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‘Anyway, it was hard at the time, but as I got older I realised it was the best thing for all of us.’ He smiles. ‘I’m sorry, though. Where are you staying?’
‘At a friend’s place. Just for a few days until I can sort out what to do.’
‘Hmm. Just be careful. Sarah’s single, isn’t she? She might not have your best interests at heart. Sorry to say that but you know me. I’m always honest.’
‘Sarah’s not like that,’ I say. I won’t put Cole straight about where Poppy and I are really staying. The last thing I need is him questioning me about Taylor. Jumping to conclusions, none of which have any chance of being correct.
Thankfully we’re interrupted by a customer; having this conversation with Cole is too much. It’s served me well to keep my work and personal life separate, and I don’t want to change that habit now. No matter how bad things are. Having this shop is what will keep me sane.
While Cole goes off to assist the customer, I take the chance to disappear to the office, delving into all the admin I haven’t taken care of over the last couple of weeks because I’ve been so distracted.
Sarah calls to check on me at lunchtime. But there’s something off about her voice. Or perhaps it’s my paranoia. The doubt that’s seeping into my mind like an infection.
‘How are you and Poppy?’ she asks.
‘We’ll be okay. Not right now, but eventually.’
Sarah sighs. ‘I called Max this morning. He didn’t answer.’
‘Maybe it’s hard for him,’ I say. ‘Because of our friendship.’ But as I say this, my mind scrambles to find the real reason this might be. Does he assume I’ve told her about the flat? About his threatening behaviour when I followed him there?
‘I suppose,’ she says.
I wish I could tell Sarah that it’s better this way. We both need Max out of our lives.
‘I hope you won’t be a stranger now that you’re living in Chiswick,’ she continues.
‘It’s not far. And anyway, it’s only for a few days, until I can work out what to do.’
‘I understand.’ She pauses. ‘I saw Dean again last night. He came over after you left. He just turned up. Said he was passing. I think he was hoping Ivy would be up. Luckily she was in bed, though. I told him we need to work on having a friendship and building trust before he comes into her life. I don’t know if I’m doing the right thing.’
‘He shouldn’t have ambushed you like that. Listen, why don’t you come over tonight? Say around eight? We can have a bottle of wine and chat all evening.’ I have no idea how Sarah will respond to my offer – I only know I have to be there for her.
‘I’d love to. I’ll ask Mum to babysit,’ she says, just as a message comes through from Taylor, asking how our first nightin his flat went. ‘Anyway, I’d better go,’ she continues. ‘I’ll pop round and check on Max in a bit. I did take the week off work for him so I may as well make myself useful.’
I’m on the sofa, cuddled up with Poppy, both of us eating popcorn, while I try to distract her with a movie. So far it’s working, but I know the minute the film finishes, she’ll be silent again. Sadness that she isn’t able to articulate swelling in her body.
The doorbell rings and we look at each other. ‘Wait here,’ I tell Poppy.
I get up and look outside the window, scanning the road for the silver Golf.AF23 NKT. The number plate is permanently engraved in my memory now. There’s no sign of it, but that doesn’t mean it’s not close by.
I make my way into the hall, then hesitate for a moment. The chain is on the door – we’re safe if I don’t open it. ‘Who is it?’ I call.
‘It’s Taylor. Just checking you’re okay.’
I slide the chain off and let him in.
‘Sorry for turning up like this. I did message but you didn’t reply. I called too. Got really worried.’
‘I’ve been watching a film with Poppy. To cheer her up. I always put my phone on silent when we have a movie night. Sorry.’
‘No, don’t apologise. Okay, well, now I know you’re okay, I can focus again. I’ve been messaging all of Alice’s clients. Seeing if she might have said anything to anyone. I know the police will have already done it, but it helps to feel that I’m doing something useful. I’ll leave you to it.’ He turns away.
‘There’s something I forgot to ask you. It completely slipped my mind. Do you remember I told you about Alice’s friendfrom school, Eloise? I’d forgotten this but when I was talking to Eloise’s mum, she mentioned something about Alice having an ex. Do you know who it was?’
Taylor shrugs. ‘Not really. Alice had a few short relationships but she never spoke about them much. She said people had a right to privacy so she wasn’t going to gossip about her sex life as it was theirs too.’
‘So there could have been someone? Earlier this year?’
