TOYL

right now. And I know that you’re looking for answers to a lot of things – just like we are. But this just isn’t on. You can’t take the law into your own hands like that. If you think you can do a better job than us, then sign up to join the Met. God knows we’re always after new recruits.’
    Emma kept silent.
    ‘You want to clear Dan’s name. I understand that,’ he continued. ‘But at the moment we haven’t found any evidence to suggest that anyone else but your fiancé attacked Richard Carlton. We might be wrong, but as yet that’s the situation. These photos might be proof that you’ve got an admirer – even a stalker – but they don’t link this Eric guy with anything else.’
    ‘So you’re not going to talk to him?’ Emma said, feeling utterly deflated.
    ‘I didn’t say that,’ Gasnier replied. ‘I’d say that on this evidence he certainly deserves a talking to – if we can track him down, that is. But it will just be a warning. In the meantime, if you do have anything else that may help the investigation, let us know.’
    ‘Tell them about the letter,’ Stuart said.
    Emma wanted to clamp his mouth shut, but it was too late.

    ***

    ‘Heavy night last night?’ Caroline, one of the co-stars, asked Lizzy as they waited behind the wings, ready to enter the stage area during rehearsals. ‘Sorry,’ she added, looking apologetic, ‘I couldn’t help notice that you look a bit peaky today – and your notes are a bit off key.’
    ‘It was a heavy night,’ Lizzy said, ‘but I didn’t drink anything.’
    ‘Oh, right,’ Caroline replied, looking confused.
    ‘I’ve got some issues to deal with,’ Lizzy explained, ‘and I can’t concentrate on anything until I sort things out.’
    There was no doubt that rehearsals up to now had been a disaster. She couldn’t get the discussion with Emma – and the accusations – out of her mind. What she couldn’t understand was why Dan would have penned that letter in the first place. What would he gain by doing so? It didn’t make any sense.
    Lizzy certainly didn’t blame Emma for believing what the letter had said. But what did disappoint her was that Emma seemed to have just shut her out. The way she had just hung up on her that morning without saying a word – without letting her explain – had really hurt.

    ***

    ‘I’m sorry, Em,’ Stuart said, once the police had left the apartment. ‘But they had to know about it. You can’t keep something like that from them – not when there’s so much at stake.’
    ‘I can’t believe you just did that without discussing it with me first. How dare you.’
    ‘I know you’ve got your loyalties, but if that letter was from Dan then it’s really important for the investigation.’
    ‘It wasn’t,’ Emma replied. ‘I know now, it wasn’t from Dan. Lizzy wouldn’t do that to me, and neither would Dan.’
    ‘But that’s the thing. You don’t know. It’s just what you want to believe.’
    Emma turned away.
    ‘It was my decision to tell the police about the letter,’ she stated. ‘Not yours.’
    ‘Okay, maybe I was out of order,’ Stuart said, moving up to Emma. ‘But I did it for you, Em. I hate to see you suffering like this. You deserve better. And I still hate myself for everything I put you through.’
    Emma turned around, face to face with her one-time fiancé. Stuart placed his hands gently around the top of her shoulders and for a second or two they just looked at one another in silence, inches apart.
    Then Stuart moved in for a kiss.

45

    ‘No,’ Emma said, pulling back from the kiss. She turned away and touched her lips. ‘This isn’t right.’
    ‘Maybe it is right,’ Stuart replied. ‘Maybe this is what is supposed to happen.’
    ‘It’s not.’
    ‘But why?’
    ‘Because I love Dan.’ Emma turned around to face Stuart.
    ‘You loved me,’ Stuart said.
    ‘I used to love you, but not anymore.’
    Stuart stood there silently, looking as if he’d just been slapped in the face.
    ‘How can you still love him, after what he’s done to you?’ he said finally. ‘How could you still love someone who could do all this – attack his own brother, run out a week before his wedding, have an affair with your best friend?’
    ‘Because I don’t think he did it,’ Emma replied.
    Stuart shook his head. ‘You’re too trusting. Just like…’
    ‘Go on,’ Emma said. ‘Just like when? When I first met Stephen Myers?’
    Stuart pursed his lips.
    ‘Tell