New beginnings by the su.., p.7
New Beginnings by the Sunflower Cliffs, page 7
‘Thanks, Tom. It’s good to hear you say that.’ Bea swallowed the lump in her throat and pushed away a memory of passing bulbs to her aunt as she planted them. She’d always been happiest in her garden. ‘I sometimes don’t know how I’ll manage it. I try and remember the fun bits of my aunt, but I miss her too much to be able to do that very often.’
‘You’re doing very well. Just hang in there and focus on fighting that lousy ex of yours.’
Gio arrived with their food. ‘Ah, this looks delicious,’ Tom said as Gio put a plate down in front of each of them.
‘Er, Tom,’ Bea said, noticing Giuseppe was cashing up and a waiter was watching them with a tired expression on his face. She waved her hand in front of Tom to get his attention. ‘I think we’ve outstayed our welcome.’ She motioned to the empty room. ‘We’re the last people here.’
‘When did that happen?’ Tom asked, downing his drink and nodding at Giuseppe for the bill. That paid, he stood up. ‘Come on then, let’s make a move.’
Taking her by the hand, they said their goodbyes to Giuseppe and his staff and headed outside where Tom flagged down a passing taxi.
He shouted Bea’s address into the cab’s window, and helped her into the back. ‘Bea,’ he murmured huskily, sitting down heavily next to her. ‘I’ve had a wonderful time tonight. It’s been fun catching up and not having to concentrate on work issues.’
‘Tom, I was wondering… while we’re not at work, if you’d be able to tell me more about this Luke business. You know,’ she mouthed the words ‘money laundering’ so that the taxi driver couldn’t hear her. ‘I just can’t quite believe he could be involved as you think.’ There, she thought, she’d voiced her doubts to him.
Tom took her hand, all humour vanishing from his expression. ‘I understand how difficult this must be for you, but he is involved, or at least I suspect he is.’ He thought for a moment. ‘I know I shouldn’t, but come to my office on Monday and I’ll show you irrefutable proof that I’m not lying.’
Bea grimaced. She’d ruined their evening by bringing this matter up. ‘I wasn’t insinuating that you’d lied, Tom, but it seems so unlikely.’
‘You know him that well, to believe him incapable of something like this?’
Bea shook her head. ‘No, but…’
He put his arm round her and gave her a hug. ‘I know, I’m so sorry. It’s difficult to be involved in something this distasteful, however you’re connected. I do understand your concerns, Bea. You’re right to ask me for proof, and on Monday I’ll hopefully show you that you can trust me.’
Bea sighed. ‘Thank you. You must think me so rude to ask after the lovely evening we’ve had.’
‘Not at all. Once you can see for yourself the seriousness of the situation, it’ll help you keep Luke in his place in your mind. It doesn’t have to be too difficult – he’s carrying out work for you, nothing more. I’ll give you a ring in the morning, if that’s ok?’ he asked, as the taxi moved through the noisy St Helier streets. ‘Not too early, I promise. Maybe I could take you kayaking?’
‘I’d like that,’ she agreed, wishing she felt a little less miserable. ‘But not before ten, though. I have to make the most of any lie-ins I can get nowadays.’ She didn’t mention that she wanted to avoid Tom bumping into Luke, who she hoped would be gone soon after sorting out the workers’ schedule.
The taxi drew up at the front of her house and Bea opened the cab door. ‘Thank you for a lovely evening,’ she said, kissing him on the cheek and getting out. She watched as he waved and the taxi disappeared into the darkness.
It would be good to see some proof of Tom’s allegations against Luke, Bea decided, not wishing to think about how awkward dealing with Luke would be when he came to the house. Bea removed her makeup and was thinking back over her evening, when the phone rang. ‘Bloody hell, that was quick.’ She laughed. ‘He must live really close to get home so quickly.’
Bea slumped back onto the bed and picked up the phone. ‘When I said after ten, I meant ten in the morning,’ she teased.
‘Am I talking to Beatrix Potter?’ demanded a controlled, clipped voice, tinged with threat.
Well, it certainly wasn’t Tom. ‘This is Beatrice Porter, and it’s one-thirty in the morning,’ she retaliated, irritated by the caller’s aggressive tone.
