Her New Best Friend by Penny Batchelor

Author:Penny Batchelor
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Embla Books
Published: 2023-03-20T00:00:00+00:00

~14~

The kitchen is filled with the delicious smell of mushroom Wellington cooking alongside roast potatoes in the oven. We’re having a special Sunday lunch to celebrate me getting the freelance accountancy work contract, which will start in a month’s time.

I’m happy to do the cooking today as it gives me the chance to listen to my kind of music on the radio and for James to have some one-to-one daddy time with Wilfred and Antonia. I smirk as I wonder whether, once he starts his two weekdays looking after them, he’ll be as enthusiastic at 7 a.m.

I’m steaming the broccoli and carrots when my mobile rings. It’s Rob. He skips over the pleasantries and cuts straight to the chase.

‘I’ve been doing a bit of digging on Clingy Claire.’

‘Really? Why? Have you found anything?’ I’m balancing my phone between my shoulder and cheek to keep my hands free for cooking. The steam leaves a fine mist on my face.

‘I thought there was something very odd about her, the way she turned up when I was visiting you and she wouldn’t take the hint to leave.’

‘She carried on not taking the hint for a few days afterwards but I think she’s finally got the message now. I think she’s just lonely and a bit needy.’

‘I felt it was more than that. There’s something not quite right about her behaviour. You can be too nice, Audrey. Some people in this world aren’t. Her name is Claire Jones, right?’

‘Yes.’

‘That made it difficult from the start to track her. Handy for her isn’t it that she’s got two very common names. I went through pages and pages on Facebook and Twitter and didn’t find anyone that could be her.’

‘You’ve been searching for her on the internet? She might have tight privacy settings or not be on social media. A lot of twenty-somethings aren’t on Facebook anyway.’

‘I couldn’t find her anywhere. How can you get to her age without a digital footprint? I also couldn’t find any trace of her working at a local business. Where did she do her degree?’

‘I’m not sure, somewhere in London I think. She definitely said she studied business but never said where.’

‘I’ll have a look at unis in London.’

‘They’re not going to give out her details though are they, confidentiality laws and all that. Aren’t you going a bit far? What is it you’re trying to find out?’

‘Audrey, you’re my best friend and Antonia is my god-daughter. I’m looking out for you. Something about Claire just doesn’t feel right to me. That woman is weird. I don’t want her causing you any trouble. What if she’s got a background of psychiatric instability?’

At that I laugh. ‘That had never occurred to me, so thanks for giving me something extra to worry about. I think you’re worrying about nothing there though. I might be finding her annoying but I don’t think she’s mentally ill, and if she is, it doesn’t mean she’d cause me any problems. I think she’s lonely.’

‘She might be lonely but I still think her behaviour is odd.

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