by Edie Baylis
She’d felt comforted by this request. It made her feel like someone cared. Tidying up the paperwork and books covering her desk in the small back room, Lacey picked her handbag up from the floor. She grabbed her jacket and walked through to the main part of the shop.
“I’m off now Helen,” she smiled, knowing the owner of the bookstore would be there for hours yet, side-tracked with wading through the new book arrivals.
“Ok Lacey. Have a good evening. See you in the morning,” Helen replied and watched as Lacey let herself out of the shop door.
JANE SAT UP IN BED and stared unseeing at the magazine she was unsuccessfully trying to read. Angrily throwing it on the floor, she blinked back the tears.
After finally getting herself together this morning she’d gone to the Glint in an attempt to try and get some work done to take her mind off last night’s telephone calls. If anything, this had been a big mistake because she’d become immediately aware of the uncomfortable atmosphere hanging heavily from the moment she’d stepped over the threshold.
Feeling exceedingly frustrated over the whole situation she’d stormed up to the office, only to find Seth absent. Dan had been there and had tried to hide his surprise on seeing her, which had only fuelled Jane’s irritation.
“What’s going on Dan?” she’d asked.
“Don’t know what you mean?”
“Where’s Seth?” Jane had asked.
“Gone to see Miller,” Dan had muttered, looking down at a sheaf of paperwork.
Jane’s eyes narrowed. Seth hadn’t mentioned a meeting with Jason Miller. She’d watched Dan cover something on the desk with another sheet of paper.
“What are you hiding?” she’d snapped.
Dan had held his hands up in submission. “Blimey Jane, what’s got into you this morning? I’m not hiding anything. Why would I do that?”
Unconvinced, Jane had stared at him for a short while before trying to convince herself she’d been imagining it. “I’d best look at last month’s takings,” she’d said, opening a desk drawer.
“Oh, I’ve done those,” Dan had smiled.
Jane had found herself getting angrier. “Do I not help run this gaff anymore Dan? Am I not fucking needed or something? What’s going on? Everyone’s acting strange.”
“Come on Jane. No one’s acting strange. I only did it because I thought it would help!” Dan laughed.
Jane had stood up quickly, grabbed her bag and had begun to walk from the room. “I guess I’ll just go paint my nails like women are supposed to do shall I? Maybe the atmosphere will return to normal once I’ve gone?”
“Don’t be like that!” Dan had pleaded. “I....”
Jane hadn’t bothered hanging around to hear the rest of his excuses.
She picked up the glass of vodka from her bedside table and slugged it down. Why was she not being kept informed? Everyone doing her job for her? And where the fuck was Seth?
She glared at the bedroom clock. It was gone midnight and he still wasn’t back. Something was wrong. She could feel it in her bones.
Getting back in bed, Jane sighed. The thing was, she wasn’t imagining it. She hadn’t dreamt the phone calls last night, nor the ones received tonight.
When the phone had rung she’d immediately thought it was Seth. Angrily picking up the handset, she’d barked into it. “Are you coming back tonight or what?”
Much to her horror, the same voice which had spoken last night had laughed, clearly enjoying her wrath. “Oh dear... Mislaid your husband again have you?” The voice was sarcastic. “Don’t you know where he is? Didn’t you listen to what I told you?”
Jane had slammed the phone down. She’d even gone so far as to pull the connection from the wall socket so she didn’t have to listen to the grating voice if the phone rang again.
Whether she wanted to admit it or not, she’d begun to suspect Seth was doing the dirty on her, but who with? Could the caller be right? Had it been with Lacey? Was it still with Lacey?
Jane felt thoroughly nauseous. A sixteen year old that she’d brought into their home...
She picked the glass up from the bedside table and threw it against the wall. As it smashed into pieces, Jane flicked the light off and lay down to stare sightlessly into the dark.
DAN PUSHED MAGGIE’S thighs further apart. He was immensely enjoying the delicious moaning sounds she was making whilst she grasped at his hair. He relished the anticipation of the promised prize. That was before the front door starting banging.
“Dan!” Maggie panted. “There’s someone at the door.”
Determined to ignore it Dan continued despite the noise becoming louder.
“Dan! You’ll have to answer it,” Maggie insisted.
Frustrated, Dan glanced at the small round clock balanced on the bedside table. Quarter past bloody midnight? Was whoever was at the door trying to wind him up?
“Hurry up!” Maggie urged, nudging Dan as the knocking continued. “It must be important!”
“Important my arse!” Dan grumbled, forcing himself out of bed and pulled on a pair of tracksuit bottoms to conceal his fast deflating erection. For fuck’s sake.
He begrudgingly dragged himself down the stairs and flicked the hallway light on. Fumbling with the chain across the lock, he yanked the door open, his displeasure evident by the large scowl plastered across his face.
“Dan,” Seth muttered, quickly pushing past into the house.
