Page 94 of The Girlfriend

She caught her breath. She hadn’t thought for a moment he’d take it seriously, but it was a brilliant idea, actually. “You know, I think you can organize them in as little as a couple of weeks.”

“Really? It sounds great.”

“Could you get the time off work?”

He laughed. “You’re serious.”

Her face crumpled. “You’re not?”

“Well, I don’t know.... I mean, we want our family and friends there, don’t we?” Cherry got off his lap. “Oh, God, sorry, I didn’t realize . . . I thought we were just messing about.” He followed her to the kitchen and took the plate from her hands and put it in the dishwasher. Then he laced his fingers into hers. “Is this because you think my mum’s going to ruin it?”

“She’s not going to be thrilled. No doubt she’ll try and stop it.”

“How’s she going to do that?”

It irritated her, the way he wasn’t taking her concerns seriously, and she pulled away.

“Cherry, stop. Sorry. It’s just . . . you know I love you. We’rewhat’s important now. This thing that’s going on with my mum . . . well, I’m sure it’ll get sorted out. We’ve got three months.”

“She’ll try and put you off me.”

“Let her try.”

“She’ll make up some story again. Tell you about things I’ve supposedly done.”

“I don’t think she will, you know”—Cherry frowned as Daniel spoke—“but if she does, I’ll put her right.”

She mulled over his words, waiting to be mollified. “You know, I’ve also been working on my business plan today. It’s coming along well. Just in case you were thinking—”

He drew her to him. “Shush. I do not think you are with me because of my money, despite what my mother may say.”

She gazed at him, checking for genuineness, then wrapped her arms around his neck and gently kissed him on the lips.

47

Monday, October 26

SHE SOMETIMES THOUGHT SHE WAS GOING MAD. SHEWASMAD. HOWhad she gotten caught up in this? Laura couldn’t see a way out. Fear followed her everywhere. She would sit in the evenings, trying to watch television, but unable to concentrate fully as a mix of anxiety and loneliness settled on the sofa next to her. She hated being able to see through to the hallway, dark and silent from where she perched on the sofa, so Laura started to leave all the downstairs lights blazing. This way, there was something to welcome her when she got up to get another drink or just wandered into the kitchen, wondering whether she could be bothered to make something to eat.

At night, she was more conscious than she ever thought possible of Howard’s absence and her lone presence in the house. She’d started bolting the front door, top and bottom, at first just when she went to bed, then as soon as she got in from work. She rarely walked anywhere, preferring the safe capsule of the cab. She was afraid of being followed. She was afraid of not knowing for certain if shehadbeen followed.

* * *

She walked up the stairs to her office now, the drizzly Monday morning clawing at the windows outside. Willow went to makeher a filter coffee from the machine in the kitchen. Laura went into her office, switched on her laptop, and looked to see if the end-of-series latest draft was in. Her writer had promised it for today, but writers often promised things, then didn’t always stick to deadlines. In a few weeks, they would start shooting and she was grateful for the distraction that would bring. Her mobile rang and she looked at the name on the screen, then picked up.

“Alison.”

“Hello, Laura.”

“How are you?”

“Not great.”

Alert, Laura sat up straight.

“I’ve had our lead on the phone.”

Laura was instantly wary. Why would Julie call the channel and not her?