Tell Tale by Sam Hayes Page B

thinking she was going to get told off.
    Nina laughed and fought to contain the hysteria. ‘Who’s the chosen one, then, being allowed in there while he’s working?’ An inappropriately large smile spread across Nina’s relieved face. She had been completely irrational and stupid. In her tired, absent-minded state, she’d obviously left the car door unlocked. She was lucky all her stuff hadn’t gone missing. Nina draped her arm around Josie’s shoulders and led her back to the house.
    ‘Dad said he needed help with something.’ Josie faltered. ‘Besides, my clothes disappeared and I wanted to find out if he knew where they were.’ Josie sounded grumpy.
    Nina froze. ‘What do you mean, your clothes disappeared?’
    ‘It was really odd. I went into the shower cubicle and left the clean clothes I was going to wear draped over the towel rail. I showered and it got all steamy, but when I got out and was drying, they were gone. I can’t find them anywhere. I thought you might have taken them for the wash before you went out, thinking they were dirty.’
    Nina’s throat closed around her words. ‘No,’ she managed. ‘I didn’t.’ She glanced around the garden. Herskin prickled and the hair on her arms stood up. She hugged herself, suddenly feeling chilled to the bone.
    ‘Josie, listen to me. When you were in the shower, did you hear anything at all? I was out at the solicitor’s office and your dad’s been in the studio all morning.’
    ‘No, not at all. That’s the strange thing. I guessed you’d come back early, but when I couldn’t find you, I assumed Dad had moved my clothes for some reason.’ Josie bowed her head.
    Nina’s thoughts raced. Mick simply wouldn’t do that. He would never dream of interrupting Josie in the bathroom. And he wasn’t really one for practical jokes, either. ‘You know, I bet Dad took them as a joke,’ she said, not believing a word of it. ‘He’s probably hidden them under the sofa.’ Nina forced a smile. ‘Come on. Let’s go inside and get a drink.’ She swallowed, but her throat was dry and rasping.
    ‘Nope. I already asked him. I’m so annoyed. They were my new jeans.’
    ‘I’ll buy you some more,’ Nina said quietly. She poured juice for Josie and then she couldn’t help it but she went round the house shutting and locking the windows. She double-locked the front porch and secured the door leading on to the deck.
    ‘Mum, we’ll swelter. It’s so humid today. What’s got into you?’
    Nina tried to hide her shaking hands from her daughter. She smiled as much as she could manage. ‘Well, as it happens, I’m cold. Probably a bit stressed or going down with something. The new contract’s a huge responsibility.But I’ll be OK. Don’t you worry about me.’ Nina’s words were flicked with brightness.
    Josie frowned. ‘Whatever, Mum. Just let me know if my stuff turns up.’ She took her drink and went to her room.
    ‘It’s OK. She’s always losing things,’ Nina muttered, pacing. Tennis racquets, books, sweaters, homework, even footwear – Nina recalled the day Josie had walked home from school barefoot because she’d misplaced her new shoes. A few missing clothes weren’t out of the ordinary.
    ‘Stay home the rest of the day, yeah?’ Nina called up the stairs. Keeping Josie in the house would be unsustainable long term, she knew, but the thought of letting her out right now wasn’t appealing.
    Nina hadn’t thought she’d ever have to do this. A remarkably happy family life, she’d believed, had eroded the need to worry. She sighed and spent ten minutes collecting her thoughts before deciding what to do.
    Finally, she fetched her handbag and sat down at the kitchen table. She rummaged through the bag – a gift from Mick last birthday – and dug out the battered notebook. It was concealed in a zip-up compartment and went everywhere with her. In the past, the fabric-covered book had been used for notes and lists and reminders. It was