by Jade Winters
Robert looked a little frightened. ‘What about them?’
‘Don’t engage with her. She’s bluffing, Robert.’
‘Look, I don’t know what your game is, whether its guilt or indifference but something’s going on between you two. So it’s either you talk to me and tell me the truth or I just assume you’re hiding something and write a story from that angle. Either way, I’m releasing a story about Lexi’s last few hours.’
‘Don’t—’ Roxy began, her face crumbled.
‘Just leave it, Roxy,’ Robert snapped. He looked like he hadn’t slept for days. ‘It’s all right. I’ll talk to you.’
‘Are you crazy? Have you forgotten the last story she wrote?’
Astrid looked contrite. ‘I’m sorry about that, but my editor changed my copy without my knowledge. I swear, you can read the article before I send it in. Nothing will be changed.’
‘I want your editor’s promise first,’ Roxy said.
‘Okay, give me one second.’ Astrid withdrew her phone and pressed Ross’ number on speed dial.
‘You’ve got some nerve calling me—’
‘Just listen to me,’ she quickly interrupted. ‘I’m with Lexi’s parents.’
His tone turned to one of astonishment. ‘You are?’
‘Yes. They’re going to give me an exclusive.’
‘I knew you had—’
Astrid raised her voice over his. ‘Under the condition, that they approve the story before it goes to print.’
She could hear the doubt in his voice. Ross did not like relenting control.
‘I don’t know.’
Astrid looked over at the Palmers. They were watching her. She turned her back to them, and walked part way down the garden. ‘You’re making me look like a prat, Ross.’ She hissed under her breath. ‘Give me the assurance or I won’t need sacking. I’ll leave of my own accord.’
‘If I trust you on this, you’d better make sure it’s good.’
‘It will be.’
‘Okay. Do it.’
Result!
Walking back towards them, Astrid said, ‘My boss gave his word. You don’t like it, there’s no story. You ready?’
Roxy begrudgingly pulled a chair away from the glass table and indicated for Astrid to sit there. She took a seat next to Robert.
Astrid retrieved her notepad from her bag and opened it. She would be interested to see how much of what they said tallied with Darren’s version of events. Would they now admit to Lexi being unhappy at home? Her desire to leave the town as soon as she could. Pen in hand she began. ‘So what really happened the day Lexi went missing?’
Robert took off his glasses and rubbed the ridge of his nose before replacing them. He hadn’t said a word but his eyes were already filling with tears.
‘Lexi told me she needed to talk. That it was important. I was up against a deadline and didn’t have the time. But she insisted. Lexi could be very demanding when she wanted to be. We were in the front room when she told me she was pregnant. Can you imagine? A child giving birth to a child.’
At least she had solid confirmation now. Darren had been telling the truth. ‘Did she tell you who the father was?’
‘No. I didn’t exactly give her the opportunity. I was already frustrated when she came to talk to me and her confession tipped me over the edge. I’m ashamed to say I lashed out.’
‘Physically?’ she asked, staring straight at him. Daring him to lie. If he did, she would know the rest of his story was nonsense.
‘Yes,’ he admitted, bowing his head. ‘I slapped her. Hard enough to draw blood.’
Okay, so he’s telling the truth so far. ‘Then what happened?’
‘She started screaming, telling me I’d ruined her life. That she hated me.’
‘And then?’
‘And then she ran to her room. I went out for a walk to clear my head and when I got back she’d gone.’
Astrid turned her attention to Roxy. ‘Were you here when she left?’
Roxy sighed. ‘Yes, she asked me to walk up Helm Crag with her but I had things to do.’
‘And she didn’t seem upset?’
‘No, she understood why Robert was annoyed and I told her everything would be okay. She said she’d be back in a couple of hours but that was the last time I saw her.’
Astrid scribbled some notes in her notepad and then asked, ‘What is your relationship like with her?’
‘Me?’ Roxy looked startled.
‘It couldn’t have been easy replacing someone’s mother,’ Astrid said.
