The Runaway Husband by Julie Highmore

Author:Julie Highmore [Highmore, Julie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-05-28T16:00:00+00:00

ELEVEN

We parked opposite Jessica’s flat and stared at it through Mike’s tinted windows.

‘Do you think Jessica went home?’ Mike asked.

‘I’m sure she did, what with the twins needing support. We could check?’

‘We could.’

‘She’s never actually seen you, has she? Maybe you could knock on the door while you’re still in disguise? Be a Jehovah’s Witness?’

Mike laughed. ‘Could be dangerous. Jessica might want to hear all about it, pleased to have the company. I did a stint in telesales after uni. Lot of lonely people out there.’

Mike went and tried Jessica’s door and was back in seconds. ‘No signs of life. The place is in darkness.’

‘Could you pop back and listen for Emily’s phone ringing? A bit far-fetched, I know, but… I’ll try her again.’

‘Isn’t it always on silent?’

‘Only at work. Her ringtone’s that old Pink Floyd song about Emily.’

‘See Emily Play?’

‘Ben’s favourite song, apparently.’

Once he was by the flat again, I called her. Mike moved to the bay window and cupped a hand to it, shook his head at me and came back to the car.

‘Well that’s a relief,’ I said. Or was it?

Since I was meeting Billy for dinner, I told Mike I’d walk from Jessica’s to the office to change. I was supposed to drop in to Billy’s place of work, but had quickly texted to say I’d see him at the restaurant instead. I really wasn’t in the mood to meet the fabulous Georgia.

With a bit of time to spare, I wandered up Divinity Road to roughly where Toby might live. I hadn’t gone far when I spotted Emily’s distinctive pink bike leaning against a house behind a wall. The ground-floor bay window was curtained and impossible to see into, and as far as I could tell, it had no broken panes of glass.

I looked up and immediately spotted the damage Emily had done. Was she in there, smoking or snorting? Or worse. Would ringing the doorbell be an intrusion into my employee’s privacy, or a genuine act of concern? An intervention. I was torn. Then, before I could talk myself out of it, I rang the bell for Flat 2 and held my breath. There was a speaker-phone, but no one spoke or buzzed me in, so I stepped back onto the pavement and looked up. No one came to the window or the door.

I rang again. And again. Perhaps I’d annoy them into answering.

Of course, the fact that Emily’s bike was outside didn’t mean she was inside. She, or they, could have gone out – been in a pub or somewhere.

After calling her number once again and hearing her chirpy voicemail instructions. I left a message to let me know if she was OK, then texted her too.

Emily was always prompt to reply, but not this time. I waited a while. Hadn’t she taken up yoga? Somewhere off the Cowley Road, I was sure she’d said. She could be there right now with the after-work lot. But wait, what if she’d lost her phone? Maybe in some scuffle with Jamie.

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