‘That must have made you stand out,’ Ty said.
‘Yeah, and I loved being different. Loved thinking I’d bucked the trend, thanks to my intelligence. Not many people from around these parts did. Half the kids my age that grew up here are now pushing prams and living off the dole. But I would have done way better than that, if it hadn’t been for bloody Juliette. She had everything. I had bugger all. I knew why she wanted to be my friend; I wasn’t stupid. That was okay until I made a mistake one day when she and a crowd of her friends invited me to play a game with them. We all had to say what two things we most liked and what two things we most disliked about our respective appearances. I was spoiled for choice when it came to the dislike part but the like question was easy. My hair and my boobs.’
‘You revealed your weaknesses,’ Alexi said sympathetically, well able to recall similar schoolgirl games in which she had embarrassed herself by being too honest.
‘Yes. I should have realised when Juliette frowned that I’d said the wrong thing. She had nice enough hair, but it was thin and wispy; not thick and lustrous like mine. And, in spite of the services of a series of Wonderbras, she was flat-chested.’
‘Ah,’ Ty said softly. ‘The knife through the implant. I knew it had to be symbolic.’
‘I also made the mistake of telling her about Guy and me. A lot of the girls in her year had never had sex, much less done it on the school grounds. That was the ultimate in daring and I was the centre of attention for a while. Of course, she wasn’t about to let me usurp her in that respect so she went after Guy, simply because she could.’ Greta scowled. ‘Not content with having him, she made a point of letting me catch them together and then telling me all about it in minute detail.’ Greta shook her head, tears streaming down her face. ‘I was devastated. The one thing I had that meant something to me and she had to ruin it.’
‘What did you do?’ Ty asked.
‘Ha, I pretended not to care, then sabotaged her history project. I was still doing her homework and deliberately put wrong facts into an essay. She had to write it out in her own handwriting so the errors ought to have been obvious, even to someone with her limited abilities. Of course, she didn’t spot them and as a result failed an important exam her dad expected her to pass. She blamed me and—’
‘And cut off your hair,’ Alexi said.
‘Right.’ Greta shuddered. ‘They cornered me in the cloakroom. Three of her friends held me down and she wielded the scissors. I’ll never forget the humiliation, or the way the four of them laughed themselves silly.’
‘That was beyond cruel,’ Alexi said, reaching out to touch Greta’s hand.
Greta sighed. ‘It was a long time ago.’
‘Not so long that you’ve got past it,’ Ty said. ‘So how did you feel when you knew the two of you would be on live TV?’
‘My first reaction was to withdraw. Then I thought, why the hell should I? It was a cruel coincidence but the naïve part of my brain thought she might have improved and would play fair.’ She threw up her hands. ‘Ha, like that would ever happen.’
‘When Greta saw I was on the production team I managed to convince her that what had happened between Juliette and me hadn’t entirely been my fault.’ Guy looked sheepish. ‘Of course, it was. I could have said no and have spent the past ten years wishing that I had.’
‘I knew that at the time, but just couldn’t forgive him.’ She reached for Guy’s hand. ‘But ten years on I was willing to give it another go.’
‘We soon knew Juliette wouldn’t play fair,’ Guy said, taking up the story, ‘so I promised Greta that I would monitor her movements. I could do that. No one notices the cameraman, especially a quiet one like me who keeps himself to himself. I knew she’d sneaked into Paul Dakin’s room in the hotel several times but we weren’t too worried about that. He was just the host. He didn’t get to vote. But Greta was convinced it would only be a matter of time before she went after Marcel. To get to his apartment she had to go through the courtyard. Each time she left the annexe, Greta sent me a text and I watched her through my camera.’
Greta nodded. ‘I was furious when I heard she’d stayed in Marcel’s apartment for an hour. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what they’d been up to and I was determined to have it out with her once and for all. But before I could, Dakin found her in the courtyard. I think he realised where she’d been and they started arguing. He stormed off and it was my turn to go out and confront her. She laughed in my face when I took her to task about her underhand tactics. She said I ought to have learned by then that it was every man for himself…or everyman for her. I was that angry, I got up in her face and she pushed me away. I pushed back, she fell and didn’t get up.’
