Rules for a Successful Book Club (The Book Lovers 2)

by Victoria Connelly

  ‘I mean he went missing. Three and a half years ago. He just disappeared and I haven’t heard anything about him since. Look – when did you meet him? You said he’s missing now, right? You’ve got to tell me–’

  Sophie put her glass of water down and moved to sit closer to Polly, taking her hands in hers.

  ‘It’s okay,’ Sophie said, her voice calm and soothing.

  Polly realised that she was shaking. ‘I need to know,’ she said. ‘I need to know what’s going on.’

  ‘I know you do,’ Sophie said, ‘and I’ll tell you everything I know, okay? And you’ll tell me your story too because Sean never spoke about you.’

  There were tears in Polly’s eyes now. Hot, stinging tears. Sean was alive! He was truly alive. But where had he been all these years? And what exactly was his relationship with this woman sitting on her sofa? She felt so confused and anxious.

  Sophie cleared her throat and, still holding Polly’s hands in hers, she began.

  ‘I met Sean at Dell Quay–’

  ‘Where’s that?’

  ‘Chichester Harbour on the Sussex coast.’

  He’d sailed to the south coast?

  ‘Was he in the Oystercatcher?’ Polly asked. ‘His boat?’

  ‘He was in a boat, but it was called Swan.’

  ‘Swan? Are you sure?’

  ‘Pretty sure.’

  Polly frowned. Had he sold the Oystercatcher and bought another boat? Or had he just renamed the old one? ‘Go on,’ she said. ‘Please.’

  ‘I don’t know what to tell you.’

  ‘Everything – tell me everything.’

  ‘It’s kind of awkward.’

  Polly could feel her tears rising again. ‘I need to hear it, whatever it is.’

  Sophie nodded. ‘He flirted with me,’ she said. ‘I’d just come out of a bad relationship and it was nice to be treated as special again. So I flirted back. He told me he’d been sailing around the UK for the last five years, but he was looking to settle down at last.’

  ‘Five years? He told you five years?’ Polly cried, astounded by the blatant lie.

  ‘He said he’d never been involved with anyone special. That he was a real old sea dog.’

  This time, Polly’s tears did spill.

  ‘I’m so sorry,’ Sophie said. ‘I had no idea that you existed. I’d never have got involved with him otherwise.’

  ‘What happened next?’ Polly asked. She wiped her eyes and did her best to brace herself.

  ‘He moved in with me. I’ve got a little flat in Chichester. It’s small, but he told me he’d been sleeping on his boat for years and that my flat was like a palace.’

  ‘You lived together?’

  Sophie nodded. ‘For nearly two years.’

  Polly tried to calculate her husband’s movements. He’d gone missing in September three and a half years ago. Had he been living on his boat all the following winter and spring? How had he managed to live? Had he been working?

  ‘Did he have a job?’

  ‘I think he was doing some sort of consultancy work. He was always on his laptop in the evenings.’

  ‘But the police looked into that,’ Polly said, more to herself than to Sophie.

  ‘He was working as Sean Parker,’ Sophie said. ‘He told me that was his name. I didn’t find out it was Prior until I found a business card of his that led me to you here.’

  ‘He changed his name?’

  ‘I guess. Was Prior his real name?’ Sophie asked.

  Polly nodded. ‘It’s his parents’ name.’

  ‘They live nearby?’

  ‘Yes,’ Polly told her.

  ‘I’d like to meet them, but they probably wouldn’t want to meet me.’

  ‘They would if you told them what you’ve told me,’ Polly said. ‘They’re desperate to hear news of their son.’

  ‘Could you arrange something?’ Sophie asked.

  ‘Leave that with me.’

  Sophie sighed. ‘I didn’t know whether to come here. I wasn’t sure how you’d react and if you’d want to see me at all.’

  ‘You did the right thing,’ Polly said. ‘I’m glad you came.’

  ‘Where do you think he is?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ Polly said honestly. ‘But I think he might have been here in the house. One day, when I’d been out, I noticed some photo frames had been moved. I had a feeling – the strangest feeling – that he’d been here.’

  ‘But you haven’t seen him?’

