Zach grabbed her case. ‘What have you got in here? Rocks?’ he said, before he hauled it down the stairs.
Grabbing her bags, Effie followed him. She knew she should fight this, but she was completely frozen under his glowering glare. From the way Zach had had the van on standby, Effie had a suspicion he’d come here with this plan all along. She couldn’t even call Clive as he was on a cruise. Although this whole charade stank of Zach’s malicious, petty nature, Effie couldn’t be one hundred per cent sure that Clive would back her. She didn’t want to think that maybe Zach was telling the truth.
Effie shivered at the thought of Zach taking over the business when Clive decided to retire. He’d wreak more havoc than he was currently as he threw Effie’s case into the back of a waiting van. The driver watched dispassionately as he smoked a cigarette.
‘What’s going on?’ Lola demanded as she hurried out of the café. ‘Effie?’
‘It’s none of your business,’ Zach snarled at her.
Lola pulled herself up to her full height and fixed Zach with a withering look. ‘As a member of the Polcarrow village committee it is my business. Also, as Effie’s friend. What are you doing?’
‘Lola, it’s—’
Zach cut her off. ‘It’s my business. Well, my dad’s,’ he admitted, ‘but I’ve done a check and nothing Effie is doing is in line with company policy, so I’m here to get things back on track.’
‘What do you mean company policy?’ Effie exploded. ‘I came and set this shop up with my own hands, it’s doing a roaring trade.’
‘It certainly is,’ Lola reinforced.
‘“Set up”, that’s the key phrase, you came here to set it up, which you’ve done and now you can go back and leave this branch to a professional.’
‘You? A professional?’ Effie scoffed.
‘Be careful or you won’t have a job to go back to in Penzance.’
‘How dare you talk to her like that!’ Lola exclaimed, stepping forward.
Effie sensed a crowd growing. There was nothing she liked less than a big fuss. She also didn’t want Zach to accuse her of having the village gang up on him.
Effie stepped forward and placed a hand on Lola’s arm. ‘Thank you for everything,’ she said quietly. ‘I’ll try and come back, soon, I promise.’
‘I don’t like that man,’ Lola said through gritted teeth.
‘But he is the owner’s son. Please, don’t make it any more difficult for me. I’ll chat to Clive when he’s back.’ A look passed between them; they all remembered how useful Clive had been at the book launch.
Instead of saying anything, Lola bundled Effie into a hug.
‘I’ll miss your hot chocolates and flapjacks,’ Effie said, wiping away a tear as she stepped back.
‘What about Jake?’
She knew she’d miss him too, but instead she shrugged. ‘He’s probably back with Tara. Maybe this is for the best.’
Lola didn’t need to say anything, but Effie knew she disagreed with every word.
With a quick glance over her shoulder and a wave at the loyal villagers and customers, Effie made her way round to the passenger’s side of the van and climbed in. The driver merely grunted at her and turned the ignition, speeding out of Polcarrow before Effie could even say a proper goodbye.
Chapter Forty-One
Zach’s henchman drove them through the winding Cornish roads as if Effie wasn’t there. He didn’t even acknowledge her, not even a glance or a single word. Although she was grateful he was keeping his eye on the road, she didn’t like the feeling that she’d been packaged up and sent away. The radio wasn’t even on. The silence in the van was oppressive as they lurched around corners. Effie wound the window down a notch in an attempt to relieve the tension.
She should have stood up to Zach. After all he was nothing more than a bully, but something about him had always put her on edge. It baffled her how someone as placid as Clive could have such a nightmare son. However, with the van on standby, Effie didn’t think any of her protests would have changed the outcome. Maybe this had been the plan all along? Maybe Clive just didn’t have the heart to tell her. She’d have to wait to speak to Maddie and hopefully her friend would have some information.
The Cornish countryside gave way to the outskirts of Penzance and soon the van was turning into Effie’s parents’ street. She gulped back a sob at the sight of it, the garden in full bloom, the cheerful gnomes beside the front door like a welcoming party. She hadn’t realised how much she had been enjoying her own flat, her own life, until now. Coming home felt like a massive step back.
The henchman stopped the van and pulled the handbrake up with a crunch. Effie wondered if he’d say something now, but instead a few more moments of silence passed before she opened the door and jumped out, glad to be out of the oppressive atmosphere. She pulled her bag onto her shoulder and made her way to the front gate. As she pushed it open, the front door opened and her dad stood there, a mug of tea in his hand and a puzzled expression on his face.
‘Effie, what on earth has happened, love?’ He placed the mug of tea down on the step as Effie hurried up the garden path, relief washing over her as he pulled her into a hug. It was only then that the tears rushed over the dam she’d built since pulling away from the shop.