‘I ran out to see if I could help, to cool tempers before it got even more out of hand,’ Guy said. ‘But Juliette was dead. There was no pulse. Nothing we could do.’
‘Except call the emergency services and report an accident,’ Ty pointed out.
Greta nodded. ‘It’s what I should have done, I know that now but…oh, I don’t know what came over me. All I can think is that I suffered a temporary bout of insanity. Once again she’d screwed up my life and I saw red I wanted to make a statement, I suppose.’ She wiped tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. ‘Still, I shouldn’t have involved Guy in my stupid quest for revenge.’
‘I wanted to be involved, love.’ He stroked the fingers of the hand he was holding. ‘All I’ve wanted for the past ten years is to be a part of your life. To make it up to you for hurting you.’
‘That was it, you see. I’ve never been able to get past Juliette and what she did to me, for no other reason than that she was vindictive. What kids turn out to be in their adult lives is shaped by traumatic events that occur during their most impressionable years, I’ve always thought.’ Greta looked resigned. ‘That’s not an excuse, by the way. Just an observation.’
Alexi nodded. ‘I tend to agree with you,’ she said, thinking about Natalie Parker and how her personal demons had ultimately driven her to her death.
‘Have you seen where Juliette lived?’ Greta asked, looking angry again rather than pensive. Alexi and Ty both nodded. ‘I was brought up here. Oh, I’m not complaining. My parents were good, hardworking folk who did their best for me. They were that proud when I got into Eversham and told anyone who’d listen that I’d make something of myself. But, as you can see, I’m still stuck here. Dad died five years ago. Mum went last year. I was able to take over the tenancy—’
‘And keep it nice,’ Alexi added.
‘I try. It’s not easy around these parts. Burglaries never get investigated. It’s virtually a police-free zone.’ She shook her head. ‘I know I sound like I’m making excuses, and perhaps that’s what I’m doing. My point is, Juliette could have been anything she wanted to be, with Daddy’s money to ease her path. I had to do it the hard way, I was no competition to her, but she put me down when I was at such an impressionable age…well, I figured when I knew we’d be on the show together that we were both adults and I’d finally get to put it behind me. I needed closure and thought I could handle being near her. That we could be civilized. But, of course, I was being naïve. Nothing had changed with her modus operandi.’
‘I do understand how it must have been for you, Greta, to have to revisit all those horrible memories,’ Alexi said. ‘Schoolgirls can be downright vicious. But what I don’t get is why you tried to frame Marcel.’
‘Don’t you see?’ Greta spread her hands as though it ought to be obvious. ‘It was history repeating itself. I’d been prepared to give her the benefit of the doubt and let bygones be bygones. But she was still manipulating men to get what she wanted and when I saw her come out of Marcel’s apartment and knew she’d used her wiles on him it felt like my head was going to explode with anger. I was that mad I actually saw spots dance before my eyes and thought I was going to pass out. I’ve always thought people exaggerated when they said things like that. Now I know dif
ferently.’
‘Why go to so much trouble to set Marcel up?’ Alexi asked. ‘Okay, he shouldn’t have screwed her but…’
‘I actually liked Marcel,’ Greta replied. ‘He can be a bit of a prima donna, but he’s a great chef, passionate about food. I thought he’d keep it professional and judge us on our ability to cook. I also thought he had more sense than to fall for Juliette’s conniving ways.’ She shrugged. ‘You’d think I’d know better than that by now. Why do men always let their dicks do the thinking for them? Anyway, it was a spur of the moment decision to make him suffer. Juliette was dead and I had seconds to decide how to play it. I persuaded Guy to help me stage her to make it look like Marcel had done it.’
Ty frowned. ‘By sticking Marcel’s knife through Juliette’s breast?’
