She Did It: You think you know her - think again.

by Mel Sherratt

  That night she tossed and turned in her bed trying to think of a way around everything. The heat was oppressive, making her unable to sleep, feeling frustrated when she couldn’t.

  But by the time morning came around, Esther was clear what she had to do. Maybe it wasn’t too late to put it all into place before she was evicted. She needed to double her efforts to get more money, not the odd wallet here and there, but the real wad she was after.

  Her shoulders drooped. She didn’t really want to push things but it looked as if she would have to bring things forward.

  It would have to be this Saturday when she would be with Jack.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

  Tuesday, 11 July

  Tamara was glad to be home when she finally got out of the cab that evening. She sighed into the quiet as she closed the front door behind her and kicked off her shoes. With having Esther there during the week now, sometimes it never felt as if she had a moment to herself.

  Even though it was half past ten, and she’d already had two glasses of champagne, she decided to open a bottle of wine. Pouring a large glass, she reckoned a long bath and a book would finish the night perfectly. Anything other than Something’s Got to Give.

  Tamara had been pleasantly surprised to see how much Simone’s novel had taken off since the launch. Of course, she’d had a helping hand in its success by getting word out about it, but it was Simone’s skill as an author that had kept the book in the public eye.

  They had been celebrating that evening after a mention on a TV book club had sent the book straight to the top of the Kindle charts. Over the past few months, she’d taken to checking book charts on a more regular basis, seeing what was going up and down, what was sticking and what had been around for a long time. So, to find it at number one was so satisfying. Everyone involved had done a great job, pulling together to make the campaign a success.

  She checked the emails that had come in over the past hour as she ran the bath. There was one from Jack, copying in Esther, congratulating Tamara on getting the publisher their first number one. Tamara’s smile was wide. Everything had gone so smoothly, so fantastically, much better than she ever could have anticipated.

  Jack had sent her a separate email too. She paused in the hallway as she read it. He wanted her to work on another campaign. It was a smaller project but he felt assured that she was confident, and he would be happy to chat it through with her and Esther. She liked that about Jack. He was always good at giving compliments. He went out of his way to make everyone feel special, without being too false.

  Esther had been weird again that evening though. Tamara didn’t know what had got into her. She’d been quite snappy today and, if she thought back, it had started before the launch of Something’s Got to Give. She noticed Esther hardly drunk at some events and at others she piled down the fizz, as if trying to get a high.

  Esther’s ideas were great, there was no doubt about that, and being in demand was good too. But as much as Tamara enjoyed working with her, she wasn’t sure about how she carried herself outside the office when she was on business for her – and in publishing that could be quite a lot of hours.

  Was it worth inviting her to work on another project, she wondered, as she removed her clothes in the bathroom? She’d have to think about it.

  Tamara lowered herself into the water with an appreciative sigh. Still she couldn’t help but smile. All that time spent lonely yet being on her own was something she had missed. Maybe things would calm down now that the book had been launched successfully. She’d already lined up one or two projects to look at. How exciting that she had so many to choose from.

  Life was definitely good right now.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  Saturday, 15 July

  Esther slipped on her latest new dress and pushed her feet into the highest pair of heels that she owned. She checked her reflection in the cracked wardrobe mirror and held up her hair, wondering whether to tie it up with a few strands falling or leave it loose completely. In the end, she went with loose.

  After a liberal spray of perfume, she searched out what she needed and left the flat. So much depended on this meeting with Jack today. It was the pinnacle of everything she had been working towards and even though she was apprehensive, she had to go through with it.

  Could she do it without showing her disgust? You’d think she’d be used to it, the many men she’d slept with before now. But this mission, although really important, went against the grain, even for her. Still, if today went well, it would soon be over.

  She’d tried not to drink too much the night before, wanting to keep a clear head. The amphetamines she’d been taking would give her the courage to go through with what was necessary. Of course, she could stop taking it at any time but she needed a little more to block the nerves today. This meeting was about getting Jack to give himself to her.

