The accident, p.1
The Accident, page 1
THE ACCIDENT
L. H. STACEY
CONTENTS
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
More from L. H. Stacey
Acknowledgements
About the Author
Also by L. H. Stacey
The Murder List
About Boldwood Books
For my wonderful mother, Pauline.
You were taken from us far too soon.
I wish every single day that you were still here to read my books,
and to drive everyone slightly mad, by constantly talking about them!
1
Kate Duggan heard the kitchen door click to a close. It was done quietly, almost secretively, but still managed to catch her attention.
She was more than aware that her boyfriend Rob was at home. But after watching him mess with his mobile phone for over an hour, she’d taken herself upstairs for a bath and was now laying on the bed, reading.
Feeling sure that he was up to no good, and with a pointed foot worthy of a prize in ballet, she slid it out from beneath the duvet. Holding her breath, she hoped that the floorboards wouldn’t creak, or that the door wouldn’t give her away as she crept onto the landing where she stood and listened to the whispered tones that came from the kitchen.
For a moment, she thought that someone had arrived at the house and wondered who the late-night visitor could be. But the only voice she could hear was Rob’s; a clear indication that he had answered his phone and having taken the call in another room, clearly didn’t want her eavesdropping.
‘I’m not doing it,’ she heard Rob snap. ‘Stick to the damn plan. It’s under control.’ In an instant, his rapidly spoken words were drowned out by the sound of the radio.
‘Rob?’ Kate shouted, ‘Is everything okay?’ She made her way down the stairs and felt the rough, cold wooden flooring beneath her feet. She glanced over her shoulder longingly towards her bedroom where her slippers were and with a sigh, she saw the amber glow spilling from her room, lighting up the shadows of the rest of the cottage. It was a warmth that always drew her in and stirred up memories that never failed to set off an ache that was deep within her. Memories of her grandmother, who had loved River Cottage but who was now sadly gone, leaving Kate alone with only the house as a small reminder that she’d ever existed at all.
‘For God’s sake. Stop calling…’ Rob’s voice temporarily rose above the sound of the radio but then diminished as he moved further away from the door. The sound of his feet against the wooden floor trudged with a monotonous echo that came and went, making Kate wonder if he were circling the island impatiently. ‘Not a chance… not again.’ His voice was drowned out by the noise in the room and Kate pressed her ear as close as she could to the door, in a vain attempt to hear every word that was said.
His cold words sent chills down her spine, leaving her with a deep-seated dread that Rob was involved in something bad. Something she wouldn’t like. It was a thought that made her heart accelerate faster than normal and now, with a hand held to her chest, she could feel it pounding away at a dangerous and alarming rate.
What do I do? Kate began to question her actions. Doing this, skulking around and listening to private conversations, was something she shouldn’t have to do. Not here, in her own home. Yet it had become normal just lately, so she could give Rob the space he apparently needed.
Taking a step back, she suddenly realised just how little she knew about the man she lived with. Theirs had been a whirlwind romance that had taken her by surprise. One minute they had been going out on a first date, the next, he’d turned up on the doorstep, asking if he could stay and in a moment of madness she’d happily agreed. And now, she kicked herself for being so weak. For not making it clear that the accommodation had only been offered on a temporary basis.
She placed her fingers on the door handle, saw the way her hand was trembling with nerves and dared herself to push it wide open and burst into the room with the element of surprise. It was what she had every intention of doing, but before she could, the door was flung open and Kate found herself looking up and into Rob’s dark, angry eyes.
‘Kate?’ Rob suddenly bellowed, ‘What’s your damn problem?’
In an attempt to keep her voice calm, Kate took her time and resisted the urge to yell back in response. ‘What’s my problem?’ she asked in a confident voice, and for a split second she felt thankful for her police training, which still held one or two advantages. ‘I could ask you the same thing?’ She looked over his shoulder and into the small compact kitchen beyond.
‘I’m not the one creeping around, am I?’
Nodding thoughtfully, she looked at him through different eyes. Rather than seeing the personal trainer she’d fallen for, the man with the perfect body, she now saw the cold glare of his eyes, the hands that were curled to form fists. A powerhouse that could easily strike out.
‘Wow. Do you know what, Rob, I would apologise,’ she said carefully. ‘But for some reason, I thought this was my house and the last time I checked, I didn’t need your damn permission to walk around it.’
