by Jade Winters
Lauren peered at the image and read the name of the florist, ‘Petals. Do you know it?’
‘No. I’ll look it up on my phone. We can pay them a visit after we’ve seen Mike. Together, this time.’
‘Okay,’ Lauren conceded. ‘But shouldn’t we go to the florist first, just to make sure?’
‘It makes no difference. I know Mike sent it. If anything, going to the florist is only to confirm he was the sender. I think we have to confront him.’
‘If that’s what you think,’ Lauren said, disconnecting the camera’s cable from her phone. ‘Let’s do it.’
***
It didn’t take long to locate Mike rounding up the trolleys in Tesco’s car park. Noticing them, he pushed the trolleys aside and waited.
‘He doesn’t look like he was expecting us,’ Lauren whispered as they neared him.
‘Maybe he’s so thick-skinned he doesn’t care.’
‘Hey ladies, what a nice surprise,’ he said sarcastically. ‘You come to buy wine for a quiet night in together? Or a nice Indian meal for two?’
Emma rolled her eyes and continued walking until she was standing in his personal space.She wished she were a six-foot-tall man with big, bulging muscles so she could scare the living daylights out of him. ‘No, Mike, we’re not here to buy anything. What will it take to get through to you?’
‘Do I have to go back to the police?’ Lauren asked.
‘The police.’ He scowled. ‘You mean the policeman who came round and basically said you have nothing on me. No evidence, nothing!’
‘You’re a liar! What did I do to deserve this, Mike? Did I do something to offend you or hurt you in anyway?’
‘Mike, back to work,’ a man in a dark suit called out as he walked on the opposite side of the car park. ‘You aren’t being paid to stand around talking to the customers.’
‘All right, Mr Cooper. Just giving the ladies the lowdown on some of Tesco’s finest deals,’ he called back cheerfully before turning to Lauren and smiling. ‘No doubt I’ll be seeing you ladies again, real soon.’
Mike returned to the job at hand, pushing the long line of trolleys toward the store’s entrance while whistling, ‘Heigh-ho, it’s off to work we go,’ from Disney’s Snow White.
Emma watched him, unsure what to think of his attitude. Was he lying about the police not even giving him a slap on the wrist? Was it because of the lack of evidence that he felt secure enough to carry on harassing Lauren? None of it made sense. None of it.
She turned to the woman caught in the middle of this and wasn’t surprised to see the terror on her face. Lauren thought she had finally seen the light at the end of the tunnel, only to realise it was the light of an oncoming train heading straight for her, full steam ahead.
Emma reached for her, struggling to find words of comfort. They were back to square one, but in a worse position than before. They might have found her stalker, but they couldn’t do anything about it. The florist identifying Mike to the police was their last hope.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Lauren had thought the one-mile walk to the florist would be enough to dispel the adrenaline coursing through her body, but it wasn’t. Her nerves were still on edge. Just when the constant chatter and dread had begun to recede, it was back in full force. She should have known it wouldn’t be as easy as confronting Mike and him leaving her alone to live happily ever after. That’s how things work in movies, but this is real life—my life, and I have to take control of it.
Even when Emma was outlining her idea about getting the florist to positively identify Mike, only half of her had been listening—the part that didn’t want to leave Emma. The part that wanted to believe she would be safe in London and being with Emma was enough to let her live her life without looking over her shoulder. But the practical side was already making plans to return to Paris.
Or maybe she could travel to India. She’d always wanted to go, and there was no chance of Mike finding her there. She glanced at Emma and her heart jumped into her throat. The look on her face said it all; even she knew it was the end of them, no matter how much she wished it wasn’t true.
The shop front of Petals was a muted aubergine colour, with swirly typography on the glass window. As they entered, a pale-faced woman in her thirties, with reddish, limp hair, hung up the phone.
Lauren thought she saw a look of recognition in the woman’s eyes when she looked up at them but dismissed it. She’d never seen her before in her life.
