The Dinner Party by R. J. Parker

Author:R. J. Parker
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2019-08-20T17:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

When they got home Ted and Juliette settled Georgie in front of the TV in the back lounge.

‘Do you need any other forms of pleasure, scout?’

Georgie had his blue plastic tray on his lap that contained a plate of chicken bites, a bowl of fruit segments, a tub of popcorn and a big glass of milk. He shook his head at Ted and smirked a little. He knew he was being spoilt.

It was good to see him smile again, and Ted closed the door quietly and walked out to join Juliette at the kitchen counter.

She opened the cupboard. ‘You hungry yet?’

‘We should eat something other than pancakes.’

‘Crackers and cheese?’

‘That’ll be enough.’ He watched her hunt them out. After their meeting with Renton they should both have been feeling at least a slight sense of relief. The detective’s focus was clearly now aimed at the mysterious caller at Evie and Jakob’s and not on the dinner party. But the footage threw up even more questions about what exactly had happened before and during their arrival at their friends’ home. The recording exactly corroborated their statement, but Ted couldn’t shake the image of the figure striding to the front door. Juliette had been very distracted during the drive home.

‘How are you holding up?’

She turned from the cupboard and placed a new pack of crackers on the board. ‘I just want our participation over for Georgie’s sake.’

‘I know but, even though we don’t like him, we have to help Renton work this out.’

‘And we will.’ Juliette took a knife from the block.

‘It’s just you seemed quick to dismiss the person the camera picked up.’

Juliette cut the packet in half with the knife. ‘I didn’t dismiss them; I just didn’t recognize them.’

‘Nor did I, but it could have been anyone.’

Juliette turned her back to him to get the cheese. ‘Exactly. Who would we know that would want to break into houses?’

‘As Renton said, they could have had a key or been let in.’

She put the tub of cheese on the board. ‘Or barged their way in when they opened the door.’

‘But Renton was right. It looked like they were there on a mission.’

‘Or an opportunist who was in the neighbourhood and saw them come home. Their house is all on its own.’

‘So you’re saying they might have attacked Evie?’

‘Maybe,’ Juliette replied eventually. She opened the tub.

Ted knew she had to be thinking the same thought. Was Jakob innocent? ‘Jakob said he woke on the lawn next to Evie.’

Juliette dumped the lid and her shoulders tensed. ‘So why did Jakob hang himself?’

‘Because he believed he murdered her.’

‘After he blacked out,’ Juliette said dubiously.

‘I told you, Jakob was acting like he was on something.’

‘What are you saying? That the man in the clip force-fed him drugs?’

‘No.’ What was he saying? ‘But it looks like a lot more went on between them getting home and us arriving there.’

‘You’re right but I don’t think we should assume that Jakob is suddenly innocent. Maybe the guy was a friend helping him get rid of Evie.

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