anybody when he was coming home. Don’t look so frightened.’

  Ellie just stood. She felt as if she were frozen to the spot.

  ‘Leo, what did you mean when you said you’d got the impression he’d been down to the police station?’

  Leo took her bottom lip in her teeth - a habit that Ellie recognised from when they were children. It always meant that she was going to have to say something that she’d rather not.

  ‘Look, it was just the village gossipmongers. You know how they can make a mountain out of a molehill. I went to get some bits from the deli - there, in that bag by the door. They mentioned that the police had been interviewing a PE teacher, so I presumed it would be Max, but then he wasn’t driving, was he? And I thought they said at the police station, but I mustn’t have been listening properly. The odd thing was… Ellie, are you listening to me?’

  Ellie was gazing out of the window and across the lawns. She’d heard everything she needed to, and now she understood why Max had closed the door. He’d been with her, and he didn’t want Ellie to know. Ignoring Leo completely she made her way slowly back to the kitchen, wondering how she was going to deal with this latest bit of information. Then she felt her phone vibrating in the pocket of her jeans. She kept it permanently on silent now.

  She sat down in the corner of the kitchen, as far away from the hallway as possible. A text message. Was it him? The number was blocked.

  TUT, TUT, ELLIE. LITTLE MISS PERFECT HAS A SECRET. AND GUESS WHAT? I KNOW WHAT THAT SECRET IS! WHERE WERE YOU ON FRIDAY NIGHT? AND WHO WERE YOU WITH? I’M SURE MAX WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED TO KNOW. BUT I PROMISE NOT TO TELL IF YOU DO ONE LITTLE THING FOR ME. I’M NOT READY YET BUT I WANT YOU TO BE PREPARED AND WAITING. DON’T THINK OF TELLING ANYBODY - BECAUSE I THINK YOU CAN GUESS WHAT I’LL DO.

  Ellie stared at the screen for a full minute. She felt the pressure of tears at the back of her eyes, and had to suppress them. Her pulse was pounding, and she felt a tight band of tension gripping her forehead.

  Oh God. What is happening to my life?

  Who was this? Who would want to send her such an evil text? How did they get her number, and what did they mean, a job? How did they know about Friday? What could anybody possibly want from her, apart from money? But it didn’t sound like that. It sounded like they wanted her to do something. What?

  Ellie felt a burning anger. It had to be him. He was messing with her mind. He was the only person who knew where she’d been that night. He was the only one with something to gain. Why would he do this to her?

  She felt a scream building in her chest, but a flash of movement caught her eye and she stifled her emotions. Leo had obviously followed her from the hallway and was leaning in the doorway giving her sister a puzzled look.

  Quickly Ellie deleted the message and stuffed the phone back into her pocket.

  ‘Ellie?’ Leo said, with a baffled expression.

  ‘Sorry, Leo. I’m fine
.’ She gave a fake laugh that wouldn’t fool anybody but she carried on, talking nineteen to the dozen and leaving no gaps for questions. ‘It’s not every day you get two policeman on the doorstep wanting to talk to your husband is it? I’m okay now. Just being silly. Let’s have a cup of tea ourselves should we? Do you want to put the kettle on, because I’m going to round up the kids and give them wet cloths - see how they like cleaning the floor!’

  26

  Day Five : Tuesday

  After the police had left the previous evening, the atmosphere had been very strained. Leo didn’t understand it. There was clearly something that Ellie had wanted to say to Max, but for some reason she’d held back, throwing hurt glances at him every time he looked away from her. Max himself seemed confused and uncomfortable, and Leo had never seen them like this. They occasionally argued, but never had she witnessed this obvious holding back of emotion.

  Max had told them that the police had only wanted to check his route home from the end of term party on Friday night, and confirm the details of who was driving. That was as much information as he’d offered, and a bemused Leo had realised that Ellie wasn’t going to ask anymore. At least, not in front of her.

