Original Sin

Tess didn’t smile. ‘Mary–Ann also said the guy she was with didn’t show up for the fireworks, which is when Lori Adams thought something might have happened to Olivia.’

Jemma was hesitating, her thumb over the ‘call’ button of her BlackBerry.

‘Just make the call, Jem,’ said Tess. ‘And put it on loudspeaker so I can hear.’

‘But what do you think she’s going to tell us?’

‘I think I know who was with Mary–Ann that evening,’ said Tess with conviction. ‘I think he heard Olivia’s threats and decided to shut her up.’

Jemma pulled a face, then made the call. ‘Wish me luck,’ she said.

Tess walked onto the balcony, leaving Jemma to speak to Mary–Ann, although she could hear both sides of the conversation.

‘Mary–Ann?’ said Jemma.

‘Yes?’

‘Er. Hi. Happy Christmas. It’s Jemma Davies, I came round a few days ago.’

‘Of course. How are you?’

She sounded buoyant, full of festive spirit.

‘Uh, Mary–Ann, I have to ask you a very personal question,’ said Jemma quickly.

‘Shoot,’ chuckled Mary–Ann, ‘you know me.’

‘It’s about the night of Howard Asgill’s wedding.’

‘Found out anything interesting?’

Jemma lo

oked up at Tess.

‘I think we’re getting there.’

She paused and took a breath. ‘I need to know who it was you had sex with that night in the rose garden at Riverview.’

Mary–Ann chuckled again. ‘My, my. That is personal.’

‘Please, Mary–Ann.’

Mary–Ann paused and both Tess and Jemma could hear the sound of ice cubes clinking in a glass.

‘If you must know, it was Leonard Asgill. Meredith’s brother.’

Tess and Jemma exchanged a look.

‘Yeah, I know what you’re thinking,’ continued Mary–Ann. ‘Should have lost my cherry to my high–school sweetheart rather than a one–night stand at a wedding? But hormones don’t work like that, do they, darling? I’d been at Riverview for a couple of days before the wedding. Sorting things out for Howard, you know how it is. We’d gotten pretty friendly, me and Leonard, and gosh, he was so good looking. A real charmer.’

‘And did you leave the rose garden together?’ said Jemma, looking over to an anxious Tess.

‘No. I ran off when I heard someone coming into the garden,’ she laughed bitterly. ‘I didn’t want to get caught with the bride’s brother, for crying out loud. I was supposed to be working, not fucking.’

‘Thanks Mary–Ann,’ said Jemma awkwardly. ‘I didn’t mean to drag up old memories.’

Mary–Ann laughed again. ‘Memories are all I got left, sweetheart. You take care now.’