‘I’m looking forward to it.’
Sara handed Ava a key card. ‘If you need anything, the reception details are in the room. The lift is there.’ She pointed to her right. ‘Breakfast is between seven and ten on weekday mornings and eight and ten at the weekend. Do you need any help with your luggage?’
‘No, I’m fine. Thanks, Sara.’
‘You have a good evening, what’s left of it.’
Ava wheeled her luggage over to the lift. Once inside it, she breathed a sigh of relief. London was a hive of people rushing past each other, not even offering a smile for the most part. Seeing Sara for a few minutes had been a breath of fresh air.
In her room, she left her unpacking until she’d had a shower and, when the promised meal from Sara had materialised, she ate with gusto.
Afterwards, apprehensive but excited, she climbed into bed and reached for the paperback she’d brought with her. It was Jack Broadhurst’s first novel, written under the pseudonym of CJ Brody. The cover was on-genre, but she wished they’d used images of Sapphire Lake looking all moody and menacing. Working closely with a few publishers, Ava knew what was expected in terms of tropes and genres, but equally she knew she could do as well.
She turned the book over to reread the blurb. There was a serial killer loose in Sapphire Lake. Ava shuddered involuntarily. Crime fiction wasn’t one of her favourite genres, but she’d made an exception because she’d been curious to read what Jack had written. Already she was on chapter ten. The story had reeled her in from the first line, not that she was going to admit that to Jack if she saw him again.
Her mind slipped back to the last evening she’d spent with him. The weather that summer had been amazing, and as she had recently celebrated her sixteenth birthday, her parents had gone on day trips and left her there, knowing the Broadhursts would look after her if required.
Most of the time she’d been either in the hotel with Eliza and her friend, Ruby, or down by the lake with the kids from the village and any who were visiting like her. This year, though, Jack was mainly missing through the days as he was working.
Ava remembered every evening she would go home for tea and then get herself changed and add makeup to her tanned face. Although she’d had a crush on Jack during the last two summers, it was the first year she’d begun to develop feelings for him. They’d spent as much time as they could together, mostly in their group of friends.
So, on the evening before she was due to leave, they’d taken a last walk around the lake. Ava couldn’t recall now what Jack had said to her, but she’d burst into tears at the thought of leaving him behind again.
He’d kissed her, leading to them having a fumble, but she hadn’t wanted to take it further, and so he’d stopped his wandering hands. Now, all these years later, she thought maybe she should have taken a chance with him – although who knew if it would have been special enough to carry in her memory for all these years. Sometimes fantasy turned out better than reality.
Or maybe she hadn’t found the right man in Giles. She certainly shouldn’t have wasted so many years married to him.
CHAPTER FOUR
Jack Broadhurst made coffee and took it out onto the decking of his lakeside home. It was the middle of April, the days slightly less grey and miserable, nights still chilly, but the promise of summer was around the corner.
Close to midnight, he wrapped a thick blanket around himself as he settled on the wicker settee, facing the water. Except for the occasional hoot of an owl, or cry of a fox, it was deathly quiet, just how he liked it.
Sapphire Lake was named due to the arresting shade of its water. It was beautiful, no matter what time of year, or whatever the weather. On bright winter and summer days, it was almost like the colour of the jewel itself. Even on the dullest of days, it had an indigo sheen.
To Jack, Sapphire Lake was home, and even though he’d felt unsettled for a while now, he wasn’t sure he could ever move away. There was too much keeping him here, no matter what he was going through right now.
Graham, his Labrador, jumped up beside him. Jack had gone to bed an hour ago but, unable to drop off, had got up again. He’d been hoping a good night’s sleep would bode him well forthe busy day he had planned for tomorrow. But, as usual, his mind wouldn’t shut off. There was too much to think about.
For starters, he was worried about his parents, Stella and Max. His father had suffered two mini strokes recently, and Jack knew Stella was feeling the strain of Max continuing to do the same amount of work as before. Max had always done every odd job he could and showed no signs of stopping.
Now, despite some bookings for the new year, Stella had come up with an idea to revamp their promotional material before the summer season started. What Jack really wanted to do was finish the extension that had been abandoned, and also tidy up a few areas. He’d offered the money required to complete it, but his parents were refusing to consider it. His mum was the stubborn one. Each of her offsprings shared the same streak of dogged determination.
The Sapphire Hotel had been in their family for four decades, bought by his parents when they were in their twenties. A regal building set over three floors, it boasted six luxury and twelve standard bedrooms, a restaurant, and small function room, all set within eight acres. It was well known in the area, with lots of returning clientele, plus an almost daily water-loving brigade.
Jack wasn’t sure they needed new marketing material, but he’d gone along with it to appease his mum. Secretly, he thought she was trying to bring him back into the fold any way she saw fit, giving the project to him, rather than his sister, Eliza. Because since the death of his twin brother, Dan, it had lost its allure, and Jack had almost gone to ground.
The fallout had made him a recluse. And, deep down, even though he loved his lakeside property, he knew he couldn’t hide away forever in case anyone mentioned the incident. But at least the angst might not follow him to somewhere new. Dan’s betrayal still hurt. Jack found it hard to talk about, so he’d closed himself off from most of the people he knew.
The two-year anniversary of his death had recently passed. Jack couldn’t believe his brother had been gone that long. Dan had fallen while out for a walk. Jack’s ex-wife, Katrina, who had been walking Graham, had come across him shortly after it had happened.
Dan was rushed to hospital but had never regained consciousness. The life support was switched off after three days, when there were no signs of brain activity.
Jack and Dan had been identical twins, alike in looks but different in so many other ways. Where Jack was happy to be alone to do his work, Dan had been the loud one, always up for a night out and a laugh. To see Dan in the mortuary, with one tiny cut above his eye and a bruise on his cheek, you’d be forgiven for thinking he was sleeping. On the outside he seemed fine, a bit like Jack when he built up his armour to protect himself from the grief.
For weeks after the funeral, Stella insisted he join them for something to eat, knowing that if she didn’t her son would wither away. Most nights, he’d refused her hospitality, choosing a ready meal or toast with something simple. Coming up to forty, he didn’t need babysitting, even with the best of intentions.
Graham stood up, turned full circle, and then flopped down again with a contented sigh. Jack chuckled as he idly stroked him. Oh, to be a dog without a worry in the world.