  The mood at breakfast hadn’t improved either. Ellie could hardly bring herself to look at Max, and he wasn’t much better. He looked as if the sword of Damocles was hanging over his head, and yet nobody was even attempting to discuss what the problem was. Leo knew better than to interfere, and she tried to keep the twins amused while the brooding silence between Ellie and Max became ever more strained.

  Finally, Max pushed himself up from the table without his usual energy. When he spoke, Leo could hear the tension and uncertainty in his voice.

  ‘Ellie, I think you said you’re working again today, so I wondered about taking the kids to that new heated outdoor pool. You know, we talked about it the other week. They can have a splash about, and then do a bit of proper swimming. Is that okay with you?’

  Ellie pulled what could only be interpreted as a ‘do whatever you like’ sort of face.

  ‘Fine. I’m actually only working this afternoon - as you’d know if you’d been listening. But that’s okay. I’ve got plenty to do round here. You go and have fun. I’ll get on with some housework, and then go to work.’

  Leo looked down at her toast and picked up her knife to spread some jam on it. She didn’t like jam much, but felt she needed to be doing something.

  ‘I don’t mind staying and helping with the housework first, you know. We could go this afternoon? Would that be better? Or come with us this morning - the housework can wait.’

  Leo could see that Max was trying, but he wasn’t getting anywhere.

  ‘Just go, Max. I’ll have gone to work by the time you get back, but I’ll be home about eight. Perhaps we can order a takeaway or something, if that’s okay with you, Leo?’

  Leo glanced up and gave a brief nod. She knew she should probably offer to cook, but she also knew that nobody would thank her for it in the end.

  Max looked confused, as if he were about to say something and then thought better of it. He blew out a big puff of air through pursed lips, then turned away.

  ‘Right, you two horrors. Swimming stuff and towels - last one ready and standing by the front door gets no ice-cream.’

  They set off at a run, Leo knowing full well that Max would fake some fall on the stairs or do some idiotic somersault as if he had tripped - just to make sure he was the last one to the door. And the twins knew it too, but it didn’t make it any less fun.

  As the kitchen door closed behind them, Leo risked a word.

  ‘Coffee?’ she asked gingerly.

  Ellie didn’t respond for a second, as if she hadn’t heard the question. She was staring at the opposite wall, but Leo thought she detected a hint of a nod, so got up from the table. She had now mastered the finer points of this machine, and thought a cappuccino might revive Ellie’s flagging spirits. She didn’t attempt to break the silence until they heard lots of banging and crashing followed by three voices shouting ‘bye’ from the hall and the door slamming closed.

  Leo put the coffee down in front of Ellie.

  ‘Talk,’ she said, taking a seat opposite her sister.

  Ellie was staring into space, and for a moment she focused on Leo as if she didn’t know what her sister was talking about.

  ‘Less of the puzzled look. Talk to me, Ellie. What the bloody hell’s got into you? You’re behaving like a witch, and Max actually looks frightened.’

  ‘As well he might,’ Ellie responded, picking up her coffee and hissing as the hot drink scalded her mouth.

  Leo said nothing, as usual trying the silence trick first. She was fairly sure that Ellie would step right into the trap.

  ‘He was with her - the night of the party. Max was with Alannah. She was driving.’

  Ah, thought Leo. So that’s what this was about.

  ‘Isn’t she the one they were talking about at dinner the other night? The girls’ PE teacher? He works with her. He sees her every day. So what if she was driving the car? And anyway, how do you know?’

  ‘I know, because I’m not thick - although it appears that everybody thinks I am. Max couldn’t drive that night, he was totally pissed. He said they’d drawn straws and that ‘a mate’ was driving him home. He never said that the ‘mate’ in question was Alannah.’

  Leo frowned.

  ‘Did he need to? Did it matter whether Alannah was driving, as opposed to some other person he works with?’

  Ellie looked up from where she was stirring her coffee.

  ‘Of course it matters. If there was nothing to it, he would have told me she was the one giving him a lift home. But he didn’t. He let me believe it was one of the guys from school. Then Alannah’s car was picked up on CCTV in the village, and Max had to corroborate her story - that they’d never been near the back road. That’s why the police came round.’

