Daria's Daughter by Linda Huber

Author:Linda Huber [Huber, Linda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Hobeck Books
Published: 2021-02-22T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 25

Liane strolled round the first group of paintings, Steve a few steps behind her. The Gallery of Modern Art was bang in the middle of Glasgow city centre, not an ideal place to park, so they’d left the car on the other side of the river and walked across the footbridge into town. The gallery was busy without being crowded, and Liane breathed in deeply as she went from one image to the next. Such colours – they reminded her of a Monet exhibition she’d been to once.

She stepped back to better admire a canvas of green and purple swipes and smudges that brought the rural scene to life. She’d expected to enjoy Steve’s company; enjoying the paintings too was an added bonus.

‘I can’t believe how fabulous these are. I wouldn’t mind a couple of prints for the walls at home.’

Steve joined her. ‘We can have a look in the shop on the way out. Tall trees seem to be a theme of his, don’t they? Which would you choose?’

Liane gazed around. Here, with Steve – it was right. Easy. They were on the same wavelength about enjoying the paintings for the colours and landscapes without looking for deep hidden meanings.

‘This one of the river, I think. Look at the light in it – you can almost feel the sunshine.’ Liane’s phone vibrated in her pocket and she pulled it out. Yikes.

‘It’s Daria. I’d better take it.’ She stepped into an empty corner and tapped to connect, apprehension crowding in. Frith and Daria had been busy with a jigsaw when they left an hour ago – surely nothing had gone wrong?

Daria’s voice was low and echoing. ‘Liane, Frith and I are at the park along from your house, in the loos. A man – Frith said he’s her dad – appeared when we were at the swings and I can’t get rid of him. He says he wants to take over from me and spend the afternoon with Frith. What shall I do?’

Liane pressed the phone against her ear as panic rose in her throat. Tony in the park? That wasn’t a coincidence; he must have been watching them. Waiting for his chance to – what? Take Frith? And what the shit was Daria doing, going to the park when she was on crutches?

‘Stay in the loos and keep Frith with you. I’ll come as fast as I can.’

Steve was beside her, his eyebrows raised. Liane strode to the exit, explaining as they went. ‘I don’t know what he’ll do. He talked about wanting to take her out somewhere the other day, but you know how little contact he had with her when she wasn’t well, and he’s so unreliable – I don’t want to see her hurt and I don’t trust him to look after her properly.’

This was when she needed the car twenty yards away and not over half a mile. They jogged down Queen Street and around back roads to the footbridge, Liane’s breath catching in her throat.

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