This Could Change Everything(90)

His mother turned and covered her mouth in shock. ‘Oh my God, Lucas! What are you doing here?’

At least she wasn’t slurring and staggering; he’d caught her at just the right time. But her hands were trembling, which was something he’d grown used to over the years. And the tears were already spilling from her eyes.

‘I was just passing, Mum. Thought I’d pop in and see how you’re doing.’ Having caught her off guard, he gave her a quick hug and for a moment she clung to him. He breathed in the smell of her just-washed hair and rose-scented shower gel, felt the suppressed emotions shaking her thin ribcage. And then she was letting go, stepping back and saying helplessly, ‘Lucas, I’m sorry, it’s good to see you but you shouldn’t be here . . . You can’t come in . . . You didn’t tell me you were going to do this.’

She was backing away, glancing wildly around, clearly on the verge of a panic attack. Lucas said, ‘What’s wrong? It’s OK; if you don’t want me to come inside, we can just stay out here.’

‘No! No, you have to leave!’

‘Are you worried about the neighbours seeing me, is that it?’

‘What?’ She looked desperate. ‘No . . . I mean yes! Lucas, please go! I’ll speak to you next week.’

‘Mum—’

But it was too late; his mother had darted to the front door, run inside and slammed it shut. He heard her call out in a panic, ‘Go home, please. I love you, but you have to leave now. I can’t do this.’

Back in the car, Lucas said bluntly, ‘See what I mean?’

‘God, I’m so sorry.’ Essie had been watching and listening through the open driver’s window. ‘It’s just awful for you. And for her, too.’

‘Something’s up, though. She was different this time.’ Lucas frowned. ‘She was agitated, but it was a different kind of agitated.’

‘In what way?’

‘I can’t work it out.’ He attempted to pinpoint what was puzzling him. ‘It was like she was a not very good drugs mule trying to smuggle a caseful of heroin through customs. There was definitely something she was hiding from me . . . and it felt as if she was panicking because she didn’t want anyone seeing me with her.’

‘Or there was something she didn’t want you to see,’ said Essie. ‘Or someone.’

Lucas looked at her, running through the likely options. ‘You’re right. That’s what it was.’ Had his mum fallen out so badly with the neighbours that she’d been terrified they might come storming out of their houses to tell him he had to sort her out? Had things spiralled completely out of control? Were the police involved?

But actually, she’d been glancing most often down the road, rather than at the other houses whose front doors might be about to fly open. He said to Essie, ‘She’ll be panicking now because the car hasn’t moved. Come on, let’s get out of here.’

Essie restarted the engine, did a three-point turn and drove out of the quiet cul-de-sac. A hundred metres down the main road, they came to a small convenience store. Lucas said, ‘Can we stop here for a minute?’

It was a typical corner shop selling newspapers and magazines, cigarettes, groceries and – of course – drinks. Picking up a carton of milk and a packet of chewing gum, he took them to the counter and said easily, ‘Hi, I’m Paula Brook’s son, just popping by for a visit. Has she been in today?’

The man behind the counter said, ‘Paula’s son? Nice to meet you. No, I haven’t seen her today, but her friend should be calling in soon.’

Bingo. ‘Ah yes, I’ve been hearing all about her friend,’ Lucas said casually. ‘I’ve forgotten her name . . .’

‘No, no, this one isn’t a lady.’ The shop owner shook his head. ‘I meant her gentleman friend . . . He seems like a good man. My wife and I, we’re pleased she’s found him. Is the milk for your mother?’

‘Uh . . . yes.’

‘She prefers semi-skimmed.’

‘OK. Thanks.’ Lucas swapped the carton and paid. Risking it, he said, ‘Well, I’m certainly looking forward to meeting him!’

‘I think he finishes work at one o’clock; he usually drops in here around this time on his way over to Paula’s.’

‘Great. And it’s been very nice to meet you too,’ said Lucas. ‘Can you do me a favour? If he does call in, don’t mention that I’m here with Mum, OK? It’ll be more fun if it’s a surprise.’

Forty minutes later, they were still waiting in the car.

‘Sorry about this,’ said Lucas.

‘It’s fine.’ Essie brushed aside the apology. ‘Of course you want to see him.’

‘If he’s ever going to turn up.’ So far, only two women with toddlers in pushchairs had disappeared into the cul-de-sac.

‘It’s like we’re a couple of private detectives on a stake-out.’ Essie sat up like a meerkat. ‘Ooh, car . . .’

But it was an elderly woman behind the wheel of a beige Ford Focus.

Ten minutes later, Essie said casually, ‘When private detectives are on a stake-out, what happens when they need the loo?’

Lucas smiled briefly. ‘They do it in a plastic bottle.’