One Fatal Secret by Jane Isaac

Author:Jane Isaac
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Canelo
Published: 2022-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 33

Nicole stood on her lawn and surveyed the groups of people sipping wine around her. Cerys, her next-door-neighbour, with her family beside the garden gate. Irene from across the road, sitting on the patio with Carla. A huddle of Ethan’s associates from the golf club. Endless Harrison Dunbar employees. Catering staff floated around, offering canapés on round trays. This wasn’t how she’d imagined the day of Ethan’s memorial would unfold.

Two hours ago, they were in a stone-cold church listening to a vicar eulogise about what a devoted husband and father Ethan was and how he was committed to his work, his clients. People dabbing their eyes with tissues. Now, hats and sunglasses protecting them from the blistering sunshine, the congregation looked like they were at a garden party.

It didn’t help that her mother kept referring to the day as a celebration of life. A celebration of life for someone that had passed in a tragic accident. Only he hadn’t passed. He was still very much alive. And all Nicole could think was, she was carrying a secret. A secret none of them knew. And it was so big, so cumbersome, that it was crushing her from within.

Ethan was in danger. He had to be. It was the only explanation for this mess. And, as she glanced around again at his colleagues, she was reminded of Ania’s concerns. Had something happened at the company? The intelligence agent in the churchyard, the man outside her house, the contract given to Carla. Put together, it did sound dubious. Not to mention Conrad and the sleeping pills…

She’d seen Ania, standing at the back of the church earlier, but the woman hadn’t come to the house afterwards. Was that because of the Harrisons, the company employees, or for another reason?

A hand on her forearm. Nicole blinked, jolted back.

‘Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to surprise you.’ It was Ellen, David’s receptionist. ‘You looked lost there for a minute. Are you okay?’

Nicole quickly recovered herself. ‘Yes, how are you?’

‘Fine,’ Ellen said. She smoothed down her black shift dress. ‘It was a lovely service, the eulogy was beautiful. So Ethan.’

Nicole cleared her throat, sharp and dry, and thanked her. Ellen rambled on about the weather, the garden and how pretty the house was. Nicole tried to nod politely, the words washing over her. Ask her about the company, Ethan’s clients. If Ethan’s situation was connected to the company, she owed it to him, more than ever, to try to find out more.

Nicole cleared her throat. ‘How are things at the office?’ she asked.

Ellen looked surprised by the question. ‘Okay,’ she replied, patting her French plait with her free hand. ‘It’s difficult.’

‘It must be hard, reallocating Ethan’s workload.’

‘That’s not really my department. David’s been organising it.’

‘Difficult for you though,’ Nicole said. Heat crept up her neckline. God, she hoped she looked more casual than she felt. ‘Having to work out who’s doing what. Especially with that new client Ethan was working with. I feel sorry for whoever inherits that file.

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