‘No one said you needed permission, Kate, but you should show a little respect. Your ear was pressed to the door.’ He picked up a glass, drank the dregs of his juice, then dropped it into the white sink. ‘I wouldn’t dream of doing that to you…’
Reeling, Kate took a step backwards. She couldn’t believe he’d tried to turn this on her. She wasn’t the one making secret phone calls, speaking in riddles or acting peculiar. ‘Is that right?’ she threw back. ‘Well, for all I knew, someone was here.’ She pulled at her short, satin dressing gown. ‘And I’m hardly dressed for visitors, am I?’
With narrowed eyes, Rob looked her up and down and angrily ran a hand through his dark, perfectly styled hair. His other hand was pressed against his side, his phone still held tightly in his hand, the screen still lit.
‘I need a drink,’ she lied, and aggressively pushed her way past him. Flinging open a cupboard, she stared inside. ‘So, who was on the phone?’ She kept her eyes on the cupboard, gave choosing a glass far too much thought, and eventually she picked one out, held it under the tap and filled it with water.
‘It’s work. One of my clients. A new one.’
She nodded slowly, tried to decide which of his many clients would need a personal call so late at night. ‘Rob, you’re a personal trainer, not a doctor, what on earth can’t wait until morning?’
‘Kate,’ he barked, ‘this call is important.’ He flicked his head to the door, a clear indication that he wanted her gone.
It was enough to make Kate take a sharp step backwards. She knew that leaving him to get on would be easier than standing there arguing. And for what felt like the hundredth time that week, she considered her options and tried to decide how she could ask him to leave, without causing a fight.
‘Well, don’t be long.’ She couldn’t resist throwing in the last word, and after giving him an unwavering glare, she spun on her heel to head for the stairs. ‘I start my new job tomorrow… An early night would have been nice.’ Rolling her eyes regretfully at the innuendo, she caught Rob’s eye and saw the anger within. It was a look that told her to leave, that the caller was still on the phone and that whoever it was had been listening in on every word they’d said.
‘Kate. I’ve asked nicely,’ he said. ‘Now, for the love of God. Go – to – bed.’ Thrusting a hand towards the door and with a powerful flick of his fingers, Kate saw the door fly towards her and slam in front of her face.
Shocked, she held onto the wall. Her pride was wounded. Her temper rose. And with her mouth opening and closing, ready to shout, she slammed a hand against the door, and banged as hard as she could. ‘You… you need to find somewhere else to live. Do you hear me?’ She shouted angrily, then with as much control as she could find, she climbed the stairs at speed and just for good measure, she slammed the bedroom door behind her.
Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Kate reached for the glass of wine she’d poured earlier to drink in the bath and took a long, slow drink, allowing the rich, dark red liquid to coat her throat, while contemplating her future.
Placing the glass back down on the bedside table, she stared at a photograph of her and Rob with sad, wistful eyes. It had been taken on an impromptu holiday she and Rob had taken not too long after they’d met, and at a time when she’d thought they’d been happy. And without a doubt, they had been. Until Rob had become homeless and Kate had foolishly allowed him to move in with her even though it had been much too soon. But she’d hoped he was the true love she’d always been searching for; had always wanted.
‘How wrong could you have been?’ She spoke out loud and felt her eyes fill with tears. She looked again at the photograph and smiled at the way Rob had looped an arm tightly around her, pulling her in close, even though the temperature had been scorching. ‘How could you change so much in such a short time?’ she whispered to the picture, as she tried to remember the man he’d once been.
‘You were kind, you were generous,’ she said, ‘and what’s more, it was you who pursued me.’ It was a thought that had crossed her mind on a regular basis. ‘Why Rob? Why did you want me?’ Her mind went back to the constant calls and messages Rob had left for her in those early days. Looking back, if she hadn’t felt so low in herself, she’d have probably said no to his attention. The former police officer in her would have screamed cohesive control. But instead, she’d agreed to a date with Rob and had happily jumped on the rollercoaster of excitement that had come with dating him. For the first time in years, she’d felt happy and before she knew it, Rob had moved in.
‘You should have known. Gorgeous men are always the same.’ She recounted some of the men both she and her sister Eve had dated when they’d had their pick of the crowd. Before the accident, she’d have thought herself worthy of the attention. But not now. Now, she was a shadow of her former self. Far too thin and her long auburn hair was often scooped back unflatteringly in a ponytail. Her pale, freckled skin made her sallow looking and she hadn’t thought herself as much of a catch for a while. Especially since the accident had left her with a long, puckered scar that had carved itself into her jawline, reminding her every day of what happened that night and how much her life has changed.
With the sun attempting to break through the crack in the curtains and the alarm clock bursting into life, Kate turned against her pillow. Even though she felt as though she’d barely slept a wink, she reached across the bed and slapped the alarm clock into silence.
She wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep, but couldn’t. She didn’t dare close her eyes, no matter how much she wanted to and instead, she slowly slid her leg across the bed, between the cold cotton sheets, and automatically sent her toes in search of Rob.
After a few moments it occurred to her that the space where he normally slept was cold and empty and through half-open eyes, she saw the perfectly straight duvet. The decorative cushion and her phone lay on top of the covers, exactly where she’d left them. A clear indication that once again, Rob had slept downstairs. Not that she cared. Not any more.
‘There isn’t time to think about this now.’ She took in a deep breath, threw back the duvet and launched herself out of bed. As she did so, her stomach turned, and her apprehension about the day ahead began. ‘Come on, you can do this.’ She closed her eyes and thought back to the way her life had once been: the confidence she’d had and the way she’d have happily thrown herself into any situation, with little or zero fuss. Nowadays, she had to force herself to leave the house and more often than not, she’d have to stand for a few minutes right by the front door before finding the courage to continue.
‘You’re the lucky one,’ her mother had told her. ‘At least you walked away. Your brother didn’t. And your sister, well she’ll never walk again, will she?’
Tipping her face to one side, Kate stared at the long, red puckered scar that showed itself in the mirror. ‘Sure. I was lucky, wasn’t I?’ She shook her head, took in a deep breath and looked back at the bed. ‘No wonder he sneaks around. I doubt I’d want to sleep with you either.’
Flinging open the wardrobe door Kate scoured the contents, selected a neat, black pencil skirt and an ivory blouse that she’d bought especially for the occasion. Then she matched the items up with a pair of black patent leather shoes that had a heel, but importantly, were still comfortable to walk in. ‘That will do,’ she said with a satisfied sigh, before turning back to the mirror, ‘Your face might look a mess,’ she whispered, ‘but your clothes don’t need to, do they?’
Laying each item out on the bed, she checked them carefully, making sure that there were no creases, marks or loose, untidy seams. Appearance was everything to Kate, especially now. After scanning her perfume bottles for a good while, she picked out a deep, musky fragrance before padding down the length of the landing and into the bathroom.
The early morning sunshine flooded the room and bounced off the tiles. It caused a reflection so bright and uncomfortable that Kate felt herself squint and with no choice but to shut the sun out, she closed the venetian blinds, and blinked repeatedly until the blinding white flashes disappeared and her eyes adjusted to the light. It was only then that she noticed the splatter of toothpaste that covered the bathroom mirror like an explosion of snow. Towels had been thrown on the floor and over the edge of the bath, and a ring of dark whiskers were scattered around the sink. The mess was an everyday sign that Rob was already up and that he’d already been in the bathroom. Kate took a deep breath to control her anger at his disregard for her home… and her.
After taking a shower, Kate set to work correcting the disturbing image that stared back at her in the mirror. It was a routine she’d perfected since the accident happened: three thin coats of foundation, that were carefully placed one on top of the other; a touch of eye liner; followed by mascara, and a smudge of lip gloss that coloured both her lips and her cheeks.
‘Not too much, you don’t want to look like a hussy, do you?’ she whispered, before twisting a towel tightly around her body and making her way back to the bedroom.
‘Morning.’ She heard Rob’s deep husky voice before she saw him. It came from behind the open wardrobe door. He was hidden from view and for a moment Kate hesitated and tried to determine what mood he was in.
‘I didn’t know you were up here?’ She cursed herself inwardly. Wished she hadn’t said anything and moved slowly around the bed until he stepped out from behind the wardrobe door.
‘Sorry, babes, you were in the shower.’
‘And last night?’
‘Yeah, I fell asleep. You know; football on the telly.’ Noticeably, he made no reference to the argument they’d had. To him, it was as though nothing had happened and with a wide, disarming smile he walked around the bed, naked from the waist upwards. Furious, Kate didn’t say a word but watched as he opened drawers without closing any of them properly and leaving more mess and untidiness in his wake.
Biting down on her lip, Kate stood back. She wasn’t fond of the man that Rob had become, but she did like the way he looked and couldn’t help but admire his perfect abs, or the dolphin tattoo that circumnavigated his huge bicep. For Rob’s lack of effort in the home, he certainly made up for it in the gym and took pride in his appearance. That, along with the fact that he’d been dealt the Adonis card, had been one of the things that had attracted her to him: a tool Kate now realised that he’d used to his advantage.
‘So, you’re off to play detective today, are you?’ He sat in front of the mirror, preened his hair with gel, and his beard with balm. ‘What do you reckon your dad will have to say about the new job then?’ He sneered while turning his face from side to side, constantly looking at and checking his appearance.