‘Never mind the sodding time!’ the woman screeched. ‘What the hell were you doing with my husband?’
7
BEA STINGS
‘She said what?’ Shani gasped. Bea had rung her as soon as she’d ended the call with Vanessa.
‘You needn’t sound so excited about it,’ Bea said, annoyed that Vanessa’s call had given her such a fright.
‘Sorry, you must have been spooked being in that house all by yourself.’ Shani lowered her voice. ‘You can’t do anything about it tonight, so why don’t you snuggle up in bed and try to get some sleep? I haven’t got any classes first thing tomorrow, so I’ll be able to come over to your place after ten. We’ll discuss everything then.’
‘I want to go to her place and give her hell,’ Bea said. ‘Her call was so unexpected I didn’t have time to think of anything clever to say.’
‘You don’t know where she lives,’ Shani reminded her. ‘And anyway, losing your temper with her probably won’t solve anything. Let Tom sort his shitty wife out.’
Bea had to agree. Vanessa was Tom’s problem, not hers. She settled down for the night, relieved to find she was a little dozy despite everything and put it down to the evening’s alcohol consumption. She closed her eyes and let her mind wander until she fell asleep.
Bea heard Shani’s battered Astra backfiring down the driveway as she hurriedly finished dressing the following morning. She pulled on a pair of pink cut-off trousers and ran to open the front door, to be instantly engulfed in a bear hug by Paul. ‘Oof.’
‘Poor you,’ he said, leaning back and studying Bea’s face. ‘Shani told me what that cow said to you.’
‘You’ve heard, then?’ Bea asked, knowing full well Shani would have told him as soon as she had put down the phone. ‘Come through.’ They followed her down the long passageway into the kitchen.
‘It’s lovely and cool in here.’ Shani shivered. ‘We’re dying up in our flat. It’s too hot in the summer and freezing in the winter. I’m starting to hate it there.’
Bea leant back against the cool metal of the Aga. ‘Never mind the weather – I need to talk about last night.’
‘I can’t believe you’re the other woman this time,’ Paul teased. ‘Not like you at all.’
‘Not funny, Paul,’ Shani said, joining Bea in front of the Aga. ‘Just pour us some water if you haven’t got any cans of drink. It’s too hot for tea.’
‘It’s not funny,’ agreed Bea, suddenly feeling chilled. ‘I don’t need this.’ She stood from one foot to the next, retying her ponytail. ‘I’m the last person who’d want to upset someone’s wife. Don’t forget, I know how she must feel. I certainly felt like saying the same to Simon’s Claire.’ That felt odd, she thought. Simon’s Claire. It used to be Simon and Bea.
‘Sit down,’ Shani said. ‘Now take a deep breath and tell me exactly what else she said to you.’
Bea did as she was told. ‘Tom told me they were legally separated, which is pretty much the same as being divorced. I mean, to be separated you have to sign a legal document stating you’re no longer living together, don’t you?’ She waved her hand at Paul, declining the proffered biscuit barrel in his hand. ‘I can’t believe he lied to me. It’s not as if we’re dating, we’re supposed to be friends.’
‘You don’t know he’s lied yet.’ Paul sprayed her with crumbs, as he munched on a digestive. ‘Maybe she’s the one telling porkies, or she could have been dipping one time too many into the Merlot.’
Bea took a deep breath to stop her temper from rising. ‘She screamed at me like a complete nutter, calling me all sorts of things. I’m not a slag, or — what else did she say? — oh yes, a bitch. Bloody cheek, in the circumstances.’
Shani slammed her hand down on the worktop. ‘Will you just tell me what she said? We’ll deal with the unfairness of it all later.’
‘She had the nerve to threaten to make my life a living hell, if I ever saw him again.’ She shuddered at the memory. ‘I think she meant it, too. Let’s face it, this is a big house to be rattling around in at the best of times, but when someone makes threats in the middle of the night, it takes on a creepiness that I’ve never noticed before.’
‘I can imagine. She probably even looks like something from The Texas Chain Saw Massacre,’ Shani said, taking a seat at the table, and motioning for Bea to sit in front of her.
‘It’s all right for you to sit there and joke, but it’s me who’ll be smacked in the face.’
The doorbell rang. ‘Sit down,’ Shani said. ‘Paul will deal with it.’