  ‘No,’ Polly said, her head spinning as she tried to process everything. ‘And he said nothing about me and Archie?’

  ‘Not a thing. He said he was single.’

  Polly blanched at this, imagining Sean taking off his wedding ring at some stage and inventing another life for himself. What kind of a person would do that when he already had a wife and son, family and friends? Because it hadn’t just been Polly and Archie he’d walked out on that day, it had been everybody who’d ever known him.

  ‘After he’d been missing for a few days, I started to go through his things,’ Sophie said. That’s when I found the photo of him with you. A wedding photo. It was in a folder of paperwork on his boat and – well – I was just being nosy, I guess. That’s where I found the business card too with this address on.’

  ‘Yes, he used to work from home,’ Polly said. ‘When he started up his consulting company.’

  ‘It was my only lead. I didn’t know where else to go.’

  ‘Did you go to the police?’

  ‘No,’ Sophie said. ‘I didn’t think I had much of a claim on him. He came into my life so unexpectedly and I thought perhaps that was the way he was going to leave it too. There was also a part of me that thought he’d come back at any minute.’

  Polly nodded. ‘Sophie,’ she said, wondering how on earth she was going to ask this question.

  ‘What?’ She leaned in a little closer.

  ‘Was he ever–’

  Sophie frowned. ‘Was he ever what?’

  ‘Violent. Was he ever violent to you?’

  Sophie swallowed and nodded. ‘He hit me. Just the once, though. It was some misunderstanding we’d had. I’d said something and I didn’t realise how much it had upset him. I apologised and he did too. He felt awful about it.’ There was a pause. ‘Did he hit you?’

  Polly nodded and held the young woman’s gaze. ‘If I was you, I wouldn’t try to find him. Go back to your life and forget him.’

  Sophie looked genuinely puzzled, but she stood up. ‘I – erm –’

  Polly felt for her in that moment. Sean had reeled her in, hadn’t he? He’d made her love him, but the violence would have got worse if he’d stayed, she knew that from experience, and she was determined to prevent that from happening to Sophie.

  ‘Trust me on this,’ Polly said. ‘You don’t want him in your life.’ They walked to the front door together. ‘Listen, have you got a mobile number for him?’

  ‘His number’s been disconnected,’ Sophie said, ‘but I’ll give you mine, okay? And you’ll let me know if you hear anything?’

  Polly nodded. ‘But you should go home, Sophie. Live your life. Without Sean.’

  Polly didn’t have time for a breakdown after Sophie left because she had to drive to the school in Castle Clare. She didn’t tell Archie what was going on. Instead, she smiled as he babbled on about his day at school. All the while, thoughts were tumbling around her head. Sean was really alive. But he’d chosen to walk out on them. He’d been living with somebody else. He’d changed his name. He hadn’t thought to get in touch and let everyone know he was okay. What kind of man did that to the people who loved him? Polly couldn’t begin to understand although she’d seen glimpses of that Sean during her marriage to him – the man who could detach himself from others, the man who always put himself first.

  ‘Mum!’ Archie suddenly screamed from the back seat.

  Polly braked hard, narrowly avoiding a cat streaking across the road.

  Conce
ntrate, she told herself.

  She was mightily relieved to reach the sanctuary of home and did her utmost to put thoughts of Sean out of her mind as she buttered some toast for Archie. They took Dickens out together. It was a blessed relief for it to now be light until after five which meant they could enjoy a dog walk together after school.

  They’d just made it back inside when Jago arrived for Archie’s guitar lesson.

  ‘Hey, Polly – I’ve got a great idea,’ he said, following her into the kitchen as Archie went into the living room to watch some TV. ‘How about I take you out for a night on the town? Just the two of us? We can get dressed up and I’m sure Mum would look after Archie–’ He stopped. ‘Are you okay?’ Polly now had her back to him as she fiddled in the cutlery drawer. She felt his hands land heavily on her shoulders. ‘Hey,’ he said. ‘Look at me.’

  She turned around and that’s when the tears began. ‘S-somebody called here today.’

  ‘Yeah?’

  ‘Someone called Sophie Randall.’

  ‘Who’s she?’

  ‘I only met her today,’ Polly said, desperately wiping the tears from her cheeks.

