Silent Victim(35)

‘It was OK,’ he said, turning his gaze away from mine. ‘I could murder a coffee.’

‘Jamie’s in the living room.’ I sighed.

He threw me a smile, pressing his lips against my cheek in a belated greeting. But it was not before I caught the shadow crossing his face. I thought back to last night when I said I loved him, and he hadn’t responded. Just who had he been with? He had lots of old friends in Leeds – men and women. Was that why he couldn’t meet my gaze today? I inhaled a breath, telling myself not to be so paranoid. I had enough things to worry about, without adding infidelity to the list.

‘Daddy!’ Jamie exclaimed from the living room as I put on the kettle. ‘We’re adopting a polar bear!’ I walked to the open door, listening in on their conversation.

‘Really?’ Alex said. ‘Where’s he going to sleep then?’

‘No, silly,’ Jamie giggled. ‘He doesn’t live here. I get a teddy instead. I’m going to call him Snowy.’

I smiled. Jamie had just begun getting pocket money and had chosen to spend it on a donation to the WWF. Silently I padded back to the kitchen, feeling a swell of pride.

Twenty minutes later Alex followed me in, drawn by the smell of cooking which had carried into the hall.

‘You said you had a restless night?’ he said, gratefully taking his coffee.

‘Yes,’ I said, guarding my words. The last thing I wanted was to sound like some neurotic. ‘It was stormy. Jamie was asleep and the television was turned off. I heard a bang, and then something rapped against the windows.’

‘It’s not surprising you’re jumpy,’ Alex said. ‘But it was probably the storm. There’s always debris flying about.’

‘I had a silent phone call,’ I said, glancing over my shoulder after I turned his omelette in the frying pan.

Alex shrugged, his gaze on anywhere but me. ‘We’re so exposed here. The phone lines probably went down. You won’t know yourself when we move to the city. I’ve spoken to the vendor about that house I showed you online. It’s even nicer in real life. I wish you’d seen it with me.’

I plastered on my brightest smile, but inside I was horrified. ‘I trust your judgement. Put an offer in. The sooner we’re away from here the better.’

Alex leaned his head to one side as he looked at me. ‘It’s really creeped you out, me being away, hasn’t it? Next time you’re both coming with me.’

I dragged my nails down my arm, feeling anxiety crawling beneath my skin. ‘I feel like I’m being watched. A bunch of sunflowers were delivered to the shop for me.’

‘Sunflowers? Perhaps they were from one of your clients,’ Alex said, masking a yawn.

I nodded, frowning at his apparent lack of concern. ‘You don’t seem that bothered.’

‘What? Sorry, love, I’m just tired and hungry. I didn’t sleep too well myself.’

‘I’ll make you some toast to go with this,’ I said, growing annoyed as I plated up his omelette. Why was he being so blasé? I turned to face him, my eyes narrowing. ‘The flowers. The phone call. It’s him. It has to be.’

Alex picked up his knife and fork. ‘I think you’re worrying over nothing.’

An open window was not enough to release the smell of cooking from our tiny kitchen, and I fanned the back door open and closed until fresh air invaded the room. I stood silently, my mind working overtime as I waited for the toast to pop up. I had lied to cover up my eating disorder in the past. Was I like the boy who cried wolf now? I couldn’t bear to see that look of disbelief on my husband’s face again.

‘Aren’t you going to join me?’ Alex said, briefly touching my hand.

‘Sure,’ I said, remembering my fainting attack last night. I had been slipping, losing myself to my eating disorder as I fought to regain control. I could not allow it to happen again.

‘Good,’ Alex said. Despite my reservations, there was concern in his eyes. ‘There’s too much here for me.’

I popped the toast on to a plate and plopped down in the chair. ‘I’m just worried. I don’t know what he’s going to do next.’

Again, he dismissed my fears with a shake of the head. ‘Babe. We’re leaving. It’s not as if we can go to the police. Don’t let it bring you down. Now c’mon, get some food inside you. Please.’

I nodded dumbly, taking a fork from the drawer and spearing a piece of his omelette. I’d added cheese, ham and tomatoes, but it tasted like cardboard on my tongue.





CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

EMMA





2017


An hour of fussing over Maggie had taken the edge off my morning, soothing my anxiety and calming my thoughts. Helping others was what I loved most about my business; it made me feel like I was worthwhile. As Maggie twirled in her latest choice of bridal gown, her smile lit up the room. Feeling a warm glow, I watched her sway before the mirror as she sang ‘I Could Have Danced All Night’.

Josh handed me the camera. ‘One for the scrapbook,’ he said, with a smile to match my own. The photographs had been his idea, and he had hooked up our digital camera to a Bluetooth printer that delivered images in seconds. Every bride was given one when she chose her gown. That and a glass of Prosecco set us apart from other businesses in town. Thankfully, Maggie didn’t drink, or she would have gotten through several bottles by now.