‘What’s the matter?’ he asked urgently.
‘I’ve somebody here to talk to you.’ Fletcher handed the phone to a hesitant Adira. She swallowed, then spoke in a quiet voice.
‘Hi, Jasper.’
At hearing her, Jasper’s shoulders relaxed and a warm feeling whooshed through him. ‘Hey you, I called last night.’
His voice sounded warm and friendly, genuinely pleased to hear her. She wanted to cry, the deceit! And how naturally it came to him. Had she ever really known the true Jasper? The liar. Bastard.
‘I rang you yesterday, but your PA said you were out.’ Then she added with force, ‘With your girlfriend.’ It was out in the open now.
She heard an impatient snort come from Fletcher.
‘My girlfriend?’ Jasper frowned. Then it dawned on him. Zara, again. He could cheerfully strangle that bloody woman. He closed his eyes for a moment before speaking. ‘Adira, there is no girlfriend. Believe me.’
‘Really? Well, she’s just sent me a rather intimate picture which tells me otherwise,’ she replied, her voice rising, causing Fletcher to look alarmed.
‘Listen, I’m in the middle of a meeting, but I’ll ring later. OK?’ Jasper pleaded, whilst trying to work out what the hell the deranged woman had done.
‘Not OK,’ Adira said with force.
‘Please, I can explain, honestly,’ Jasper assured her.
She looked at Fletcher, who was still standing over her with his arms folded. She wanted to run out of here as far away as possible. Angry, hot tears stung her face.
‘Adira? Adira, are you there?’ The concern in Jasper’s voice just made it worse and she couldn’t speak, a huge lump forming in her throat. She just stood, frozen, looking at a confused Fletcher and listening to Jasper’s pleas. ‘Adira, don’t go! Please…’
But it was no use, Adira slammed down the phone and bolted, practically running down the hall.
Fletcher stared blankly with his jaw dropped as she bolted out of The Laurels.What the hell has gone on?
His first thought was to ring Jasper back, but then a more worrying one followed. Adira could be leaving this place right now and they may never see her again. The very notion made him cold. Without hesitation, he went after her, as fast as his poor old, arthritic legs would let him. Fletcher panted and heaved his weary body with might and determination to the field where Adira had parked her camper van. Thank God it was still there. He made his way over, his chest wheezing heavily. The door was open. He pushed it further, expecting to see Adira frantically packing, but to his utter dismay, he saw her flopped on the seating, in floods of tears.
‘Oh lass! Whatever’s happened?’ He came to sit next to her.
‘This is what’s happened, Fletcher.’ Adira passed him her phone, with the photo of the woman, lying naked in Jasper’s bed.
Fletcher squinted to examine the picture.
‘How do you know this was taken in Jasper’s apartment?’ He refused to believe the worst of his nephew. He just knew there must be a reasonable explanation.
‘Look at the framed picture on the bedside table,’ she replied flatly.
Fletcher’s eyes glanced sideways. Sure enough, a picture of himself was there. It must be Jasper’s bedroom. His heart sank.
‘I can’t believe this of Jasper.’ Fletcher was almost talking to himself in disbelief. ‘Wait till I get hold of him.’ He put his arm round her shoulders. ‘Promise me you won’t set off driving in this condition?’
‘No, but I will be going,’ Adira replied resolutely.
Fletcher nodded his head sadly. He felt like crying himself.
Jasper could have cried, with rage, as he began to comprehend what had gone on. Hehadto speak to Adira. But what if she’d already left? The vision of her setting off into the sunset, leaving Lilacwell behind, never to return, made his blood pump.
Taking a deep breath, he tried to think logically. If he rang her, she most probably wouldn’t pick up.
Somebody had to tell her the truth. Fletcher? No, it was too uncomfortable trying to justify how some woman was in his bed.
Cassie! He’d get hold of her. She’d be the most likely person who would know where Adira had gone, if she had left.
