The Stranger, Mark Ayre [microsoft ebook reader .TXT] 📗

“Do you know where he was, Abbie?”

Abbie closed her eyes. Until the last second, she had held some hope Jess would not ask, although she was always going to. And it could only get worse.

“Was he with you? I did wonder when I saw him talking to you by your car when you left here yesterday. Did he ask to meet you?”

Slowly, trying to make it last, Abbie continued to work her way through the box.

“I don’t think you’re having an affair,” said Jess, but Abbie had known that. This wasn’t about cheating but lies. How much trouble did Abbie want to get Eddie in?

“Abbie,” Jess pressed. “He’s the father of my baby. I need to know.”

95% of the way through the box, Abbie paused again, and this time turned back to Jess. Removing her hand from the box, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the folded card.

“I was with him,” she said. “He took me to a house he said belonged to Leona Roberts.”

Jess gasped.

“Well,” said Abbie. “It was a bungalow.”

“I don’t understand,” said Jess. And Abbie resisted the urged to explain what a bungalow was. Rising, she moved to the bed and showed Jess the folded card, keeping it just out of reach.

“Danny was sleeping with Leona. She convinced him to steal Francis’ money and then stole it off him. Eddie blames her, possibly rightly, for Danny’s death.”

“Oh my God,” said Jess. “Was he going to—“

“Whatever he was going to do,” said Abbie, cutting Jess off before the worried wife could begin theorising. “This stopped him. It was stolen from Leona’s bag.”

Not sure if this was the right move, Abbie dropped the card on the bed and returned to the box. As she started working her way back to where she had stopped, Jess opened the card and let out a cry.

“Danny’s?” she asked.

“We believe so.”

“Oh my God,” Jess said again. “What did Eddie say when he saw this?”

Happy, this time, to dodge the truth, Abbie said, “He couldn’t process it. He went straight home.”

Jess didn’t respond. Abbie returned to where she had left the box and pushed right through, searching for those trousers.

At the very bottom, she pulled free an item of nightwear that was frilly, lacy, and see-through. A personal item of clothing Abbie was not supposed to have seen.

“I don’t think your trousers are here,” she said to Jess, still staring at the lingerie.

From over Abbie’s shoulder, Jess could see the item in her acquaintance’s hand. It was difficult to miss.

“Oh, that,” said Jess, and Abbie could almost hear the flush enter her cheeks. “Eddie bought it for me. I’ve never worn it. Not really my style.”

“Can’t imagine it would be anyone’s style,” muttered Abbie.

Pushing the item back to the bottom of the box, Abbie said, “I don’t think your trousers are here.” Rising, she noted something at the foot of the bed. Nodded. “That them?”

With some effort, Jess forced herself back to a sitting position. If her cheeks hadn’t already have been flushed after Abbie’s discovery in the comfortable clothing box, they would have flushed now.

“Pregnancy brain,” she said.

Abbie wondered. Had Jess forgotten where the trousers were, or was the box search a ploy to keep Abbie still while Jess asked the difficult questions?

Nodding, as though she believed the excuse, Abbie grabbed the trousers and passed them to Jess. The mum-to-be put them to one side and started trying to remove her jeans. There was much heaving and puffing and sweating. It was difficult to watch.

“Let me help with that.”

As Jess muttered an embarrassed thank you, Abbie went down in front of the bed to assist Jess in undressing. While she worked, she caught the soon-to-be mother’s expression.

“What?” Abbie asked.

“Nothing.”

Abbie shook her head. Let it go.

Jess couldn’t.

“I don’t know how you cope.”

“They’re not that tight.”

“Not the jeans,” said Jess. “I’m pregnant, and you’ve put up with me. Then you see this ultrasound and deal with Eddie, and all the time you have your…”

Jess trailed off. Abbie looked into those wide, stricken eyes and could have slapped the mother-to-be.

“Don’t look at me like that.”

“Sorry,” said Jess, looking away. “I didn’t mean to look at you like anything. “

“It was twelve years ago,” said Abbie. “Every day, it hurts like hell. I’ll never get over it. But your pity won’t bring back my baby.”

Jess hung her head.

“You’re right. I’m so sorry.”

Guilt crept over Abbie. She felt like shit. She put a hand on Jess’ shoulder.

“Forget it.” She looked to the comfortable trousers at Jess’ side. “You need help with those?”

Jess shook her head.

“What are you going to do about that?” Abbie said, pointing at the ultrasound beside Jess.

“I don’t know. When Eddie comes back, we’ve a discussion to have.”

Abbie nodded. She didn’t know if she had made the right decision. This might impact Eddie’s ability to play ball later, but instinct had told her to be honest, and she always tried to trust her instinct.

For now, for Abbie, there was no more to talk about.

“Want a drink?” she asked Jess. “I can do hot chocolate.”

That drew a smile, but Jess said, “Water is fine.”

Nodding, Abbie disappeared into the hall. Pressing her head against the wall, she took a deep breath and prayed Eddie would arrive soon. Every second spent in the presence of that bump tore her heart into more and smaller pieces. She needed to escape.

Emotional turmoil aside, Abbie needed Eddie to arrive before she left to collect the package from Ben. If he didn’t, if Abbie didn’t get a chance to speak to him before midday, she had no idea what he would do during the end game.

She was building something. Her plan to destroy Francis was a precarious house of cards. One piece out of place, and the whole tower could come tumbling down.

And if that happened, it wasn’t just her and Eddie who were done for.

Twenty-Five

By 9.10, Eddie hadn’t shown, and Abbie had no choice but to leave to ensure she made