‘Snacks. I was thinking there’s some leftovers from the dinner. I can make you a sandwich.’
With everything that had happened she’d almost forgotten it had been Fraser’s big night. ‘How did it go?’ she asked belatedly.
He nodded. ‘Good. I think. A couple of people seem serious about meeting up in the new year. But I need a far bigger investment than I first thought now that I’ll need premises as well.’ They looked at each other and then quickly away.
‘I hope that all works out for you. Anyway…’ She pointed at the car. ‘I’d better go. Thanks for the offer of a snack, but I’ll probably stop on the way home.’ He didn’t say anything. ‘Right. Bye then.’ Liv reached for the door handle but something stopped her. She turned back and Fraser pulled away slightly. Was he expecting her to take a swipe at him. She knew she probably came across as unpredictable but really? ‘Look it’s only you and me. There’s nobody here to overhear anything. Please tell me straight: was it just me or were there loads of women that you did it to?’
Fraser frowned. ‘Did what to exactly?’
‘Ghosted. When you ghosted me was I the only one or was it some sort of revenge on English people because of Lizzie?’
‘Honestly, Liv, I’m hearing the words but I canny make any sense of them.’
‘You’re still going to deny that you were ever on that dating app and that we connected. You can’t just say, “Hands up, yeah you got me. I led you on and then I deleted my account.”’
He shifted in his seat so he was looking straight at her. ‘Do you really believe that I knew you before you came here?’
‘Yes! Because you did.’
‘Right and what? We went out and then I chucked you?’
‘No, it was only on the dating app. We were a match. We messaged for a few weeks and then a few days ago you deleted the account…’
Fraser’s eyes were getting wider and wider. ‘I deleted my account over a year ago because I didny match with anyone. Callum said it was because I’d used Ginger as my profile picture. I thought it was funny but apparently it’s not.’
Either he was an exceptionally good actor or she had to face the fact that Fraser Douglas really didn’t seem to know anything about having the account she’d been interacting with. ‘You really don’t know what I’m going on about do you?’
He waved his hands about. ‘Have I not been saying exactly that?’
‘You have but quite honestly I didn’t believe you. Until now. But it was all of your details and your photo that was on there.’
‘Well it wasnay me. Can you show me on the app?’
‘No because you del—Someonedeleted the profile and when that happened I lost all the messages log. And before you ask, no I didn’t take a screenshot.’ Not that she hadn’t thought about it, but it had seemed a bit sad to screenshot someone when it was barely a relationship. Although talking about it now brought back those same feelings. She looked at Fraser. He was a pain in the arse but there was something about him.
‘I’m a bit pissed off that someone used my details. I hope that doesn’t mean I’ve been hacked somewhere. I’d best check my bank accounts when I get back.’
‘Good idea. We probably need to find out who it was.’ Liv was going into Miss Marple mode.
‘I doubt we can do anything. And if the account’s been deleted that’s probably the end of it.’ He checked his watch. ‘Sorry, I should be getting back as I left everyone else with the tidying up. Have a safe journey home.’
‘That’s it?’
Fraser threw up his palms. ‘What were you expecting? Hell, woman, you accuse me of all sorts, expect me to come out and collect you from the police station and now what? I don’t know what you want from me.’
She didn’t really know either but it just didn’t feel like this was how it was meant to end. ‘We kissed,’ she blurted out. She wasn’t sure where it came from.
Fraser opened his mouth a number of times, making him look like a just-caught trout.
Liv waited but no words materialised. ‘Nothing?’ she prompted.
‘I don’t know what you want me to say.’
‘Forget it,’ said Liv and she got out of the van, slammed the door closed and got straight in the car.
The BMW was literally freezing: the inside of the screen had ice on it. She needed to put on an extra jumper until she got the heater going. But she needed Fraser to clear off because she didn’t want to get out of the car to go to the boot in case that meant she’d have to have another excruciatingly awkward conversation with him. Liv just needed to get away from Glendormie and Fraser as quickly as possible. She put the key in the ignition and turned it. Nothing happened. Had she done that wrong? She pulled the key out and peered around the side of the steering wheel. There was only one place to stick it so she tried again. Nothing. ‘Shit.’ She glanced over at the van and saw that Fraser was leaning forward and watching her. She waved at him. He buzzed down the passenger window and indicated for her to do the same. ‘Oh great,’ she muttered to herself. The window was too iced up so she opened the door.
‘Everything okay?’ he asked.
