He dropped the plate he was wiping, causing soapy water to cascade over the sides of the sink and onto the floor. ‘You’re being stupid now. Just throw it in the bin and forget it. Here.’ He grabbed the bin and removed the lid. ‘In the bin with it.’ She placed the nail back inside the card and dropped it into the bin. ‘Problem gone. Maybe it’s time to accept that Samantha has gone, just like that stupid fake fingernail. Right, are you going to help me? I have to get home soon and we have to get your dinner on.’
‘I can make my own.’ She wanted him to leave and he could sense it.
‘Don’t get all het up over that stupid card.’
She looked away, remaining silent. If he thought the card was just a prank then he was clearly working against her.
‘Do it yourself then! Talk about ungrateful.’ He wiped his hands, grabbed his coat and slammed the door as he left. He’d come to visit with all the best intentions and, as usual, he’d left on a bad note. She didn’t know how she managed to do something to upset him every time, after all he did for her. Her pained heart felt as though it might explode as tears filled her eyes. She was all alone, again.
Hobbling over to the bin, she removed the lid. The card had slipped amongst all the rubbish and old food, the rising stench almost making her gag. Samantha was out there somewhere. Her friend, the daughter she never had. She reached in, yelping in pain as she pulled the dirty card out and wiped it over with the dishcloth, making sure the little nail was still inside. She dried it off and hugged it close to her chest.Where are you, Samantha?
As Diane swallowed her sleeping pill, she stared at the card on the kitchen table. After her brother had stormed out of the door earlier that evening, she’d sat in silence, staring at the card.
She clasped her awkward fingers over the small box that she had fished out from under the stairs. She opened it, pulling out a photo of her and Samantha at the café in Sanders Park, Bromsgrove, after they’d just been for a walk. They’d become close. Diane had appreciated the company as her arthritis worsened. Samantha didn’t get on with her family and Diane never had anyone to speak to, except her brother. They’d formed an unlikely bond – the recluse and the party animal. Samantha would ask advice of Diane when it came to men, Diane being more worldly-wise would try her best to answer. Over time their friendship deepened – Samantha became the daughter that Diane never had.
A heavy tear plopped onto the photo that so badly reminded her of her loss, then she gazed back at the card. Who would send her that? Letters cut out from some magazine. Tear after tear began to wet the photo. She closed the box, the memories contained in it were still too painful.
Holding back her emotions wasn’t working. As she burst into tears, she picked up her anti-depressants. She wouldn’t need them in the morning. She needed to feel, to think, to work out what she was going to do with the card in front of her. Her sleeve slipped down. She’d hurt herself and no one cared. She’d cried for help and no one had listened. Tablets, that’s all she’d received as a replacement for human kindness.
She shivered as she picked up the nail. There was no telling whether it really belonged to Samantha. It was perfectly trimmed and clean, like someone had just polished it. Just like her brother had said, someone was probably playing a prank on her. She opened up her little box once again and delved to the bottom, pulling out the dried up nail varnish, the same one Samantha used all the time, the same shade Diane had bought her for her twenty-sixth birthday. Holding it up, she could see the shade was the same. Whoever was pranking her knew Samantha really well. She yawned and her eyelids began to droop. Her bed was calling.
She had to do the right thing but that would have to wait until tomorrow.
Ten
The log burner crackled and Ebony, her cat, lay out in front of it, enjoying its warmth. It hadn’t been too cool that evening but the emptiness in Gina’s house had left her cold. She took another crisp from the bag as she read over the case notes again. She and O’Connor had headed straight over to Aimee Prowse and Rhys Keegan’s address but no one had been home, so they’d left a card. The appeal had aired and Gina hoped that maybe something would come from it.
She glanced at the messages on her phone from Rex. What had she been playing at? She’d heard Jacob mentioning Tinder. He’d had a few dates and shared with her how much fun he’d had and she’d been curious.
It had been months since she’d had any meaningful company. Her daughter Hannah had moved house and was now living in Gloucestershire. Given that they were emotionally distant, she wondered if she’d moved on purpose to get away from her. She missed Gracie, her granddaughter, dearly. The log burner was no substitute for a family but it helped. The crackling sound eased the emptiness of deafening silence. The warm flickering flames and shadows licking the walls made her feel less alone.
Staring at the photos of Jade on her laptop screen, she shuddered as she bit into another crisp. As she glanced up, she almost choked as a face peered through the lounge window. Her pounding heart sent blood whooshing around her body. The man smiled and waved. She closed her laptop screen and hurried to the door.
‘What are you doing here? I’m working.’
Rex held the bottle of wine up. ‘I just wanted to thank you for a lovely night.’
‘I said I was busy and I am busy.’ She stood in the doorway, hoping he’d apologise and leave. How dare he turn up unannounced? ‘Look, Rex. I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong idea, I’m not looking to get involved with anyone at the moment so let’s just leave this here. Go home, enjoy your wine and check out Tinder. There are lots of other women who I’m sure would love to meet up with you, go out, share this wine.’
‘I really like you, Gina. You’ve barely given me a chance.’ He paused and smiled. ‘Anyway, I came over because I’ve lost my belt. I think I left it in your room. I’m sorry to disturb you.’
‘Okay, wait there.’ Leaving the door ajar, she ran up the stairs in her little cottage and searched through her clothes and under the bed, eventually finding the belt against the wall. As she gripped it, she flinched. Terry had once thrashed her with his belt. Laughing the house down as Hannah screamed in her crib. Not wanting sex was never an option and he showed her that. With trembling hands, she left the bedroom. Her ex-husband, Terry, was gone and he could never hurt her again. She’d made sure of it.
‘Here you go.’ Rex took the belt from her then he headed towards his car.
‘Thanks. I’ll message you,’ he called as he quickly entered his car and closed the door before she could reply.
‘Please don’t,’ she whispered under her breath.
Eleven
Aimee stared at the card that the police had left and turned it over. With the lights off, she gazed out into the darkness of the back garden. The rickety shed creaked every time the breeze picked up. Rhys had promised to fix it, he’d also promised to fix the kitchen cupboard, the lock on the bathroom door and the back gate. He always promised but never delivered. Nicole had constantly told her she was too good for him and that she’d changed since they’d been together. Slamming her hand on the worktop, she could see how his controlling nature had been so subtle at the beginning. He’d just seemed over-loving, overprotective. He made her feel safe and cared for. She didn’t feel safe any more. She now felt abandoned and suffocated at the same time.
She tried to call Rhys but once again he didn’t answer his phone. She shivered as she thought about Jade, the quietest woman at the party. Sitting alone, she’d kept herself to herself, not mingling at all. Aimee would never forget the look on the woman’s face when her name was matched with Rhys’s. And, since then, she hadn’t heard a thing from Rhys and Jade had been murdered. It was all over the papers and the police were trying their best to contact her and Rhys. She screwed up the card and threw it in the bin. She needed it all to go away.
She almost crashed into the chair as the neighbour’s dog began to bark like it was being attacked. ‘Get in, Barney,’ called the neighbour. With shaky hands, she pushed the kitchen window open a little further. Barney wasn’t a noisy dog most of the time. Her heart pounded. Maybe there was someone out there, lurking around the back of the fence. She swallowed as she thought of Jade and the fact that her killer was still out there. Her heart pounded as she leaned in closer to the window, staring out. A bang came from nowhere, followed by a rustling noise.
She slid the kitchen draw open and gripped a small vegetable knife, before crouching down behind the kitchen sink. Someone was coming, she knew it. She screeched as her phone lit up. ‘Rhys!’ she shouted, keeping one eye on the back door.
