Free One by One by Simon Kernick Page A

got in that way.’ His words had lost all their usual power and he looked pale and drawn. He seemed devastated by what had happened to Louise, but for all I knew, it could have been an act. Charlie was a politician so he was used to lying for a living.
    He saw me watching him and looked away. ‘We’d better take a look round the ground floor and see how he got in.’
    I wondered who Charlie meant by ‘he’ since he’d made a big deal about the fact that Pat had gone back to the mainland and we were alone on the island, but I didn’t say anything. Instead I followed Charlie as he led us out of the room in a long, fearful line. En route he picked up a bronze sculpture of an African tribesman, which he clutched in front of him like a club, in what I suppose for him passed as an aggressive pose but which I couldn’t help thinking was unlikely to scare any cold-blooded killer in our midst.
    He found the open window quickly enough. It was in the downstairs toilet and, although it wasn’t the biggest opening in the world, it would have been easy enough to get through. There were streaks of dirt on the toilet seat that looked like they’d come from the sole of a boot.
    When we’d all taken turns to have a look, Charlie shut the window and we retreated to the dining room well away from Louise’s body.
    â€˜I’m getting a nasty sense of déjà vu,’ said Marla as we stood round the table. ‘Seeing Louise like that reminded me of Rachel.’
    â€˜We need to call the police,’ I said. ‘I’m assuming you’ve got a landline here.’
    Charlie nodded. ‘I have, but let’s not be hasty about making any calls.’
    â€˜What do you mean, don’t be hasty?’ I demanded, trying not to lose my temper. ‘Our friend’s just been murdered in your house. We have no idea who her killer is, or even if he’s still here in the house somewhere.’
    â€˜Do you think I don’t know that? I was just talking to Louise about her kids…’ Charlie’s voice was a hoarse shout. ‘The problem is if we call the police, we risk having to explain what we’re all doing out here. Don’t you think it’ll look extremely suspicious coming just after Danny Corridge has been released from prison?’
    â€˜Right now that seems to be the least of our problems,’ I said. ‘There’s a killer on the loose. We can say we were just here for a reunion. The timing might be iffy but it’s not proof we did anything wrong. What do you think, Crispin?’
    â€˜I think we should call the police,’ said Crispin.
    â€˜So do I,’ said Marla. ‘Luke?’
    â€˜I don’t know. Charlie’s right. We need to think about this.’
    Marla looked aghast. ‘Our friend’s lying dead with a knife in her heart and you need to think about it?’
    Crispin looked thoughtful. ‘I don’t see who could have killed her. The only other person on this island is Pat. How well do you know him, Charlie? He looked a bit of a strange guy.’
    â€˜He’s worked for me for three years. I know him well. I can’t see why he’d suddenly turn into a murderer and kill a woman he’s never met before. And he shouldn’t even be here. He was going back to the mainland.’
    â€˜Well, who the hell does that leave?’ said Marla.
    No one said anything for a moment. Then I spoke. ‘One of us,’ I said simply.
    *
    Everyone looked at me and the room seemed to grow colder as we all took that rather grim statement on board.
    â€˜Look, someone broke in,’ said Charlie, but he no longer sounded like he believed it.
    â€˜That could have been faked easily enough,’ I said, a new authority in my voice. I was scared – God, I was scared – but I was also angry because it was probable that someone in this room was Louise’s killer. ‘Who was the last