  ‘But she made you cry? What’s going on, Polly?’

  ‘She’s been living with him.’

  ‘Who?’

  ‘Sean?’

  ‘Sophie’s been living with Sean?’

  ‘Yes!’

  ‘Then where is he?’

  ‘I don’t know. She – Sophie – doesn’t know.’ Polly started crying again. ‘He’s alive!

  Jago looked as stunned as Polly felt.

  ‘Did she show you a photo?’ he asked at last.

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘A photo – a recent photo of Sean.’

  ‘No. I didn’t think to ask her for one.’

  ‘Then we’ve got no proof.’

  ‘You don’t believe her?’ Polly asked. ‘Why would she make something up like that?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ Jago said. ‘I’m trying to be logical about this.’

  ‘She had one of Sean’s old business cards with this address on. That’s what brought her here. And she talked about his boat.’

  ‘And how many business cards did Sean hand out in his lifetime, huh? Quite a few, I imagine. I’m sure a fair few people knew about his boat too.’

  Polly stared at him in disbelief. ‘Why don’t you believe me?’

  ‘I believe you,’ Jago said, ‘I’m just not sure if I believe this Sophie.’

  ‘Okay, then,’ Polly said, grabbing her mobile.

  ‘What are you doing?’

  ‘I’m going to ask Sophie if she has a photo of him.’ She quickly sent a text to Sophie and put her phone down, staring at Jago in defiance. The reply came back a few moments later. Polly picked up the phone and stared down at the screen.

  ‘What is it?’ Jago asked. ‘What does it say?’

  Polly sighed. ‘She said she doesn’t have one. Sean didn’t like his photo being taken.’

  ‘That’s convenient,’ Jago said.

  Hot tears pricked at Polly’s eyes again. ‘Why aren’t you supporting me in this?’

  ‘I am, Polly. I am supporting you. I’m just not supporting this Sophie person.’

  Archie chose that moment to come into the kitchen

  ‘What’s wrong, Mum?’ Archie asked, obviously seeing her tears. ‘Is it a headache?’

  It was only then that Polly fully acknowledged the fact that her temples had been throbbing and she nodded.

  ‘You should lie down. Let me get you upstairs,’ Jago said.

  ‘I’m okay,’ she protested.

  ‘No you’re not. This is all too much for you. I’m getting you into bed.’

  ‘Can I get you anything, Mummy?’

  ‘Just water,’ she said.

  ‘Have you any tablets you can take?’ Jago asked.

  ‘In the drawer of the dresser,’ she said. ‘Archie knows which ones.’

  Archie got the pills and a mug of water and followed them up the stairs.

  ‘I’ll take it from here, Arch,’ Jago said after Archie had put the water and tablets down on the bedside table and Polly had sat down on the bed.

  He leaned forward to kiss her cheek which brought yet more tears to her eyes.

  ‘Take your tablets and lie down,’ Jago ordered, easing her slippers off and unrolling the duvet.

  ‘Jago, he’s alive!’ she said, once Archie was out of the room.

  ‘We’ll talk about it later,’ he said. ‘Get some rest, okay?’

  ‘But Archie–’

  ‘I’ll look after him. Take these tablets,’ he said, holding the mug of water for her. Polly took two.

  ‘Now, rest.’

  Polly finally gave in, allowing her head to sink into the pillow as Jago drew the curtains.

  ‘I’ll be downstairs. I’ll come and check on you later, okay?’ He bent forward to kiss her forehead. ‘Yell if you need me sooner, okay?’

  She reached out and squeezed his hand. ‘Love you,’ she whispered.

  ‘Love you too,’ he said.

  Polly woke up in a panic. What time was it? She reached for the alarm clock and hit its light. It was after ten. Ten!

  She leapt out of bed and then immediately regretted the action for, although the worst of the headache was gone, she felt horribly dizzy and dehydrated. She sat back down on the bed and drank the water and then went to the bathroom to wash her face in cold water.

  She tiptoed across the landing and opened the door into Archie’s bedroom, smiling as she saw the sleeping figure of her son. She moved towards him quietly, pulling his duvet up around him and kissing his cheek.

  ‘Night, darling,’ she whispered. He stirred, eyelashes flickering.

