Abi's Neighbour

by Jenny Kane

  Dora laughed. ‘When I first started working undercover, there was none of this wonderful bugging technology you have today. You merely had to ask the right questions as carefully as you could.’

  ‘So you did just ask her?’

  ‘No.’ Dora grinned. ‘I arranged for some old friends in London to meet with Sasha. They told her what sort of questions to ask, how to ask them, and showed her how to use a gadget or two.’

  Dan shook his head, as much in disbelief as respect, at Dora. ‘Gadgets? I assume we are talking the latest in discreet Dictaphones here?’

  ‘Something in that area, yes.’

  ‘And Sasha did what was asked, just like that? Against a friend?’

  ‘Friend?’ Dora scoffed at the notion. ‘There are no friends in the City. There are merely people who have the jobs you want. Sasha is a highly intelligent young woman. She would excel in a company like Family Values, and what’s more, she is approachable, and knows the value of treating her staff with respect.’

  ‘She did it because she wants Crystal’s job?’

  ‘I suspect it was partly ladder-climbing, but partly because I told her it would help Abi. I made sure that news of how Luke really treated her while they were married hit the gossip circuit; they’re all feeling a bit guilty about that now. I took advantage of that and rubbed in how much it would please Abi if Sasha helped, as well as how much it would help her career-wise to uncover a company fraud.’

  ‘You said that? A company fraud?’ Dan was amazed. ‘Dora, remind me never to piss you off!’

  Dora chuckled. ‘I’m not so hardnosed as I was, but I had to be when I was young. The things I saw…’ She broke off and was quiet for a while; lost in memories that she tried hard not to remember.

  Understanding all too well, Dan remained silent for a while, before pulling his friend back to the point.

  ‘To clarify then, you got Sasha’s number via Abi. Sasha was intrigued, and agreed to meet a friend of yours to learn how to use secret recording equipment. Then she took Crystal out, or met her by “accident” or something, and got her talking about work and men and such?’

  ‘Pretty much. Obviously I sent Sasha lots of info on my ex-colleague, Harold his name is. I didn’t want her thinking she was being set up on some weird stalker-type date. She was very keen, as I said. That girl is a loss to MI5!’

  ‘Sounds like it!’ Dan sipped from his coffee cup thoughtfully. ‘Was it Crystal who approached Jacinta after fearing she was about to lose a wealthy lover, or was it Jacinta who found out about Cass and approached Crystal for help?’

  ‘The latter. You should have heard the gloating in Crystal’s voice. The pleasure she took from the fact that Jacinta had approached her for help.’

  ‘You don’t think Jacinta knew about Crystal’s affair with Justin then?’

  ‘No, I don’t. I think Jacinta approached Crystal because she is his PA, and therefore the person with the most direct influence over her husband. We will be able to use Crystal’s – and therefore Justin’s – double deception as leverage against him. Justin is, as I feared, a worm of a man, and worse, a coward. He won’t want his wife knowing about his second affair.’

  Dan spoke with open hostility now. ‘Justin was never going to be faithful to Cass, even if he did marry her. I can see it all now. Cass would gradually adopt Jacinta’s role, and Crystal would replace Cass as chief mistress to brighten up his business trips. Until the next pretty young thing with blonde highlights and killer ambition took her place.’

  Unable to argue with Dan’s logic, Dora added, ‘There’s one other thing I discovered that is significant. Jacinta has significant shares in Family Values. And if Crystal’s boasts to Sasha were truthful then Justin doesn’t know about them. It seems that Jacinta was in no small part responsible for making sure her husband got the partnership in that firm in the first place. She pulled strings.’

  ‘You make her sound like some sort of puppet master, or mistress I suppose.’

  ‘That is precisely the impression I got. My understanding is that when Justin told Jacinta he was leaving her she threatened to take away his new job and everything that went with it if he divorced her.’

  ‘How do you know all this, Dora?’

  ‘Contacts, Dan my love!’ Tapping the side of her nose with a sly wink, Dora added, ‘I’ve had them for generations, and I have never cut them. One never knows when information might be required.’

  ‘What I don’t understand, is why a woman as obviously well connected as Jacinta would want to stay married to a creep like Justin, when she knows he’s cheated on her at least once?’

