"You're no weight at all, Nicola," he told me and I could see he was watching me intently, waiting to see how I would react to the name.
I thought fast. "How did you know I was called Nicola-Claire?"
"I didn't," he replied, "your father called you that downstairs and after the truck accident you said something about being called Nicola."
"Ah, well I was christened Nicola Claire Keedon but I hate the name Nicola. So everyone calls me by my second name, Claire, d'you see?" My heart was hammering at the lie and I hoped he couldn't feel it against his ribs.
"I see, so your real name is Nicola?"
"I guess." I tried to sound casual and unconcerned.
"Nice name, don't see why you would dislike it." He looked at me intently, inclining his head and smiling slightly. I think he believed me and I felt myself go limp with relief.
We arrived at my bedroom and Kate was there, waiting to help me, so Liam deposited me on the bed and left me in her capable hands. He gave me an awkward pat on my shoulder and told me, "Try and stay out of trouble, brat," before returning to the hubbub below. I had a long soak in the bath and a short while later Jules came up and sat on the bed to talk to me through the open bathroom door. The heat from the bath water felt heavenly and I slid down so that my chin rested on top of the water and I sighed with contented bliss at being warm again.
"What do you remember before you went into the freezer?" she asked me.
"Nothing helpful at all," I told her.
"Come on, Claire, who was near you? Close your eyes and think."
I did as she asked but nothing unusual came to mind. "No good," I told her, 'I can't recall anyone or anything odd at all."
Jules was so silent that I wondered if she had left the bedroom. "Hello, Jules?" I called out worriedly.
"Yeah?"
"I thought you'd left, you went quiet on me."
"No, I'm thinking about things. Look, Claire, as soon as the party is over, I do want you and your father to go away for that vacation break, as he suggested. Things are happening here too fast and I want time to go see my boss and look into a few discrepancies."
"What kind of discrepancies?" I asked puzzled.
"Doesn't matter…"
"Oh yes it does, this is my life that's at stake here!" I was incensed.
"Can I come in there?" she asked.
"Yeah okay," I replied. She entered the bathroom and hunkered down beside the bathtub to study my face.
"Look, Claire, this person is very dangerous and very clever. There's something else going on here and I can't make it out yet. Until I do, you will be safer away from here, just for a while."
I nodded and decided to fill her in on my recent conversation with Matt.
"You seriously suspect Liam then?" she asked, seeming surprised.
"Well, yes, don't you?"
"Not really, no, but now you've sown me a seed of doubt." She looked even more worried.
"Well, who were you thinking it could be?" I asked.
"I'd rather not say yet. It might put you in even worse danger if you knew and gave the game away."
"Oh Goodness, you think it's my father don't you!"
She looked genuinely surprised. "No… do you?"
"Christ, I suspect everyone. I'm so bloody scared!" I wailed, and to both our surprise, I burst into a torrent of tears.
"Hey there, girl, look, do you want to stop this charade—call it a day?" Jules asked me.
"Yes… no, oh I don't know… I'm just so afraid and I'm so tired of being frightened, y'know?"
"I do know. It was a big ask to expect you to impersonate Claire and I have never liked the plan but this has to be your decision, Claire. Do you want me to call it off, tell everyone who you really are and turn this into a regular police investigation? Is that what you want? Because if it is, I will go downstairs right now and tell everyone that the real Claire is dead and that you are Nicola St. Clare, her twin sister."
Even as she spoke I knew I couldn't let her do that. I needed to be a part of this. I had to trap my sister's murderer. "No!" I told her and that was that. We agreed that I would go away for a break with my father as suggested and Jules would investigate things from another angle while we were gone.
After she left me, I got into bed with a hot water bottle and ate the hot, delicious soup that Sarah bought up to me on a beautifully prepared tray. Then I locked my door, snuggled down into my bed warm at last and slept in a deep sleep of exhaustion until the following morning, the day of my father's birthday party.
