How to Kill Men and Get Away With It(48)

‘Boo hoo for you. At least this one escaped with his life.’

The Creep. With the excellent timing only an internet stalker can pull off. I try to ignore the rising fear that someone, somewhere seems to know every move I make.

I spend the rest of the day in bed, with a bottle of wine.





39


KITTY’S APARTMENT, CHELSEA

I feel like I can’t breathe at the moment. The apartment is making me feel claustrophobic and everywhere I look there seem to be reminders of what I could’ve had with Charlie. And with the stalker on top of everything else, I feel like my nervous system has taken a huge battering. I’m suffocating here.

‘You need to get away,’ I say out loud, which freaks me out even more. Since when have I become the kind of weirdo who talks to herself?

I WhatsApp Tor, determined that a few days by the sea with an infinity pool, butler service and a swim-up bar is exactly what’s needed.

‘Few days in Mykonos?’ she suggests.

‘JFC YES!’ I reply.

I book flights for the next morning.





40


BRITISH AIRLINES FLIGHT BA10009, SOMEWHERE OVER EUROPE

Sipping the first glass of Champagne on the plane, I can feel myself relax, like sinking into a warm bath. Plus, Champagne always tastes better when you’re flying first class to a luxury destination.

‘Come on, spill,’ Tor says once the extraordinarily handsome flight attendant has done his thing and the seatbelt light goes off.

‘What do you mean?’

‘You’re seriously trying to tell me that you’ve booked a spontaneous holiday for no reason? I know you, Kitty, I can tell there’s something wrong. Is it Charlie?’

I nod, dumb with a sudden overwhelming feeling of sadness. ‘He’s ended it.’ My voice wobbles and I take a gulp of Champagne, hoping to swallow my grief along with it.

‘Why? I thought you guys were solid? It seemed to be going so well.’

‘He thinks I cheated on him. He came round to the apartment while I had another man there and I wouldn’t let him in, but it’s not what he thinks.’ Not that I could explain.

Tor is staring at me wide-eyed. ‘So, what were you doing if you weren’t cheating?’

I sigh. ‘It’s personal, but I wasn’t cheating. Surely that should be enough? Why wouldn’t he trust me?’

She eyes me suspiciously. ‘Well, it does sound quite dodgy. Especially if you wouldn’t let him in.’ She puts her hand on mine. ‘Look, I believe you and I’ve known you long enough to know that you’re not a cheat and you don’t lie. But this thing with Charlie is still new. Maybe some space between you for a few days is for the best?’

I nod, feeling like part of my heart has been scooped out, and rest my head on Tor’s shoulder, while she strokes my hair.

‘It’ll be okay, honey,’ she tells me. ‘I promise.’

I feel better the moment we step off the plane and the heat envelopes us. It’s a different heat to the oppressive humidity of London. I feel like I can actually breathe here. Tor puts her arm through mine and squeezes me tight as our driver takes our bags and ushers us into a waiting car with the best air-con I’ve ever known.





41


CAVOO RESORT AND VILLAS, MYKONOS

The hotel I book for us is decadent, which is exactly what I need. As well as the personal butler, our suite has a private pool that bleeds into the Aegean. Nothing but pure blue until our eyes hurt from looking. There’s a huge magnum of Champagne on ice waiting for us and we giggle like schoolgirls as we drink from the bottle and explore the place that will be our home for the next few days. We change immediately into our bikinis and sink into the cool blue haven of our pool. I’m delighted I chose the Platinum Villa. It’s beautiful and so very far away from Chelsea. Exactly what I need.

‘Feeling better yet?’ Tor asks me, handing me a glass of Chablis fresh from the minibar. We look out to sea in silence for a few moments. I watch an aeroplane split the sky in two with its white tail.

‘I had another message from The Creep as well,’ I say, breaking the silence. ‘I just don’t know what he wants from me.’

‘Are you going to go to the police now?’ Tor asks. ‘What did he say this time?’

‘That’s the thing, he didn’t say anything. It was just a photo from the Pemberton party.’

Tor looks stunned. ‘What like long lens or something?’

I shake my head. ‘No. From inside the party.’

She digests this for a moment. ‘But it was only people we know.’

I nod grimly.

‘Fuck.’ She puts her glass down on the side of the pool. Serious. ‘Do you think it could be staff maybe? There were plenty of bartenders. Maybe they think they can make some extra money?’

I frown. ‘That’s the thing though. Whoever it is hasn’t asked me for any money. He’s not asked me for anything. It’s weird.’

Tor picks up her glass again. ‘Well, let’s try not to think about it for the next few days. You need to relax. Your chakras are all over the place, babe.’

I smile and clink my glass against hers. ‘Yes, here’s to forgetting and relaxing.’