The woman brushed an imaginary speck of dirt from her shoulder and addressed Emma. ‘Morning, how can I help?’
‘Hiya,’ Emma said, holding the flower box out in front of her. ‘This was delivered earlier. We wanted to know if you could tell us who sent it.’
The woman raised her eyebrows, turned to Lauren, and then back to Emma. ‘Is this some kind of joke?’
Emma frowned. ‘What do you mean, a joke? I know you can’t give us the sender’s personal information, but could you at least tell us if they were male or female and gives some kind of description?’
The woman walked around the counter and headed over to a bunch of lilies. She plucked a few from the flower bucket, one at a time. ‘Ha ha, very funny.’
‘Excuse me?’ Emma said.
‘Okay, who set this up?’
Emma looked at Lauren, who shrugged. The woman obviously had them mistaken for other people. What else could explain her odd behaviour?
‘I’m sorry, but I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ Emma said.
‘Oh, I see. It’s a surprise for you, and your friend here didn’t want to tell you.’ She winked at Lauren.
Confused, Lauren said, ‘What are you talking about? What surprise?’
‘Do you want me to tell her?’
‘Tell who what?’ Lauren asked, a little freaked out by the woman, so her tone was sharper than she’d intended.
The woman strode back to her position behind the counter. ‘Okay ladies, I don’t know what kind of drama you’ve got going on here, but I’m not getting involved.’
‘Look, just tell us what we need to know, and we’ll get out of your hair,’ Emma said.
‘Right. The person who ordered this flower for delivery was her,’ she said, pointing at Lauren. ‘She came in here yesterday and paid in cash. Asked for it to be delivered today.’
The whole scene was surreal. ‘Me?! You must have imagined it. I didn’t even know this place existed until today.’
‘Are you calling me a liar?’ The vein in the woman’s forehead throbbed.
‘She’s not saying that at all,’ Emma said assertively, but calmly. ‘There must be a mix up. You see, the flower was delivered to her.’
‘Yeah, well, there’s no mix up. And I don’t care where it was delivered. She sent it.’
Laura stood rigid and speechless. Why would a stranger make that up? Am I going mad? Did I order the rose in some kind of out of body experience without realising it? After mulling it over for a few seconds, she chided herself. Don’t be so bloody stupid. Of course I didn’t.
‘Did somebody get to you? Is this what this is about? Who is it? Who are you protecting? Tell me!’ Lauren shouted.
‘You’re obviously crazy and need help. Take this woman out of my shop before I call the police.’ The woman had a steely glint in her eye as her hand hovered over the telephone.
Emma took Lauren by the arm. ‘That won’t be necessary. We’re going.’
Lauren shook her hand off. She couldn’t believe Emma was giving up so easily. What had happened to the gung-ho show about getting to the bottom of things? ‘But—’
‘We’ll talk outside,’ Emma said firmly and ushered her out the door.
Out on the pavement, Lauren looked at the florist, who was staring back at her through the window.
‘Emma, you don’t believe her, do you?’
‘Calm—’
‘No, I won’t calm down. You wanted angry, now I’m fucking angry. No, that’s an under
statement. I’m fucking fuming. That woman in there is lying.’
‘There has to be a logical explanation.’
‘Like what? That I have a long-lost twin I know nothing about? Somehow I’m sure my parents would have told me.’
Emma shook her head, laughing wryly. ‘No, I don’t think you have a twin, but the florist was adamant it was you.’
‘I swear on the Holy Bible I didn’t even know this place existed until you mentioned it.’
‘This truly is bizarre.’
‘Mike’s obviously out to make me look crazy,’ Lauren said airily, though she felt sick to her stomach.
‘But why?’ Emma asked, tilting her head slightly.
‘Who knows what makes that sick bastard tick?’
If Lauren didn’t know better, she would think Emma actually believed the florist. There was nothing she could do about that. As long as Lauren knew the truth, that was all that mattered. She broke away from Emma and hailed a taxi. And there I was thinking Emma would be by my side unconditionally.
