by Beevis, Keri
He didn’t love her.
Tiffany hadn’t taken the break-up well and after a difficult night of temper tantrums, sulking and tears, Jack had endured a frosty ride back to the station to drop her off.
He had brooded during the ride home, remembering the good times, part of him doleful at the finality of the relationship, but also relieved he had ended things.
Putting in earphones, he lost himself for an hour, running a coastal route to Holkham and back, Cooper keeping pace, trying to push Tiffany, Lila, and the still-raw grief over Stephanie out of his mind. As they closed in on the final half-mile stretch he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, guessed it was probably Alyssa reminding him not to be late for the dinner thing she was hosting that night, and wondered how best to break it to her that she needed to set one less place as Tiff wouldn’t be there.
Approaching the quayside, he slowed his pace, backhanding sweat from his face and chugging water from the bottle he carried with him. Capping the bottle, he reached in his pocket for his phone, stopping to a walk when he saw the message was from Lila.
It was brief, nothing about what had happened the previous night, instead telling him she had spoken to Ruby Howard and the girl was considering meeting with him. I’ll let you know what she says, the text ended, non-committedly.
Jack hesitated then typed a message back. Can I call you in a bit?
He had reached the back porch of his house, was fishing for his keys when her reply came back. It was just one word. Okay.
Yes, she was still pissed off with him and he guessed he couldn’t blame her. He had nearly kissed her and then seconds later, she had found out he had a girlfriend.
He was a bloody fool. Why had he tried to make things personal between them? The previous night had been a huge mistake.
He would have a shower and give her a call in a bit, keep things to the point and find out what Ruby said, try to redress the balance between them.
* * *
As the bus pulled into Norwich, Lila glanced at her phone. No new calls or text messages.
Jack had said he was going to call her, but she hadn’t heard anything more from him. She had done the right thing, telling him about her conversation with Ruby and there was nothing more to really be said until Ruby got back to her.
Saturday evening loomed ahead of Lila and she had no plans, no company. Usually it wouldn’t bother her. Lila enjoyed her own company, liked having her independence. It was the frustration of having the cast on her leg, hindering everything. Typically on a Saturday evening with no plans, she would get in the car, head out on an adventure with her camera, but of course she couldn’t drive, so was effectively tied to the flat.
Netflix, takeaway, and a couple of glasses of wine, she decided, with Clyde for company, assuming he wasn’t upstairs with Primrose or planning on hitting the tiles. The thought that her landlady’s cat currently had a better social life than her brought a smile to Lila’s face, briefly lightening her mood.
She got off the bus, started the ten-minute walk – which took her twenty with the crutches – to her flat, stopping off at the local Spar shop for a bottle of wine. The plastic bag it was in bashed awkwardly against her crutch as she cut across the park that led to the end of her street. Aside from a couple of dog walkers in the distance, the park was empty. Although the day had been bright and warm, storms now threatened, the sky darkened to a moody grey, the sun blocked out by cloud, despite there being another hour of daylight left. Luckily it was still dry and Lila hoped she would make it home before the rain started.
She paused briefly to rest, adjusting the bottle bag to her other arm. The exertion of walking on crutches didn’t get any easier and she had already built up a light sweat. As she caught her breath, a rustling noise came from the bushes behind her and her head swung around.
There was no-one there and she shrugged it off, knowing it was probably just a bird or a squirrel. She was about to continue on her way when her phone rang. Balancing both crutches in one hand, she reached into her pocket for Elliot’s borrowed mobile, heartbeat quickening when she saw Jack’s name.
Still she hesitated for a second, not wanting to seem too desperate to speak to him. He had said he was going to call her hours earlier.
Eventually she clicked answer, tried to keep her tone nonchalant. ‘Hello?’
‘Lila, it’s Jack.’
‘Hey.’
‘You okay?’
That was a loaded question given everything that had happened the previous night. ‘I’m fine,’ she told him stiffly. This conversation was proving to be more difficult than she had anticipated. She didn’t bother to ask how he was. The more impersonal she kept this the better.
