After eating, Liv looked at her watch and realized more time had passed than she thought. She whispered a quick farewell to the waves, before climbing the steps and squeezing back through the gap in the wall. She panted as she jogged to the bus stop and waved at the driver who was already pulling away. The brakes of the bus screeched and the doors hissed open. ‘Hvala,’ she croaked breathlessly and sunk into a spare seat.
The bus set off again and she flicked on the air-conditioning above her seat, letting the cool breeze lift her hair.
Back at the hotel, Liv wanted to make sure Marlon wouldn’t be around to notice Essie’s absence when she came to leave.She explained to the man on reception that Ms Starling would like her car to arrive thirty minutes earlier than planned.
He clicked a few buttons on his keyboard. ‘Ms Starling would like this, or Ms Green?’ he said, fixing her with a stare. ‘It’s very strange because Ms Green’s hotel room hasn’t been slept in whereas Ms Starling’s suite has been used. My fiancée asked me to get her autograph, but I haven’t seen her once. She is like the Invisible Woman.’
‘Some writers like to maintain an air of mystery,’ Liv said.
‘Hmm,’ he said quietly. ‘Do you have Ms Starling’s passport for me yet?’
Liv held his gaze, guessing he knew of her ruse. Usually, she’d try to bumble out an excuse or apology. Instead, she shook her head. ‘If she is the Invisible Woman, you wouldn’t be able to check her photograph anyway.’
‘This is true.’ He shrugged.
Liv tapped the desk. ‘Let me ask Ms Starling for a signed bookplate for your fiancée. And perhaps a special edition of one of her books, to prove that she really does exist.’
They shared a glance and he found a smile. ‘Thank you,’ he said. ‘I’m sure I’ll be able to sort out her passport details.’
Liv packed up the rest of her things. She cleaned her teeth and shoved her phone into her bag without checking it. She stuffed as many of the gifts as possible into her case, leaving the flowers and fruit behind.
In the foyer, she passed a signed copy ofThe River After Midnightto the man on reception then positioned herself under the staircase so no one would see her. When the car pulled up outside,Liv hurried out of the hotel and slipped into the back seat, sinking down out of sight.
It was only when she arrived at the airport and checked her phone that she saw the flurry of missed phone calls and messages from Jake.
Liv. Phone home. Urgent.
Chapter 20
Night Cream
Liv tried to call Jake back, but her phone battery was flat. At Dubrovnik Airport, she found a pay phone but couldn’t reach him. She left a voice message explaining her situation and advised him her flight was on time.
She spent the entire return journey home willing the plane to fly faster. The worried lump in her throat meant she couldn’t eat or drink any refreshments during the flight.
When she landed back at Manningham, Liv grabbed her luggage off the conveyor belt and jogged through customs.
Jake and the boys stood waiting with sorrowful faces.
‘Are you okay?’ Jake sped towards her.
Liv’s eyes alighted on the navy fabric encasing Johnny’s arm and holding it across his torso. His fingers poked out of the end, pale and limp. ‘What happened?’ she gasped.
‘Didn’t you get my calls and texts?’ Jake said. ‘I asked the hotel to push a note under your door. Johnny’s broken his arm.’
Liv’s face felt hot with guilt. She hadn’t checked her own bedroom when she left the hotel, only Essie’s suite. ‘I didn’t get the message,’ she said.
‘We should complain. I specifically told them to—’
‘It doesn’t matter. I’m here now.’
‘I slipped on some mud,’ Johnny said dolefully.
Mack stared at him. ‘You said you broke it playing footie.’
‘The ground was muddy.’
‘Okay, lads,’ Jake said. ‘Let your mum catch her breath. She’s only just landed.’ He took hold of Liv’s suitcase and frowned at its weight, testing it with his hand. ‘What have you got in there, more bricks?’ he said.
