‘Georgie’s dad worked at the Ashworth Park,’ Meg said.
‘Really?’ Issy replied.
Georgie nodded, unsmiling. ‘For twenty years.’
‘Wow, he must be one of our longest-serving employees. Did he retire?’
‘Not exactly.’ Georgie bit her lip, brow furrowed.
‘Tell her, Georgie,’ Meg said.
Georgie shot her a look.
Issy glanced from one to the other. ‘Tell me what?’
‘Georgie’s father had an accident at work—’
‘Meg—’ Georgie interjected.
Issy frowned. ‘An accident? At the hotel?’
‘She doesn’t want to know—’ Georgie said to Meg.
‘Idowant to know,’ Issy said. ‘Please tell me, Georgie. I’m listening.’
Chapter 37
The sun was orange in the western sky as Meg pulled into the driveway of thirty-seven Barton Drive. Georgie sat in the passenger seat, looking pensive.
‘You okay?’ Meg asked, the conversation with Issy still front of mind. Issy had listened quietly as Georgie recounted the events surrounding her father’s accident. The pitiful workers’ compensation. His ongoing pain. The addiction that followed.
‘Yeah, fine.’ Georgie rubbed her face. She stared through the windscreen at the garage door. ‘Did I tell you Mum and Dad got an offer for the house?’
Meg frowned. ‘They did? Who from?’
Georgie shrugged. ‘Dunno.’
‘I didn’t know it was on the market.’
‘It wasn’t.’
‘Are they going to take it?’
‘Nah, they won’t be able to afford anything else in Hartwell and Mum’s business is here so …’
‘How much was the offer?’
‘Two hundred and fifty thousand. Mum reckons that’s low.’
‘Interesting.’ Meg made a mental note to tell Pete when she called him later.
Something was still bothering Meg about their conversation with Issy at the pub. There’d been a coldness in her demeanour at first when she’d asked Georgie about Hugh. Did Issy suspect he was cheating with Georgie? The sight of Georgie creeping away from that hotel room flashed in Meg’s mind.
She cleared her throat. ‘Can I ask you something?’
‘Sure.’
‘Is there something going on between you and Hugh Thorburn?’
