Free The Night Hunter by Caro Ramsay

me, lost.
    ‘You might not have heard, you were doing your yoga thing. I didn’t want to disturb you.’
    ‘I didn’t hear.’ Her voice is almost a whisper.
    ‘Not surprised,’ I say cheerily. Contrary to popular belief, lying can be easy when folk think you incapable of it. ‘You had your whale music on and I didn’t shout that loudly. I knew I would be back before you noticed.’ I make my voice stern and nod towards Charlie who is watching us, still sensing the tension. ‘There was an urgent need for large chocolate buttons. Ears for teddy bear cupcakes.’
    ‘There were chocolate buttons in the cupboard.’ Parnell’s stare is challenging.
    ‘And none of them were left by the time we turned the oven off.’ I force him to look away.
    Mary looks puzzled then the penny drops. ‘Oh, those cupcakes … I was wondering.’
    I move towards the door of my flat, as if I consider this conversation over. ‘Your son is a keen baker but gets a bit rattled if the ingredients aren’t exactly right. He was a wee Gordon Ramsay heading for a five-star strop.’ I smile at Parnell. ‘So I nipped out to Morrisons in Dunoon, got a few things while I was there. Was that OK?’
    ‘Why not take the Polo?’ Parnell fires the question at me.
    ‘No booster seat,’ I reply.
    Now he smiles at me, his melting smile. ‘Oh, I see, that’s fine. Just that the accountant was wanting to know about the mileage.’
    ‘Well, if it will help I’ll get a notebook. I can stick it in the glove compartment then you’ll know where I’ve been.’ I nod my head in a fair-enough kind of gesture. ‘Or I can get a booster seat for the Polo.’
    Mary swallowed. ‘The notebook might be a good idea, Alex. I couldn’t remember what I was doing, thought I was going doolally for a minute.’ She looks at me closely. ‘Elvie? How are you after last night?’
    Now Parnell joins in, hands out of pockets and outstretched towards me. ‘Oh, for God’s sake, Elvie, we’d forgotten. Come in and have a coffee. You must be exhausted.’
    ‘I’m fine. I’ll go up to the flat if you don’t mind. I’ve just had a long chinwag with some cops. I’m coffeed out. I’ll be down in half an hour to let you away. You’re going out to dinner, aren’t you?’ Now I am the nanny talking to a normal married couple again.
    ‘Anytime that suits you. So, any news on last night?’ They move to stand together. He has his arm round her shoulders.
    I do my shrug thing. ‘The dead woman was Lorna Lennox right enough.’
    Mary takes two steps forward and hugs me. ‘Oh, you poor thing.’ The hug is for more than witnessing the death of a young woman. She stands back.
    ‘Well, let us know if there’s anything we can do,’ says Parnell. ‘And, oh yes, if you need time off, Mary can look after the boy.’
    ‘But you have that fundraiser in Glasgow on Monday night.’
    ‘I don’t need to go,’ mutters Mary.
    ‘Yes, you do.’ Parnell is abrupt. ‘It will be a late one and we’ll stay over.’
    I nod. ‘No problem, I can take Charlie to my flat if you want.’ I turn to Mary. ‘If you’re thinking about that navy blue dress, you know it’s still at the drycleaners.’
    Parnell smiles, now full of good humour. ‘And while you’re at it can you make sure my dinner jacket is clean as well, Elvie? It’s formal black tie. I’ll see you later.’ He goes back in through the curtains and leaves the two of us on the patio. The sun beats down on my back, the sweat makes my acne prickle.
    Charlie has clocked that Mum and Dad have stopped arguing. Mum did not get hurt. In his wee world all is well.
    ‘Shall we go and give him a push?’ I ask.
    ‘Why not?’
    We walk away from the open patio doors across the expanse of lawn. She whispers
thank you
out the corner of her mouth. Any more than that and Parnell might hear, any gesture and Parnell might see.
    I act as if I have not heard.
    I have no idea where she was or what she was doing, but whatever it was, it