“Nova, I need to see you in my office.”
“Okay, but can I just check on Phyllis, she seems—”
“No! We need to talk. Now.”
Phyllis hurried outside. Never in her life had she been so desperate to get away from people. She turned and began to stagger toward where Craddock was tied up, and then she ground to a halt.
Ahead of her, Craddock was lying sprawled on the ground.
Phyllis ran toward the dog, dropping painfully to her knees. His eyes were closed but his whole body was shaking, as if he was having some kind of seizure, and she saw vomit dribbling out of his mouth.
“Craddock!” Phyllis cried, and for the second time in her life, she felt her heart break.
Chapter Eighteen
Nova
Nova walked into the office and placed the box of crafts on her desk. “Has something happened with Phyllis? I saw her running out just now looking—”
“Nova, sit down.”
Sandy’s face was grim, and Nova swallowed. Was Sandy about to tell her she was being sacked? Or worse, had the council already decided to close the community center? She sat in her chair, waiting for Sandy to speak again.
“A lady has just been to see me and made some very serious allegations. She said that you went to her house after her mother-in-law died, accompanied by Phyllis and what sounds like Arthur Robinson, and accused her husband of theft. Is this true?”
Nova felt a wave of sickness wash over her. No, no, no, this couldn’t be happening.
“Sandy, I can explain. I never meant for—”
“I don’t want excuses, just tell me. Did you or didn’t you visit Michael Watkins’s house?”
Nova felt her cheeks burn. “I did.”
“Shit!” Sandy reached for the worry beads round her wrist andbegan clicking them. “What were you thinking? You knew the police were investigating the missing money, so why did you stick your nose in?”
“I didn’t mean to get involved. We only went to the house because Phyllis said that Michael had died, and I wanted to pay my respects. But then when we got there, Phyllis started asking questions about him.”
“You realize this is a breach of our data protection policy?” Sandy said, lowering her voice. “The three of you used a visitor’s private address from our records, which I think is almost definitely illegal.”
“Oh God, I’d not thought about that.”
“No, clearly you didn’t think about anything.” Sandy sank back in her chair and pulled off her glasses, rubbing her eyes. “I thought things couldn’t get any worse after the incidents with Beryl, but then the roof money was stolen, and now this. You realize you might have just driven the final nail into the community center’s coffin?”
“I’m so sorry.”
“I took a chance on you, Nova. Even after your old boss told me what had happened in London, I still gave you a go here. And this is how you repay me.”
“Sandy, I’m—”
“I need to report this to the council, but in the meantime, you’re suspended with immediate effect.”
“No! Please, can’t we find another solution?”
“You haven’t left me with any other choice!” The woman’s voice had risen. “Tina wanted me to sack you for gross misconduct when you left the office unlocked, but I defended you. And within twenty-four hours, you broke data protection and upset a grieving woman so much that she’s making a formal complaint against you.”
“I was trying to help recover the money,” Nova said, although she realized how pathetic that sounded.
“I’ve got to call Tina now and tell her what’s happened. I’ll let you know the outcome in due course, but I think you need to prepare yourself for the worst.”