Chapter Twelve - Lust
A family breakfast was in full swing when I came down the next morning. My father came straight to me and we hugged. I gave him my best wishes for his birthday, along with a wrapped gift that I had purchased especially for this occasion. I turned my attention to the breakfast buffet laid out upon the sideboard and was busily piling bacon and eggs onto a plate when Dennis appeared at my elbow. "What's this?" he nudged me and guffawed loudly.
"What?" I asked confused.
"Have you decided against being a despised vegetarian then?" he quipped.
I looked longingly down at the bacon lying succulently on my plate. In my hunger, I had forgotten I was meant to be a vegetarian. I thought fast. "This is for Daddy, Den, it's his birthday. I'm fixin' him a plate is all," I said, calmly.
My father called over to us, "No need, hon', I ate already. Thanks though, darlin'; come sit and watch me open my birthday gifts!"
I took some toast and piled scrambled eggs on top and then I sat down at the table and ate quickly, since I was feeling ravenous. Dennis took the plate I had originally filled and began to tuck in. I couldn't watch such was my longing for that crispy bacon. A pile of expensively wrapped parcels sat on my father's left and he begun to happily unwrap one of them. It was from Molly, and inside the plush box were a pair of beautiful monogrammed cufflinks. My father admired them and bent and whispered to Molly before kissing her fondly. The next gift was a gold pen from Dennis, then a box of cigars from Jules. Finally only my gift remained and after he opened it, my father looked across the table at me, his eyes met mine and he nodded. "Thank you," he said simply. He stood and walked around the table to kiss me.
"Land's sakes, whatever is that?" called Molly, inquisitive and peeved not to be included in this private moment. My father turned and passed her the silver frame. Molly opened it and looked at the double-sided picture frame.
"Photos?" She seemed disappointed. "How nice, Claire, and both pictures of you! Carl, you could take one of them out and put in one of you in the other side of the frame."
"No," said my father, looking at me, "both those pictures are just perfect, thank you, my darling child."
Only we two knew that one was of Claire and the other photograph was of me; both his daughters in the one frame.
The morning sped by in a hive of activity. I helped Sarah and Kate in the kitchen, making fajitas ready for the night's party. Jules kept her promise to stick by my side, so that she was roped in to help prepare food as well but she really hated cooking. She grumbled so much that Sarah, exasperated, shooed us away to help outside instead. Jules looked so smug at that, I had to laugh. We took a pile of orange and green table clothes and begun to spread them over the tables. Matt and Liam were fetching chairs and placing them around the tables. Jules began to banter with the two men, and although I smiled at the quips, I refrained from joining in. "My but you're slow workers you two!" she teased.
"Slow are we? We'll give you little girls a run for your money tonight!" Matt replied.
"Now, now, boys, we girls know you men are all the same… plenty of energy while the sun still shines but once the sun sets, well, down you go, jus' like a deflated balloon!"
"I'd say it was a case of who I was going down on," Liam replied with his lazy drawl.
"Liam O'Donnell, you go wash your mouth out with soap, right this instant!" Sarah snorted loudly as she came up behind him. We all watched Liam's rapid departure,
his ears flaming red, Sarah hot on his tail, slapping at him with her wet dish cloth, the ribald laughter followed their retreat.
I noticed smoke coming from around the back of the house and went to investigate. The men had gotten a large barbeque going and were cooking burgers and steaks for lunch. Sarah and Kate carried out bowls of salads and plates, placing them on the table. We all queued happily and once again, I forgot my supposed vegetarian conviction and took a large steak. I wandered into the house and curled up on the sofa in front of the fire in the living room. There was no one else about inside the house and it was nice to sit in front of the crackling fire, warming me on one side, with sunlight streaming in through the windows warming me on the other. I tucked into my steak voraciously; I so missed meat. At home, I ate red meat once or twice a week. Since it had been denied me living as a vegetarian, I realised how much I missed that part of my diet. I hated the thought of eating another species but acknowledged my weakness for meat. I enjoyed it. I was a hypocrite. I knew it.
