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demanded. ‘Where’s Crispin?’
    She saw the look on my face and her eyes widened. ‘He’s not…’
    I nodded slowly. ‘He’s… He’s dead. In the toilet. Someone stabbed him.’
    She took a step back, breathing rapidly. Then her expression changed, and she hurried past me, put her head round the toilet door, ignoring my protestations, and let out an ear-piercing scream, before racing back out into the hallway.
    â€˜I don’t know what happened,’ I explained. ‘I must have fallen asleep.’
    But Marla wasn’t listening. She walked around me, keeping as far away as possible, never once taking her eyes off mine. ‘You killed him, didn’t you?’
    The accusation was like a physical blow. ‘No. No. Of course I didn’t. Why would I do that?’
    â€˜Because you’re the killer. It’s you and Charlie. You’re working together. And now you’ve murdered Crispin, you bitch. But don’t try it with me, because if you do, I will fucking kill you.’
    As she backed away towards the lounge, Luke appeared in the doorway, rubbing his eyes. ‘What the hell’s going on?’
    Marla pointed at me. ‘Crispin’s dead. She killed him.’
    â€˜I didn’t,’ I said desperately. ‘I just found him now. I fell asleep… I… Someone must have broken in.’ The words were falling out of my mouth in a desperate blur but I could see that neither of them believed me. They stood together, mistrust pouring off them. And anger too.
    â€˜You killed Cris?’ said Luke, aghast.
    â€˜No. I didn’t.’
    â€˜She did. She fucking did. It’s her knife sticking out of him. It’s her and Charlie. They planned this whole thing to get rid of us.’
    â€˜I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m nothing to do with this. And Charlie’s dead, remember? If you don’t believe me, take a look outside. The killer put his head on a pole next to Louise’s.’
    Doubt appeared – at least on Luke’s face.
    â€˜Go on!’ I shouted. ‘Look!’
    Marla ran past me into the kitchen and pulled the curtains open. ‘Where?’ she demanded, staring out. ‘Where are these heads meant to be?’
    â€˜On the back lawn. Right in front of you.’ But even before she closed the curtains with an angry flourish, I knew that the heads had been moved. Because whoever was behind this was deliberately trying to taunt me, and no one else.
    Just me.
    â€˜They were there, I swear it.’ But I could hear the doubt in my own voice.
    As I was speaking, Luke put his head round the toilet door and let out a low keening sound, not dissimilar to a wounded animal, and when he turned back to look at me, his face was a mask of fury.
    â€˜What have you done?’ he yelled, his voice reverberating round the whole house.
    â€˜I haven’t done anything. Why would I kill Crispin? Or anyone?’
    Marla pointed an accusing finger at me. ‘The two of you are doing it to get rid of everyone else involved in Rachel’s death. That way it’s only you guys left.’
    â€˜Bullshit.’ I pointed at Luke. ‘He’s got more of a motive than me. He was the one who hotwired Corridge’s car and helped bury Rachel’s body. And it was his room she died in. I was just in the wrong bloody place at the wrong bloody time. And Jesus, I’ve paid for it since.’
    Marla snorted. ‘Oh, yeah. Poor little innocent Karen. You think I don’t know about your dirty little secret?’
    â€˜What secret?’ demanded Luke.
    â€˜Why don’t you tell him, Karen?’
    â€˜I don’t know what you’re talking about.’
    â€˜You were just as implicated as Luke. Maybe even more so. Because you were sleeping with her, weren’t you?’ A cruel grin twisted across her lips. ‘Crispin told me. He said you were