The Dream Job by J.M. Hewitt

Author:J.M. Hewitt
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Canelo
Published: 2024-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

24

HANNAH, SATURDAY

It’s gone ten p.m. when Lucas drops Hannah off at the mews.

‘Nice work tonight,’ he says, as he comes round to the passenger side and opens the door for her. ‘The Arpels are very grateful. Again.’ He smiles at her.

Hannah dips her head as she climbs out of the car. ‘It was nothing. It was… pure luck, I suppose.’

Lucas shuts the door. ‘You take care, Miss Hannah.’

She nods. ‘You too. Thanks for the lift.’

She hurries up the lane, through her gate, and inserts her key into the lock. She pushes on the door, jerking backwards when it only opens a couple of inches.

‘Mum!’ she calls. ‘Mum, the chain is on!’

It seems an age before she hears Marie’s footsteps padding down the hall.

‘Is that you, Hannah?’ she asks.

‘Of course,’ Hannah replies, impatiently. ‘Who else is it going to be?’

She moves from foot to foot while Marie slides the chain.

‘Is everything okay?’ Marie opens the door just wide enough for Hannah to pass through, then peers out, left and right down the lane.

‘Yes, why wouldn’t it be?’ Hannah slips her trainers off.

‘What was all that about, earlier?’ Marie asks.

Hannah moves down the hall to the kitchen. ‘Alina’s daughter was missing. She found her, though.’

‘Alina…’ Marie follows her. ‘The woman from the gallery… The daughter who had the accident?’ Her voice is sharp.

‘Yes. I helped with the search. She’s okay, the girl. They found her, safe and sound.’

‘Who found her?’

‘We did. At that hostel, near the park.’ Hannah leans over to peer into the oven. Her heart sinks as she sees the jacket potato being kept warm in there.

‘They found the little girl, in the park?’

‘In the hostel. She’s fine, though.’ Hannah turns the dial on the oven to zero. The light fades to black, the plate of food can no longer be seen.

Marie has slumped in a chair and is looking out into the darkened courtyard.

‘Mum.’ Hannah goes over to her and crouches by her side. ‘Mum, what is it?’

‘Everything.’ Marie’s voice is curiously dull and blunt. ‘I don’t know if this is the best place for us to be.’

Hannah’s heart thuds uncomfortably. ‘What do you mean?’

‘This girl, the accident, poor Nita next door. Today there is another problem. And it keeps coming to our door, Hannah.’

‘This is London. Things like this happen. They almost always end fine.’ Hannah looks at Marie blankly. ‘Where is all this coming from?’

‘I want to take Oliver away, for a little while.’ Marie raises her chin, a determined look on her face now. ‘For a break. A holiday.’

Hannah opens the fridge and takes out her iced lemon water. ‘I don’t know if I can take time off from the gallery. Maybe in September, after the summer rush.’

Marie doesn’t answer. The only sound in the room is the water being poured.

‘I meant… Maybe I could take him away for a while,’ says Marie after a long pause.

‘Without me?’ Hannah can’t believe what she’s hearing. She would never dream of taking a vacation without Marie.

‘Just for a while,’ says Marie.

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