  The gates were open when she arrived at his house. She rang the bell and hopped up and down on the balls of her feet as she waited for him to answer.

  Jack threw open the door and took a long and appraising look at her before welcoming her inside. He reached for her hand, kissing her fingers gently.

  ‘You make me smile so much,’ he told her.

  ‘Glad to hear it,’ Esther replied. ‘So, what’s the plan for today?’

  ‘Well, the weather is being kind to us again so I thought we could make the most of it. Maybe a barbecue later, if we haven’t drunk too much.’

  ‘Sounds perfect!’

  ‘Come on.’ He marched her through to the kitchen.

  As Jack opened the fridge and took out a bottle of white wine, Esther ran a hand over an antique sideboard. Anger rushed through her as she noted the studio portrait of Jack, Natalie, and their two boys when they were babies. They were all happy families and smiles.

  He doesn’t deserve to be happy.

  Wine poured, she followed Jack out into the garden. They sat down on a lounger each. The sun beamed down from another cloudless sky, tempting her to lie back and just be happy. She stretched out her legs and threw her arms over her head. If she closed her eyes, she could imagine she was on a tropical beach, the sea lapping close to.

  ‘They reckon it might touch thirty degrees this afternoon,’ she said, before taking a sip of her wine.

  ‘You look hot enough now.’ Jack’s eyes flicked over her figure with appreciation.

  No one had looked at her like that in a long time, she realised, apart from when she was on her way to the races. She supposed this could be good or bad, whatever she chose to make it. She only had to do this once so she decided that today would all be about fun. Let tomorrow be when things started to get nasty. For now, she was going to go with the flow. She’d had far worse men in her time.

  Soon they had finished one bottle of wine and were halfway through another. At the bottom of the garden, it was secluded away from prying eyes and ears, yet it still caught the sun. They weren’t overlooked at all. For the first time in a while, she wished she’d had his kind of stability, with a husband and two children. Part of a family.

  ‘Penny for your thoughts?’

  ‘Hmm?’ She turned to him, realising he’d been watching her. Jack had music running through his iPad so she was saved by the tune. ‘I’m listening to the song. It brings back happy memories.’

  ‘What do you like to listen to?’

  ‘All kinds of things really. I’m not into any classical stuff, mind.’

  Jack laughed. ‘Neither am I. What makes you think I would be?’

  ‘Your lifestyle.’

  ‘My lifestyle?’

  She closed her eyes and lay back again. ‘Well, you’re clearly a millionaire.’ She bit her lip, cursing herself for being so blunt.

  ‘So I have to listen to classical music? I’m more of a classic man, myself. I like Bowie, Queen, Phil Collins, Genesis.’

  ‘You’re an old rocker!’ She laughed ferociously, realising he hadn’t been offended.

 
‘No need to tease me! I very nearly didn’t hire you and Tamara.’

  ‘Oh?’

  ‘You know we were struggling to shift copies of the book. All the good PR companies were booked so we decided to interview a group of smaller ones, in order to steal a few good ideas and then run with them ourselves.’

  ‘You sneak!’ Esther laughed.

  ‘That’s business! But your pitch was so good that we decided to give you a shot.’

  ‘You wanted us.’

  ‘I wanted you.’ Jack leaned over and ran a finger up and down her arm. Goosebumps broke out over her skin, despite the heat, and everything became serious.

  ‘Esther, can I ask you something?’

  ‘Hmm?’

  There was a pause before he spoke again. ‘Do you want to sleep with me?’ His voice was full of emotion, husky with lust, yet had a shake to it.

  Esther kept her eyes closed. ‘Do you want me to?’ she asked.

  ‘Of course, but I am married.’

  ‘Oh, why didn’t you tell me that in the first instance?’ She sat up with a grin on her face, but his smile had dropped. ‘I was joking,’ she told him. ‘Look, this isn’t right but it feels right, you know?’