‘I’m sorry I didn’t call you earlier. Something came up.’
‘Not a problem. You didn’t have to call. I felt I should tell you about Ruby.’
‘Okay, thank you. I appreciate that.’
‘When I hear–’
Another rustling in the bushes had Lila stopping. She glanced over her shoulder again, for the briefest second thought she saw a figure, but then they, it, disappeared. It was probably a trick of the light. There was no-one there and she was being skittish.
‘Lila?’
‘I’m here. Sorry, I thought I heard… it doesn’t matter.’
‘Where are you?’
‘Walking home. In fact I’m almost there, so I should go. I’ll let you know when I hear from Ruby, okay?’ Jack started to speak, but she cut him off. ‘I really have to go now. Take care.’
She ended the call, annoyed when she swallowed and found a lump in her throat. She barely knew Jack and nothing had technically happened between them. It was ridiculous he was having such an effect on her. Time to snap out of it and move on.
Glancing hesitantly at the bushes again, convinced that her imagination had been playing tricks on her, she slipped the phone back in her pocket and started walking again. Neither of the dog walkers were in sight, probably already gone, but she was halfway across the park, only a few short minutes from her flat.
She would order takeaway as soon as she was home, indulge in a bubble bath with a glass of wine while she waited for the delivery. Pyjamas, cuddles with Clyde, maybe check out the new horror film she had seen advertised on Netflix, and she would feel much better. Jack Foley had managed to get into her head quickly enough, so it should be just as easy to get him back out again.
‘Lila.’
Her name was spoken softly, barely a whisper, though drawn out in a singsong tone.
Lila froze, swung round. No-one was behind her.
Wind rustled through the bushes. Had she imagined it? Was her brain really that frazzled that she was hearing and seeing things?
There was no-one hiding. She was being paranoid.
But as she stared at the thicket, the whisper came again. This time there was no pretending it was the wind or her imagination playing tricks on her, the breathy voice so taunting in tone.
‘Lie–laaa.’
A shiver ran down her spine as she took a tentative step back, part of her fearful that if she made a quick movement, something might come rushing out of the bushes at her.
She was alone in the park and, although the safety of her flat was a few minutes away, she felt vulnerable.
For a moment, there was silence, then a sudden rush of wind rustled the leaves of the trees, making her jump. She turned on shaking legs, stumbling her way on her crutches as fast as she could, focussing on the entrance to the park in the distance, and not daring to look back.
With the sound of the wind picking up, the noise of her crutches and her harsh breathing, she couldn’t hear anything else… at first. But then it was there, distinctive footsteps and they sounded as if they were gaining pace on the pathway behind her. She tried to move faster, almost lost her footing, the shaky sigh of relief when she finally reached the entrance shuddering through her body.
She still wasn’t home safe, but at least she had the secu
rity of houses on either side of the street, could see the comforting glow of the chip shop at the end of the road, the group of loitering teenagers she would usually find irritating, a welcoming sight.
She could no longer hear footsteps behind her, risked a brief glance over her shoulder, saw nothing. Was she actually losing her mind?
No, the sound had been real. The voice coming from the thicket had been real.
Her legs were still shaking when she reached the house, fumbling in her bag for her door keys, annoyed when her trembling fingers struggled to get them in the lock.
Eventually she managed to get the main door open, gave the street another cursory glance before closing and bolting herself inside. She looked at the stairs, knew Primrose was up there, no doubt watching TV, and some of the fear ebbed away. Still Lila didn’t feel completely safe until she had opened the door to her flat and locked herself inside.
For tonight at least, she was safe.
16
Jack was the last one to arrive, irritation pricking at the back of his neck as he saw Giles throw open the front door of the cobbled cottage he and Alyssa owned in the market town of Aylsham, obviously having heard the sound of Jack’s engine.
The man was wearing a suit and tie as per usual, hair slicked down, a glass of what looked like whisky in his hand and a snaky smile on his face.
