Page 30 of The Girls in the Lake
She stepped inside, closing the door behind her. Quickly she stripped off her soaking wet clothes and left them in a pile in front of the door so it would be difficult to open. A part of her was glad she’d left her phone in the car. She turned on the shower and stepped under the spray, relieved to be able to warm herself up. He was right, no sooner had she began to thaw out than the water turned cold. She stepped out, and began to dry herself with a luxurious, soft towel. Wrapping another around her head, she kicked her sodden clothes to one side and opened the door to find a set of brand-new Nike joggers and a matching sweatshirt neatly folded on the floor. Grabbing them she dressed quickly, putting the wet clothes into the shower tray and mopping the floor with a hand towel. She looked in the small mirror and shook her head.You’re a bloody idiot. You could have died and no one would have known where you were until your body washed up.
She walked into the galley kitchen to find the man who had rescued her pouring boiling water into a teapot. He turned to her, pointing at the bench underneath the table.
‘Take a seat. You look a bit more human.’
‘Thank you.’ She sat down as he carried a tray over with a china teapot, two mugs, sugar, milk and some chocolate biscuits. Pouring out two mugs of tea, he passed her one and she added milk as well as a heaped teaspoon of sugar. Her hands were still shaking and she knew it was a combination of the cold, and the realisation that she’d had a very close call.
‘So, what do I call you?’
‘I’m James, this is my boat. You are very lucky. I’d come to make sure she was battened down and secure for the night. Would you care to tell me what you were doing?’
Beth wondered if she should lie, and then decided she couldn’t. He deserved the truth; he’d risked his own life to save hers. A killer wouldn’t do that, would they?
‘I’m Beth Adams, Forensic Pathologist. I’m investigating the drowning of Leah Burton and an unknown female that washed up yesterday evening.’
‘Right. But that doesn’t explain what you were doing hanging off the side of my boat in a storm.’ He smiled at her.
‘I found trace evidence on both bodies and thought maybe it had come off this boat, but when I got here I realised it couldn’t have. I saw the rowing boat attached to the back and thought maybe it had come from that. Thank you for saving me. I was very stupid. I really appreciate what you’ve done for me.’
She picked up the mug, blew the hot tea and began to sip it.
He nodded, and then seemed to realise what she’d said. ‘There’s another body? I didn’t know. I mean, how could I? I haven’t had anything to do with either of them, if that’s what you’re wondering. I already had two coppers here this afternoon questioning me.’
Josh would be furious with her when she told him what she’d done. Maybe she wouldn’t tell him. He didn’t need to know how reckless she’d been, did he? Robert’s face flashed into her mind. Was she being so careless because, deep down, his death was affecting her more than she cared to admit? He’d messed with her head all these years; was she crazy to think it would stop now he was dead?
Thirty-Four
Jodie had smiled so brightly at the sight of Josh walking onto the ward that a pang of guilt flashed through him. He felt sorry for her. He would do right by her, help her, stand by her; but he didn’t love her. He hadn’t loved her for a long time, and he desperately hoped she wasn’t thinking they could carry on where they’d left off, because they couldn’t. He didn’t have the heart to upset her right now though, not when she was this frail and the sight of him made her look this happy.
He’d pushed her in a wheelchair all the way down to the main entrance, then went to get the car. Then he’d helped her in and driven her home, where they were now in the middle of putting the shopping away. In the past, he’d leave her to do this, but she looked exhausted, almost crushed under the weight of a large paper bag full of her medications on her lap. It would take a pharmacist to work all of them out – no wonder she’d almost overdosed herself.
It was late, and he hadn’t heard from Beth. He’d rung several times to speak to her and tell her where he was, but she hadn’t answered and he figured she was either working late or had fallen asleep. She didn’t go out much, but she was better than she had been in the past. He didn’t leave a message: what could he say?Sorry, I’ll be late, I’m just helping my wife put the shopping away.He pushed away the thought and zoned back into what Jodie was saying to him.
‘—So, anyway, I told them unless they could actually find me a wig that looks natural it didn’t matter. I mean it’s winter, I’d rather wear a hat.’
He stared at her, not having a clue what she was talking about and nodded.
‘Does Beth know where you are?’ she said suddenly.
‘No, I didn’t tell her.’
‘Why? It’s not as if you’re doing anything wrong, is it? You’re just helping me out. I don’t think she’ll mind.’
Josh couldn’t answer because he didn’t know if she would or not. He knew he didn’t want to hurt her and this – he looked down at the frozen lasagne he was holding – this might hurt her a lot. She didn’t deserve that after everything she’d been through. ‘I haven’t had chance; we’ve both been very busy at work. I didn’t even see her last night. I’ll tell her when I go home.’
Jodie nodded and began to walk towards the stairs. ‘I need the toilet and then I need to lie down. Those tablets wipe me out. I have no energy. Can you manage to finish off?’
Once upon a time he would have taken that as her being sarcastic, but he looked at her and realised it was a genuine question.
‘Yeah, I can.’
She began to climb the stairs in a slow shuffle, and he turned away. She reminded him more of her elderly gran than the thirty-five-year-old who had been his wife. Life was shit at times…
There was a loud thump and a muffled cry from upstairs. Josh dropped the jar of mayonnaise he was putting away, shattering it into a thousand pieces all over the tiled floor as he ran to find Jodie collapsed on the floor at the top of the stairs. He took them two at a time, and when he reached her, she was curled up in a ball, sobbing.
‘Are you hurt, what happened?’
She shook her head. ‘My stupid knee gave way, I’m fine.’
