The Attic Room: A psychological thriller by Linda Huber Page B

should be back in a day or two so let’s wait for
them before we get carried away about that, okay?’ Half-truths maybe, but this
way she’d have a bit more badly-needed thinking time.
    Naomi’s eyes were fixed on Nina’s. Nina reached out and
hugged the girl quickly. Thank God her daughter was old enough to understand
this much, at least. Pretending that everything was all right would have been
next to impossible.
    ‘Thirdly, the police are coming to have a look round here,
to see if there’s any evidence that might help them investigate the illegal
business. They’re going to tap the landline too, in case the blackmailer calls
again, so don’t you answer that phone, ever, no matter what. And fourthly you
are one mucky pup, skedaddle upstairs and change that disgusting pullover
before we go into town.’
    Naomi giggled, then caught Nina’s arm. ‘Mum – it’s going to
be okay, isn’t it?’
    Nina hugged her again. ‘As Inspector Mallony said, it’s
really nothing to do with us, so yes, it’ll be okay in the end. It’s a bit
messy at the moment, though, but you don’t have to worry about that. Okay?’
    Naomi shot off upstairs, and Nina pulled out her mobile.
Under the circumstances it might be best if she disturbed Sam’s lunch hour to
tell him what was going on. He listened without interrupting, and his voice was
angry when he spoke.
    ‘What a bastard, threatening you like that. Are you okay?’
    ‘I’m fine now. It was horrible at the time. And apparently
John Moore is my father, Sam. I feel sick about that.’
    ‘I know. Some of the queries I put through came back too.
You have a couple of cousins as well, but no one that could upset the will so
nothing changes there. If you wanted to get in touch with them we could find
them for you. Nina, I was wondering if you and Naomi would like to go for a
picnic by the river – there’s some kind of water event on today. I think Naomi
might enjoy it, and it would get you out of the place when the police are
searching it. What time are they coming?’
    ‘About four. That sounds perfect; she’s a real water-rat.
Thanks, Sam.’
    His voice was warm in her ear. ‘Great. I’ll bring the grub.’
    Nina put the phone down and stood staring at it. Cousins? So
they did have family in England…

 
     
    Chapter Ten
     
     
    Claire’s story – Edinburgh
     
    ‘Squirrel, squirrel!’ cried Nina, running across the grass
in Princes Street Gardens, losing both her red Christmas mittens in the
process. Claire and Lily laughed.
    ‘She’s having a ball here, isn’t she?’ said Lily, as Claire
returned from retrieving Nina’s mitts.
    Claire could only agree. Her gaze swung from the dark
heights of Edinburgh Castle towering above them, to the shoppers up on Princes
Street, a colourful mass of well-wrapped-up bargain hunters doing the January
sales. And Nina wasn’t the only one who was enjoying Edinburgh life. It wasn’t
until she came home to stay with her parents that Claire realised how much time
she’d spent in Bedford walking around on tip-toe, afraid to make her presence
felt in case Robert lashed out with another hurtful remark.
    Marry in haste, repent at leisure was dead right, she
thought, watching Lily point out the people at the top of the Scott Monument to
distract Nina from chasing squirrels. It had taken the geographical separation
from Robert before she’d allowed herself to think too much about it. Living
with Mum and Dad was so restful in comparison. And in the few weeks since their
arrival Nina had become chattier, laughing more too, which made Claire angry.
Even a baby like Nina was sensitive to the atmosphere in a house, and after
what Paul said that awful afternoon in Bedford there was no way of knowing how
long Robert had been bullying the children – without her noticing a thing. She
hadn’t been much of a mother to her child, but she was going to change that
now.
    ‘I want to stay in Edinburgh, Mum,’ she said quietly, and
Lily