‘Yeah, I know, viewed in the cold light of day when I’m no longer in shock it does seem vindictive, I suppose.’ Greta appeared contrite. ‘It’s just that I wanted the world to know it wasn’t only her smile that was false. As soon as I started thinking rationally again I knew I’d been stupid and ought to tell the truth but I just kept thinking how pathetic it would make me look if I did. I mean, we all carry emotional baggage, but we’re supposed to get over childish hang-ups when we become adults. I knew our pictures, mine and Juliette’s, would have been flashed up side by side on TV screens. I’d come off second best, just like always, and Juliette would be painted as a kind kid who tried to befriend me. I mean, no one ever talks ill of the dead. Not even when they deserve it. Anyway, it would look to the world as though I was jealous of her and took the opportunity to grab revenge. I wasn’t jealous. It was just her methods that got me so damned mad.’
‘And the glass with Marcel’s fingerprint?’ Ty asked.
‘I saw it on the side in the kitchen when I took his knife,’ Greta replied. ‘I knew it had to be his. No one else would dare to leave a dirty glass in his domain. I also knew charges wouldn’t stick because Marcel had never been in her room. He wouldn’t do that, even if he was tempted, because he knew about the cameras always being on. Anyway…well, I just wanted him to suffer for a while, a bit like I’ve been made to suffer all my life because I don’t look like a catwalk model.’
‘Charges might well have stuck when they found Marcel’s print on that bedside table,’ Alexi pointed out.
‘We would have spoken up if he’d been charged,’ Guy said. ‘We just hoped it wouldn’t come to that and the case would go cold for lack of leads. Then we’d be in the clear.’
‘It was stupid,’ Greta said. ‘I didn’t think it through properly and I’m prepared to face the consequences. But just so we’re clear, it was all my idea. Guy tried to talk me out of it and only helped me because he still feels guilty about going with Juliette all those years ago.’
‘What I don’t get is why you persuaded Alexi to come here,’ Ty said.
‘Like I already said, I wanted her to see where I came from and understand why I’m still here, which is all Juliette’s fault. Besides, pride took over. I knew she knew, and I didn’t want to be carted out of Hopgood House in handcuffs, in full view of the cameras. She has her phone. She could have called for help any time.’
‘You might have answered my calls then,’ Ty muttered. ‘I was going crazy.’
Alexi blinked. ‘My phone didn’t ring.’
‘Oh, I turned it off when I put it in your bag,’ Greta said, looking sheepish. ‘Sorry. I didn’t want any interruptions.’
Alexi grabbed her phone from her bag and switched it on. There were four missed calls from Ty and two from Cheryl.
‘What will happen to us?’ Guy asked.
‘Well,’ Ty replied. ‘I suggest you turn yourselves in to Vickery, tell him what you’ve just told us. If you have the accident on camera then there will be no murder charges.’
‘Especially if Juliette struck the first blow. Or push,’ Alexi added.
‘She did,’ Guy said. ‘It’s clear as day on the footage.’
‘Okay. You’ll be charged with staging a crime, withholding evidence and wasting police time, most likely.’
Greta swallowed, her complexion sallow, eyes moist. ‘Will I go to prison?’
‘Probably not if we present the circumstances right but there are no guarantees,’ Ty said. ‘I’ll get Ben Avery, a local solicitor, to go with you when you turn yourselves in. If you tell him your story first, show him the footage, he’ll put up a good case for probation. But you did try to frame Marcel. It might not be so easy to talk your way out of that one.’
‘Unless I can persuade Marcel not to make an issue out of that,’ Alexi said.
‘It’s more a case of what the police try to do about Greta’s wasting their time by misleading them,’ Ty said. ‘But again, we’ll have to wait and see.’
‘Thank you,’ Greta said meekly. ‘I’ve been a fool. As wicked and vindictive as Juliette in many ways. God, how could I have stooped to her level?’ She dropped her head into her hands. ‘But, if I had the time over again, I doubt that I would do things differently. That’s how badly Juliette screwed up my life. My only regret is involving Guy.’
‘Hey, I’m a big boy. I volunteered. If I’d tried harder to stop you staging that scene you’d have had to listen to me.’
‘I threatened to leave you again if you didn’t help me. That wasn’t exactly giving you much choice.’
