‘I’ve been a dick. I didn’t mean to say what I did about our pregnant neighbour. No wonder you didn’t want to tell me.’ He held her hand again and stroked it like he often did. Maybe she could feel it under all the sedation and she’d take some comfort that he was there for her. ‘Jennifer, I really love you and I’m sorry.’ He paused. ‘There’s something I didn’t tell you because… I don’t know. We both think marriage is an outdated institution but I saw you crying when your sister got married last year. It’s completely up to you but I want to know if you’d marry me? We don’t have to have any stuffy old vows and we definitely don’t have to change names. Or maybe if we don’t get married, maybe we can have an “I love you” ceremony. I don’t know what one of those is but we can be pioneers in its invention. I just want you to know how much I love you.’ He felt her fingers for the slightest of movement but there was nothing.
Leaning over he kissed her pale forehead and tidied up the rest of her matted, dyed red hair. Gently, he lay his head on the pillow next to hers. He caught a whiff of some spilled beige food on the pillow and ignored it as he inched closer to her. His heart jumped slightly as he thought, what if this was the very last moment he would lie next to her? Every day, he’d taken her company for granted. Now he realised, every moment you spend with a person you love, could be the last. Ultimately, those moments will run out so each one should be treasured. He closed his eyes and he imagined that they were at home, in bed. Jennifer was asleep next to him. Everything was normal. He pressed his closed eyes together, not wanting to open them and spoil the illusion.
TWENTY-TWO
Gina pulled up in a parking bay opposite Briggs’s cottage. His car was there and his kitchen light was on. If he caught her spying on him, she didn’t know what he’d do but she had to find out what was going on. He’d dropped her like a stone and she deserved the truth. Being told allows a person to move on, being in limbo is confusing. Her bitten nails were testament to that fact.
Someone opened the front door but Gina couldn’t see who was standing there. The bushes she’d parked behind had hidden her car well but they’d also blocked her view to the cottage door. Gina bit her lip as she opened her car door as quietly as possible. The interior light came on. She reached up and turned it off, hoping that whoever it was hadn’t spotted it in the darkness. As she stood, she could see that a woman had stepped out with Briggs’s dog, Jessie, and she was alone. Gina ducked as Briggs appeared at the door. He placed his hand on her shoulder and smiled warmly, then the woman left him and walked down the path with Jessie leading the way. The old dog waddled towards the edge of the nature walk that Gina had done with Briggs on many occasions.
Gina stood and watched as the woman waited for the dog to do its business, then just as she turned to come back, Gina ducked. That was the quickest walk ever. She imagined Briggs stirring the dinner while she took the dog out for the briefest of wees so that they could enjoy their evening of food, laughter and sex.
Cheeks burning, Gina remained in place. Her back was beginning to hurt. Slowly, she stretched up, just in time to see the woman stepping back into the house. Her long chestnut-coloured hair fell in the prettiest of waves. Was it Gina turning fifty that had done it for him? She was being silly. Her inability to commit to him had put the nail in that coffin. It was all her fault. She had lost the only good thing in her life. She had a daughter, she had a granddaughter but they weren’t all that close. The kitchen light went out. She had to know what was happening.
She crunched across the gravelly car park and hurried to his end of terrace cottage. Scurrying alongside the house, she peered through the side window to see the lounge. At first she saw the log burner and the low lighting, then she spotted the mezze board with dips on the coffee table. Then, by the entrance to the room, she saw Briggs with his arm around the woman, her head buried in his chest. That’s when she stiffened. A boy of about three or four years old ran in and Briggs lifted him up with a smile. That’s the one thing she could never give him.
As she took a few deep breaths, he went to look up. She moved as fast as she could but caught a plant pot. It fell from the wall, onto the path. Without hesitating, she ran as fast as she could back to the car. As the front door opened, she ducked. Footsteps moved closer and closer, then stopped. She couldn’t breathe. How would she explain to Briggs that she’d been at his house, spying on him? ‘Gina?’
Slowly, she stood to reveal herself behind the car.
‘I thought it was your car. What are you doing here?’
She ran to the driver’s side pushing past him and got into the car. He held his hands up but there was no way she’d stop. A wash of total humiliation inched through every part of her body. She was meant to be at home working on the case, instead she’d been caught spying on her lover. Or was he her lover anymore? ‘Idiot, idiot, idiot.’
TWENTY-THREE
MONDAY, 4 APRIL
Gina pulled up in the car park and turned off her engine. The school playgrounds were empty now, not like they had been several minutes ago. Groups of teenagers had been everywhere, but the bell had gone as had the crowd. Getting out, Gina inhaled the fresh Monday morning air. A damp grassy scent floated in the breeze. A group of kids came out of the sports block building carrying hockey sticks.
Her phone beeped.
Gina, why were you at mine last night?
She swallowed. Maybe she could tell him that she had some thoughts on the case so popped over. She saw the woman come out with the dog and realised he had company so left. But, she’d broken his plant pot and then hidden behind her car. Her cheeks burned with shame.
‘Guv?’
‘Wyre. Sorry, I was in a world of my own. I didn’t even hear you pull up.’
‘You okay?’
‘Yes, I was just thinking about the case. There were no sightings of Grant or Taylor last night. Still, neither of their phones are turned on and his silver Mercedes hasn’t flagged up but the Volvo has been taken away, for now. He’s keeping a low profile. We really need a break. Maybe the school has something to offer.’
‘Let’s hope so. Any news from Jacob?’
‘No, I tried to call him a couple of times but he didn’t answer. In fact, he cut me off. I’d say he doesn’t want to talk. I settled on sending him a message saying that I’m here for him should he need anything.’
‘That’s all you can do. I called the hospital.’
Gina grabbed her bag. ‘And.’
‘They mentioned Jennifer’s pregnancy. I don’t know if they should have told me that. Maybe they thought I was a relative. Jacob never said anything.’
‘That’s why Jacob must have rushed off the way he did. Something must be wrong. Did they say anything about that?’
Wyre shook her head. ‘They did say that she’s remained stable for a few hours now and some of the swelling has gone down.’
Gina smiled. ‘That’s good news.’