  ‘Status, pride, and money.’

  ‘Oh, those things.’ Dan ran a hand through his short hair. ‘So, do we tell Cass, or not?’

  ‘I didn’t think it was supposed to rain down here!’

  Cass sheltered under a shop awning after, with much giggling, the three friends discovered they couldn’t all fit under Beth’s massive umbrella.

  Abi huddled closer to her friends. ‘It was raining the first day I arrived. I was so cold. I felt so cheated that it wasn’t hot. Luckily it is mostly sunny in the summer.’ Hitching her bag further up her shoulder, wishing she’d worn a skirt and tights rather than her jeans, which were now clinging to her legs, unpleasantly damp, Abi pointed to the department store on the opposite side of Penzance’s raised pavement. ‘We’ve exhausted all possibilities for bridesmaids’ dresses everywhere apart from in there, and that posh wedding boutique around the corner.’

  Beth, who was beginning to feel tired and hungry, pointed towards the department store. ‘Let’s try there. It’s close and has a coffee shop.’

  Cass rolled her eyes. ‘You two wouldn’t be obsessed with taking coffee breaks, would you?’

  ‘Yes.’ Beth and Abi laughed as they spoke in unison.

  ‘Although,’ Beth added as they crossed the road, ‘I’m more of a hot chocolate person these days. Can’t get enough of them.’

  Abi scanned the list of what was on each floor. ‘And we’re in luck, the cafe is on the same floor as the bridalwear. Trying on uncomfortable dresses can be rewarded immediately afterwards with hot chocolate. And if you’re a good girl, Beth, I might let you have a biscuit.’

  Regarding her new friends with affection, Cass couldn’t help remember what Dan had said about how much fun it was to share things with other women. He’d been right. He’d been right about a lot of things. A flush of shame at how she’d initially behaved towards these people coloured her cheeks.

  ‘You OK, Cass?’ Abi asked as they boarded the first escalator.

  ‘Fine, thanks. I’ve gone a bit hot after coming in from the rain, that’s all.’ Cass forced her expression into what she hoped would be a convincing smile. She hadn’t told them what a strange shopping trip this was for her. She felt so out of her comfort zone. In the world she was used to, Cass only went to boutiques. She’d never ordered clothes off the peg, and the mere idea of going to a department store for wedding clothes was completely unthinkable.

  ‘Over there.’ Beth pointed towards a small section of wedding clothes in the far corner. ‘We’re bound to find three outfits that fit OK together.’

  Cass was bemused. ‘I’ve never shopped like this. How can you be so laid-back about it? Don’t you want to look incredible at the wedding? You’re both so pretty. It wouldn’t take much to make you drop dead stunning for Stan and Dora’s big day.’ Realising that she’d sounded bossy, Cass added, ‘If you wanted to, that is.’

  ‘You’re fairly pretty yourself.’ Abi gave her a quick hug to show she hadn’t taken offence. ‘This is weird for you, isn’t it?’

  ‘Good weird, but yes. I haven’t bought clothes from a department store since I was a student.’ Cass winced as she heard the sound of her own voice. ‘God, I’m such a bloody snob.’

  Beth smiled. ‘You were conditioned by the world you lived in. We’ll have great fun bringing you down to our level.’ She winked before pointing at
a rack of variously coloured bridesmaids’ dresses. ‘Now go and hunt through that lot quickly, before my need for refreshment reaches boiling point!’

  With three hot chocolates steaming before them on the table, and a packet of ginger biscuits propped in front of Beth, Cass couldn’t stop marvelling at the fact they’d all found something to wear.

  ‘If the girls from my old agency could see me now they’d never believe it. They’d think you’d drugged my drink or something.’

  ‘You like your dress though, don’t you?’ Abi hoped so, she adored her own snug-fitting, tastefully low-cut dress, which was almost identical to Cass’s.

  ‘I love it. I love them all.’ Cass looked down at the oversized carrier bag laid carefully over the fourth chair at their cafe table. Inside it were three mocha-coloured matt silk bridesmaid dresses. Hers and Abi’s were sleeveless, with neat straight skirts that stopped short of sweeping the floor, whereas Beth’s was a two-piece, with a forgiving panelled skirt that had plenty of ‘baby-give’ in it, and a short-sleeved top that flattered her pregnancy-enhanced breasts to perfection.

