The Apartment by K L Slater

Author:K L Slater [Slater, K L]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781542023917
Published: 2020-04-27T16:00:00+00:00

26

After what seems like an age, Dr Marsden finally speaks.

‘My goodness.’ His bushy dark-grey eyebrows meet in the middle. ‘That must have been quite a shock for you to hear. That’s not good, not good at all.’

In the face of his calm reaction I feel myself relax just a touch. Could it be that Mark might have been mistaken after all?

‘I should have perhaps mentioned there was indeed an incident late last year. Very tragic it was. Tragic.’ He looks towards the window, his forehead creasing. ‘But it didn’t happen here at the house, my dear. And they weren’t staying in your apartment.’

‘Oh!’ I’m unprepared for the wash of relief that comes with his words, and yet, the situation is still very unclear. ‘Did . . . did they both die?’

‘There was a tragic accident. We were all very shocked here.’ His fingers drum the arm of the sofa and he shakes his head. ‘It was a very sad business indeed.’

He hasn’t answered my question.

Had their deaths left a vacancy at Adder House which Skye and I have now filled?

Even if we are in a different apartment, the very thought of it makes my flesh crawl.

I remember when I first met him at the coffee shop, he said someone had let him down so he was trying to fill the vacancy again. Surely he hadn’t meant someone had died!

‘What . . . what happened?’ I ask him.

‘Here we are, here’s the tea!’ Audrey announces brightly, walking in with a stacked tray. Skye bobs around behind her, scooting to sit next to me once she can overtake her.

I feel a bit out of breath. Shocked. But Dr Marsden smiles widely at his wife as if what we just spoke about means nothing at all.

‘Audrey told me a secret, Mummy.’ Skye’s face is alight with excitement.

‘That’s nice of her.’ My voice sounds flat, and my daughter’s excitement immediately dampens a little.

I can’t move past the fact that Mark was telling the truth after all. Dr Marsden is trying to talk around the terrible incident, but I can’t just leave it hanging there, unresolved.

If there’s nothing to hide, why didn’t he just tell me exactly what happened instead of talking around it?

A vintage Royal Albert teacup and saucer appears in front of my face and I look up to see Audrey there. She looks at her husband and back at me. ‘Milk, no sugar, I believe?’

‘Thank you,’ I manage, the china rattling in my hand.

‘What’s wrong, Mummy?’ Skye reaches for my other hand and I squeeze hers. For a little one, she’s so perceptive.

‘Mummy’s fine,’ Dr Marsden answers for me. ‘She’s just had a little shock, that’s all.’ He looks at Audrey meaningfully. ‘Local gossip-mongers at work again, I’m afraid.’

‘Oh no.’ Audrey puts down the tray and sits next to her husband. ‘People exaggerate, Freya. Please don’t take too much stock from idle gossip.’

‘I’d like to know what happened, though. For my own peace of mind.’ I look at Audrey, hoping to appeal to her woman to woman.

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