‘Stop beating yourself up, love.’ Guy squeezed her hand. ‘We’re in this together and there’s nothing more to be said.’
‘Let’s all go back to Hopwood House, get Ben over, look at that footage and decide how to proceed,’ Ty said. ‘Vickery can wait until tomorrow.’
‘Hope our cars are okay out there,’ Alexi said. ‘No offence.’
‘None taken,’ Greta replied.
‘Don’t worry,’ Ty said, a protective arm wrapped around her shoulders. ‘Cosmo’s on the job.’
Chapter Twenty
Alexi lay stretched full length on her sofa in front of a roaring log fire, her head resting in Ty’s lap. Now mid-December, with Christmas fever at epidemic proportions, it had been two weeks since Greta and Guy admitted to what they’d done. The show was continuing with three contestants.The papers were full of speculation about Greta’s involvement in Juliette’s demise. The winner of Lambourn’s heat of the contest would be announced during a Christmas Eve feature-length special. Alexi’s money was on Anton. Viewing figures had broken all records, what with the real life drama surrounding the show competing with the contrived situations on screen.
Dakin was no longer the host and was hiding under a rock somewhere until the media interest in him abated. The DNA on Juliette’s foetus had come back, proving that he was the father and the station had fired him. His wife, so rumour had it, was divorcing him and it would be a long time before the man’s insincere face graced the small screen again.
‘Wonder how the media discovered that Dakin had been arguing with Juliette minutes before she died, trying to force her into aborting his baby,’ Alexi mused, a mischievous smile flirting with her lips.
‘Thank goodness Guy got that all on camera. He picked up sound as well as visual of his argument with Juliette. She’d asked Paul to come down, not for a roll in the hay but so she could tell him the glad tidings about the baby. Unfortunately Paul was thinking of number one and wasn’t overjoyed at the thought of impending parenthood.’
Alexi sniffed. ‘He should have thought of the possible consequences before he had unprotected sex with her.’
‘Juliette at her most manipulative again, I guess,’ Ty said, shrugging. ‘It probably suited her purpose to try and get pregnant.’
‘A bit extreme, don’t you think?’
‘Juliette was an all or nothing kind of gal. She wanted to win the contest and would do whatever it took to ensure that she did. Thankfully Guy was trying to protect Greta without dropping Marcel too deeply in it and recorded their not so happy confrontation.’
‘Well, at least Juliette’s determin
ation to have the baby was one aspect of her character that a gossip-hungry public couldn’t hang her out to dry for.’
‘Yeah, the kid had her good points. You just had to dig deep to find them.’
Alexi scrunched up her features. ‘How’s Juliette’s dad doing with Melody, by the way?’
‘I spoke to Dean just yesterday. He’s not happy about it, but he says his mother’s a changed woman since Hammond came back into her life.’
‘And he has a life of his own now?’
‘Right.’ Ty nodded. ‘It’s early days but Melody is now spending more time with Hammond than she is at home with Dean. Dean has reluctantly agreed to spend Christmas with Hammond. He says the old man has aged since the death of his daughter and he’s hopeful that he and Melody will help one another heal.’
‘Older and wiser,’ Alexi said, reaching up to touch Ty’s face. ‘They deserve another chance and Dean deserves the opportunity to get the education he didn’t have time for when he was his mum’s carer.’
‘Right. Hammond’s already offered and I don’t think Dean will look a gift horse in the mouth. Mind you, if Hammond thinks he can replace a daughter he could manipulate with a son of the same ilk then he’s in for a rude awakening.’
‘Well, I’m glad that Dean’s getting his chance.’
‘And they say no good deed goes unpunished. In Dean’s case, a bad deed for good reasons. His stealing from Cash Out has changed his life for the better.’
‘At least Hopgood House and Marcel are cleared,’ Alexi said, ‘which is all that really matters to me.’
‘Another example of morbid curiosity.’ Ty leaned over to kiss her. ‘Cheryl and Drew tell me they’re over-subscribed for the Christmas and New Year period and have bookings well into next year.’
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