  ‘That’s good. I think Dora will like them as well.’ Beth crunched into another biscuit and, uncaring of where she was, kicked her shoes off. ‘It’s such a shame Sally is being so difficult. Even if she can’t be here, she could have joined us via Skype or something.’

  Abi slapped her forehead dramatically. ‘I totally forgot to tell you, what with Max moving in and buying the dresses and everything. I sent a new Skype message to Sally explaining the situation properly, and she replied.’

  ‘Is she coming over?’ Beth cupped her hot chocolate as if it was freezing outside and not just a damp summer’s day.

  ‘No, but she has definitely mellowed towards the idea of the marriage.’

  ‘Well, that’s something.’ Cass smiled. ‘Dora was telling me that Stan has been very low about it.’

  ‘Max said the same. Even a walk with Sadie only cheered him up for a while. I’m going over this evening to tell him the news in person and to Skype Sally with him.’

  Beth was about to ask about how Stan’s grandchildren had taken the news, when Cass’s mobile burst into life.

  ‘Oh, it’s Dora. Probably checking up on our dress status.’ Cass answered, ‘Hello, Dora, you caught us toasting our successful dress shopping with a hot beverage.’

  Abi and Beth exchanged glances as a cloud passed over Cass’s face.

  ‘You want all my handwritten correspondence about the agency…and with Justin?…Well, yes, but why do you want it?’

  Cass talked for a long time, while Abi and Beth looked at each other, not sure whether they should stay there or leave their new friend in privacy.

  Eventually, Cass hung up.

  ‘Are you alright?’ Abi asked cautiously.

  ‘I’m not sure. Dora says she has found out what happened to my agency. She wants all my business records and any handwritten letters I have from Justin.’

  Beth was confused. ‘Why would she want those?’

  ‘I haven’t a clue. She’s sending Dan over for them this evening. Apparently it is very important. Dora wants to make sure all her facts are right, I suppose.’

  ‘Right for what?’ Abi frowned.

  ‘I’m not entirely sure about that either. And why does she have to send Dan to fetch them. You could take them when you see Stan later, couldn’t you, Abi, if you didn’t mind of course?’

  Beth put down her empty cup. ‘Well, that bit is obvious.’

  ‘It is?’

  ‘Dora is desperate to get you on your own with Dan again.’

  ‘Dan?’

  ‘Yes, Dan. You know, tall bloke, tattoos, cute. Saved you at the hotel the other day.’

  Cass blushed, awareness of her surroundings coming back to her. ‘Oh yes, that Dan.’

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  ‘How do you think Cass will take it?’ Dan passed his office phone to Dora. ‘I still don’t think she’s accepted Justin isn’t going to leave his wife for her. Not deep down.’

  Dora sighed. ‘I’m honestly not sure. We don’t know her that well yet. One thing I’m sure of though. Cass has a strength about her. You have to, to survive running your own business in the City, especially one that deals with the parents of private school children intent on sending their little darlings to Oxbridge from the moment they’re born.’

  Double-checking the phone number that Sasha had given her, Dora looked Dan straight in the eye. ‘She’s going to need her new friends. Most of all she is going to need you, Dan.’

  ‘I’m not the sort of guy she wants, Dora.’

  ‘No, you’re not; but you’re the sort of guy she needs.’ Regarding him like a benevolent professor, Dora added, ‘And please don’t insult my intelligence by telling me you aren’t interested, because it’s clear that you are. Which is why you are going to go and fetch the documents from her for me this evening. It is also why it is best that you leave me to make the next few calls on my own, because they are liable to make you cross.

  ***

  ‘Abi, my girl!’

  Engulfed in Stan’s arms, Abi was nosed out of the way by Sadie, who didn’t appreciate not being the first in the queue to be greeted by her former owner.

  ‘Alright, Sadie! I’m pleased to see you as well.’

  Sitting on the sofa while Sadie was fussed, Abi dived in. ‘I’m so sorry I haven’t been over much lately, Stan. What with finding bridesmaids’ dresses, the start of the tourist season in the gallery, looking after Cass, and Max moving in, it’s been non-stop.’

