Tina looked up at John. ‘But there were and somehow Sasha ended up with them?’
John shrugged. ‘Your guess is as good as mine.’
Tina pushed the sun-catcher to John. ‘You’ll be wanting this to hand in too, like the money.’
John took a step back. ‘I can’t do that. There’s no proof that that’s where they came from. They weren’t reported missing so, therefore, can’t be returned. They belong to you.’
‘They do?’ Tina’s mind rushed ahead. ‘So, if they are technically mine, then, technically, I can do what I like with them.’
John smiled. ‘Whatever you like.’
‘I can sell them?’
‘If that’s what you want to do. And, if it helps, I know someone who would be happy to take them off your hands.’
‘You do?’
‘Yeah. A guy called Baz. He lives in Ireland now but he used to own a café in London.’
‘And he will buy diamonds?’
‘He’s got contacts. I’ve known him a long time. In a professional capacity.’
‘I think this may be one occasion where I don’t really want to know the whole truth.’
‘I think you may be right.’ Tina looked down at the sun-catcher. The excitement of the discovery faded and a warm feeling of realisation took its place. ‘I can help Nikolay after all.’
John’s phone vibrated and sounded out, the ring tone breaking the silence that had fallen between them. He pulled it from his pocket, looking at the screen.
‘Sorry, I need to take this.’
Tina went down to the kitchen to give him some privacy and to check on Dimitri.
His dark head was bent as he knelt in the sandpit, happily pushing a plastic seaside spade into the sand, withdrawing a scoop and letting the yellow grains cascade over the football.
She turned as John came in to the kitchen.
‘Look, I need to get off. Work,’ he said. He went out into the garden and again Tina looked on from the window. She watched John crouch down next to Dimitri. They appeared to be chatting, before John ruffled her son’s hair and made his way back into the kitchen. ‘Let me know if you want me to arrange someone to look at those diamonds.’
‘Can you take them with you now and sort it before you go away?’ She didn’t want to waste any time. ‘I want to get it sorted as soon as possible and then you can tell your boss not to worry. I don’t suppose they will argue with you, seeing as they aren’t keen on the idea anyway.’ She wrapped the sun-catcher in kitchen towel and handed it over to John. ‘I’ll text you over the bank details of the clinic. You can pay the money straight in. If there’s any left over, send it to Rozalina. She doesn’t have to know it’s from me. You can tell her it’s from Sasha.’
‘Nothing else?’
Tina considered for a moment. ‘Actually, if she asks, tell her the truth. If it was me, I’d want to know.’
John leaned forward and gave her a kiss on the head. ‘Take care of yourself, Tina.’
A sudden feeling of panic swamped her. He was going. Possibly forever. She hadn’t answered his question earlier. ‘John, wait.’ She put her hand on his arm. ‘You be careful too. Ring me.’
‘I can’t, I’ll be working.’
‘No, I mean when you get back. Call me. I’d like to see you again.’
He studied her, his eyes measuring every inch of her face, every ounce of her body language analysed. ‘You sure?’
‘Positive.’
Chapter 45
The next two weeks dragged. Tina mentally crossed each day off in her mind. She was looking forward to John coming home so they could make a fresh start of their relationship. One that would be free of the past and free of secrets.
By the fifteenth day, she had still not heard anything from him. She had even taken to checking her phone by calling it from the house phone, just to make sure it was working properly.
‘How are you today, pet?’ asked Mr Cooper as she came into the living room with a plate of shepherd’s pie she had made earlier that day.
‘I’m fine,’ she said, raising her voice several decibels to be heard. She smiled in confirmation.
Mr Cooper looked over his glasses at her. ‘You look as if you have the weight of the world on your shoulders. Is it that young man of yours?’
‘Of course not,’ said Tina, secretly marvelling at the elderly gentleman’s perception. He might be deaf, but there was nothing wrong with his eyesight. He took the tray from her and placed it on his lap, looking up at her with an expression that clearly said he didn’t believe her. She sighed and sat down on the footstall. ‘Okay, I confess. It is John.’