‘I’ve never tried to take the place of her biological mother,’ she said defensively. ‘I like to think we are friends.’
‘Good friends?’
Roxy hesitated. ‘Yes, you could say that.’
‘But she never confided in you about her pregnancy?’
Roxy looked thoughtful for a moment. ‘Um … well no, she didn’t.’
‘Surely if you were that close she would have told you first, not knowing what Robert’s reaction would be like.’
Roxy hit the table with her fist. Tea cups shook under the sudden disturbance. ‘I feel bad enough as it is without you making me feel worse.’ She threw her hands up in the air. ‘So I wasn’t going to win the greatest stepmother of the year award. I’m only human. I can make mistakes too.’
‘What mistakes did you make?’ Astrid pressed. She hadn’t reacted to the sudden outburst. She wasn’t going to be cowered by Roxy’s tantrums. That bullshit might have worked on the tennis court, but it wasn’t going to in her interview.
‘I … uh … I don’t know …’ The words tumbled out incoherently. ‘Are you perfect, Miss Williams?’
Astrid kept her gaze locked on Roxy. As if turning the tables around on her was going to work. She knew her shortcomings and wasn’t ashamed to admit them—to anybody. ‘No. Far from it in fact.’
‘Then you’ll understand what I’m saying.’
Very clearly. The shine was beginning to rub off now. Lexi and Roxy didn’t have the wonderful stepmother/stepdaughter relationship Roxy wanted the world to believe. Far from it, it would seem.
Watching Roxy squirm in her seat, she decided to stop pushing. If she got this story right, there would be ample opportunity to delve further into her character. Which reminds me I need to pick up a copy of her autobiography.
Astrid quizzed Robert some more about raising Lexi as a single father, his life until he met Roxy and the difficulties they faced as a blended family. An hour later, she wrapped the interview up.
‘Is there somewhere quiet I can use for a couple of hours to write my article?’
Robert looked emotionally exhausted as he pushed himself to his feet. ‘Sure. You can use my office.’
He showed her into his office space and left her alone. Taking a seat at his walnut desk, Astrid placed her notepad to the side, took out her laptop and switched it on. On the blank white screen, she typed the heading:
A father’s guilt.
In the article, she wrote about Robert and Lexi’s unfortunate parting and the guilt he felt for chasing her away. Though she mentioned it, she played down the slap. Astrid left out the part where he was in a rage beforehand. Aren’t we all capable of losing our temper? It didn’t seem right to vilify the man. He seemed to be punishing himself more than public opinion would. Besides she wanted the public to help them find Lexi, not turn them against the parents. When Astrid finished typing, she re-read the piece. After a few small adjustments, it was ready. She was sure both Roxy and Robert would approve.
Astrid found Robert hovering by the office door as she went in search of him. She could see the strain taking its toll. She tried to give him a reassuring smile, but his gaze wasn’t on her. It was on her laptop, in the background.
‘It’s all yours. Take a look and let me know what you think.’
‘Roxy,’ he called out. ‘It’s ready.’
Roxy appeared from the kitchen and they both walked into his office
and bent over the computer. A slow smile grew on Roxy’s face, the further she read.
She turned to Astrid, who was leaning on the door frame. ‘That’s perfect. I think that goes a long way to undo the wrong your first article did.’
‘I agree,’ Robert said rubbing his hands briskly together.
‘Good, so you’re happy for me to send it off?’
They both nodded in agreement.
Astrid strode into the office and closed the lid on her computer before slipping it into her bag. ‘I’m sure Lexi will be back. Maybe if she reads this she’ll realise how sorry you are.’
‘I hope so,’ Robert said. ‘I truly do.’
Robert led Astrid to the side gate where she slid out unnoticed by the other reporters and made her way back to the B&B. It was midday, which gave her time to catch up on her reading before she met up with Callie.
First things first. She made a coffee, sent the article to Ross, and then purchased the Kindle version of Roxy’s autobiography. Snuggling up on the sofa in the communal living room she began to read.
