First to arrive were Joanna and Keith, accompanied by Dorothy and Robert, all best friends again after twenty-five years of the two couples avoiding one another. They were accompanied by Imogen’s maternal grandparents.
“You’ve beaten us to it,” Keith said amicably, shaking Mark by the hand. “This is a lovely idea.”
“We’re delighted you could come,” Mark replied, but before there was time for any prolonged conversation the door opened again and in came three more guests, people the four friends didn’t recognise. Catherine immediately made the introductions. It was Zoe’s family. Joanna and Daphne shared an awkward glance and then gave each other an emotional embrace that said more than a thousand words. They walked off together towards the drinks table, followed by their husbands and Joanna’s elderly but remarkably agile parents. Gertrude chatted to Erica for a few minutes whilst Dorothy turned again to Catherine.
“It was really kind of you to invite us,” she said smiling.
“You’re very welcome,” Catherine replied. “Sure your son is Imogen’s brother and your daughter is engaged to our Bradley. You’re part of the family now on two counts.”
Thomasina arrived next along with Alastair and Jasmine, with Bradley, Jillian and Holly at their heels, and they were followed swiftly by Rebecca, Robyn and Jack. Rebecca and Erica remembered meeting each other at Catherine and Mark’s wedding back in the summer and were glad to renew the acquaintance, especially since nearly everyone else was part of a couple. They all moved forward into the room where there was now quite an excited buzz of conversation and laughter. Gertrude looked around and counted. “Ten more to arrive,” she remarked. She looked at her watch. It was only twenty past one. Things were going nicely.
It was five minutes before the door opened again and two couples arrived at once. Vincent and Jane were warmly greeted by Gertrude who recalled that the pair hadn’t turned up the last time they were supposed to meet. Vincent had been involved in a serious incident at work that day, an incident that had claimed the lives of his two colleagues. “It’s lovely to see you looking so strong and healthy,” she told him, “and you too, Jane.” She gently patted Jane’s baby bump and congratulated them on the pregnancy. At the same time Catherine and Mark were welcoming Patty and Kenneth. Catherine had always known her friend as Patty.
“I was so happy to be invited to this,” Patty gushed. “Nearly everyone else here is family.”
“If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have been able to help Grant find his father,” Catherine pointed out. “Our friendship goes back a long way.” She noticed Kenneth’s face clouding over. “But enough about that,” she added quickly. “Maybe we will be family some day.”
Patty nodded. “Your nephew and our daughter. Don’t they make a lovely couple! I could hardly believe the way Alastair has come on when Jasmine brought him in recently. I remember him as a little boy with a limp and limited speech.”
“Thomasina is over the moon about it,” Catherine agreed. “She has spent her life worrying about him. There she is over there in the cream and purple top.”
Patricia and Kenneth headed over to reintroduce themselves.
“Maybe I should have warned her about Douglas McKendrick coming,” Catherine muttered under her breath. “I’m not sure how the land lies there at the moment.”
Mark giggled. “I hope we’re not in for fireworks,” he said in jest.
With twenty minutes to spare, the Scottish guests all arrived en masse.
***
Kenneth was still chatting to Thomasina when Patricia glanced over at the small crowd entering the room and saw him. Her lover. Here in the same room as her. Here in the same room as her husband who had tried to kill him. Here in the same room as her husband who had in fact murdered his brother six weeks ago and had got away with it. She went weak at the knees. Douglas hadn’t spotted her yet. “I’ll just do some mingling,” she managed to say. “Lovely to meet you again, Thomasina.”
As she wandered over towards the new arrivals, she was aware of some friendly banter going on between Cathy and the man who was obviously Grant’s father. She could see the resemblance. There was also an older man and two lads with a fair-haired woman who was clearly their mother. They were all joining in the fun, as were Mark and Gertrude. It was all very good-natured. And there was Dougie. He suddenly caught a glimpse of her out of the corner of his eye and beamed with pleasure. He came straight over to her.
“What an unexpected delight,” he declared affectionately. “I had no idea that you’d be here. I was going to try to get in touch later. You’ve been avoiding me.”
“Shh,” hissed Patty, nervously. “Kenneth is here too.”
Douglas took the hint and lowered his voice. “I’ve missed you,” he told her. “Did your son spill the beans? I suppose you should be quite proud of his skills. He’d make a good detective.”
Patty was momentarily baffled by this remark. “What do you mean?” she asked him.
“Following you on the plane that night. Catching us in a compromising situation. The way he threatened to keep his son from you. I’ve been desperate to know how it all panned out but you haven’t answered my calls.” He paused for a moment and then added, “I’m so sorry for all that business with the police. It was Barbara. She insisted on all leads being checked out. But it probably led to Sam telling his dad about me. Would I be right?”
“Can we talk about this later?” Patty whispered. “I have to get back to Kenneth before he realises who you are.”