  ‘Did he actually lie to you about Alannah being the driver?’ Leo asked, not unreasonably in her opinion.

  ‘He evaded the truth, which is as bad. You have no idea how hard it was to get him to admit to me - finally - that it was her car.’

  ‘What made you suspect it in the first place?’

  ‘I thought about it on Saturday night at the dinner. Pat mentioned that Alannah was driving that night. And then you told me the villagers were gossiping about a PE teacher being invited into the police station - presumably because their car was seen in the village. It was enough to make me ask the question - but it was like getting blood out of a stone! You can be one hundred per cent sure Max had no intention of telling me. I had to force it out of him last night after you’d gone to bed.’

  Ellie slammed her teaspoon down on the table.

  ‘And if it hadn’t been for the accident, I probably would never have found out. That’s what he was banking on. You can bet your life on that.’

  Leo calmly stirred the frothy milk into her coffee and spoke in a measured tone.

  ‘Well I’m not surprised that he didn’t want to tell you if this is your reaction. What are you so agitated about? From what I gathered of Max the next day, he could have been brought back by Angelina Jolie in the nude and it wouldn’t have had any impact on him.’

  ‘That wouldn’t have worked anyway, because he thinks she’s too skinny,’ Ellie said petulantly.

  Leo laughed.

  ‘It’s okay you laughing. You’re not the one whose marriage is falling apart.’ Ellie put her head down and started to cry. Leo was shocked.

  ‘Oh God, Ellie. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. I wouldn’t have joked if I’d known it was so serious.’

  Leo leaned across and patted Ellie on her arm a couple of times. She wished she could offer more, but at least she was here.

  ‘Why do you think it’s falling apart, Ellie? Just because he came home with this Alannah woman one night?’

  Ellie grabbed a napkin to wipe her eyes and nose.

>   ‘I’m not quite that pathetic. It’s much worse than that.’

  ‘So tell me. Tell me what you know and what you suspect, and let’s try and sort this out. I can’t believe you’re right, though.’

  Leo’s natural distrust of men didn’t quite extend to Max. She might ultimately be persuaded that he was as bad as all the rest, but she would need some pretty strong evidence.

  Ellie stood up and shoved her chair back so hard it fell over.

  ‘A great place to start then, if you automatically think that he’s so bloody perfect that it can’t be true. But this is just the last in a line of things that have happened. And he lied to me. I thought Max would never lie to me. That was weeks ago, so this is nothing new, Leo. And as for Friday night, I know there were two other guys in the car that left the rugby club - two other people that Alannah was giving a lift to. He told me about them. But I know where they live, and I know where bloody skinny-arsed Alannah lives.’ Ellie bent down and picked up the fallen chair, banging its feet hard on the tiled floor. She turned to Leo and placed her hands on her hips, leaning forward at the waist like a fishwife. ‘For Max to be the last one in the car that drove through the village - which it seems was the case - Alannah would have had to drive about three times farther than necessary. Max should have been the first one to be dropped off - not the last. But he wasn’t. She took the other guys home first, and then came all the way back here with Max. They obviously had to have some time together after they’d got the other two safely home. It makes no sense in terms of a route - it only makes sense if they wanted to be alone.’

  Leo didn’t know what to say to this. It did sound strange, but surely there could be a reasonable explanation if Ellie would only ask Max.

  Ellie had clearly had enough. She walked over to the door and stopped. She turned dramatically towards Leo, with one hand on the doorknob, the other raised high, jabbing her index finger towards Leo.

  ‘You believe what you like, but that’s not the only evidence I’ve got. Max was overheard talking to her - his mistress - in the pub. They were talking about some kind of plan that he couldn’t tell me about. At least, not until it was too late for me to stop it from happening. But I don’t know what, Leo. I don’t know what I would want to stop happening - I can only guess. So how would you feel, Leo? Perhaps I should take a leaf out of your book and accept that it’s a mistake to ever trust a man.’