When she gets to the cottage, Barney and Jack run out to to greet her, barking and wagging their tails so hard that they look like they might be in danger of taking off like helicopters.
Charlotte stands at the door, arms folded, a smile on her face. Dani notices that her daughter is already made up and dressed for their evening out.
“Sorry I’m late, Charlie.”
“Don’t worry about it, Mum. I know you’re busy.”
“Yeah, but not so busy I can’t spend time with my own daughter.” She thinks of the five families who won’t be able to spend time with their daughters ever again and hugs Charlotte tightly while the dogs whirl and prance around them.
Chapter 36
I stand outside the main entrance of Northmoor House and watch the removal men bringing our furniture out of the house and loading it into their van. Greg is in the flat, coordinating things from there.
Tonight, we’re staying in a hotel on the West Cliff and tomorrow, we’re moving into a flat closer to town. We can’t stay here after everything that happened, despite an email from Fred and Wanda North telling us we don’t have to leave.
They must be devastated about what happened to their sons—Mike is dead and Rob has been charged with being an accessory after the fact to murder—so their email was generous, considering the circumstances, but I told them we were going.
I can’t live in a flat where tragedy seems to linger in the air like floating cobwebs.
“Would you like a last cup of tea, dear?”
I turn to see Ivy standing in the hallway and nod. “That would be lovely, Ivy, but I told you, it won’t be our last. I’ll still come and visit you. We aren’t going far.”
She nods but seems dubious. Being let down by her daughters has made her cynical.
Following her into her flat, I say, “Looks like there are going to be some changes around here. New tenants. New management.” The Norths sent a letter to Ivy informing her that they’ve hired a property management company to manage Northmoor House. “At least you might get repairs done faster.”
“We’ll see,” she says, putting the kettle on. “I’m not getting my hopes up.” She looks around the flat. “Where’s Winston gone?”
“I think I saw him outside earlier.”
“Oh dear. It’s a bit cold out there for him.”
“I’ll find him,” I offer.
“Here, take this.” She opens a tin of tuna and hands it to me, along with a fork.
I go outside, following the removal men who are carrying our mattress. As they load it into the van, I go around the side of the house to the back garden and tap the tin with the fork.
Winston doesn’t show so I call his name and tap the tin again.
There’s a shout from the van. “It’s that bloody cat again!” and I turn to see Winston leap out and run towards me, tail in the air like a ship’s mast.
He winds around my legs, purring.
“Come on,” I tell him, “Let’s get you inside.”
He follows me back to Ivy’s flat where I find Greg sitting at the kitchen table, being served tea.
“Taking a break?” I ask him.
He nods and takes a biscuit from a plate Ivy holds out to him.
Later, after the removal men have gone and we’ve said goodbye to Ivy, Greg and I stand outside Northmoor House and take a look at the imposing structure in the evening gloom.
This was my dream flat, perfect in almost every way when we first moved in. I thought I’d be happy here.
Now, I’m happy to say goodbye.
“Are you ready to move on?” Greg asks, putting an arm around my shoulders.
I look at him and nod. “Yes, I’m ready to move on.”
THE END
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