She walked away. Luckily, Jasmine had engaged her father in a conversation with Bradley and Jillian, reminding him that they were her neighbours from the flat upstairs. He was busy chatting and didn’t notice his wife’s clandestine encounter with one of the Scottish ‘relatives’. But Patricia was still anxious. Those tell-tale receipts were still inside that old diary. She couldn’t decide what to do about the situation, if anything.
***
“Something’s going on,” remarked Imogen, as they approached the steps leading up to the hotel foyer and reception. “That’s my dad’s car.”
“I noticed Aunt Thomasina’s too, close to where we parked,” Grant admitted. “So it’s maybe not just Mum and Mark.” They climbed the steps and there was Mark, patiently waiting for them at reception. “Good timing,” he remarked approvingly as he checked his watch and saw that it was two o’clock on the dot. “We’re down this corridor.” The main restaurant was to the left but Mark turned right and headed off without explanation. The young newly-weds exchanged a puzzled glance and followed him.
The first two people Grant saw when Mark led them into the function room were Catherine and Cameron, standing together and smiling a welcome. Opposite them stood Joanna, Keith and Lauren. They could not believe their eyes.
“I hope you’re not angry,” Mark said triumphantly, enjoying the role he had been asked to play.
“Angry!” exclaimed Grant. “This is the most wonderful surprise.”
Imogen allowed all six of them to give her a hug and then she looked around to see who else was in the room. All Grant’s family, and her own, her best friends and one or two people she didn’t recognise.
“You don’t mind, Darling?” Joanna asked tentatively, because her daughter still hadn’t spoken.
“Thank you,” she breathed in reply, shaking her head. “This is perfect.”
“I know you didn’t want a wedding reception.”
“We didn’t want a formal wedding with all the arguments and fuss. But there’s nothing wrong with a party!” She gave her mum another hug.
As Grant also now registered who else was present, his gaze landed on Daphne and a lump came to his throat. How nice of her to come. Taking Imogen by the hand, he went straight over to her and introduced them. Daphne embraced them both and whispered her congratulations, Erica too. Adrian shook his hand. Grant then hugged his grandfa
ther and welcomed his young half-brothers whilst Imogen chided Jillian and Holly for their stealthiness in concealing the arrangements. But she was joking; she couldn’t have been happier. Catherine and Cameron were still standing by the door, laughing and sharing amusing anecdotes with their spouses without a trace of awkwardness. Grant had never dreamt that he would ever experience such a scene.
They all sat down and lunch was served.
***
Patricia and Kenneth were seated at a round table with Daphne and Adrian, Vincent and Jane, and Erica and Rebecca. They all introduced themselves to each other and joined in with some general conversation about the weather, the food, the newly-wed couple, Jane’s baby bump and various other topics. But gradually, Patricia withdrew into herself and started thinking.
This is surreal, sitting here making small talk and pretending that everything is normal. I never expected to see Dougie again. Much as I love him and miss him dreadfully, I know that I was in the wrong, carrying on an affair with him behind Casey’s back. I’ve been with Casey for twenty-eight years. We have three children together and now wee Stevie as well. I can’t blame Sam for making me choose. I can’t blame Jasmine for swearing at me. So I did choose. I chose my family and let Dougie go. I sat there and let Casey hoodwink the police even though I had my suspicions. And then I found the evidence and I did nothing. I’m a bad person through and through.
I still have those receipts. I could still expose him. But what would Sam and Jasmine think of me? It could ruin their lives. Would they ever forgive me?
Do I still love Casey? Does he love me? Why did he suddenly change his mind and take me back just a few days after saying we were finished? To shut me up! He knew I would find out.
“Are you all right, Auntie Patty?” It was Rebecca jolting her from her thoughts and looking concerned. “You’ve gone very quiet.”
“Sorry, Dear,” she replied. “I do feel a bit queasy. I think I’ll go out into the fresh air for a minute. It’s very warm in here.” Kenneth offered to go with her. “No, I’ll be fine, thanks,” she reassured him. She pushed her chair back and left the table.
Dougie spotted her leaving and followed her almost immediately. “Come with me,” he instructed authoritatively, taking her by the hand, and her heart lurched at his familiar touch. He led her past the reception area and up the stairs, taking a key card from his pocket. She followed blindly until he opened a door and took her into a bedroom. And then she was in his arms as he kissed her hotly, even more passionately than ever before and she kissed him back with an intensity of desire that thrilled him. Then, throwing themselves down on the bed, they wasted no time in breathlessly satisfying that desire.
“I booked the room for the night so that I could go searching for you,” he said at last, fondling her breast. “I never dreamt you’d actually be here.”
“We have to get back,” she cried. “They’ll miss us and put two and two together. But I’ll come back. I’ll find some excuse.”
“I’ll be waiting for you, however long it takes.”
Patty went to the bathroom to tidy herself up and then returned to the function suite where dessert was now being served.
“I was just about to come looking for you,” Kenneth remarked. “Are you feeling better?” She assured everyone that the queasiness had passed and sat down with a smile on her face. It was another five minutes before she noticed Dougie coming back in and taking his seat beside Angus, Lauren and the boys. Others had also been going in and out to the toilet so nobody would have noticed any anomaly but Patty now knew one thing for sure.
