Free Covet by Tara Moss Page B

friend?’
    Mak smiled. ‘This isn’t Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. ’
    ‘Okay, um…’ Loulou looked down at the cooling remains of her cappuccino. ‘I don’t know. She found out her sister was…actually responsible for their mother’s death, and a fight ensued and she killed her?’
    ‘Is that your final answer?’ Makedde prodded.
    ‘I guess so. How am I supposed to know her motive for killing her own sister?’
    Mak leaned forward with a Cheshire cat grin, and her friend fell silent. ‘Bzzzt, wrong answer. Her motive was this: she was hoping the guy would appear again at the funeral.’ She paused for effect. ‘If you answer that correctly, you think like a psychopath. Many arrested serial killers took that test and answered correctly, so I’m pleased you got it wrong.’
    ‘Did you get it wrong?’
    Makedde did her Cheshire cat impression again.
    Loulou stared.
    ‘No, I am not a psychopath, but thanks for wondering. Geez, I’ve missed you, Loulou.’ Her eyes were drawn to movement outside the window and she froze. ‘Oh, fuck.’
    ‘What is it?’
    It was Andy. She could see his face as he leaned out of the window of his car and adjusted the side mirror. He was stopped at the intersection just outside. ‘That’s Andy in the red car waiting for the turn signal.’
    It was he who had told her about the psychopath test. He was still in her thoughts, and now in her view as well.
    Loulou stared, mouth open. ‘Oh my gawd, how freaky. He must be coming or going from work. Police headquarters is on the other side of the park on College Street, I think. Are you guys talking, or what? Last time you emailed me everythingseemed to be going okay. You totally had the hots for him.’
    Mak was too shaken by the vision of him to answer her friend. As she watched, the light turned green and her former lover drove away, disappearing into a sea of rush hour traffic heading towards Kings Cross. He was still driving the shiny red Honda. It had been his late ex-wife’s car. Mak remembered they had still been fighting over it when Cassandra was murdered. Now that Mak was in Sydney, there seemed to be no avoiding Andy. It was uncanny. They had skipped the ‘It’s not you, it’s me’ conversation and jumped straight to being complete strangers, despite passing each other constantly. That optimistic kiss goodbye at the airport in Canada had led to this. Mak could hardly believe it.
    ‘Are you okay?’ Loulou asked.
    ‘I don’t know, Loulou,’ Mak said, fighting a sour lump in her throat. She felt unbalanced by the sight of Andy, the knowledge of all they had shared and endured. She had so few people she could speak frankly with. ‘Um, Loulou, I was um…wondering—’
    ‘You are going to have me glued to your side through this trial,’ Loulou cut in. ‘It would be my pleasure to be there for you. I would consider it an honour.’ Her bright lips curved into a giant smile. ‘I know you too well, Mak. That whole “I can do this on my own” thing doesn’t work with me.’
    ‘Oh no, I don’t need anyone to hold my hand—’
    ‘Of course you don’t. But you don’t have a choice. You are my friend and I am going to be there for you all the way. That’s what friends do.’
    Mak hung her head and laughed.
    ‘When are you on trial…I mean, at the trial,’ Loulou corrected herself, though she was probably right the first time. ‘When’s our first appearance?’
    Makedde chuckled again. ‘Our appearance? If only it were a sitcom. Let’s see…I take the stand in…’ she checked her watch, ‘…seventeen hours.’
    ‘That’s it. I’m taking you out and getting you completely pissed.’
    ‘My, what a healthy alternative to sitting in my hotel room with my head in my hands. Loulou, I don’t think that’s a good idea.’
    ‘Come on…just one then.’

CHAPTER 10
    At one in the morning the night before his trial for the crimes of murder, assault and abduction, Ed Brown sat curled against the bars