  Jack looked away for a moment, before returning his gaze. ‘I’m nervous and I do feel guilty so maybe if we take things slowly, if it’s meant to be then it will.’

  ‘Okay.’ Esther pulled him to her, gently, a tiny kiss and a nibble of his lip as he looked into her eyes. He might want it to happen slowly but she was still going to encourage him at every opportunity.

  It had to be today.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

  Everything was going great until Jack pulled away.

  ‘What’s the matter?’ Esther asked, shielding her eyes from the sun.

  ‘I can’t do this.’ He sat upright, dropping his shoulders dramatically. ‘I’m sorry. I really want to and you know I think so much of you, but I can’t.’

  ‘Yes, you can.’ Esther put a hand behind his neck again, trying to draw him back into her embrace. But he pushed her away and stood up.

  ‘I’ve been such a fool.’ He ran a hand through his hair and then turned back to her with a pained expression. ‘I shouldn’t play with your feelings like this, but this doesn’t seem right.’

  ‘You haven’t actually tried anything to see if it feels right or not,’ Esther huffed.

  He shook his head. ‘I – I love my wife and even if the passion has gone, I can’t be unfaithful.’

  Esther looked away before he could see the resentment in her eyes. She didn’t want to hear this after he had turned her down. Rejected her. How cruel could he be, telling her this to ease his conscience?

  He reached for her but she snatched her hand away.

  ‘You men,’ she seethed. ‘You’re all the same.’

  Jack frowned. ‘What do you mean by that?’

  She got to her feet as quickly as she could. Barefoot on the grass, she swayed, only then recognising how tipsy she was. She prodded a finger into his chest. ‘Do you know something? I really hate you right now.’

  Jack nodded. ‘You have every right to. I’ve been a complete bastard.’

  ‘You’ve only fucking kissed me!’ she screamed.

  ‘Hey, calm down!’

  ‘What is it with you? First you put me down in front of your family and Tamara and then you reject me. Am I not good enough to FUCK? Is that it?’

  ‘Be quiet!’ Jack took her arm and ushered her into the house. He slid the doors closed while she stood there fuming.

  Esther’s fist pummelled at her thigh. She couldn’t let him stand there and not come to do what she wanted. Everything depended on this! She really wanted her blade right now, to give her instant pain, take away the hurt. How could he do this to her?

  ‘I’m really sorry,’ Jack repeated. ‘I’ll order you a cab and get you home. I don’t want to humiliate you anymore.’

  ‘This is just nerves.’ She tried one more time to pull Jack into her arms, pressing her body to his. ‘Maybe this will relax you.’

  He resisted for a few seconds as she kissed him. She thought she had him back but then he pushed her away, roughly this time.

  ‘No! Don’t take advantage of me because I’m drunk.’

  ‘Me take advantage of you?’ she roared. ‘I think it’s the other way around.’

  ‘Oh, don’t come all innocent with me. You know I’m married.’

  ‘Well, that didn’t enter your mind when you asked if I wanted to sleep with you. I thought you were okay with it.’

  ‘I was! But when it came down to it, I couldn’t do it.’

  ‘You don’t want to, more like.’ Esther turned away from him and leaned on the worktop. She stared into the garden in which she’d been happily spending time. Everything had been going fine until he bottled it.

  She felt his hand on her shoulder but she shrugged it away.

  ‘This isn’t all my fault,’ he said.

  It was that line that did it. Since that day her innocence had been taken away, she had never been good enough. And now here he was, Jack charming Maitland, trying to talk his way out of the mess he’d got himself into by blaming her. He had led her on. He had shown her affection and then drew it away at the last crucial minute. He had decided she wasn’t enough.

  Esther spotted a marble paperweight in the shape of an apple. She wrapped her fingers tightly around it and with a high-pitched scream brought it down on the side of his head.