I cannot go on like this. I need him in my life. Whatever happens to the family, I have to make a clean break from Casey. I refuse to spend the rest of my life chained to a murderer.
As she ate her profiteroles covered in warm, delicious chocolate sauce, she turned again to her husband and spoke in a low voice. “You’re probably bored stiff,” she said cunningly. “You don’t really know any of these people and I know you have some reservations about Cathy. But thank you for coming with me and showing a united front. Why don’t you meet up with some of your own friends later on?”
“I might just do that,” Kenneth agreed.
“I didn’t get much of a chance to talk to Grant and Imogen yet so I’d like to hang around for a while after the meal. I’m sure Jasmine would leave me home if you want to head on.”
“Good idea.” Kenneth was only too happy to make an early escape. He left twenty minutes later, still unaware that his nemesis was in the building.
Chapter 21
The guests began to disperse after four o’clock. One by one they congratulated Grant and his new wife, thanked Catherine and Gertrude and headed out to their cars or taxis. Patty gave Catherine a hug. “I’m glad our friendship is back on track,” she said with genuine feeling.
“Me too,” Catherine told her. “See you soon.”
Cameron and his family had already left for the airport. There was no sign of Douglas. Patty slipped out when none of the remaining company was looking and made her way back to the room her lover had booked. She tapped on the door and he opened it right away. She stepped inside.
“How long can you stay?” he asked her, his eyes full of love.
“Maybe forever.”
They made love again, getting into the bed properly this time and taking it more gently, more slowly, their naked bodies revelling in the joy of fulfilment. Afterwards they talked about the pain of separation and the trauma that they had suffered since their last weekend together when they had been intercepted by Sam and Tania.
“I was so sorry to hear about your brother,” Patty soothed. “Tell me exactly what happened.” Maybe, just maybe there was still a chance that she was mistaken and that Kenneth wasn’t involved at all.
“It was the day of Cameron’s party,” he recalled. “He was celebrating his father’s eightieth birthday and his reunion with his son. It was a bit like today. I had been invited along because I had helped them find one another. I ended up sitting beside Imogen.”
“What has that got to do with what happened later?” Patty asked him.
“Well, earlier that day I had received a text message from your daughter, Jasmine. She asked me for my address and pretended that she wanted it for Grant. It became clear to me during the meal that she had not been telling the truth so presumably she wanted it for her brother, Sam.”
“Sam?”
“He did threaten us that weekend.”
“How did Jasmine even have your number?”
“I don’t know.”
“I don’t like the sound of this.”
“Well, I have to admit I was a bit concerned. I phoned home and told Mia to be careful, not to answer the door to any strangers.”
“So what happened next?”
“I arrived home to find that Alex had called to see me. When he found that I wasn’t at home, Mia had told him about my phone call and had said she felt a bit scared so he had stayed with her until I got there. He remained at our place for another half an hour or so, discussing the business with me. Mia had gone to bed before he left.”
“And then?”
“He had a bad fall on the way down the driveway, hit his head really hard against some sharp stones. He was dead when we discovered him lying there the next morning. It was horrendous, especially for Mia, who saw him first.”
Patty considered the evidence. “So it was an unfortunate accident,” she murmured.
Douglas decided to be honest. “We did suspect your son at first. He had threatened us and he had tricked me, through his sister, into giving him my address.”
“My son, not my husband?”
“I didn’t think your husband knew anything about us. But I realise now that he did, didn’t he? Sam must have told him.”
Patty sighed. “Sam didn’t need to tell him anything. Ca
sey listened to a voicemail on my phone, wondering who Mia was. It was you, using her line.”
Her lover looked embarrassed. “So that’s how he found out. I’m so sorry.”
Dougie went on to explain how the police had discounted foul play until Barbara had later discovered the delayed text message and had become suspicious. “It was a bit spooky,” he confessed, “and the police said they had to investigate. I’m really sorry for bringing your family into that. Everyone had a cast-iron alibi.”
“Yes, even Casey.”
Dougie gave her a strange look. “That’s why you broke off contact with me. He had found out.”
“Yes.”
“And it wasn’t your son who spilt the beans at all. It was me. I told him myself!”
“Yes.”
“So where do we go from here?”
“I’m going to leave him, Dougie. I want to be with you.”
***
Kenneth heard the door opening and closing, the key turning in the lock. She didn’t come up straight away but went to the kitchen and faffed around for some time. Eventually he heard her mounting the stairs.
“Where have you been until this time?” he asked with some exasperation. “It’s two o’clock in the morning.”
Patricia didn’t answer him. She just turned on the light and handed him two pieces of paper. His face went pale.
“Where did you get these?” he demanded.
“They were in a pocket, in your black trousers. I was putting them in the wash.”
Kenneth exhaled loudly and covered his face with his hands. He thought he had been so clever. Time stood still for a few minutes. Then he spoke again, this time in a pathetic whimper. “I only hit him once. I didn’t mean to kill him.”
Double Cheque Page 13
