Page 31 of The Girlfriend’s Secret

‘About what really happened when Valerie died,’ Haven says.

There is a genuine pause then as me, Frederik and Joel all process that shocking statement.

‘What do you mean?’ Joel asks. ‘Grandma fell down the stairs.’

‘No, she didn’t,’ Haven says. ‘She was pushed and I know who did it.’

None of us know what to say to that, but it doesn’t matter because Haven carries on talking.

‘It’s the person who is warning me to stay away from you all. The person none of you should trust because he’s the one who was after Valerie’s money, not me.’

Haven pauses, but it doesn’t seem like it’s for dramatic effect. Rather, it’s because she’s afraid.

‘It’s Scott,’ she says, stunning us all.

TWENTY-ONE

LIANE

A hush has fallen across the kitchen as Haven’s last word hangs in the air.

Scott. My eldest son. That’s who Haven has just accused of being the one who was after my mother’s money the most. Not her. But then she would deny it was her, wouldn’t she? How can she think Scott has done anything wrong?

‘I don’t understand,’ Frederik says, no doubt speaking for the rest of the room. ‘What are you talking about?’

‘Scott has been trying to get me to leave Joel and leave this family ever since I met him,’ Haven says before turning to her boyfriend. ‘It’s true. I know he’s your brother and I’m sorry, but I’m not making any of this up. Scott is not the great guy you all think he is.’

‘Enough,’ I order. ‘Stop this nonsense!’

‘It’s not nonsense,’ Haven goes on. ‘You said you saw the message I received when you had my phone a few moments ago. Scott has been warning me away from you all and it’s because he has something to hide and I know what it is.’

‘What is it?’ Joel asks.

‘I said stop!’ I cry because I really cannot hear any more of this. But once again, Haven ignores me.

‘I think Scott hurt your grandmother,’ Haven tells Joel and, with that, the hush returns. Even I am rendered speechless, and for a moment, Haven looks like she believes she has got us all to understand what she just said. But it doesn’t last long.

‘Okay, I think this has gone far enough,’ Frederik says. ‘It’s very late and I don’t think anybody is going to say anything sensible at this time of night. How about we all go back to bed, and we can resume this discussion in the morning.’

‘Didn’t you hear what I said?’ Haven replies. ‘I think Scott might have killed Valerie.’

‘That’s my mother and my son you’re talking about!’ I cry, suddenly rushing towards Haven because if I can’t get her to be quiet with my words, I’ll have to find another way. Perhaps fortunately, Frederik steps in between us, and it’s a good job that one of us hasn’t lost their cool yet.

‘Leave it,’ my husband says to me, as if we’re in the middle of a pub and he’s trying to break up a fight between two drunken customers. But this is even worse than that unsavoury scenario. This is a domestic dispute, one that threatens to destroy my entire family, but how can I let what Haven just said go unchecked?

‘I cannot have her in this house if she is going to be spouting a bunch of nonsensical lies!’ I cry, pointing a finger in her direction. ‘Either she goes tonight or I do!’

That rather dramatic ultimatum is not exactly the fairest thing I could have done to Joel, who now faces the awful dilemma of having to choose between his mother and his girlfriend. I should never have put him in a position like this, and I would never have dreamt of doing so under normal circumstances. But then again, I never expected to have someone come into my house and tell me that my eldest son had killed my mum for her inheritance money.

‘Just let me explain,’ Haven says. ‘I know it sounds crazy but⁠—’

‘You’re damn right it sounds crazy,’ I shout back. ‘Now get out or I’ll drag you out!’

In my chaotic frame of mind, I’ve gone from threatening to leave to now deciding that Haven is going. At least that might take the pressure off Joel, who is standing beside Haven with a look of horror on his face. However he imagined Haven’s introduction to his family going as he flew home from Australia, this can’t have been it. And then I remember. Calvin told me that Haven had been to visit him before I thought she had got back to the country. If that was true, I need to know about it.

‘When did you get back to England?’ I ask both her and Joel.

‘What?’ my son replies.