  ‘Never apologise for having a full and happy life, my girl.’ Stan sat next to her with a small puff of relief. ‘Good to take the weight off! Dora has been playing spy all day, and I’ve been trying to tidy up enough of my stuff to squeeze a bit more of her stuff out of boxes and into cupboards.’

  Abi nodded. ‘I understand that completely. For such a self-sufficient guy, Max has way more stuff than I anticipated. It’s a good job he only has a small flat.’

  ‘Will he sell it?’

  ‘I think so. We haven’t got that far in our plans.’

  Stan couldn’t have been happier if he tried. ‘I am so pleased for you, Abi. This is just what I wanted for you; for your childhood dream to come true. A family in Abi’s House.’

  ‘Well, there’s no family as such, but Max is a start.’

  ‘There will be a family. I know there will.’

  Abi blushed. ‘I hope so. Anyway…’ she drew a sustaining breath, determined to get to the reason for this visit before they went off at a conversational tangent ‘…talking of family, I have been back in touch with Sally.’

  Stan’s pale face coloured. ‘I should never have asked you to talk to her in the first place. Max explained what happened.’

  ‘That doesn’t matter now. Sally was worried, frustrated she wasn’t here, and confused. You have to admit, the news of your marriage did come out of the blue. You hadn’t even mentioned Dora to her before, after all.’

  Looking at his wrinkled hands, Stan spoke with regret. ‘I’ve handled it all very badly where Sally is concerned. I’m sorry you were caught in the middle of that.’

  ‘Well, I’m pleased to say that the situation is much better now. Sally wants to chat to you tonight.’

  ‘Tonight?’

  ‘Yes.’ Abi reached out and took Stan’s hand. ‘She is pleased for you, but reassurance is required. Oddly, it’s Sally who feels she has let you down because she isn’t here to care for you.’

  ‘But that’s ridiculous; she had to put her own family first.’

  ‘Logically, she knows that, but real life is rarely logical. Not where emotions – especially guilt and worry – are concerned.’

  ‘You’re right.’ Stan sat up, his usual optimism returning. ‘What time do we do that Skype thing then?’

  ‘About ten o’clock. How about we watch rubbish on television until then?’

  ‘Now that is a plan,’ Stan looked a b
it sheepish, ‘although I’ll probably drop off.’

  ‘No problem. I miss the sound of your gentle snoring sometimes.’

  Stan patted Abi’s hand. ‘You’ll wake me at ten won’t you?’

  ‘Of course – unless I’ve dropped off as well!’

  Cass wasn’t sure if she should put the kettle on or get out a bottle of wine. What sort of evening was this? A serious chat? A friendly get-together? It certainly wasn’t a romantic moment, so perhaps tea and coffee and not alcohol?

  Don’t flap! Cass could feel herself getting cross at her own indecision. It was as foreign to her as buying a bridesmaid’s dress off the peg.

  She decided they’d be better off in the kitchen, looking at each other across the table rather than squashed side by side on the sofa feeling awkward at their close proximity. The last thing Cass wanted was Dan thinking that she was interested in him. Even though she was…

  A crush on someone new would not make life any easier right now. Anything more than friendship would just muddy the already churned-up waters of her heart. It was irrelevant that images of Dan in his army uniform kept popping into her head at the most inappropriate moments – that was merely old-fashioned lust, a different issue altogether.

  Dan was just a friend. Plus, he was a friend to all her friends. He had to remain an interesting outlet for her daydreams alone.

  Knocking together the three piles of paperwork on the table, Cass couldn’t begin to imagine what Dora wanted them for. The more she thought about what Dora was up to, the more Cass was inclined to believe that the soon-to-be Mrs Abbey really had lived the life she’d claimed to have; that it wasn’t just a fable woven together by a lonely old woman.

  Cass found herself speculating how she might have coped if she’d married as young as Dora did, and then had her happiness snapped away from her by war, when an overriding relief that Dan wasn’t in the Army any more swept over her; its strength took her by surprise. The thought of anything bad happening to him… Anything else bad. He still hadn’t told her what had happened to him in Afghanistan to make him leave the Army when he did.