Forty-six. Sephy

Rose was asleep in her carry-cot at my feet whilst I sat in the armchair I'd come to regard as my own, sewing a button back on my favourite shirt. Meggie was in the hall, having got up to answer the phone less than five minutes earlier. She came back into the room and sat on the sofa. Picking up the remote she pressed a button and the TV screen flickered and crackled briefly before showing some programme about the life cycle of a fruit bat. I carried on with my bad sewing, waiting for Meggie to turn it over, but it didn't happen. I glanced at her. She wasn't even watching it; she was staring off into the middle distance somewhere. I frowned at the screen. There had to be something better on, but it wasn't my telly. Once I was out from under and had paid off all my bills and debts, the first thing I was going to treat myself to was a portable TV. Then I could stay in my room and watch what I liked. But one thing was for sure. Fruit bats wouldn't get a look in. Even the programme commentator sounded bored. His voice was a soporific monotone. Finally I could stand it no longer.

'Meggie . . ?'

'Sephy, will you come with me to see Jude?'

'Ow!' I popped my finger in my mouth where I'd just stuck it with the needle. I frowned at Meggie, sure my ears needed syringing. 'Pardon?'

'Jude just phoned from Baylinn Police Station. He's been arrested for the murder of that girl, Cara Imega. They're moving him to Bellview Prison the day after tomorrow. Will you come and see him with me?'

I folded up my shirt carefully as I tried to marshal my thoughts.

'I'm sure I'm the very last person Jude wants to see,' I told Meggie.

'You don't have to talk to him. You can wait for me outside or something. But I don't want to go into a police station alone.'

'Your sister—'

'Wants nothing to do with this,' Meggie told me harshly. 'Look, forget it. I shouldn't've asked you . . .'

'Of course I'll come with you.' I tried to smile but my lips felt like they were being pulled down by the weight of my heart sinking. I didn't want to go. I didn't want to be anywhere near Jude. Suppose he'd done it? Suppose he hadn't? This whole situation was something to run away from, not towards. I couldn't blame Meggie's sister. I didn't want anything to do with Jude either.

But Meggie needed me.

'Sephy, I wouldn't ask but—' She didn't finish the sentence; she didn't need to.

'Of course I'll come with you,' I said. 'But what about Rose? I don't want to take her all the way to Baylinn.'

'I'm sure Mrs Straczynski next door won't mind looking after Rose for an hour or two,' said Meggie.

The thought of leaving Rose with someone she didn't know very well didn't appeal – even if Mrs Straczynski was one of the few around here who smiled at me and said hello whenever she saw us.

'Well, if you go and ask her, I'll get Rose's things together,' I sighed.

'Oh thank you, Sephy.' Meggie smiled gratefully. 'I really appreciate it.'

She was already heading out the door to go and talk to our neighbour, so she didn't see that I couldn't smile back.