Jack pulls an ‘of course, yes’ face at me. ‘Hmm. That’s why you wanted me to come here, isn’t it?’
I close the door behind us. ‘Stop it, Jack. I told you, I wanted some company, thought I might stay on here a little longer. I’ve changed my mind that’s all.’ Jack bites down on his bottom lip before making his way to the gents. I carry on to our table where Bea and Ruan are finishing their drinks.
‘There you are. Jesus, how long does a call take? Ted was looking for you, by the way. Did he catch you?’ asks Ruan.
I shake my head. ‘No, he didn’t. Look, sorry about this, but a slight change of plan. I’ve brought Jack back with me. Could we do this at mine? Talk, I mean.’
Bea speaks first. ‘Only if you want to, Eve, if you want to tell us.’
‘Yeah, only if you want to. Be good to know why you were freaking out big time, last night,’ Ruan expands.
I raise my eyebrows at him
‘You’ve got to admit, Eve; you’ve been acting really odd lately. I mean that in the nicest way.’ He looks to see if he’s overstepped the mark with either Bea or I, but we love his blunt talking. ‘I mean, you’ve been even odder than usual,’ he adds with a grin before going on. ‘To be honest, no messing about now. I’m really worried about you. You looked like you’d seen a ghost. Vexed us all right out.’
Bea stands and touches my hand from across the table. ‘You do know you can trust us. I know we tease, and mess about, but we’re always here for you. We’re just worried you’re in some kind of trouble. Is this all to do with Jack’s dad? It’s just you mentioned him last night,’ she said.
‘Please don’t call him that. Biology does not make a dad.’ I’m snapping at the wrong person. I know it’s not fair; how else could she have referred to you? I mentioned you only last night. But somehow, whereas the title of father is painful, the title of dad is like a dagger through the heart.
‘Sorry, Eve, I didn’t mean to—’ she offered, lowering her gaze like a chastised child.
‘No, it’s fine. I didn’t mean to snap. I’m sorry, it just grates, you know.’
‘Sure. I understand.’
‘Shall we call him “you know who”, or “he who cannot be named”?’ Ruan suggests with a deadly serious face.
I kicked him with the tip of my stiletto under the table.
‘Ouch. Just jesting. Just jesting.’
‘Well, don’t. This isn’t funny.’ Bea scowls at him.
‘I promise, this has never been about me not trusting either of you, because I do, implicitly.’ I feel myself blush slightly as the envelope in my briefcase comes to mind. How I queried them in my confused mind, considered that one of them could have planted it. But the fact remains, someone has planted it and I still don’t know who. I notice Jack swaggering over towards the table.
‘Ready?’
‘Yeah,’ he says.
I leave Bea, Ruan and Jack chatting, while I hunt out Ted through the crowds. I catch him laden with dirty empties and tap his arm. ‘Ted, were you looking for me?’
‘Yes, love, I was.’ He tilts his head towards me and lowers his voice. ‘Just thought I should mention, a couple of people have been asking after you.’
‘Really?’ My stomach rolls.
‘Didn’t think much of it, but then when two different people asked, who were, I assume, unrelated…’ he shakes his head ‘… just found it a little odd.’
‘Who was it, Ted? What did they ask?’
‘The first, a few days ago now, was a woman, proper glamorous, didn’t look local, asked if I knew you. I said I did, but then we were interrupted. I looked for her but didn’t see her again. Then, earlier tonight, a guy, who we’ve seen kicking about recently, he asked of you. I asked him who he was, who was asking, like. He didn’t seem to like it. Just said, “No reason,” and walked off.’
I thank Ted, tell him not to worry, lots of clients ask after me. But why would they ask here? It’s not like you, is it, to show your hand publicly, so what are you up to? As for the woman, this must be a coincidence, a client, or a connection to a client. Just bad timing surely? But what about the note? Sam? Why did she send me those excerpts, with the note? I’ve not heard from her in years, not for fifteen years. Has she been looking for me? There’s not a chance she’s had access to my briefcase, so who else has she been speaking to about me? Who else knows what she’s up to? She hated you with such intensity, it makes sense she’d want to warn me, but what does she know and how?
‘Mum, we’re leaving.’ Jack’s arm curls around my shoulders, bringing me back to the moment. We step outside the pub as I visually comb the area. I must have left the light on; you wouldn’t be that obvious. My head is spinning with surely, buts and anxious questions, as the amicable banter passes over my wired mind. You’re getting inside my head again. I need to fight it, except it’s not so easy if you’re changing the game plan. I’m banking on understanding your every move, but these latest incidents are not what I would have anticipated.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Before
I had lain still on the bed, eyes closed, wide awake, listening to the dulled tones from below in the study. An hour after I’d been locked in my room, you came back and unlocked the door. I knew you would if I didn’t create a scene. You wouldn’t see to Jack if he woke, not whilst entertaining your cronies and the mysterious overweight greasy man. Who was he? And who was the younger lad? I knew you were up to something, but why? Your career at Havers, Walker and Jenkins was all going so well. You didn’t need to be up to anything, whatever it was. I didn’t need you to be up to anything; it complicated my plans for escape. Made our home life feel all the more dirty.
I didn’t leave the room again, despite you unlocking it; I wanted you to think I was asleep; I didn’t need another argument. Not that being asleep would have stopped you; it wouldn’t have been the first time you woke me to be abusive. I contemplated using the key to lock my door from the inside. Chances were you would be looking for the fight. Then thought better of it. Eventually, louder voices and joviality in the acoustic hallway signalled their leaving. Not much longer after, I lay motionless in bed, my heart hammering, listening to your footsteps climbing the stairs, holding my breath as you reached the top, then stopped.