Page 78 of How To Not Need You

I only notice because Popcorn protests, muttering something about biscuits as Wren pushes back her chair and crosses the room. She doesn’t say anything. Just walks straight towards the board, her attention fixed on a photograph of the man. I don’t even know where it came from. My picture only had him in the hug without showing his face. This one is him standing alone out front of the shop.

Huh, maybe Ben has been doing more spying whilst he took a few days off.

The rest of the conversation carries on around her for a few seconds. Luca is still talking. Ben interrupts him. Harper tells them both to shut up. But Wren doesn’t seem to hear any of it.

She leans closer to the board, head tilting slightly as she studies the man standing beside Rebecca. Something changes in her expression. The easy amusement she’s worn most of the evening disappears, replaced by a small crease between her brows.

That gets my attention. Her fingers come up to rest against the edge of the photograph.

“Hang on.” The room slowly quietens. Wren looks from the photo to us, then back again.

“I know him.”

Everyone turns their focus to her.

“His name is Jarod Hein.” Wren’s voice is calm and certain. “He’s been to Second Chances a few times recently. His mother's dog passed away, and he's been donating the supplies she no longer needs.” She pauses. Looks at Natalie. “Rebecca was with him once.”

Natalie goes pale. The colour leaves her face as Wren watches her with a look of concern.

Natalie, still catching up to what she’s just said, asks: “At the sanctuary?”

Then Wren nods her head. “Yes. Just once. I honestly forgot he wasn’t alone when we discussed it before.” Her mouth tightens. “Rebecca was so unpleasant about Popcorn that it distracted me entirely. She called him a nuisance. Said he belonged in a zoo.”

Right on cue, Popcorn ruffles his feathers and announces, “Asshole.”

The room breaks into chuckles, the kind that comes from nerves as much as humour. Ben snorts into his beer. Even Adrian’s mouth curves.

The laughter dies almost before it’s begun.

Wren’s still looking at the photograph. “I saw them kiss in the car park.”

The room goes silent once more. Natalie’s hands go flat on the table, like she’s holding herself in place. Her face doesn’t crumple or twist. She just goes very, very still.

I guess suspecting something and having someone else confirm they saw it are two different things.

Natalie already knew Rebecca was cheating. We all did. But Wren hadn’t been following her. She hadn’t been looking for anything. She’d just seen them together and remembered it.

Wren’s shoulders drop. “I’m sorry. I didn’t connect it before. I couldn’t see him clearly in the other picture and I only just recognised his face in this photograph.”

Ben puffs up in pride. “I spotted the guy yesterday and thought it may help so I took a photo.”

Well that explains that. Kind of. Still seems like we are on the fringes of legal right now.

Natalie shakes her head. Her voice, when it comes, is steady but small. “It isn’t your fault.”

Nobody argues with her. Nobody rushes to fill the silence with platitudes or reassurances. Harper reaches across the table and puts her hand over Natalie’s. Now we have a name at least. Jarod Hein.

A piece of the puzzle that wasn’t there before, and now that it is, everything changes slightly with the new information.

Ben has his phone out before anyone else moves, thumbs already flying across the screen. His thumbs move across the screen with a focus I’ve only seen him apply to two things: fire emergencies and apparently, internet stalking. I watch him and feel something between amusement and concern.

“You’re enjoying this far too much,” I say.

“I’m helping.”

“You’re almost salivating at the drama.”

“I can do both.” He doesn’t look up. “Multitasking. It’s a skill.”