Chapter 5: The Woman at the Kitchen Table
Daniel sat in the car park for a long moment with Emma eating chips in the back seat and the unknown number on his screen.
He called it.
It rang twice.
"I wasn't sure you'd call back," the woman said.
"Who is this?"
"My name is Pauline.
I live three doors down from you.
I've known Victoria since before she married you." A pause.
"I need you to understand that I am not doing this lightly."
"What did you need to tell me?"
"Last Tuesday.
Victoria came to my house.
She was upset — not the way you'd expect, not crying.
More like she was working something out.
She told me Emma had been telling stories.
That she was worried Emma would say something to you and you'd believe it."
Daniel watched Emma in the rearview mirror.
She was counting her chips.
"She asked me," Pauline continued, "if I would tell you, if it came to it, that Emma had a habit of making things up.
That she'd been concerned about it for months."
"She was asking you to lie for her."
"Yes." Pauline's voice was flat.
"I told her I wouldn't.
She left.
She hasn't spoken to me since." Another pause.
"I saw you leave with Emma this afternoon.
I thought you should know."
"Will you put that in writing?"
A long silence.
"Yes," Pauline said.
"I will."
Daniel thanked her and ended the call.
He sat for another moment.
Emma had finished her chips and was now pressing her face against the window at a pigeon on the pavement.
He drove home.
Victoria's car was still in the driveway.
The front door was closed now.
The lights were on in the kitchen.
"Stay here for one second," Daniel told Emma.
He went inside alone.
Victoria was seated at the kitchen table.
There was a cup of tea in front of her that she hadn't touched.
Across from her sat a woman Daniel recognized after a moment: Victoria's older sister, Claire.
He hadn't known she was coming.
Claire stood when he walked in.
"Daniel," she said carefully.
"Claire." He looked at Victoria.
"I didn't know you'd called her."
"I needed someone here." Victoria's voice was steadier now.
Composed.
She had used the time.
"I want to talk about this properly.
Calmly."
"I've just come from the doctor."
"I know.
And I'm sure Karen said Emma is perfectly fine, which she is, because what happened today was not—"
"Karen has made a referral to children's services."
The kitchen went quiet.
Claire sat back down slowly.
Victoria's composure cracked at the edges.
"She had no right—"
"She had every right.
It's her legal obligation." Daniel pulled out a chair and sat across from his wife.
"Emma told her it wasn't the first time.
She described being grabbed by the arm.
Being called stupid."
"That is not—"
"I also had a phone call from Pauline."
Victoria's cup shifted slightly on the table.
Her hand had moved it without her appearing to notice.
"Pauline told me you went to her last week," Daniel said.
"That you asked her to tell me Emma had a habit of making things up."
Claire turned to look at her sister.
Victoria said nothing.
"You were preparing," Daniel said.
"Before I even found the recording.
You were already building a story in case Emma told me the truth."
"That's not what happened."
"Then tell me what happened."
Victoria looked at her sister.
Claire looked back at her.
Something passed between them — not support exactly.
More like a door closing.
May you like
"Victoria," Claire said quietly.
"Tell him."
