* * * *
Gareth grabbed the bunch of flowers from the passenger seat before he locked his Porsche. There was a tall, dark-haired guy walking toward him as he approached the Smith’s house and as he passed, Gareth clenched his fists. He felt the stalks bend in his hand and winced. Was that the fucker Anna had been with on Saturday? Should he ask him? Gareth hesitated and then carried on walking.
It was the chubby slug of a wife who opened the door. Mrs. Hausfrau, wiping her hands on a pink apron. Who the fuck wore aprons this day and age? Gareth struggled for the name. Erin. He smiled and held out the flowers, keeping his grip above the broken stems.
“Hi, Erin, a little thank-you for a great party.”
“Oh, that’s very kind. Is Beth not with you?”
“No, just me.” Invite me in, you stupid bitch.
“Want to come in for a minute?”
“Only for a minute. I’m on my way to Beth’s.”
“We’ve had a policeman here,” Erin said as she closed the door. “Apparently something happened on Saturday night. He didn’t say what exactly but I think it was a robbery. They want to talk to everyone who came to the party. We had to give names and contact numbers. The detective’s only just left. Pity, because you could have spoken to him, saved him getting in touch with you.”
So not the guy Anna had been with. Gareth felt his muscles relax.
“I’ll ask Beth and Anna if they saw anything suspicious. Though we lost sight of Anna. Remember we couldn’t find her to share a cab home? Beth seems to think she hooked up with someone. I hope she did. She needs a guy in her life. Just wish she’d give up on the idea that it should be me.”
Gareth sighed and gave a rueful shrug of his shoulders. Erin appeared unmoved.
“I didn’t see Anna with anyone,” Erin said, her brow furrowing. “Did you, Simon?” The TV clicked off and Simon turned to face them. “No, I didn’t think she stayed very long. I hear congratulations are in order. Another family wedding. I wondered who’d be the ones to follow us. Well done, mate.”
“Thanks. Anna hasn’t taken it too well. Beth and I are worried she’s going to throw herself at someone unsuitable in an attempt to show us she’s okay about it.” Gareth paused. “I thought I heard her talking to a neighbor over the fence. Could she have gone next door?”
Simon laughed. “Well, we have octogenarians one side and the family on the other are away in the States.”
“The brother-in-law is supposed to be keeping an eye on their house,” said Erin. “I didn’t see him, though.”
But Gareth had heard him. His pulse jumped. “Do they have a cat?” 61
Barbara Elsborg
Erin looked at him as if he was mad. “Well, they’d hardly have deserted an animal if they were out of the country.”
Shit. “Oh no, of course not. It’s just that Beth and I thought we heard one in difficulty while we were in the garden. Maybe Anna climbed over the fence to try to help it.”
“Maybe, but it’s Beth who’s animal mad, not Anna,” said Erin.
And didn’t he fucking know it. She was driving him crazy about going to the rescue center to get a dog.
“Well, better be going. We must get together for a drink sometime,” Gareth said.
Like never. Then he remembered the engagement party. “I think my head’s coming unscrewed. We’re having an engagement party on Saturday at Drifters, the club in Borough. You’re invited of course.”
“Ooh, thanks. We’d love to come, wouldn’t we, Simon?”
“’Course.”
“Great.” Gareth plastered a smile on his face. At least he wouldn’t be footing the bill for the drinks. He’d arranged a discounted bulk entry into the club. There were lots of places to sneak away in there where he could have some fun with Anna.
The TV was back on before he’d left the room. Erin waited at the door for him to drive away, so Gareth had to go down the street, sit a couple of minutes and then drive back.
He crept up to their neighbors and
Gareth grabbed the bunch of flowers from the passenger seat before he locked his Porsche. There was a tall, dark-haired guy walking toward him as he approached the Smith’s house and as he passed, Gareth clenched his fists. He felt the stalks bend in his hand and winced. Was that the fucker Anna had been with on Saturday? Should he ask him? Gareth hesitated and then carried on walking.
It was the chubby slug of a wife who opened the door. Mrs. Hausfrau, wiping her hands on a pink apron. Who the fuck wore aprons this day and age? Gareth struggled for the name. Erin. He smiled and held out the flowers, keeping his grip above the broken stems.
“Hi, Erin, a little thank-you for a great party.”
“Oh, that’s very kind. Is Beth not with you?”
“No, just me.” Invite me in, you stupid bitch.
“Want to come in for a minute?”
“Only for a minute. I’m on my way to Beth’s.”
“We’ve had a policeman here,” Erin said as she closed the door. “Apparently something happened on Saturday night. He didn’t say what exactly but I think it was a robbery. They want to talk to everyone who came to the party. We had to give names and contact numbers. The detective’s only just left. Pity, because you could have spoken to him, saved him getting in touch with you.”
So not the guy Anna had been with. Gareth felt his muscles relax.
“I’ll ask Beth and Anna if they saw anything suspicious. Though we lost sight of Anna. Remember we couldn’t find her to share a cab home? Beth seems to think she hooked up with someone. I hope she did. She needs a guy in her life. Just wish she’d give up on the idea that it should be me.”
Gareth sighed and gave a rueful shrug of his shoulders. Erin appeared unmoved.
“I didn’t see Anna with anyone,” Erin said, her brow furrowing. “Did you, Simon?” The TV clicked off and Simon turned to face them. “No, I didn’t think she stayed very long. I hear congratulations are in order. Another family wedding. I wondered who’d be the ones to follow us. Well done, mate.”
“Thanks. Anna hasn’t taken it too well. Beth and I are worried she’s going to throw herself at someone unsuitable in an attempt to show us she’s okay about it.” Gareth paused. “I thought I heard her talking to a neighbor over the fence. Could she have gone next door?”
Simon laughed. “Well, we have octogenarians one side and the family on the other are away in the States.”
“The brother-in-law is supposed to be keeping an eye on their house,” said Erin. “I didn’t see him, though.”
But Gareth had heard him. His pulse jumped. “Do they have a cat?” 61
Barbara Elsborg
Erin looked at him as if he was mad. “Well, they’d hardly have deserted an animal if they were out of the country.”
Shit. “Oh no, of course not. It’s just that Beth and I thought we heard one in difficulty while we were in the garden. Maybe Anna climbed over the fence to try to help it.”
“Maybe, but it’s Beth who’s animal mad, not Anna,” said Erin.
And didn’t he fucking know it. She was driving him crazy about going to the rescue center to get a dog.
“Well, better be going. We must get together for a drink sometime,” Gareth said.
Like never. Then he remembered the engagement party. “I think my head’s coming unscrewed. We’re having an engagement party on Saturday at Drifters, the club in Borough. You’re invited of course.”
“Ooh, thanks. We’d love to come, wouldn’t we, Simon?”
“’Course.”
“Great.” Gareth plastered a smile on his face. At least he wouldn’t be footing the bill for the drinks. He’d arranged a discounted bulk entry into the club. There were lots of places to sneak away in there where he could have some fun with Anna.
The TV was back on before he’d left the room. Erin waited at the door for him to drive away, so Gareth had to go down the street, sit a couple of minutes and then drive back.
He crept up to their neighbors and
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