No Longer Safe(98)

‘I’m waiting for Stuart.’

I didn’t tell her I was also still here because I had questions – sack-loads of them – I needed answering. ‘How’s the arm?’ I said.

She stroked the bandage with care. ‘Nothing that won’t heal.’

‘What a morning,’ I said, lying back, my hands over my eyes.

‘Mark really takes the biscuit. I can’t believe he came out with everything,’ she said.

‘Was he telling the truth?’

‘About having a child with the math’s tutor?’ She sniffed. ‘Oh, yeah. I knew about that alright. Saw them scurrying around together plenty of times. I knew she was pregnant, too.’

I sat up. ‘And you and him?’

‘I wasn’t sure if you knew,’ she smiled. ‘You were Jodie’s chief spy, after all.’

‘Not a very good one.’

‘I don’t think being deceitful comes naturally to you, Alice.’ She threw me a ravishing smile. I swallowed, filled with sadness for the friendship that never truly existed.

‘I can’t believe he did that to Jodie,’ I said softly.

She folded her arms, then realised it was too uncomfortable.

‘He needs some serious help,’ she said. ‘The compulsive gambling has made him a nightmare to be around.’ She wrinkled up her nose. ‘He got seriously hooked soon after we left Leeds, I reckon. He’s really gone downhill. Become aggressive, rude – turned into a complete tosser, don’t you agree?’

She was skirting around the issue.

‘Totally, but what about cheating on Jodie?’ I said. ‘Right from the start he’s been a complete sleazebag…all those years…and you…’

She didn’t say anything, wouldn’t engage.

The air between us chilled a fraction. ‘We should have said something. I should have said something,’ I corrected.

‘Jodie could only be blind and stupid not to know he’s always fooled around. She didn’t want to see it, that’s all.’

‘How did you know about his gambling problem?’ I asked.

‘You get to learn a lot in prison. I recognised the signs. I didn’t say before, but I was in touch with him when I came out; it was just after he had a big win at blackjack. I bumped into him in Soho. He let slip that he was on a “winning streak” and was heading for the local casino. He was trying to impress me, I think.’

She laughed. ‘That’s when I decided he owed me and put forward my demand for the ten thousand quid. I was skint after prison. I threatened to tell Jodie everything – the affairs, his secret love-child and the gambling too.

‘At the time he was terrified, but he knew I meant business. He handed it over once he got here. But, obviously, he seems to have changed his mind about Jodie, after all this time together. He decided he wanted his money back and didn’t care about what she knew, anymore.’ She sent her eyes up. ‘That’s what the truth or dare charade was all about.’

‘Why have you been friends with Jodie all this time?’ I asked her. ‘Did you use her, too?’

She winced with the pain in her arm and sat forward. ‘Had a soft spot for her, that’s all. She’s smart in her own way, if you cut through the silly girly façade. She’s much better when she’s not with Mark.’

‘Does she know where you were in the last few years? Does she know you were in jail?’

For some reason it was important to me. She glanced down at her hands. ‘No – no one knew – we didn’t keep in touch after Uni. I only saw Mark again, by accident.’

I was gratified; they weren’t really friends, then.

‘I need to feed Mel,’ she said, getting up.

‘Can I do it? Can I help?’

‘You can come up if you want.’ She moved gingerly, her shoulders rounded, looking like her whole body had taken a battering.

Mel didn’t move as Karen approached the cot. Her eyes were almost glued together with yellow crusts of sleep. I didn’t say anything, but it obviously wasn’t normal. Karen picked her up and her head flopped to one side. I snatched a breath. ‘Is she okay?’

How much had she given her?

‘She’s just sleepy from the medication,’ Karen said.

We went down to the kitchen and while Karen prepared Mel’s milk, I tried to wake her up, rolling toys across the table to her highchair, tickling her in an attempt to bring her back to life. Even though her legs were kicking and her arms were flapping about, her focus continued to waver, as if following an invisible insect around the room.

‘So, Mel is your second child. You gave her the same name…’ It felt a bit morbid, somehow.