Roxy, she soon gathered, had married her childhood sweetheart when she was twenty-one at the pinnacle of her tennis career. She was the youngest woman to win Wimbledon three times in a row. In truth Astrid hated sports of any kind and found the story boring. She moved on to her later years, where she talked candidly about her affair with Robert and the eventual suicide of her husband. Through it all Astrid didn’t sense any kind of ownership for the pain and hurt Roxy caused her deceased husband. It was all about her and her suffering. Her needs. Her life changing experiences.
There wasn’t much compassion for her long-suffering husband. Though in one small paragraph she conceded that finding out about her affair with his best friend had pushed him to end his life. By the time Astrid had skim read the rest of the book, she came to the conclusion that Roxy did love her deceased husband, in the way she only knew how. He was an extension of her. He was Mr. Roxy, the tennis star’s husband, not a man in his own right.
She flicked through the family photos. They seemed close. When Robert looked at Roxy, he beamed with happiness and pride.
When Astrid heard the front door slam, she realised she hadn’t kept an eye on the time. Five-fifty. She had all of ten minutes to get ready. She jumped to her feet and gathered her belongings together before making her way to her room. Keri was waiting outside.
‘There you are,’ Keri said.
‘You need something?’
Keri held out her hand. ‘I hope you’re not still sore about me outing Darren? Or writing about Snowflake?’
‘Not in the slightest. If wrecking someone’s life rocks your boat who am I to judge? Anyway, I gotta rush.’
Keri flashed a quick but dazzling smile. ‘Anywhere of interest?’
‘To me, yes.’ Her hand was on the door handle. ‘To you, definitely not.’
‘Oh. Going to see Snowflake, are we?’
‘I sure am.’
Keri caught Astrid’s wrist before she could step inside her room. ‘What’s going to happen between you two when you have to go home? Long distance relationships have less chance of surviving than a second marriage.’
Astrid hadn’t given the future a second thought. But thinking about it now made her heart sink. Even if they did decide to give things a go, she couldn’t see Callie leaving her life and friends in this place and Astrid would go insane at the thought of living in a village. She was a city girl by nature and that was where her heart was.
‘Don’t worry, Keri, I’m sure we’ll work something out.’
‘And us?’
Astrid elected to remain silent. The last thing she wanted to do was antagonize Keri. What did they say about the pen being mightier than the sword? She could do a lot of damage to Callie’s reputation if she chose to. No, until Lexi returned home she would remain neutral and hoped that would keep Keri at bay.
By the time she finally gathered her clothes together, it was ten to six, which left her with little chance of having a much needed shower. The day had been humid and she could feel a layer of dirt on her skin already. It was a choice between a shower and being late. She opted for being on time.
Chapter Thirty-Four
‘You’re prompt,’ Astrid said, opening the front door. Her eyes raked over Callie in surprise. For the first time since she’d met her jeans replaced trousers. Knee length boots replaced walking boots. The open neck shirt encasing her trim body revealed just a peek of a full cleavage. The contrast between her work outfit and now was striking. She looked more beautiful than ever.
Callie checked her watch. ‘Being late is my pet hate. I hope you’re hungry.’
Ah, a girl after my own heart. Astrid felt exactly the same. There was nothing worse than being late as far as she was concerned. To her mind it showed a lack of respect. Unless of course it was down to an emergency. In that case it could be forgiven.
Stepping over the threshold, Astrid simultaneously closed the door behind her. ‘Starving.’
‘Let’s go then.’
Astrid followed her to the Jeep and climbed in. As they drove along Astrid listened quietly while Callie told her about her day.
‘I’ve applied for a visiting order. To see my mother. Now I just wait and see.’
‘I’m sure she’ll be happy you’ve made contact,’ Astrid said. Family dynamics were a strange thing. The way humans were entwined with some people who didn’t always have your best interests at heart, yet because you have a blood connection you expect better. Like a parent protecting their child, not harming them. Could there ever be a valid reason for killing your own baby? Astrid wondered as Callie continued talking. In her mind she couldn’t think of one.