Shutting the door rapidly behind him, Dan was momentarily confused. “Seth? What are you doing here?”
“I need to use your shower mate. Do you mind?” Seth mumbled. He hadn’t known what else to do. Things had inevitably got messy. He hadn’t planned for that and admitted his temper had got the better of him. There was little point in worrying about it now. Not that he was....
The only thing he was concerned about was stressing Jane out. She didn’t need anything else playing on her mind and had left strict instructions to all at the Glint this morning that under no circumstances should anything be mentioned to her about that latest article in the bloody paper.
Regardless of right, wrong or indifferent, Seth didn’t want anything to upset Jane. He’d protect her from everything at any cost and if she thought he’d caused more issues by getting rid of that prick reporter, then that would have the opposite effect of what he wanted. He knew Dan didn’t agree with it either. It was easier all round if no one knew the ins and outs.
Seth glanced at Dan, who still hadn’t said a word. “Dan? Did you hear me? Alright if I grab a shower?”
Dan hastily pulled himself to his senses rather than staring at the blood splattered down Seth’s coat, shirt and liberally caking his hands. “What the....”
“Take this,” Seth muttered, shrugging off his coat and bundling it into Dan’s arms. “Bag it up and make sure you get rid as a priority tomorrow. Fucking burnt it ok?” He stared at Dan. “Alright if I go up? Where’s Maggie? She asleep?”
Dan grabbed Seth’s arm as he made to take the stairs. “Seth, what’s going on?”
Seth peered up the staircase, then turned back to face Dan. “I can’t say, or rather I won’t.” His voice remained a low whisper. “If you don’t know anything, you can’t be implicated. Trust me.”
Dan frowned. “What have you done? You need to tell me!” How was he expected to cover or do anything if the man wouldn’t level with him? It wasn’t right and he needed to know. “Seth, you n...”
“Dan,” Seth smiled coldly. “Just don’t ask. You don’t need to know. Really. If Maggie’s awake, tell her the same yeah?”
Dan stared at Seth as he loped up the stairs. Hearing the shower start to run, he placed the coat in a bin bag and then trailed upstairs himself. Maggie would be nosing around any second and he needed to get there first.
TWENTY FOUR
JANE AWOKE TO FIND Seth nuzzling into the back of her neck.
“I know it’s late baby, but I’ve missed you,” Seth murmured, his lips trailing along he
r shoulder.
“Mmm,” Jane stirred, happily feeling his hard body pressing against hers. His hands slipped underneath her satin negligee, one running over her rapidly hardening nipples and the other finding its way into her knickers. Feeling desire immediately ignite at his slightest touch, she heated further when she moved, feeling his rock-hard erection pulsing.
She breathed in deeply, taking in the scent only he had.
What the? Flowers...?
Jane stiffened as her memory returned. Quickly opening one eye she focused on the clock. 3 am. The phone calls and now smelling of perfume....?
Seth groaned in frustration as Jane turned away from him. He propped himself up on his elbows and lowered his mouth onto her nipple. “How do you want me babe?” he murmured, his hand tracing down her body and back between her legs.
Jane fought the raging desire she felt as Seth’s fingers expertly distracted her mind from the knowledge she’d discovered. His mouth worked her nipples into unbearably hard points of heat and she felt herself surrender. That was until another blast of flowery scent from his hair rapidly reminded her of the suspicions. He’d had a shower, but not here. Where had he showered and why?
Pushing Seth’s hand and head away, Jane pushed herself up to a sitting position and quickly pulled on her robe. “Have you been showering?” she asked as calmly as possible. “You smell of flowers.”
“Oh baby!” Seth groaned, his hand running down his erection as he knelt back on the bed. “Not now eh? I need you.” He opened his arms. “Come on and sit on me. Whatever you want.”
“Seth, why have you been showering?” Jane pushed.
Seth ran his hand through his hair irritably. “What the fuck are you going on about Jane?” Shit. He thought that shower gel smelt a bit perfumy. It must have been Maggie’s. He shouldn’t have used it. “I haven’t had a shower!” he lied.
“I can smell perfume Seth...”
Seth sighed dramatically and pushed himself to the side of the bed. “You’re tired honey. Let’s just go to sleep.”
“I don’t want to go to fucking sleep! I know what I can smell!” she raged. “Are you screwing someone else?”
Seth nearly choked. “What? What the hell are you talking about?”
Jane jumped out of bed. Yanking the door open so hard it slammed back on the wall she stormed from the bedroom with Seth close on her tail.
“Jane! What’s going on?” he shouted, hastily pulling his robe around himself as he followed her towards the study.
“As if you didn’t know!” she snapped. She slapped the light switch on. “You keep disappearing and for the second night in a row I’ve had phone calls telling me you’re with someone else...”
“What?” Seth stared astonished. This was crazy!
“You then turn up at 3 in the morning having obviously just come out of someone else’s shower! What the fuck do you want me to think?”
