‘Wondered why you were here.’
‘I’m going to pick Hannah and Daisy up from Brownies. Pippa asked if one of us could do it,’ I say, aware Alice is watching us. I pass Luke a cup of coffee, which he takes and just about manages to say cheers.
‘Oh, Alice, I meant to say, Pippa said she saw you in the village the other day,’ I make an effort to sound casual as I lean back against the worktop.
‘Pippa? Oh, yes, your friend. I did bump into her, that’s right,’ says Alice.
‘The funny thing is, Pippa thought you were me,’ I say, forcing a small laugh out. ‘She said you had the same top on as mine. You know, the blue one with the green-and-white fish on it?’
Alice looks slightly thrown for a second. I glance at Luke, who is watching the scenario. Mum is too. ‘Er, I don’t think so,’ she says. ‘Not the same top.’
‘Pippa has an eye for these things. I don’t think she would make a mistake like that,’ I say. ‘Actually, come to think of it, I haven’t seen that top for a few days. Look, if you’ve borrowed it, I really don’t mind, you just needed to ask. The same for my blue-and-white stripy T-shirt and denim skirt. Rather than take things, just ask. Although I’d sooner you didn’t go into my room when I’m not here. I know Mum lent you my top the other day, but please, if you could ask me first, I’d appreciate that.’
‘Clare, I have no idea what you’re talking about, I’m sure,’ says Alice. She looks at Mum.
‘No, I don’t either,’ says Mum.
‘I haven’t borrowed any of your clothes,’ says Alice.
‘Really? So, Pippa is lying?’ I say looking Alice straight in the eye. I hold my hand up to Mum as she goes to protest. ‘Is Pippa lying?’ I ask again.
‘I wouldn’t say lying, more like mistaken,’ says Alice.
‘If we were to look in your wardrobe, my clothes wouldn’t be hanging in there?’
‘Clare, take it easy,’ warns Luke, saying more words than he has done so to me for the past day. ‘I don’t think that’s necessary.’ He looks apologetically at Alice.
‘But I think it is,’ I say.
‘Be my guest,’ says Alice. ‘Actually, let’s all go up and have a look, shall we? Come on.’ She puts her cup down on the worktop and marches upstairs. I follow straight behind her. I think Mum and Luke feel they have no choice but to come as well. I glance back and Luke is lifting Chloe into his arms before following us.
We all stand in front of the wardrobe as if it’s some sort of show about to start. Alice makes a big deal of opening the wardrobe door rather theatrically and then stepping back as though she’s a magician’s assistant.
I pull at the hangers where the tops are. I can’t find my fish top at all. I flick through the clothes. No sign of the skirt or the other top. I look in the bottom of the wardrobe, but it’s just shoes. I look through the clothes again, but mine are definitely not there. I spin around.
‘They were here earlier,’ I say.
‘You’ve been going through my things!’ says Alice in melodramatic tones.
‘What have you done with them?’ I glare at Alice.
‘Clare!’ It’s a warning word from Luke. He can tell I’m going to blow.
I ignore him and push between my mother and sister and storm over to the bedside table. ‘What about this, then?’ I yank open the top drawer. There’s a packet of tissues, a phone charger and a mobile phone, but no picture. I look underneath, in case I didn’t put it back properly. Nothing. ‘There was a photo in this drawer. One of Alice and Luke. I saw it.’ I spin around and look, once again, at the jury in front of me.
‘Clare, I think you need to leave my room,’ says Alice.
‘You’ve moved it all, haven’t you?’ I demand, suddenly realising what she’s done. ‘Just now, when you got home. That’s why you used the bathroom up here and not the one downstairs.’
‘I don’t know what’s got into you, Clare,’ says Mum. She looks at Alice and puts a comforting arm around her. ‘I’m sorry, darling. I think Clare is working too hard. It’s all getting a bit much for her. Please don’t cry, sweetheart. Oh, Alice, come on, darling. Sit down.’ She sits Alice down on the edge of the bed.
‘Mum! I promise you, my clothes were here. There was a picture in the drawer. I saw it with my own eyes.’
‘Luke, take Clare out. She’s upsetting her sister.’
Luke picks up Chloe again and looks at me. ‘Don’t cause a scene,’ he says coolly.
I go to protest, but change my mind. Chloe is clinging onto Luke and eyeing me with caution. ‘I’m not making this up,’ I say, as I leave the room. I march straight into our room and fling open my own wardrobe. I’m not as surprised as I thought I might be when the clothes previously in Alice’s wardrobe are now in mine. Luke is in the room. He puts Chloe on the bed and comes over to my wardrobe. He snatches out the two tops and skirt.
‘These the ones you’re looking for?’ He throws them one by one into my arms.
‘Luke, they were in her wardrobe. I’m not lying. Why would I?’
Luke takes a step closer to me. He’s only a few inches from my face. ‘Get a fucking grip.’ He says it quiet enough that Chloe doesn’t appear to hear, seemingly distracted by the teddy bear on my bed that she must have left there at some point this morning.
I thrust the clothes back at him in my frustration. ‘Are you saying I’m lying? Why won’t you believe me?’
‘You’re the solicitor. You work it out,’ he says. ‘But if you need a clue, it’s called evidence.’ He drops the clothes onto the floor and once more scoops Chloe up. ‘I’m going to sort Chloe out her tea now. I suggest you sort your head out and apologise to your mum and sister.’
‘She’s no sister to me,’ I hiss back at him.
Luke gives a ‘for fuck’s sake’ face and turns to go. He stops in the doorway. For a second I think he’s had a change of heart, but he’s looking at the bookcase beside the door. He transfers Chloe into his right arm and with his now-free hand reaches out and picks something up from the top of the bookcase. He turns to me. ‘Something of yours, I believe.’
I gulp. It’s a green envelope file. I don’t have to read the black marker pen on the front to know what file it says. It’s the McMillan file. I take it from him. ‘That wasn’t there earlier.’
‘Something else to apologise about,’ he says. ‘I don’t know what the hell’s got into you lately, Clare, but I don’t like it. I don’t like you.’
‘It’s not me, though! It’s her! Can’t you see what’s she’s doing? She’s putting a wedge between us all.’ I don’t care that I’ve raised my voice. I don’t care if Alice hears.
Mum comes storming out from Alice’s room. She pushes past Luke and stops in front of me. ‘Now, you listen to me, young lady.’ If it wasn’t for the rage on her face, I’d probably find Mum calling me ‘young lady’ funny. It’s what she used to say when I was about ten years old. ‘Your sister is sobbing her heart out in there because of you. I never thought I’d say it, but you make me ashamed, Clare Tennison. Ashamed of you. How dare you behave like this to your sister? She’s talking about leaving now, going back to America and never coming back.’ Mum’s voice catches in her throat. She’s fighting back the emotion. ‘And if she does, I’ll never forgive you. Do you hear me? Never.’