‘Have you heard a word I said?’ Callie asked, bringing Astrid back into the moment.
Astrid cleared her throat to strengthen her voice. Raising the subject of Callie’s brother’s death wasn’t exactly the best way to start the evening so she decided against it. ‘Sorry. I was miles away. I was going to tell you over dinner; I interviewed Robert and Roxy,’ she said quickly.
Callie tore her gaze away from the road in front of her momentarily. Astrid was relieved there wasn’t anger in them nor annoyance, just surprise.
‘You did?’
‘Yep.’
‘Did he confess?’
‘Only to hitting Lexi. Seems that’s why he wasn’t overly concerned about her disappearance. He knew that she ran away.’
‘Is he going to talk to the police?’
‘He’ll have to. My story will no doubt be online tonight.’
Callie took one hand away from the steering wheel and rubbed the nape of her neck. ‘This is such a mess. All of it.’
They drove a little further out from Grasmere and into the vibrant town of Ambleside. A few minutes later, Callie parked up and led the way to a block of flats. Neither made a move to get out.
‘I thought you lived near your office,’ Astrid asked, surprised by how different a town could be within a few miles.
‘I own a house in Grasmere. It was my grandmother’s place. I moved there when I was ten.’ Her voice was very quiet. A ghost of a smile on her lips. ‘I can’t find it in my heart to sell it. Too many memories.’
Unfortunately, Astrid couldn’t relate. The only memories of home for her were those periods of no love, merely forced tolerance. It wasn’t a time she liked to dwell on too much. All she knew was that her early life experiences had taught her to be self-reliant and not to depend on anyone for anything—even love.
‘Do whatever’s in your heart,’ she said matter-of-factly.
‘You don’t like talking about the past, do you?’
Astrid drew a breath and let it out slowly. ‘Nope. What’s the point? It’s over. Nothing you can do to change it.’
‘I suppose.’
Minutes later the women were inside Callie’s apartment. It had a spacious open plan kitchen/dining room with French doors and a Juliet balcony. The kitchen workto
p was laden with food that Callie had obviously prepared before picking Astrid up. While Callie poured two large glasses of white wine, Astrid picked up a piece of raw carrot and popped it in her mouth. She wandered over to the balcony and opened the door. The view was breathtaking. The apartments were perched high on a hill and overlooked the town as well as Lake Windermere.
‘Wow, the view is amazing,’ Astrid said as she walked back into the living room.
‘Beautiful isn’t it?’ Callie put the glasses on the coffee table.
‘Is there anything I can help you with in the kitchen?’
‘Nope. I’ve got it all under control. Just drink and relax.’
‘I know it’s a bit cheeky, but would you mind if I took a quick shower? I didn’t get a chance earlier.’
‘Feel free. Use my bedroom en-suite. Third door on the right.’
‘Cheers.’
Astrid followed Callie’s direction, bag in hand. She nodded her head in appreciation as she took in the feminine space where Callie slept. It was immaculate. Green pastel coloured walls and white bedding gave the place an almost show room look. The bathroom was tiled in black granite and a spacious shower that could fit at least three people was situated against the back wall. Don’t start getting any ideas, she warned herself.
Quickly undressing she stepped into the shower cubicle and turned on the water, letting the spray wash the tension from her shoulders. As she soaped her toned arms then her breasts, she couldn’t help but wonder what the evening ahead held. For the next few hours she wanted to forget about the missing teenager, a murdering mother, Ross and deadlines.
All she wanted to think about was Callie.
Chapter Thirty-Five
To her eternal relief, Lloyd had believed Keri when she told him she was closer than ever to finding out who Astrid’s source was. In truth she couldn’t be any further. Her aim now wasn’t finding the source; it was to eliminate the story all together. She had discovered Astrid’s Achilles’ heel—Callie. She was going to use this to her full advantage.
Keri groaned when the phone rang in her bag. She had just left Helen with her dad so she knew it wasn’t her.