Almost a Crime by Penny Vincenzi

Author:Penny Vincenzi
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: The Overlook Press
Published: 2011-07-29T04:00:00+00:00

Octavia stood leaning on the desk, thinking she would never again be able to look at answering machine without feeling sick.

She would have said, had anyone asked her, that nothing could have upset her further; but the news, delivered in Charles Madison’s gentlemanly voice, that Louise had taken an overdose and was in hospital, had horrified her almost beyond anything. In that first moment, and for a few moments more, she remembered Louise not as treacherous enemy but loyal friend, loving, kind friend, saw her face not obscenely twisted in misery and revenge, but sweetly, generously smiling.

Then she moved on; remembered with her emotions as well as her mind, squared this new horror up with the new hatred and was surprised to find she was still upset and shocked.

She thought of Sandy, poor, innocent, well-meaning Sandy; of Charles, faced with a double loss; of Dickon, most of all: he had had to endure so much in his rather sad little short life. And of Tom: what would this do for him, how would he feel, would he be grieving, shocked – and did she care?

The phone rang sharply; she picked it up.

‘Octavia Fleming.’

‘Octavia? It’s Tom.’

‘Is there any more news yet? Of Louise?’

‘No. She’s still alive. Can’t tell you any more than that. Sorry.’

‘Yes, you must be. Sorry, I mean. Where are you?’

‘At the hospital.’

‘Oh, I see. Yes.’

‘Octavia, are you all right?’

‘I’m absolutely all right. Yes. Of course. First I find it’s my best friend you’re having an affair with, then I hear she’s tried to kill herself.’

‘What did you say to Louise last night?’

‘That is nothing to do with you.’

‘Of course it is.’

‘It is not. Look – let me know if there’s any more news. I’ll be here till tonight.’

‘You – wouldn’t think of . . .’

‘Wouldn’t think of what?’

‘Well, coming here? To the hospital?’

‘No,’ she said, and her voice was very hard and flat now. ‘I absolutely wouldn’t think of it.’

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