Inspector Rames

Chapter 59

When we reached Ethan's flat, he took us straight into the living room. It was grand but homely: polished oak floorboards; soft, new sofas; hologram photos of Danielle's little boy on the walls. The coffee table was strewn with mugs, ashtrays, and cigarette packets. A fluffy rug was spread across the floorboards with metal building blocks strewn over it.

Danielle was sitting on a sofa in a cashmere jumper, Benjamin playing at her feet. She looked up as we entered. "Oh. Good afternoon."

"Afternoon," I said. "We've come to ask a few more questions about Iberia and Ruby. We tried earlier, but no one was in."

"Sorry. I was shopping for toys with Benjamin." She stroked his hair. "We bought some new blocks, didn't we, Benji?"

The boy nodded and carried on building. What he was trying to make, I really couldn't guess at. We skirted around him and sat on the opposite sofa.

"Danielle," I said, "you've known Ruby and Iberia since your schooldays. Can you really not think of any reason why they're dead?"

"No," she said softly. Her hands rose, almost subconsciously, to her mouth, and she pressed them there for a moment, staring down at the rug. Her eyes shone, but she stayed still and tense, hanging onto her composure by a thread.

Ethan stubbed his cigarette out; lit another one. "She's just going to tell you everything I have."

"Are you aware that Ethan was having a fling with Ruby, Danielle?"

Ethan glowered at us.

Danielle blinked, dropping her hand. "I'm sorry?"

"You heard me right."

She turned to stare at Ethan. "What? Is it true?"

He shrugged. "It didn't mean anything."

"You were going to marry Iberia!"

Alex cleared his throat. "Would you say that you were close with the victims, Danielle?"

She swivelled back to him. "Of course. I was Iberia's bridesmaid."

"Yes, but so was Ruby. And she was not loyal to Iberia."

"I see." Her lips thinned. "No, she wasn't. But I was."

Ethan huffed out a cloud of smoke, and this time Danielle had the joy of it blowing in her face.

"Ethan," she said, "could you go and smoke that outside? Please?"

He slowly turned his gaze on her, his expression darkening. "This is my flat, too."

"Think of Benji's lungs."

He sat still for a long moment. Just when I thought he was going to ignore her, he sprang up and stormed out.

"Right, let's look at the rest of the wedding party," I said. "You went to school, college, and university with Levi Ford."

She sighed and sat back. "Yes, we went to Bright Light. But I married my boyfriend the summer before we started, and then I got pregnant. I made the decision to drop out after our first term."

I glanced at Benjamin again. Danielle had started a family at nineteen. I was in my early thirties. Tick, tock went my biological clock. Once I was married to Alex, I guessed we'd be having babies sooner rather than later. The thought was something I had to brace myself against.

"Your husband was Thomas Core?" Alex asked. We'd seen his name on her national profile.

"Yes. He died in an accident when we were twenty. Benji doesn't remember him." She glanced down at her son, her composure wavering again. She laid a loving hand on his shoulder.