The Bride: A twisty and completely gripping psychological thriller by Wendy Clarke

Author:Wendy Clarke [Clarke, Wendy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781838882457
Publisher: Bookouture
Published: 2020-05-19T23:00:00+00:00

Twenty-Three

I’m sitting at the kitchen island, eating my breakfast and mulling over everything that’s happened since I’ve been here. How Joanna and Mark have married in secret. The way Mark has kept it from her parents and would have kept it from the police if he’d had the chance. His previous marriage and how it ended in tragedy. The drawer in my bedroom stuffed full of photographs… all of me.

I dip my spoon to my bowl, my appetite dwindling. Where on earth could Joanna be?

Mark is at the counter, making a fresh cafetière of coffee. With all that he’s concealed, I should feel nervous around him, but how can I when I know how shocked he was when he mistakenly believed I thought Joanna was dead. I could leave him here to deal with it alone, but with each day, my worry for my friend intensifies. Joanna invited me here for a reason, and I owe it to her to stay and figure out what that might be.

Mark brings the coffee over. He pulls out a stool and sits before clearing his throat. ‘I have to go away for a couple of days. I was wondering whether you would mind staying and keeping an eye on the apartment for me.’

I raise my head from my muesli, realising that all the time I’ve been at the breakfast bar, Mark’s eaten nothing. The whites of his eyes are bloodshot as though he hasn’t slept well. ‘You’re going away? Is that a good idea when Joanna is missing?’

‘I have no choice. I’ve got to work.’

‘When are you going?’

Mark pours himself another coffee from the cafetière in front of him. ‘Later this morning and I’d be happier if someone was here in case she comes back. Please, Alice, I wouldn’t go, but Gary wants me to check on one of our properties in Manchester.’

‘Can’t you ask him to go instead?’

He shakes his head. ‘They’ve gone to Dubai.’

‘Dubai? They never said anything when they were here.’

‘That’s because it’s no big deal to them.’ His voice has a bitter edge to it. ‘They’re away more than they’re here.’

I’ve no doubt he’s right, but something has been troubling me. ‘I think you should have told them about Joanna before they left. She is their daughter after all.’ Despite their strained relationship, I’m certain they wouldn’t have left the country if they’d known she was missing.

‘I will when I get back. I promise.’ He takes a sip of his coffee. His voice is level, but I can see the effort it takes to keep it that way. ‘Anyway, we don’t want to spoil their holiday.’

‘Jesus Christ, Mark. You make it sound as though Joanna going missing is an inconvenience.’

‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for it to sound like that.’ He rubs a hand down his face. ‘It’s just that everything’s so… up in the air at the moment. So unsettled. Please, Alice, I’ll be back tomorrow evening at the latest.’

I put down my spoon. Unsettled seems rather an understatement.

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