The Silent Suspect by Nell Pattison (epub e ink reader .TXT) 📕

whole time. I’d been attacked twice, and all because I’d agreed to help her prove that Lukas was innocent and I felt I owed her a favour after she’d helped to get me extra work.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to push down the anger that was building. I didn’t know what had happened that night, but I knew I was going to be telling Singh that Sasha had been there. Even though I’d said I wouldn’t report her affair with Lukas to her superiors, I wasn’t going to keep that sort of information from the police. It might finally convince Singh that I was being sensible and leaving the work to him, too.

I stood up. Sasha, I don’t know what the hell has gone on, but I don’t want to be a part of it any more. You’ll have my resignation letter in the morning. I’ll work out my notice, but you need to find yourself a new interpreter.

Paige, please. She grabbed my arm. I still need your help.

I shook my head. No. I’m not helping you any more. I’m sick of getting involved in other people’s problems and ending up being the one in danger. You can sort out your own mess.

With that, I turned on my heel and marched out of the door.

Chapter 35

I was so angry I didn’t know what to do. It felt like I was back at square one. My theory about Mariusz setting the house on fire to cover up for Caroline didn’t seem very likely any more. I was no longer convinced of Lukas’s innocence, or even Sasha’s. I tried calling Singh, but there was no answer on his mobile and I didn’t leave a message because I didn’t know where to begin. My head still throbbed from where I’d hit the pavement and I just wanted to go home and sleep and forget about the whole sorry mess.

On my way home I took a shortcut through some side streets, and recognised one of the roads I had followed Mariusz down a couple of nights ago. I was curious about my theory concerning Mariusz and the fires, so I slowed down and kept an eye out for the first house I’d seen him checking out, where he’d gone round the back. The road looked different in daylight, however, and I had to check the address on my phone so I knew exactly which house it had been.

As I approached the house I was looking for, I couldn’t see any signs of a fire, so it looked like my theory was wrong. I was about to drive away when I saw the front door of the house open and someone familiar emerge. At first I couldn’t place her, but then I recognised her uniform. She was the carer I’d spoken to a few days ago, when Sasha and I had been to visit Miriam. On impulse, I pulled up and jumped out of the car, managing to reach her before she got into her own.

‘Hi!’ I called, and she turned to look at me. I could see the same look of recognition pass across her face. ‘We met a few days ago, at the assisted living facility. We talked about Nadia.’

‘Oh, yes! Hi.’

We looked at each other awkwardly for a moment, before I pointed at the house she’d just come out of. ‘I take it one of your clients lives here?’

She raised her eyebrow, but didn’t reply.

‘I mean, it’s not your house,’ I said.

‘No, it’s not my house,’ she replied warily, clearly not willing to give me any more information than that.

I rubbed my face. I must look a mess – huge graze on the side of my face, exhausted and a bit dishevelled. No wonder she was looking at me like I might be dangerous.

‘Sorry, I really should explain myself. My name’s Paige, and I know Lukas, Nadia’s husband. I saw his son hanging around this house, and I wondered what he might have been doing here, if one of his friends lived here.’

‘There are no kids here,’ she said, still wary. ‘Just an old lady. Maybe you got the wrong house.’

I nodded. ‘Maybe you’re right, yes. She hasn’t had any break-ins lately? Nothing like that?’

She shook her head. ‘I don’t think so. I’m sure she would have said.’

Relieved, I glanced at the house. What had Mariusz been doing, then? Was it connected to the cuckooing? An elderly lady would definitely be a prime victim for that sort of crime. If Mariusz had got himself mixed up with this gang, maybe he was being expected to scout out houses of potential victims.

The carer was still watching me, obviously curious about why I was asking these questions.

‘They let him out then,’ she said after a pause. ‘Her husband.’

‘Lukas?’ I said, getting my brain back on track in the conversation. ‘Yes, he’s been released. Insufficient evidence, I think.’

She fiddled with her car keys, obviously wanting to ask something else. ‘Do you think he did it?’

‘I honestly don’t know,’ I told her, shaking my head. ‘I did think he was innocent, but since then …’ I let my voice tail off, knowing I couldn’t tell this stranger everything that was going round in my mind.

‘I thought of something else, after we spoke the other day,’ she began. I could see that she was torn between talking to me and getting in her car. I didn’t blame her for not trusting me when I’d just been asking questions about one of her clients, when many of the people she worked with would be vulnerable.

‘Something else about Nadia?’ I asked.

She nodded, a quick, sharp single nod, but remained silent.

‘Do you think it might have something to do with her death?’ I probed.

‘I don’t know about that,’ she said hastily. ‘It might be nothing. It’s just something she said to me the other week. It would have been the last time I saw her.’

I waited, wondering if patience was the key to getting this woman to