  ‘You bastard!’

  Jack didn’t even have time to clutch his wound before he stumbled backwards and dropped to the floor. His head made a sickly crack as it connected with the marble tiles. His eyes glazed over in an instant, thick blood pouring from a cut at the back of his head. He flinched a little before going completely still.

  Esther put down the ornament. ‘Jack?’ she said, but he didn’t move. She nudged his leg with her toes. ‘Stop messing around. I’m sorry. Hey, Jack!’

  The puddle of blood oozed from the back of his head at an alarming rate. She quickly opened cupboard after cupboard, drawer after drawer, until she located a tea towel to mop it up. Then she stooped down next to him.

  ‘Jack?’ She touched his face, but there was no response. Standing up again, she ran her hands through her hair. She grabbed fistfuls and pulled.

  She had lost control again.

  Jack was dead and she had killed him.

  No one would believe it was an accident. The police would be called and they would find out everything.

  She went out into the garden, first sitting at the table, then standing up to pace the lawn. Finally, she sat down on a bench. Shallow breaths hurt her chest. She counted from one to five, then from five to one and repeated it, hoping to calm herself enough to think straight.

  Why couldn’t she control her temper long enough to get revenge? This shouldn’t have happened. She shouldn’t even have been at the house and now she had hit him with a blunt object and there was evidence of her all over him.

  She stood up again and went back inside the house. Trying not to look at Jack, she rushed around, moving and gathering what she needed, placing everything in a carrier bag. Then she went out of the back door and down the side of the house, on to the street.

  There were people around but she couldn’t stop and think about whether they would recognise her later, once they found out that Jack was dead. She walked briskly enough not to bring attention to herself, keeping her head down but not acting in any way suspicious.

  Twenty minutes later she was back, another plan formed. Jack hadn’t moved so he was definitely dead. But she knew what she had to do. She couldn’t leave him lying on the kitchen floor or she would be charged with murder.

  She reached for her phone.

  ‘Tamara! It’s Esther. I’m with Jack. He’s fallen down the stairs and hit his head on the floor in the hallway.’

  ‘Oh no, is he badly hurt? Where are you?’

  ‘I’m at his house.’<
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  ‘What are you doing there?’

  ‘It’s a little bit delicate. I shouldn’t really be here at all. But Jack has a cut to his head and I think he might need to go to the hospital.’

  ‘Have you rung for an ambulance?’

  ‘No, he’s a little concussed, I think.’

  ‘Do you need me to call one?’

  No! I just need you to take us to A&E! Will you?’

  ‘I don’t know why—’

  ‘I don’t want Natalie to find out I was here.’

  ‘What aren’t you telling me?’ There was a pause down the line. ‘Is there something going on between you and Jack?’

  ‘I – we’ve been seeing each other.’

  ‘Oh, Esther!’

  ‘I – I can explain everything when I see you. Please. I need your help.’

  ‘Are you sure you don’t want me to call an ambulance?’

  ‘No! It will bring everything to the attention of the neighbours. If we take him to the hospital in your car, no one will see us.’

  ‘But—’

  ‘Please, Tamara! I don’t want her to find out.’

  ‘All right. I can be there in twenty minutes.’

  Esther disconnected the phone and tapped it repeatedly on her chin. Perfect. As she thought what was the best way to move Jack without the blood going everywhere, she thanked her lucky stars that she hadn’t slept with him. Now all she had to do was convince Tamara that it had been an accident.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

  Tamara wasn’t sure what to think as she drove to Jack’s house. She couldn’t believe that Jack and Esther had been having an affair. Well, perhaps the signs were there but she didn’t want to believe it.

  She wasn’t sure how she felt about it too. It wasn’t really professional from either side, especially as they were working together.

  She wondered when it had started. It certainly couldn’t have been going on long – two or three weeks at the most. Either way she hoped it would stop after this. It could make things very awkward if they were found out.