Tell the Truth Read Online Free Page B

call going to the movies a couple of times at the age of sixteen a relationship. People’ve sometimes made a big deal about it, like it’s a huge joke that once I was with Marie but ended up with Stacey, but it was nothing.’
    They let him go.
    â€˜That was interesting,’ Murray said.
    â€˜Fishy’s the word I’d use,’ Ella said. ‘He doesn’t ring true to me at all.’
    â€˜You always think it’s the husband.’
    â€˜Yeah, because most of the time it is.’ She looked at him. ‘I hope the wedding hasn’t fried your brain, made you go all pro-husband just because you’re going to be one.’
    â€˜I refuse to give that statement the dignity of a reply,’ he said. ‘Besides, you were just saying how something’s weird about Rowan.’
    â€˜So? The two things aren’t mutually exclusive.’
    â€˜You’re exhausting,’ Murray said. ‘I’ll call Dennis and update him, then how about we do the home visit?’
    Before Ella could answer, Detective Sid Lawson came up at a trot. He was new to the team, bright-eyed and keen, with razor burn on his cheeks every morning as if he wasn’t yet skilled at shaving and a grin like a schoolboy let out early. He and Detective Marion Pilsiger had been checking CCTV in the businesses across the street.
    Breathless with excitement he said, ‘We got something.’

THREE
    E lla and Murray followed Lawson across the road to a small office-supply company. Inside, a woman in a tight red skirt and blouse hurried to shake Ella’s and Murray’s hands.
    â€˜Margo Grace, proprietor.’ Her palm was damp, her eyes bright. ‘That poor woman. I’m so glad to be able to help.’
    â€˜Margo’s brother works for a security firm,’ Sid Lawson said. ‘He got her a top-of-the-line system and installed it himself.’
    â€˜Fantastic,’ Ella said, her eyes on the monitor in front of Detective Marion Pilsiger. It showed a paused image of the front of the store, the street and some of Playland’s car park.
    Pilsiger pressed buttons and the screen jumped to life. It was evening, six forty-two according to the timer in the corner, and Ella watched as Stacey’s car slowed and turned into the empty car park.
    â€˜Sunday evening, so everything was closed,’ Margo Grace said.
    Ella nodded. There looked to be only the driver onboard. The car parked in the position in which they’d seen it, the headlights went off, then there was a two-minute delay before the driver got out.
    â€˜Wiping off prints?’ Murray murmured.
    Ella didn’t answer.
    The driver was thin, dressed in dark jeans and a dark shirt with long sleeves and a collar, and a dark cap pulled down low. The clothes were loose and Ella couldn’t tell if the person was male or female. They opened the boot and lifted out something that Ella didn’t initially recognise, then after a moment’s struggle by the driver she saw it was a folding bicycle. Once it was set up, the driver shut the boot, glanced around while clipping a dark helmet on over the cap, got on the bike and rode a little unsteadily towards the street. The cyclist looked both ways, then turned left, the direction they’d driven from. There was one false start when they wobbled into the gutter, then they seemed to get the hang of it and pedalled out of view.
    Maybe not a good bike rider, Ella thought. Not their bike? Or a new bike bought for the occasion? They needed to find out about sales of those things.
    â€˜Rewind,’ she said.
    Pilsiger was already doing it. She slowed the footage and they watched once more from when the person got out of the car to the moment they disappeared off screen. The face wasn’t clear enough to see detail except to be sure there was no moustache or beard. The hair was either short or tucked up under the cap and helmet. Ella studied the arms, the build, the way