‘Jack, glad you could make it,’ he called as Jack killed the engine, opened the door. ‘We’ve been waiting for you.’
Jack ignored him, grabbing the wine he’d brought with him – a bottle of his sister’s favourite Rioja Gran Reserva – and the dog biscuits from the passenger seat, catching hold of Cooper’s lead as the spaniel bounded over his lap and out of the car.
The smile fell from Giles’s face. ‘What is he doing here?’
Jack closed the door with his elbow, clicked his key at the car, and grinned broadly at Giles. ‘Look, Cooper, it’s Uncle Giles.’
He had purposely brought Cooper with him, knowing Giles hated dogs.
Cooper let out a loud gleeful bark that had Giles taking a step back and Jack loosened his lead to allow the dog enough manoeuvre room to jump up at his sister’s odious boyfriend.
‘Get down, goddammit!’ Giles snapped, taking another step back as whisky sloshed out of his glass.
‘He just wants to say hi to his favourite uncle,’ Jack goaded.
‘You’re not bringing him in the house. He can stay in the car.’
Blatantly ignoring the order, Jack followed Cooper into the house, stopping briefly to give the seething Giles a condescending slap on the shoulder. ‘He’ll be fine.’
‘Jack, is that you?’
Alyssa rushed forward, concern and questions ready for him after he’d vaguely replied to her earlier texts about Tiffany, not in the mood for dissecting his relationship with his one remaining sister. Her expression changed as she spotted the dog. ‘Ooh, you’ve brought Cooper.’
Cooper jumped up again, his tail wagging and licked her hand as Alyssa tickled under his floppy ears. She grinned at Jack. ‘This is a nice surprise.’
She stopped fussing the dog long enough to give Jack a hug and a kiss on the cheek, accepting the bottle of Rioja he handed her. ‘Giles, go pour Jack a glass of wine.’
‘No wine for me, I’m going to drive back.’
‘But, Jack…’
Jack held up a hand. ‘I’ve got a lot on my mind. I’d rather keep a clear head tonight.’
Alyssa nodded. ‘We need to talk about what happened with Tiffany.’
‘Not right now, Lys, but maybe later, okay? Where are the others?’
‘They’re through in the dining room. Let’s go see them, Cooper.’
‘The dog stays out here, Alyssa,’ Giles argued. ‘The dining room is no place for him.’
Alyssa shot Giles a brief look before overruling him. ‘He’ll be fine. Come on, Cooper.’
Jack gave Giles a broad grin and followed his sister down the hallway.
As Jack had suspected, everyone else was pleased to see Cooper, who lapped up the fuss from Tom, his wife Imogen, Oliver and his partner Simon, before settling himself under Imogen’s chair. He ignored the bowl of biscuits that Alyssa set down for him, but happily wolfed the titbits Imogen kept passing to him, much to Giles’s annoyance.
Jack nursed his one beer, part of him tempted to say ‘fuck it’ and join his siblings and their partners in getting drunk, and catch a taxi home. He refrained though, knowing he would be making a mistake.
The break-up with Tiff was still raw and despite his best intentions to try to forget her, Lila was weighing heavily on his mind. She had been cool when he had spoken to her earlier and a little terse. He knew she was pissed off about what had happened, but he had also heard the hurt in her voice and he hated knowing he had caused that. What with Tiffany, Lila, and this stupid dinner party Alyssa had insisted on throwing to raise a glass to Stephanie, who had barely been put in the ground, drinking would only sour his mood, probably loosen his tongue and make him say things he might later regret. It was safer to stay sober and ride it out.
He glanced discreetly at his watch, figuring it was going to be a long night.
Mercifully there were few questions about Tiff, the others picking up that he wasn’t ready to discuss the break-up. Giles was the only one who mentioned her and Jack knew full well it was retribution for bringing Cooper. Tiffany he was prepared for, he had already accepted her name would come up, but mention of Lila’s name caught him off guard.
