Page 96 of The Other Side

“Tim’s dad’s in pieces,” Liam said.

“His mum’s a bitch.”

“James!” His mother shot him a warning look.

“Sorry, Mum. But she is.” He looked at his brother before continuing. “We heard Tim’s parents arguing later. His dad had been questioned by the police about the night she died and he was furious. Tim’s mum said she’d been at home all evening watching telly with Tim.”

“But she wasn’t?” Drum asked quietly.

James shook his head.

“She wasn’t there at all,” Liam said. “Tim said she went out after his dad had gone out. So Tim went out as well.”

A silence settled over the room.

Gemma Varley glanced at Drum. Yes, he got it. Oh God.

Judging from the way the twins were exchanging glances, they understood the implications too.

“Was Tim with you?” Drum asked.

Liam nodded. “We rode to the fish and chip van in the next village and then played football on the green until it was too dark to see.”

“They got home very late.”

“Mum went mad.” Liam looked at her.

“I did,” their mother agreed. “Thought they’d been knocked off their bikes.”

Drum gave the boys a reassuring smile. “Thank you. You may have to tell another officer all this later.”

Liam’s shoulders slumped. “We don’t want Tim getting into trouble.”

“I’m not asking you to get anyone into trouble,” Drum said. “I’m asking you to tell the truth. That’s all.”

Their mum walked him to the front door. “Might be something. Might be nothing. I mean, don’t tell the boys I said so, but James isn’t wrong. Bettina thinks she’s better than the rest of us. Has to have flash handbags, designer shoes, weekends away in posh hotels. I heard a rumour that Stan was in trouble financially, but they never seem to tighten their belts.”

Drum thanked her and walked back to the car.

Osian appeared beside him. “That’s not looking good. Tim’s mother lying about where she was. Tim boasting he’s about to come into money.”

“Maybe Stan didn’t kill his mother, but his wife did.”

Drum wondered what he ought to do. Just call in the information he’d been given, or ask to speak directly to Purbeck? He probably ought to do both.

“Let me just send this in before we go home.”

Drum typed it all up, pressed send, then started the engine.

“Is that rare?” Osian asked as they set off. “For a woman to kill?”

“Around ninety percent of murders are committed by men. But women are more likely to use suffocating someone with a pillow as a way of killing. Saves having to bring something with you. The pillow suppresses noise. It’s easier to suffocate vulnerable people and minimal forensic evidence is left. Maybe she was stupid enough to google how to do it. James was right. What a bitch.”

As he suspected, Drum had a call summoning him to High Burton.

“I’ll come with you,” Osian said.

“You don’t need to. I don’t want you wasting your energy on glamouring yourself invisible.”