‘Oh, thanks,’ he said, grimacing. ‘What if it’s the mad woman?’
‘You’re such a hero, Paul.’ Shani took the biscuit tin away from him. ‘Baby. I’ll go, then.’
‘I will,’ Bea said.
Shani got up and pushed Bea back into her seat. Bea fell back, wondering how someone so tall and skinny could be so strong. ‘Leave this to me.’
Paul leant towards Bea after Shani had marched out of the kitchen. ‘She loves being the one to sort everything out. She’s the same whenever someone kicks off at the gym. Always has to barge in and give everyone hell.’
‘And you just let her, I suppose.’ Bea smiled at him, imagining Paul, almost a foot shorter than Shani, letting her take charge of any dramas. Bea strained to hear who was at the door. At first, she couldn’t hear anything at all, and wondered what Shani could possibly be doing. She then heard whispers and giggling getting louder as Mel and Shani made their way to join them in the kitchen. ‘It’s Mel. I’ve said she can come in because she’s brought food with her.’
‘Hi, Mel,’ Bea said, sensing Shani had given her sister a hurried, abridged version of events. ‘Why don’t I go and heat these up?’
Bea took the chocolate croissants from her sister. After a busy evening with Tom she’d forgotten she’d invited Paul, Shani and Mel for breakfast, so couldn’t expect them to leave her in peace before they’d eaten. Anyway, they were here for her and another drama. When had her orderly, seamless life dissolved into this chaotic mess?
Paul looked up as she returned from the pantry with a coffee percolator. ‘Never mind, Blondie, we’ll get through this one, too.’
Bea shrugged. ‘I know I’m a bit useless, but I’m not totally hopeless,’ she said, placing cups and plates on the bleached pine table in front of them then made coffee.
The phone rang. ‘Hello?’ said Bea, relieved for the distraction.
‘Hi, Bea, it’s me,’ said Tom, his voice cheery. ‘Sleep well?’
‘As a matter of fact, no,’ she admitted, still cross with him for lying to her about being separated from Vanessa.
‘Why? What’s the matter?’ he asked, beginning to sound a little unsure.
‘The matter, Tom, is your wife.’ She waved the phone at her audience for them to be quiet, so she could hear what he was trying to say. All three were now paying full attention, croissants and coffees paused in mid-air.
‘Vanessa?’ he asked.
‘Who else?’
‘I’m coming to yours.’ Tom sounded anxious. ‘And you’re going to tell me everything.’
Bea went to argue, but he’d already slammed down the phone before she’d uttered a single syllable.
She pointed at the phone. ‘He’s on his way.’
‘Great,’ cheered Shani. ‘Now I get to see what he looks like after all these years.’
‘I only remember him vaguely,’ said Mel. ‘I suppose it’s because I was so much younger when you saw him.’ She tore off a piece of croissant and dipped it into her coffee before devouring it.
‘That’s disgusting, Mel. Anyway, I’m surprised you remember him at all.’ Bea shook her head.
Paul rid his hands of crumbs. ‘He was always hot, though we were only friendly because of you.’ He grinned at Bea. ‘I bet he’s aged badly.’
‘He hasn’t.’ Bea stood up. ‘I’m going to take a shower.’
‘What?’ they cried in unison.
‘You don’t mind looking like hell in front of us,’ laughed Mel. Shani nudged her and shook her head.
‘Can you three clear up a bit?’
‘What for?’ frowned Mel, tearing apart a second croissant.
‘My kitchen is a tip. Give it a quick tidy up whilst I’m upstairs, please,’ she said, walking out of the room.
‘She’s always like that when she’s in a state about something,’ mumbled Mel, chewing her breakfast and completely ignoring Bea’s request.
‘If I had my way,’ Shani said, ‘he wouldn’t get a chance to see inside the house at all.’
‘Bugger it, I’m not tidying up for him,’ said Mel. ‘It’s not as if she’ll notice.’
‘I can still hear you, you know,’ called Bea from halfway up the stairs.
She had almost finished drying her hair when she heard the doorbell followed by Mel’s flirtatious giggle. So typical of Mel, thought Bea smiling – she didn’t take long to forget whose side she was on.
