The Happy Family by Jackie Kabler (electric book reader txt) 📕

bedside table, Beth?’ she says, as I peer into the fridge, slam the door shut and open the oven.

‘Already looked there. I’ve looked everywhere, Robin.’

I stop opening random doors and sigh.

‘Oh sod it, I give up. I’m calling a taxi. I’ll find the bloody things later. Mum will be here to let me in this evening and she has the spare front door key in case she wants to pop out. The kids won’t be back until later. Jacob’s going to pick them up from school and feed them so you can get off as soon as you’ve finished the cleaning Robin, thank you.’

She nods.

‘OK. And I’ll try to find your keys for you, don’t worry. They’ll turn up. Call your cab and I’ll make you a quick cuppa to drink while you wait. It’ll calm you down a bit.’

She turns to switch the kettle on and I take a deep breath.

‘Thanks, Robin. You’re an angel.’

I bring up the local taxi app on my phone and quickly book a cab. By the time I’ve finished, she’s handing me a mug.

‘I’m so sorry again about your dad,’ she says. ‘But it’s such insane news about your mum. No wonder you’re all over the place.’

I smile and nod as I sip. Robin still looks a bit shellshocked herself; I noticed her hand shaking a little as she scooped the teabag out of my drink. But as I wait for my taxi, I ponder the fact that it was actually her who made my day start badly. Mum had suggested that maybe I’d dropped my stupid missing keys on the driveway when I’d nipped down to the front gate to put some rubbish in the bin earlier, so I’d gone out to retrace my steps, and that was when I’d seen her, about twenty metres away down the street. My first thought had been: bugger, I completely forgot to call Robin last night! There’s no school run. She could have come later, dammit …

But as I quickly scanned the pavement by the bins, searching for my keys, and then looked down the road again, preparing to apologise, I stopped dead. Robin, in her running gear, was standing talking to a man, and laughing. And the man … oh come on, seriously? It was him, wasn’t it? I wasn’t imagining it, not this time. It was Mike. It was. The private detective. What on earth was he still doing here, hanging around? He was in running gear too this time, dark knee-length shorts and a black T-shirt with a black beanie covering his hair, but it was him. I was certain of it. I’d seen him often enough over the past few months to recognise his build, the general shape of him. So what the hell was he still doing in Cheltenham? And, more to the point right now, why was he talking to Robin? Did she know him? Or …

A cold hand of fear suddenly clutched at my heart. Had he stopped her in the street because he knew she worked for me? Was he telling her something? Passing on information? Passing on what he knew about me? I stood motionless, staring.

Please, no. Please.

And yet … they were both laughing now. It looked … Well, it didn’t look as though a serious conversation was going on. Quite the opposite in fact. It looked friendly, casual. Did she know him? Then, as I watched, I saw Robin hand something to him, something small and square that I couldn’t see properly. OK, what on earth was going on? Unexpectedly, the anxiety vanished, just like that, and instead I felt a rush of anger. Enough, now.

‘OI!’ I yelled. ‘YOU! What are you doing?’

They both turned, wide-eyed, and I started to jog down the street towards them. For a moment, the man stood still, watching me approach. Then he turned abruptly and ran off down the High Street. By the time I reached Robin, he’d disappeared round the bend in the road.

‘Beth? What’s wrong?’

Robin was frowning at me and I looked at her and then down the road again, trying to catch my breath, panting even after such a short run.

‘HIM!’ I shouted, pointing in the direction he’d gone. ‘Him. What did he want? How do you know him?’

She took a step backwards, looking startled.

‘That bloke? I don’t know him. I was running up the road to yours and he was coming in the other direction and as he passed me, he dropped his wallet. I called him back and gave it to him. That’s all. Why? What is it, Beth?’

‘No, you were chatting. Laughing. What was that all about?’ I’d stopped shouting but I was still agitated, still breathing heavily. Did she think I was stupid? I’d seen them.

Robin’s cheeks flushed.

‘Nothing! He was kind of cute, that’s all. And he’s a fellow runner. We were just talking about how annoying it is to have to carry stuff, finding places to put everything so you don’t lose it, you know? I don’t understand, Beth. Why does it matter? Do you know him?’

I stared at her for a moment. Was I being paranoid? I hadn’t slept well again last night, worrying about Dad, still trying to process the reappearance of my mother. Was it not Mike, after all? Was I going mad? I shook my head.

Oh hell. Robin must think I’m delusional.

‘Robin, I’m so sorry. I just thought … there’s been a bloke hanging around a bit, that’s all. I never mentioned it to you. I didn’t want to freak you out … I just thought it was him again. But I was obviously wrong. I’m really sorry. I’ve had rather a lot going on over the weekend. Actually, that’s a bit of an understatement. Come on, let’s go in and I’ll tell you all about it. There’s someone I want you to meet.’

We’d walked back to the house together and I’d apologised again, feeling like an idiot as I explained that the kids weren’t even around today,