The Woman at 46 Heath Street by Lesley Sanderson

Author:Lesley Sanderson [Sanderson, Lesley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: thriller
ISBN: 9781786818904
Goodreads: 44091904
Publisher: Bookouture
Published: 2019-03-28T00:00:00+00:00

Twenty-One

ALICE

The husband came round yesterday. It was a close call. Ella wanted me to meet him, but I don’t think it’s a good idea. It’s best if I keep myself nice and separate. That way, he can’t associate me with her and accuse me of interfering. If only he knew.

Ella was stressed after his visit, so I made her a gin and tonic with a slice of lime. I stuck to tonic, my glass piled high with chunks of ice. Evenings are getting chillier as winter approaches, but I felt closer to her outside.

‘He wants to sell the house.’

I rattled the ice around in my glass. I wasn’t expecting that.

‘He said we should both have a fresh start.’

‘Don’t do it,’ I said, and she looked surprised. ‘It’s a trick. Think about it. Gorgeous house, worth, what, at least a million and a half, in one of the most desirable areas in London. He’s having an affair. You’ve changed the locks and it’s unsettled him. He didn’t expect a fight from you, did he?’

‘Probably not. He implied I’m falling apart, imagining things.’

‘My point exactly. He wants you out and her in.’

Her pale grey eyes widened and her bottom lip wobbled. She was sat with her back to the garden and her white jumper glowed as the light faded and the plants and bushes around us morphed into indistinct shapes. Moonlight danced on her fine blonde hair, which hung to her shoulders. It has grown since I first met her and it suits her heart-shaped face. ‘He’ll deny it, but I bet that’s his game.’

Ella drank eagerly, as if she wanted the ice-cold liquid to freeze out the problems piling up around her. I refreshed her drink twice more over the evening, and it was sweet the way she loosened up, got giggly; I’d never seen her like that before. Her face was beautiful when she smiled and it stirred up feelings inside me but I forced myself to focus on my real purpose. Ella is an unexpected diversion I can do without.

I spread my plan for the garden out on the table and talked her through my ideas: flower beds, a small vegetable patch, a lawn and a decking area. Wind raced through the garden and all the vegetation moved in a blurred mass. Ella’s movements were jerky and she made enthusiastic noises. I went along with her pretence that she was taking it all in, ignoring the fact that she was obviously drunk.

‘I just want lots of flowers, like Nancy used to have,’ she said. ‘There must be some photographs somewhere. Hidden in this house. So much is hidden in this house.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Lots of flowers, that’s what I mean.’ Her voice was loud and the cat twitched awake and stretched before deciding it was safe to go back to sleep.

‘Look at you,’ Ella said. She clasped her glass between both hands and stared at me with those grey eyes framed by dark eyelashes. The intensity of her gaze made me look away.

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