"That's steak."
My knife clattered to the floor as I jumped. Liam threw himself down next to me on the settee. I stared at him, I couldn't for the life of me think of a single thing to say in my defence. I looked at him stupidly. "It's okay, Claire, I won't tell a soul, well, on one condition," he spoke as he watched me.
"Which is what?" I asked cautiously.
"You will dance every dance with me tonight."
I was taken aback, I hadn't expected that. "I can't, I promised Matt a dance."
"I thought you told me you two had cooled it off?" His brows drew together in their now familiar and characteristic frown.
"Well, yeah, but…"
"That's all right then," he interrupted me; he leaned in close and told me, "you'll be my date for tonight Miss Nicola-Claire Keedon."
Stupefied, I watched as he rose and left the room. I was so surprised by his use of my own name, coupled with Claire's that I hadn't even argued with him. I sat unmoving for a moment or two before leaping to my feet and racing off to find Matt to alter our plans. I was certain of only one thing; I wanted to be Liam's date that night.
I locked my bedroom door at six o' clock and ran a bath. I lay in the scented water and argued with myself about Liam. Matt had been almost relieved at my change of plan. I knew that it was foolish beyond belief to fall for anyone here on The Plomosa. After all, Liam could turn out to be my sister's killer. The trouble was, I finally admitted to myself, I found him so very attractive, just being around him made my stomach churn deliciously. Just thinking of kissing him… I slid under the water with a groan. I was hopeless at relationships, if my past record was anything to go by. I had had only two serious relationships in the past and both had ended rather badly. The first was with a lad I met while I was at university, Nigel. We had been an item all through university life, only splitting up at the end of our final year when Nigel asked me to marry him. I had, quite without thinking, laughed, wounding his male pride. I told him not to be so silly, I had a glittering career ahead of me and I had absolutely no intention of settling down for many years to come. Needless to say, he didn't speak to me again and at that time, I was too thick-skinned to understand why he should be so upset. I flush with shame now remembering how I must have hurt that poor young man with my callous, immature behaviour. I surfaced and swept my wet hair back from my face. After Nigel, there had been a few dates with James DeWin. James, what could one say about James? He was a law graduate, now practicing. I met him at a party one Christmas, we seemed to get along all right but he was over-polite and such a 'stick in the mud'. Of course, my mother adored him. He flirted with her outrageously and she was furious when he ended it. James was very clever, well, he would have to be to become a lawyer. Yet even his amazingly clever brain failed to work out why I behaved so badly all the while I was dating him. Mother asked me over and over what the problem had been and without going into details, I told her that he was a 'wet blanket' and that I didn't love him. Mother tried to throw us together constantly by organising parties and 'accidental' meetings. These unfortunate circumstances, which only caused acute embarrassment to both James and myself, continued until she and I had a horrendous row; one which resulted in my leaving home for good. I moved into my own flat, and I heard that James met someone more attractive and better connected than I. He married the girl six months later. I didn't get an invitation to the wedding but mother did. The galling thing was, she went to the whole event. There had been friction between us ever since. I wondered if she was missing me at all. Probably not, my mother was the type of person who had a definite 'out of sight out of mind' attitude to everyone in her life.
I realised the bathwater had cooled and so climbed out.
I spent a long time dressing, trying on this and that from Claire's wardrobe. The problem was that my bum was bigger than hers. In the end, I chose a fringed denim mini-skirt that had thin ribbon strips sown around the fringed hem in various bright colours which included lime green. I then found a lime green, sleeveless, polo-necked fitted top that matched really well with the short skirt. I pulled on a pair of pale butter-soft, suede fringed cowgirl boots. I finished the outfit with a beautiful multi coloured shawl that also had lime green within the weave. I was very conscious of how much the air chilled in the evening once the sun had gone down. After all, it had only been a few days since the blizzard had hit us. After a final twirl in front of the mirror and a swipe of Claire's pale pearl lipstick, I was done. I tapped on Jules's door but she was not quite ready, so we agreed to meet downstairs.
