Zoe stared and had to stop herself from laughing out loud. Maybe Chantal believed the defence she’d just given, but Zoe found that difficult to swallow. ‘A self-fulfilling prophecy?’
‘That’s it.’ Chantal halted on the path.
They were almost at the field that marked the boundary between Kestrel Cottage and the land that belonged to Hilltop. Zoe could see the foundations of Alex’s camping pods in the distance. In a few months, they’d be open. People would be camping there: families, couples…some would have dogs. If for no other reason, Zoe had to sort this problem because they couldn’t in all conscience have people pay to use their facilities knowing Lennon’s dog was in the vicinity, let alone Lennon himself.
‘All his life people have had it in for him – it’s no wonder he lashes out. How do you know this person didn’t provoke him? People like to do that with Lennon. Men see him as a challenge, they try it on. How do you know that’s not what this person did?It was a man, right? Because I’m sure if it was a woman, you’d be screaming at me right now.’
‘It really wasn’t like that,’ Zoe said, feeling awkward because she hadn’t been there to see what had actually happened between Heath and Lennon. All she had was Flo’s word and Heath’s. Even Ottilie only had that much information. For all she knew, Heath could have thrown the first punch. And who took anything Flo said seriously? Even Zoe, who hadn’t lived in Thimblebury for a year, knew that much. ‘I came because I didn’t want to see all this trouble landing on your doorstep.’
‘How about you go to this person and persuade them not to go to the police instead of coming straight to me and trying to get me to throw my own brother out.’
‘Well…’ Zoe replied helplessly, ‘surely he’s got a home to go to? He wasn’t planning on staying for good, so why can’t he just go home early?’
‘I won’t make him!’ Chantal snapped.
Zoe’s eyes widened again as Chantal turned to head back to Kestrel Cottage.
‘Don’t come and tell Nigel any of this because it won’t make any difference. He’ll take our side. And if your friend is determined to go to the police, then we’ll see how that plays out because there are always two sides to the story, and I don’t think your friend is telling it how it is.’
‘Chantal!’ Zoe called after her. ‘Wait!’
Chantal spun round. ‘Go away, Zoe! I thought we were friends!’
‘We are! I just?—’
Zoe watched her go. It was clear she wasn’t going to get anywhere with Chantal in this mood. Perhaps it would be better to let her go, give her time to calm down and reflect on what Zoe had told her. Maybe then she’d see sense, and maybe she’d go toLennon and tell him herself that he needed to leave – if only to avoid the stress of speaking to the police about it all.
As she turned to go back to the car she’d left at the gates of Kestrel Cottage, she watched Chantal walking up ahead. She didn’t look back once, but when Zoe glanced up at the house, she was certain she could see Lennon at the window. Was it unreasonable of her to feel a creeping dread at the notion he’d watched their altercation? Chantal was ready to defend him to the last, but he was her brother, and Zoe couldn’t help but be convinced that the Lennon she knew wasn’t like the Lennon the rest of the world had to deal with. No matter what Chantal said about unfairness and people pushing him into bad deeds, the fact remained that he still committed those bad deeds. As for Heath being the instigator, sure, she knew he had something of a temper on him – Ottilie had told her about it. But he was a settled man now with a baby son and a good life – why on earth would he bring trouble to their family in that way?
That wasn’t the only question swirling around her mind. What was her next move? Was there even a next move? Should she tell Alex about any of this? What did she say to Ottilie and Heath? Did she speak to her dad anyway, despite what Chantal had said? She could even go straight to the source of the problem and try to appeal to Lennon’s better nature, but she was fairly convinced he didn’t have one. Still, maybe that was the best option. Not now, however. If she went to the house now, Chantal would just see her off, and it might make her even more stubborn in the event that Zoe had to go to her again.
With no real solution, Zoe got into her car and headed to Hilltop – home, though as she turned the key in the ignition, she was beginning to wonder if that was where all this trouble had started. If she hadn’t been so keen to move in with Alex and Billie, she’d still be in Kestrel Cottage, and Lennon would be…wherever it was he’d come from. He certainly wouldn’t be inThimblebury, and as far as Zoe could see, that would be a win–win for everyone who lived here.
23
Zoe arrived home to find Billie sleeping and Alex in his office. His workload had increased over the past few weeks as the opening of his pods drew closer. It hadn’t been ideal that the opening was scheduled so soon after the arrival of Louisa, but he’d done his best to juggle things so that he had time to spend with the three women in his life. Any other night might have seen her disappointed to walk into a quiet house, but today she was far too preoccupied to worry about it. In fact, she decided as she shed her coat and boots, it was a good thing. She needed to catch up with Ottilie, and it would be easier to have the conversation with nobody to overhear.
Before she picked up the phone, she went upstairs to check on everyone. Billie didn’t stir when Zoe put her head around the door, though it was encouraging to see her hair was wet, meaning she’d had a shower. Then she went through to Alex’s office and tapped on the door.
‘Yeah? It’s all right, you can come in, you know…’
‘Hey…’ Zoe went in and kissed him. ‘How did you guess it was me?’
‘Those dainty footsteps on the stairs? I’d know them anywhere. How was your day?’
‘Um…’ Zoe faltered. If she was going to say something, the time was now. If she didn’t, would she regret it? If she didn’t and Alex found out, would it seem like she’d been trying to hide things from him? That was exactly what she was doing, of course, but only to keep the peace. It might not seem that way to Alex, however. It was hard to know how he’d see it, but in the best-case scenario, it might seem as if Zoe didn’t trust him to behave like a rational adult. But she kept thinking about Heath’s bloodied face, and every time she did, it silenced her. ‘It was…it was fine. You know, enough stress to be going on with, but nothing I can’t cope with. How about you?’
He stretched his arms above his head and smiled. ‘I got a lot done, actually. Billie seems brighter today too. She let me watch Louisa while she had a shower. I’d call that progress, wouldn’t you?’
‘I would,’ Zoe said. ‘I’m glad. And did you enjoy your grandad time?’
‘I did!’ he said, his smile spreading. ‘I’m sure she smiled at me. You said they don’t smile for ages yet, but I could have sworn she did.’
‘Maybe she did,’ Zoe replied, going to the door. ‘We don’t always know everything, you know. I’m going to make a drink – do you want one?’
‘I’m good for a while. I thought we could eat those leftovers from the fridge. Sorry I haven’t cooked. Been a bit busy.’
‘Leftovers will be fine. How long will you be?’
