Sidney chewed his lower lip. ‘We can’t do that with everyone listening. What if we’re wrong and it isn’t her at all? She could sue us for slander.’
‘What if we’re right and Sebastian just sent the murderer to get Laura?’
He grimaced. ‘Don’t! Look, she wouldn’t dare do anything between picking Laura up and bringing her here – it would be too obvious, she’d be the only suspect.’
Carmen crossed her fingers at him.
‘Yeah, well,’ Sidney said, crossing his fingers back.
Sebastian, turning towards them from an impatient dialogue with the soundman, caught the gesture and snapped, ‘What are you two playing at? Get back to your camera, Sidney, I want to check this shot again before we go for take fifteen. And give it your best! We’re running out of time.’
‘It isn’t my fault we’ve got problems!’
‘Don’t be so damn touchy. Did I say it was? Just make it good, okay?’
On seeing Valerie walking into her room Laura felt a grinding shock and couldn’t hide her dismay. ‘Where’s Sebastian?’
‘He couldn’t make it – he was too busy filming. Are you ready? I’ve got a taxi waiting. I’m afraid the water’s a bit choppy, there’s a lot of wind, but I’ve told the man to take it nice and slow so don’t worry. The ride won’t be too uncomfortable.’
The nurse, listening, wouldn’t have heard the undertone: the words sounded calm and normal and Valerie was smiling coolly, even if her eyes were full of hatred.
‘I’ll see you out,’ the nurse said, and walked with them to the landing-stage. Earlier she had helped Laura dress in a green cotton shirt, over which she wore a thick, green wool cardigan, with chocolate brown trousers and comfortable boots. After helping her down into the cabin the nurse eyed, with some anxiety, the rough grey water, the sky, which was the same gun-metal colour, full of dark, looming clouds. ‘I hope it isn’t going to snow again,’ she said.
‘So do I,’ Laura agreed, as Valerie joined them.
The nurse gave Laura a light kiss on each cheek, said goodbye, then left. The boatman cast off and the water-taxi moved away, bouncing and dancing across the waves. Pale, Laura clutched at the side of the seat. She was wrapped in warm blankets, with pillows behind her injured shoulder.
Valerie sat opposite, watching her from hostile eyes. She took a mobile phone out of her pocket and dialled, spoke into it. ‘Carmen? Tell Sebastian we’re on our way, we should be back in twenty minutes. I told the boatman to take it slowly to make sure she doesn’t get thrown about.’
She switched off the phone without waiting for Carmen to answer, and pushed it back into her pocket. Laura sat rigidly, watching Valerie’s small, thin fingers, the nails painted bright red.
Neither woman spoke. Laura’s eyes slowly moved up and met Valerie’s cold stare.
Don’t say anything, she told herself, but to her own horror the words came out. ‘It was you, wasn’t it?’
‘What?’ Valerie’s face became mask-like.
‘You’re wearing the same perfume today. Givenchy, isn’t it? Clea used to wear it, didn’t she? She was always drenched in it and so are you. I recognised it that day although I only realised later.’
‘What are you talking about?’ Valerie’s eyes were brilliant, dangerous, like those of a cornered animal, her lips curled back over her small, white teeth as if she might spring and bite.
What if she had the knife on her? Laura’s mouth dried and she wished she hadn’t been such a fool: she had known she shouldn’t say anything. But she couldn’t stop. Had to answer.
‘And your nail varnish – I noticed that, too. You wore a mask on your face but you didn’t think of covering your hands. They’re just as much a giveaway.’ Like claws, like talons, those bony, darting little hands with their bright red nails.
Valerie pushed them into the pockets of her anorak. ‘You’re crazy.’
Tension beat in Laura’s ears, so fiercely that she jumped when the boatman peered in from the door, unaware of the atmosphere.
‘There soon, okay? I can see Ca’ d’Angeli now.’
Laura acted as she had never acted before, smiling, nodding. ‘Good, thank you. I like your boat, it’s very comfortable.’
The compliment brought forth a wide grin. ‘Grazie, Signorina. I like your films, bene, benissimo.’ She was glad of his presence: Valerie wouldn’t dare do anything to her while he was with them.
The boat coughed and leapt in the water. ‘Ahhh …’ he muttered, and was gone.
Valerie was staring at her. Laura didn’t look back, yet watched her out of the corner of her eye.