My father was dispensing glasses of champagne when I arrived and he waved the bottle at me invitingly, one eyebrow raised in question. "Yes, please!" I responded, reaching for a glass from the sideboard. I nearly dropped it when two hands were suddenly placed on either of my shoulders and a kiss was planted firmly on the side of my face from behind.
"Mm-hmm you smell real nice!"
"Ooh, Liam!" I exclaimed on turning.
"You were expecting someone else maybe?" He spun me around to face him and I saw his wolfish grin, his clear eyes crinkled up at the corners, head tilted to one side quizzically. I sucked in my breath, my-o-my, he was gorgeous, clean shaven for once as well. He looked sensational in black Mexican trousers, silver studs ran down the sides of the legs, he sported a fitted black Mexican shirt also with silver buttons. Lord help me tonight I thought, as my knees turned to jelly. "Nicky, Claire," he growled softly in my ear, his breath warm on my skin, "which is it tonight hmm.....hey, you okay? You look kinda… strange."
I pulled myself together. "I'm just fine, Liam. You look amazing—so dashing!" He smiled down at me and I was mesmerized, unable to look anywhere else other than into those piercing eyes of his, they seemed to see right inside my very soul.
"Claire...Claire?"
I turned my head, dazed. It was my father; he had the champagne bottle poised over the glass I was clutching. "Ooh yes, please. Happy birthday, Daddy!"
"Thanks, sweet pea. I like the outfit. You two look good together." He poured the creamy froth into my glass, as it frothed up high over the rim I lowered my head and sipped at the overflow, giggling.
"Hey, I recognise that shawl, where did you find it, hon'?"
"It was at the back of my cupboard… why?"
"I haven't seen it for a while; I gave it to your mom many years ago, is all."
"I didn't know, is it all right if I wear it—you don't mind?"
"No, honey, I don't mind in the least," he bent and kissed my cheek. He turned to Liam, looking serious all at once. "Take good care of my girl tonight, O'Donnell. See she comes to no harm and that she has a real good time."
Liam nodded, "I certainly will, sir." My father fleetingly touched my cheek with his hand and turned back to his guests.
We finished our drinks and wandered outside, it was chilly but not really cold. The temperature had risen since our ill-fated trip a week back.
The raised dais looked fabulous, the surrounding f
lower garlands swayed gently in the breeze. The Chinese lanterns glowed softly, illuminating every colour and every flower, so that everything came to vibrant life. The band was dressed gaily in multi-layered and coloured frilled shirts; they all wore wide sombreros, some on their heads and others were hanging behind, down their back. The melody of the music added the final magic touch. The air was pungent with a mix of barbeque smoke and candles. I was soaking up the atmosphere when a loud screech from behind us made me jump. "Darlin', where have you been?" I turned to see a vision in red, very low cut red. I was about to stick a smile on my face and pretend to know the vision, when to my surprise, she cast herself upon Liam and kissed his mouth with her big, red pouting lips. He, to his credit, hastily pushed her away from him and glowered at her.
"Hello, Bella," he greeted her in a low, cold voice. This could be interesting I thought and stared at Bella. She was attractive in a very obvious way, blonde and heavily made up. As I watched, she pouted her red lips and took Liam's arm.
"Ah, sugar, don' look at me like that, you'll make little ole me cry! Why'd you never ring me back, honey pie? Y'know you'd get a real warm welcome at ma place, baby," she purred.
I sidled backwards at this point, intending to move as far away as possible; well, I obviously wasn't needed anymore was I? Liam's arm snaked out and imprisoned my wrist. He pulled me close to his side and his arm became a steel clamp around my waist. I gasped and looked up, meeting his eyes; he winked at me and grinned engagingly. "Bella, you know we were through some eighteen months ago, so stop your games, you might upset my date. I want you to meet Miss Claire Keedon, Claire—Miss Bella Brook."
Twin Turmoil Page 12