Neither woman spoke as they headed back to Vauxhall. Lauren wasn’t in the mood to plead her case to deaf ears. If Emma wanted to believe she was stalking herself, so be it.
As they alighted from the cab, Lauren spotted Hope outside her building. Great, just what I don’t need.
‘Hope,’ Emma called out.
Hope turned upon hearing her name and gave a small wave. She walked back to the entrance and waited for them.
‘I thought you’d be at work, Emma,’ she said, fidgeting with her hair as they neared. ‘Look, Lauren, I wanted to apologise for my behaviour last night. It was nice of you to invite me round and I was out of order. Work was getting on top of me, I’m sorry.’
‘Don’t worry about it,’ Lauren said.
Emma gave Hope’s shoulder a slight squeeze. ‘Come back upstairs with us. Maybe you can help us figure out what the hell is going on.’
***
Lauren was glad for the few minutes alone while she walked up to her floor. She didn’t see the point in Emma asking for Hope’s help in figuring things out. What the hell could Hope contribute in solving the puzzle? Stop focusing your anger on Emma and Hope.
She tried to be more upbeat when they congregated in her living room with their coffees. Emma and Lauren sat side by side on the sofa, while Hope stood by the window.
‘I’m sorry to have to ask you this, Lauren, but are you on any type of medication?’ Hope asked bluntly.
Lauren didn’t see a shred of embarrassment on her face. What she did see, though, was a sarcastic smirk.
‘Medication? No, I’m not. And even if I were, what does that have to do with me delivering a black rose to myself? I suppose I wrote the creepy notes as well.’
Hope rolled her eyes. ‘I didn’t say that. I’m just trying to make sense of it. There’s no need to get defensive.’
Lauren turned to Emma, who had barely said a word since they’d arrived.
‘I’m sorry,’ Lauren said. ‘I’m just feeling a little jumpy.’
‘Which is understandable,’ Emma said, encircling her arms around her waist and pulling her close.
Lauren stiffened. Emma still hadn’t convinced her that she believed it wasn’t her who had sent the rose.
‘What do you suggest we do, Hope?’ Emma asked.
‘For starters, Lauren should move out of this apartment.’
‘Move out and go where exactly? Lauren asked.
‘You could move in with me,’ Emma offered.
‘That’s the last place you should go. We don’t know what Mike’s capable of, and I’d prefer it if you didn’t put my sister’s safety on the line. Why don’t you stay in a hotel?’
Why isn’t Emma saying anything? Lauren wondered. Does she think I’m a liability as well? One step forward, ten steps back.
Before today, Emma had been a hundred percent behind her. Now she seemed to doubt her commitment to help her.
‘I have to use the loo,’ Lauren said and hurried out of the room before she started crying. She felt well and truly alone.
In the bathroom, she stood in front of the mirror and splashed cold water on her face. Jesus Christ, was it only this morning I was walking on a cloud, thinking I’d put all this shit behind me?
She sat on the toilet seat and rested her head against the wall, unable to understand why Emma was acting so strangely.
Realising she couldn’t hide out in the toilet all day, she made her way back to the living room, but stopped abruptly at the threshold when she heard Hope’s voice behind the slightly closed door. It was low and insistent.
‘Have you thought of the possibility that Lauren might be doing this to herself?’
‘Don’t be so silly,’ Emma retorted.
‘Think about it. This could be a publicity stunt to draw attention to her exhibition.’
‘I can’t believe she would do something like that. You’d have to be pretty sick in the head, wouldn’t you agree?’
Lauren’s heart was pounding. She stood fixed to the spot, terrified to move lest the slightest sound give her away. She was painfully aware that the conversation she was overhearing was not intended for her ears.
‘You don’t even know her!’ Hope said. ‘You’ve been living in cuckoo land for too long, feeding on a fantasy that happened when you were sixteen.’
