‘When was it you joined the class?’ he asks.
Toby doesn’t have to think for long. ‘Three months ago. It was a New Year’s resolution. I make resolutions every year, but usually I don’t keep them. Like, last year, I promised myself I was going to learn how to cook properly.’ He gestures towards the remnants of his beans on toast. ‘You can see how that turned out.’
‘And did you have a lot of conversations with Alexa?’
‘Hardly any at first. I was too nervous. But then I told myself I should be braver. She’s a normal human being just like everyone else. Even if she does look like a superhero. So, I started hanging around a bit longer at the end of classes so that I could thank her and maybe chat to her.’
‘What did you want to chat about?’
The question seems to throw him. ‘I don’t know. Anything. She seemed so… nice. I wanted to get to know her better.’
‘Were you attracted to her?’
He glances again at his Supergirl poster. ‘I think… I think she’s beautiful, if that’s what you mean.’
‘Did you ever ask her out?’
Toby looks horrified. ‘Out? You mean on a date? No, I could never do that. She’s way out of my league.’
Exactly what Liam had said.
‘Ever see her outside of class?’
‘Only in the car park of the leisure centre.’
Cody wonders whether this was coincidental or he was stalking her.
‘What car was she driving?’
‘Uh, a Mercedes A-Class. Cupcake.’
‘What?’
‘The last three letters on her car registration are CUP, so I nicknamed it Cupcake. She laughed when I told her that.’
Cody thinks that Toby absorbed a lot of detail for someone who just happened to glimpse his instructor outside.
‘Ever find out her address?’
‘No.’
‘What about her phone number?’
‘No. Why? What’s this about? You’re asking an awful lot of questions about this. I didn’t do nothing wrong.’
‘When’s the last time you saw Alexa?’
‘The day she reported me. At the leisure centre.’
‘Not since?’
‘No. Is she saying I have?’
‘Toby, did you know she was married?’
‘Uh, well, she wore a wedding ring, so yeah.’
‘Ever meet her husband?’
‘Nope.’ He turns to Webley. ‘I still don’t understand why you’re asking me all these questions.’
Webley stares him in the eye. ‘Toby, Alexa Selby is dead.’
‘W-what?’
‘She’s dead. She was found at home this morning.’
Toby looks at Cody again for confirmation. ‘She died? Oh, no. I… I liked her a lot. What… what did she die of?’
‘She was killed by someone,’ Webley answers.
‘What? Someone killed her? Oh… oh, wait. You don’t think it was me, do you?’
‘Can you tell us where you were last night?’
‘Last night? Here, at home. I was watching the TV.’
‘Alone?’
