‘What was the big mistake then?’
Ollie was so glad she was here to ask the questions because his throat was suddenly dry.
Kara sighed. ‘The fact that I didn’t tell Josh about it. I said that I’d gone and stayed at Mum’s house. I knew he’d never ask her, because he avoided her as much as possible. And then I flew out the next day, and I never told a single soul what happened. I think I was just embarrassed. I don’t do stuff like that. I’m the boring one, remember?’
Drea shrugged. ‘I think you just lived up to that description. I was hoping for a mass orgy. Or maybe at least a bit of wild kinky sex.’
Ollie swallowed, a weird sensation in the pit of his stomach again. More jealousy? What was going on? And why were Drea’s words from earlier echoing in his head?
‘This is the first time you’ve both been single at the same time. Can you not just do us all a favour and get together?’
He took a sip of his beer, while CIA Agent Drea carried on the interrogation.
‘So that’s it? That’s the whole story. Over and done. And that’s the only time you met?’
‘Yeah,’ Kara insisted. ‘Definitely.’
He watched as Kara’s neck flushed just a little, the way it used to do in school whenever she had to lie to a teacher.
‘Really?’ he asked.
‘Absolutely…’ she nodded.
As far as he knew, she’d never lied to him before. It just wasn’t in her nature. So why did he have a feeling that his best friend in the world still wasn’t telling the whole truth?
25
ALICE
‘Sandra? Oh my God, Sandra, what happened to you?’
Alice couldn’t quite comprehend what she was seeing. The bolshy, arrogant Sandra she’d met at the hospital on the day that Alice had discovered her husband had a mistress bore absolutely no resemblance to the poor soul who was standing in front of her right now, her eye swollen shut, and one cheek raised and bruised to deep purple.
‘Alice?’ Her voice was a croak of hostility. That part Alice remembered well. Back in the hospital, she’d tried to warn Sandra what she was getting into with Larry, and she’d advised her to run a mile from him, but the other woman had gone on the attack, telling Alice she was just bitter and twisted and jealous that Larry had replaced her with a younger model. Alice had walked away, satisfied that she had tried. What else could Alice say to the mistress who was absolutely convinced that the man she was having an affair with adored her and was the love of her life?
Now, no matter how Sandra had treated her, Alice felt nothing but horror and sadness that this had been the outcome.
‘I walked into a?—’
‘Please don’t say “a door”,’ Alice prompted gently, making it known that she wouldn’t believe that.
Sandra shrugged. ‘I couldn’t care less what you think. What do you want?’
Zac cleared his throat. ‘It’s actually me who wanted to come here tonight. I’m looking for Larry? My name is Zac Corlan. My mum was a friend of Larry’s and I just wondered if I could ask him a couple of questions about her. She’s dead now, but there are some things I’d like to know that only Larry can answer.’
Alice was impressed by his improvisation, and she immediately realised that there was more chance of a positive outcome if she detached herself a little from the aim of the visit.
‘I’m just here because Zac asked me to help him track Larry down. His mum was my friend too, so I was just trying to help out.’
Sandra took a step backwards. ‘Larry’s not here. He went down to the off licence to get some beers. Come back tomorrow.’
‘Erm, I can’t come back tomorrow,’ Zac said, with a sense of urgency. ‘I need to go back to Ireland tonight and I was really hoping that I could speak to him, just for five minutes before I went. Could we come in and wait for him?’
Under normal circumstances, it wouldn’t have been Alice’s choice of moves. She’d much rather have fled the scene, or waited in Val’s car, but she remembered that Zak was a family lawyer who would probably have experience in dealing with abuse and domestic violence. Also, if he had Morag’s heart, then there was no way that he would walk away from someone who could be in danger. And the truth was, for Alice, right now personal feelings didn’t even come into it – she didn’t want to leave either, until she knew Sandra was safe.
Sandra didn’t seem to take issue one way or another. ‘Suit yourself,’ she shrugged, then turned and walked back down the hall, leaving the door open for them to do as they pleased.
Alice and Zac made eye contact, agreeing without words, then followed. With every step Alice took, her body trembled more, as her soul recognised the smell, the tattered wallpaper, the broken floorboards revealed by the threadbare carpets. This was her house of horrors. The last time she’d walked out of here was on the night she’d finally left Larry and she’d sworn to herself and to her son that she would never step foot in this house again. Yet here she was. And all she wanted to do was run.