‘Explain why she left school then.’
‘Who knows? Could have been anything. All I’m saying is that Lauren isn’t the woman you want her to be. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll keep a wide berth.’
Silence. Lauren covered her mouth to stifle a cry. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. They were talking about her as if she were some kind of psycho. She carried on listening to the conversation, her heart breaking by the minute.
‘So you really think she made all this up?’ Emma whispered.
‘Yes, I do, and you’re better off as far away from her as possible,’ Hope replied in a normal voice. It was obvious she didn’t care whether Lauren heard her.
‘Maybe it would be for the best—’
Hope cut in before Emma could finish. ‘If you had listened to me in the first place, none of this would have happened.’
Lauren’s fingers touched her parted lips. Oh my God! Could Emma really think that of me? That I would lie about my past? This is worse than I thought.
She crept back to the bathroom, flushed the toilet, then walked back to the living room.
It took all her strength to look them in the face when she returned. ‘If it’s all right with you guys, I think I’ll take a nap. I feel drained.’
‘Do you want me to stay?’ Emma asked.
Lauren gathered the coffee cups. ‘I need some space to get my head around all this.’
‘Won’t you be scared?’ Hope asked with a strange edge to her voice.
‘No, I won’t. I’m beyond scared now.’ That, at least, was the truth. She had nothing more to fear. If she wasn’t in London, what could Mike possibly do to her?
‘I really think I should stay. It’s—’
‘Emma,’ Lauren said, unable to keep her anger under wraps. ‘You’d better go to work, I’ll be fine.’
‘But—’
‘Please,’ Lauren said with finality. She couldn’t bear to look at her. She didn’t want to remember Emma like this. The memory she wanted to take with her was the one from the night before, when they were tucked away in their little cocoon, where the harsh reality of life couldn’t touch them.
‘Can I come by later?’
‘Tomorrow would be best,’ Lauren said, unsure whether she could put her plan into action by that evening. She was mentally and physically worn down.
‘Will you call me if you need me?’ Emma asked and hugged her tightly as if she sensed this would be the last time she held her in her arms.
They broke apart and Lauren looked away. She didn’t want Emma to see the tears welling in her eyes. ‘Sure. Of course I will.’
&n
bsp; Lauren walked them to the entrance, took one last look at Emma, then closed the door. Lauren had returned to London against her better judgement, and she wouldn’t ignore her instincts again. Without a second to waste, she ran into her bedroom, pulled open the bedside drawer, and took out her passport, intent on booking the Eurostar back to Paris the next morning.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
‘I shouldn’t have left her,’ Emma said to Hope as they walked over to her apartment block. Something didn’t feel right about the way Lauren had held her. It had felt so final. She brushed it off as her reading too much into things, as usual. Lauren knew Emma was on her side and they were united in facing her problem with Mike.
‘She wanted to be alone,’ Hope said irritably. ‘She’s probably pissed off you caught on to her plan.’
‘You can’t really believe she’s behind all this?’ she said, fully realising how silly Hope’s observations sounded. As if Lauren would put herself through all of this stress.
‘Yes, I really do. She’s not the first person to pull a stunt like this to garner attention for a show, and she won’t be the last.’
‘I don’t think so. Not Lauren. She’s not that shallow.’
‘Like I said, you know nothing about the woman.’
‘And you do?’
‘I know enough, believe me.’
‘If you say so,’ Emma said. She knew it was pointless trying to reason with Hope when she was in her ‘I know what’s right’ mood. But she wished Hope would show a little compassion for Lauren’s predicament, regardless of her personal thoughts.
Emma’s mobile phone vibrated in her pocket. Thinking it was Lauren calling to ask her to return to her apartment, she answered straight away.
‘Hello?’
‘I’m not interrupting anything, am I?’ Gina asked.
Disappointment surged through her. ‘No, what’s up?’
‘Do you know what time you’ll be in?’
‘I’m just on my way, is everything all right?’