‘Your friend, Miss Amberson, is proving to be an interesting character.’ Giles dropped the comment casually as Alyssa served seafood paella.
The conversation had sobered over the past half hour with talk turning to the accident that had claimed Stephanie’s life, and the mood was melancholy, making Jack glad he had refrained from drinking. He was pleased he had his wits about him, as Giles was obviously in the mood for one of his mind games.
‘I’m sure she is.’ Jack kept his tone light, almost disinterested; aware Giles was watching him for a reaction.
‘I’ve had a buddy of mine look into her… you know, her finances, her business, her past relationships.’
‘Why would you do that?’ Although his tone was still calm, inside, Jack was seething.
‘I already told you; I don’t trust her. There was no reasonable motive for her showing up to Stephanie’s funeral.’
‘Other than to pay her respects.’
‘She was at Steph’s funeral?’ That was from Oliver, who was eyeing Jack curiously.
Tom was also watching him, though more to see how this was going to play out, Jack thought, aware he would need to pick the right moment if he was going to step in to back up his brother. He was the only one who knew Jack had seen more of Lila than just at the funeral.
‘Did you know she has been bankrupt? That the partner of her first business went to jail for money laundering? Seems to me that Lila Amberson has seen an opportunity with the Whitman family.’
Jack didn’t know that, but he also knew Lila. Couldn’t believe for one second that she would be involved in anything illegal. He was holding on to his temper by a thread when he spoke. ‘You know nothing about Lila Amberson and you have no right to dig into her private life. She was a victim in the car accident that killed my sister. There’s nothing sinister about her motives.’
‘I have every right,’ Giles snarled. ‘I care about this family and I won’t let this woman try to manipulate us.’
‘Us? You’re not part of this bloody family, Giles. You have no right. No fucking right!’
That had Giles reddening with rage, his tiny eyes bulging as he got to his feet. ‘I have every right,’ he repeated. ‘I’m going to be part of this family whether you like it or not. What hold has this woman got over you, Jack?’
Under the table, Cooper woofed, followed by a low ominous growl. Oliver sat open mouthed, looking ready to fire a dozen questions, while his boyfriend, Simon, seemed intrigued, and Imoge
n studied the table, looking downright uncomfortable.
‘That’s enough, Giles.’
Giles scowled at Tom, annoyed at the interruption, before wheeling on Jack again. ‘You’re supposed to be a crime writer; you were an investigative journalist for fuck’s sake. Yet you’re so bloody stupid, man, you can’t see when you’re being duped!’
‘That’s enough!’ Alyssa snapped, also getting to her feet. ‘Giles, you need to ease up on the whisky. What is that, your fifth or sixth double? And don’t you ever dare call my brother stupid again.’
Giles’s eyes bulged further, as he yanked to loosen the tie around his chubby neck. ‘That’s just typical, Alyssa, take your family’s side over mine.’
‘You’re out of order, Giles.’ Jack was angry, angry on behalf of Lila and livid that Giles had tried to destroy the evening Alyssa had wanted so desperately to honour Stephanie. He might not have agreed with this whole memorial dinner thing, feeling it was far too soon, but he had at least respected her wishes, unlike her prick of a boyfriend. ‘Lila is kind and considerate, and she puts everyone else before her. I couldn’t tell you about her past, but I do know that you have her completely wrong and she’s a hell of a better person than you will ever be.’
‘So you know her pretty well then,’ Oliver breathed, his expression unreadable.
Jack glanced at his youngest brother. This wasn’t the time to try to explain his connection to Lila. Oliver had questions, but they would have to wait.
‘Sit down and eat your dinner, Giles. Your food’s getting cold.’
Instead of doing as ordered, Giles pouted at Alyssa. ‘I insult your brother and World War Three kicks off; he insults me and you’re okay with that?’
‘You need to cool the hell down.’
Giles sneered his nose up at her then glanced with contempt at the rest of the group. ‘You people are all the same. You think you’re so bloody special, but you’re all just one big joke.’
