Page 95 of The Girlfriend

“I’m afraid I’ve got some pretty bad news. She’s been sent a package, from you, the note said. It arrived this morning.”

Cold fingers of dread walked down Laura’s spine. “What was it?”

Alison sighed. “I don’t quite know how to say this. It was a dead puppy.”

“What?” she whispered.

“In some sort of box. The note also said something about her solving her first crime.”

“Christ!”

“She was hysterical. Still could be, all things considered.”

“I’ll call her.”

“No.”

“But I need to—”

“Laura, Julie doesn’t want to talk to you. To anyone, in fact. She’s walked.”

“What?”

“We need to stand everyone down.”

Willow appeared at the door with the coffee, but Laura furiously waved her away and she cowered out.

“Now, just a minute . . . she can’t just walk off the production!”

“We can sue her if we want, but I think she’ll have a pretty good case when she’s been receiving threatening parcels in the post.”

“We’ll recast.”

“Who?You know funding was subject to casting. The Americans won’t go for it.”

“So you’recancelingthe show.”

“Laura, we don’t have a lead actress. We don’t have a show.”

She started to panic. “You have to let me talk to her. I’m going to call her now.”

“She won’t answer. She’s switched off her phone. Thinks there’s a possibility someone’s got the number . . . ,” Alison trailed off, leaving a heavy silence in the air.

“Alison, you know this has nothing to do with me, don’t you?”

“Of course, but that’s not the point. Someone’s got it in for her. Do you know who?”

She thought about lying, but considering the magnitude of the disaster, realized she had to give a worthy-enough explanation.

“They haven’t got it in for Julie. I think it might . . . It’s me. There’s a girl, a stupid girl, who’s on some fantasized vendetta.”

“I see. Are you calling the police?”

Laura paused. “Are you?”

“Julie wants it hushed up. Nothing to the press, either, obviously. I don’t think we’ll need the police in order to get our insurance payment.” She paused. “Laura, how did this girl get Julie’s address?”

Laura went cold, glanced guiltily around her office. “I have no idea.” She held her breath, waited for Alison to say something more; for a moment, she thought she was going to, but then: “Right. I’m sorry, Laura, it seems like a sad end. The lawyers will be in touch. We’ll have to catch up again, when all this has blown over.”