Bea pulled on her oldest jeans and a faded T-shirt that had seen better days and she was ready for action. After all, she decided, they may only be friends and she didn’t want to appear to be trying too hard, but she did have her pride. What little there was left of it.
She took a deep, calming breath just before entering the kitchen, and saw Tom standing in front of her friends. She couldn’t help thinking of the three wise monkeys as they sat at the table next to each other, studying him in silence. Tom’s face was grey, causing his green eyes to appear more intense than they usually did. Bea could tell he was doing his best to appear friendly. As disturbed as she was by the call, she couldn’t help feeling sympathy for him, having such an accusatory audience.
‘Tom, let’s go through to the living room,’ she said, sounding less angry than she had on the phone. ‘We can talk privately through there.’ She narrowed her eyes at the threesome who had purposefully ignored her telepathic pleas to go, staying exactly where they were at her kitchen table.
As soon as they were alone, he took her gently by the shoulders. ‘Bea, I’m so sorry. I know how this must look, but I promise you I haven’t lied about anything. I’ve told you pretty much everything there is to know about Vanessa. We do get along well, but it’s purely for the children’s sake, even though I don’t see them nearly as much as I’d like to.’
Much as she had enjoyed Tom’s company, she wasn’t desperate in any way for a social life. She had had enough of being on the receiving end of lies and dramas. Bea replayed the call between her and Vanessa. She stepped back from him. ‘Tom, as much as I’ve enjoyed your company, I really don’t need to be dealing with a psycho right now.’ He went to interrupt, but she held up her hand to stop him. ‘This is too intense for me. I’ve got more than enough to be coping with and don’t want us to fall out if we must work so closely together. So I think the best thing you can do is concentrate on sorting out whatever issues you two have, once and for all.’
Tom’s shoulders stooped. He stared back at her for a moment. ‘You’re right, of course. It would be selfish to expect you to get involved with me after this.’ He leant forward, kissed her lightly on the cheek, then left without saying another word.
Hearing the front door close, the others called Bea back to the kitchen.
‘Well?’ Mel nudged her on her way to busy herself with the percolator.
‘I don’t know why you’re bothering to ask me; you were all listening, I presume?’
Paul shrugged. ‘You know we were. So he’s gone, now what?’
‘It’s a shame,’ Bea said finally. ‘We had fun the other night and he makes life at Malory’s bearable.’ How typical there has to be a hiccup somewhere, especially such a major one.
Mel handed out coffees.
‘Well, you all said I should give dating a go.’ Bea smiled at their serious faces. ‘I think I’ve had my fill of it for now.’
‘Right,’ said Paul. ‘Anyway, I’ve heard tales about him liking a little flutter.’
‘He’s a gambler?’ Shani widened her eyes.
‘That’s what I heard.’ Paul’s eyes glistened as he turned to Bea. ‘So whether or not the wife is a problem, you don’t need to get involved with someone who is addicted to losing money.’
‘You know,’ Bea said shaking her head wearily, ‘sometimes living on an island can get really tiresome. You know you shouldn’t listen to rumours about people, they’re usually untrue.’ She turned to Mel. ‘How are things with Grant and your wedding plans?’
‘Oh, all right, I suppose,’ she mumbled, in between mouthfuls of croissant. Bea couldn’t understand how Mel remained slim, as she never seemed to stop eating, and certainly didn’t exercise.
‘Only all right?’ asked Shani, grimacing at Mel eating. ‘Aren’t you ever full?’
‘You must have bought all the newsagent’s wedding magazines, and I know for a fact you’ve been on the internet scanning wedding planner’s websites for ideas,’ Paul winked at her.
‘I only asked you to check out one woman for me, Paul, and that was supposed to be in confidence.’ Mel sighed. ‘I’ve been scanning the glossy magazines too; I need all the help I can get.’ She put down her cup and studied her immaculate manicure with satisfaction. ‘You know, I only agreed with Mum to hold the wedding in May because I was certain we would easily manage to plan everything in that time, but it’s not as simple as I thought.’
Shani and Paul glanced at Bea, but she wasn’t in the mood to row with her sister, not today. It was exactly four months since Aunt Annabel had died and eight months and one day until she had to find Simon’s money. It seemed like forever ago that she had kissed her aunt’s forehead that last time. The 10th of May was coming around a little too quickly for her liking.