  Polly left the room, venturing downstairs. Jago was sitting in the living room, Dickens by his feet. It looked as if he’d always been there, always been a part of life at 3 Church Green.

  ‘Hey, how are you?’ he said as soon as he saw her. ‘Come and sit down. You’re as pale as a particularly pale ghost.’

  Polly joined him on the sofa, patting Dickens’s soft head before snuggling into Jago’s arms.

  ‘I’m okay,’ she said.

  ‘Archie’s in bed. He had a bath and did his teeth,’ he said before Polly had time to ask.

  ‘Thank you so much.’

  ‘My pleasure.’

  ‘What about tea?’ Polly asked.

  ‘Tea? Oh, damn. I knew I’d forgotten something!’ He grinned. ‘Only joking! We had a Spanish omelette.’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘Truly,’ he said. ‘Want me to make you one?’

  Polly shook her head. ‘I couldn’t eat a thing.’

  ‘Cup of tea?’

  ‘I’m fine. I’m sorry I was out for so long. What have you two been doing?’

  ‘We played some music really quietly, but we didn’t want to disturb you with the guitar. We watched a bit of TV, took Dickens out the back, had tea and talked a bit.’

  ‘Yeah? What about?’

  ‘Oh, you know. Guy stuff.’

  ‘Really?’

  He laughed. ‘Archie wanted to know about my band. I censored the details, don’t worry.’

  ‘The details like you getting it on with all the groupies?’

  Jago leaned back from her. ‘You think I’d do that?’

  ‘I hope you wouldn’t now,’ she said, ‘but I’m sure you did in your time.’

  ‘I might have had a few passing flirtations with the fairer members of our audience,’ he said, ‘but you’re the only one for me now.’ His arms tightened around her and they sat in blissful silence for a moment.

  ‘You think he’s been here, don’t you?’ Jago said at last about the subject that simply couldn’t be ignored. ‘You think that was him at the school that time? That he gave the model boat to Archie?’

  Polly nodded. ‘I do.’

  ‘Why didn’t he just call round like a normal person?’

  ‘I don
’t know. Because he’s not normal? I mean, a normal person wouldn’t just disappear for three and a half years without a word, would they?’

  ‘What are you going to do?’

  ‘I don’t think I can do anything,’ she said. ‘He seems to be holding all the power, doesn’t he? I can’t do or say anything until he makes an appearance.’

  ‘Have you told your mum?’

  ‘No. I’ve only told you,’ she said. ‘It’s all happened so fast. I couldn’t think of anything more than just trying to process it all.’

  Jago continued to hold her and Polly willed herself not to cry again.

  ‘Have you thought about what you’d do?’ Jago asked her.

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘I mean, if Sean comes back.’

  Polly swallowed hard. It was the question she didn’t want to think about. But what would she do if Sean suddenly appeared? He was her husband, wasn’t he? Or was he? Did a man have the right to be thought of as a husband if he upped and walked out – or sailed out – one day? She’d got over Sean. She’d made a good, solid life for herself and Archie and, for the first time since he’d left them, she’d found some happiness of her own with Jago. What would happen to all of that if Sean came back? She was too scared to think about it and so she closed her eyes against it all, her head resting on the solid warmth of Jago’s chest.

  They sat there in silence a while longer, the fire slowly dying in the wood burner, and then Jago got up.

  ‘You’re going?’ Polly said, dreading the moment when she’d be alone with her thoughts.

  ‘Got to, I’m afraid. Early start at one of the schools I’m teaching at.’

  She nodded and they walked through to the hallway which felt cold after the warmth of the living room. Polly shivered as she opened the front door.

  ‘Don’t stand there getting cold,’ he told her. ‘Get right up to bed, okay?’

  She stood up on tiptoes and kissed him. ‘Thank you for being here.’

  ‘You’re more than welcome,’ he said. ‘Call me if you need anything, okay?’

  ‘Even if it’s a cuddle in the middle of the night?’

  ‘Especially if it’s a cuddle in the middle of the night!’ he said.

  They kissed again and then he walked across the road.

  ‘Jago!’ she called softly as he headed into the shadows that engulfed the green.