Page 81 of The Girlfriend

“He knows everything.”

Cherry looked puzzled. “About what you said to me? The lie?”

“No . . . ,” she began heatedly before pulling herself together. “About you. Coming to my office and threatening me.”

Cherry looked at Daniel, wide-eyed. “I don’t know what she means.”

“Oh, come on. . . .”

“I’m sorry, Daniel,” said Cherry softly, “I know she doesn’t like me, doesn’t want us seeing each other, but I’m finding this very hard to deal with. Maybe we should rethink our plans.”

“What plans?” said Laura, anxiously looking at Daniel.

He was silent for a moment.

“Cherry’s moving in.Movedin.”

“She’swhat?”

“I’m not. I can’t cope with this.” Upset, Cherry turned to go. “Look, I’ll just get a cab, take my things home again.”

Daniel grabbed her arm. “No—”

“She’s moving innow? You don’t waste any time, do you—”

“Mum!”

“Whose idea was it?” Laura demanded.

“What?”

“For her to move in?”

Daniel was losing patience. “Mine, of course.”

“Are you sure? Think back. Are you sure she didn’t plant the idea?”

“No.”

Cherry was in the hallway, dragging her bag to the door.

“Cherry, wait!” Daniel ran over and put his hand on the door to stop her from opening it.

Laura took a deep breath. She spoke awkwardly, under her breath. “Daniel, this is what I’ve been saying . . . about the money. There was the ticket too, remember? Telling you the flight to France was six hundred when it was only five.I saw the ticket.”

She saw him hesitate.

“Daniel, please believe me. Everything I’m telling you is true.”

He looked at Cherry, who, she saw, was doing her best to look perplexed. “Are you talking about when I came to your villa?” she said. “I don’t understand. . . .” She blinked, hurt, then started rummaging in her suitcase. “You think I tried to scam money out of you? I didn’t. . . . Look . . . I’m sure I have it here somewhere....I kept it, a keepsake . . . it was our first trip together . . . here!” She produced a piece of crumpled paper with a flourish. “My ticket!”

Daniel took it. “That’s all I ever asked you for, right?” continued Cherry.

Laura frowned at the piece of paper in Daniel’s hand. Itlookedthe same, but the amount was six hundred.... “That’s not right. That’s not the ticket I saw. . . .”

“I need to go,” said Cherry, tears welling in her eyes.

“Not yet.” Daniel turned to Laura. “Mum, I think you’d better leave.”