“Jane, I swear! It’s not what you think. I promise you,” Seth pleaded. Surely she couldn’t think he’d cheat on her? Not Jane?
“Who have you been seeing? Who are you sleeping with?” Jane asked, fighting off the tears threatening to spill from her eyes and hating herself for acting like a jealous harridan. Seth was the jealous one, not her.
“God Jane!” Seth cried. “No one! I’ve been seeing or sleeping with no one. Just you.” He moved forwards to touch her, but she batted his hands away.
“Don’t fucking touch me, Seth Wright. Is it Lacey?” she screamed.
Seth paled. “WHAT?” Surely he couldn’t have heard that correctly?
“That’s why you wanted me to kick her out is it? In case I caught you at it? But you can’t keep away can you? You’ve been to see her. I’ve been told.”
Seth’s eyes narrowed. “I can’t believe you’re saying this! You’re accusing me of shagging a fucking sixteen year old?” His disbelief was heavily laced with both hurt and anger. “You’re probably making this shit up to try and get me to admit to your crazy fucking paranoid stories!”
“How dare you!” Jane screamed, stepping forward and slapping him hard around the face. “It’s not me who’s been fucking school kids is it?”
“You what? You bitch!” Seth raged, raising a hand to his stinging cheek. “What the hell is wrong with you? Do you not remember how angry I was when the silly cow tried it on with me?”
“Yeah, that was very convenient wasn’t it? Except she didn’t try it on with you did she? You seduced her and she’s still getting it from you by all accounts!”
“Shut the fuck up Jane!” Seth raged. This had gone far enough. “You’ll wake Toby. Is that what you want?”
“You should have perhaps thought of that before,” Jane seethed. “Now Toby will know what a cunt his father is.”
“Enough, Jane!” Seth yelled, picking up a clock from the desk and launching it at the wall. Barging past Jane in rage, he sent her crashing into the desk.
“SHIT!” he cried, grey-faced reaching for Jane. “I’m sorry baby. I didn’t mean to do that. Are you alright?”
Sobbing, Jane pulled herself to her feet and ran from the study. “Get the fuck away from me Seth.”
ANNA RAN BACK TOWARDS her bedroom and closed the door behind her. Breathlessly she leaned up against the door in an effort to control her racing heart.
She moved towards the bed and quickly picked up the phone, dialling the number with shaking fingers.
“What is it?” Aiden mumbled into the receiver. He glanced across the bed at the barmaid with whom he’d spent half the night thoroughly enjoying. Now the phone had interrupted what little sleep he was able to get.
“Aiden is that you?”
Aiden frowned. “Anna?” Oh no. what the hell did she want? Four times she’d called since he’d slept with her and now she was stalking him in the middle of the night too?
“I don’t know what to do!” Anna whispered. “You know what you said about those Seth Wright rumours? Well him and Jane have been screaming and shouting for ages again, but from what I’ve just heard, I think he’s just hit her.”
Aiden paused. “Are you sure?”
Anna had barely been able to believe it herself. After listening to the raised voices which had initially woken her up, she’d gone to see if Toby had been disturbed too, when she’d realised Seth and Jane’s argument had moved from the bedroom into the study.
From what she’d heard, it looked like Seth was sleeping with that young girl who’d disappeared. Then she’d heard that big crashing sound.
Daring to peep through the crack of the door, Anna had clearly seen Jane crumpled against the desk with Seth moving towards her.
“Aiden. What should I do?”
Aiden grinned. This was a perfect opportunity... “Is it still going on now?”
“Jane’s locked herself back in the bedroom and as I speak it sounds like Seth’s breaking the door down,” Anna hissed, hearing the unmistakable sound of someone kicking hard against wood.
“Anna, he’s got to be stopped. Leave it with me.”
“What are you going to do?” Anna whispered. From what Tina had said it was plausible the Wrights could turn on her next.
“Don’t worry. Nothing to implicate you. Trust me Anna, I’ll deal with this.”
Putting the phone down, Aiden smiled widely as he dialled Eliza’s number. Even if she was cross being woken up, she wouldn’t be for long. He’d get plenty of brownie points for giving her the golden opportunity of putting an anonymous call into the police against Seth Wright.
MAGGIE STARED AT JANE’S pale face as she sat on the hospital bed getting more and more impatient. She glanced at the clock on the sterile white walls of the cubicle. 5 am.
Jane had called an hour ago to say Seth had been arrested. Maggie had rushed over within five minutes whilst Dan had gone to the police station. She’d fought through the throngs of press still clustered around the bottom of the driveway and although Martin had done his best to move them on, the police had cl
early stated because the photographers were now outside the property boundary there wasn’t a lot they could do because they weren’t trespassing.
When Maggie had entered the house, Jane was being questioned by two female officers. The dark discolouration of a large bruise was already clearly visible at the top of her arm. She’d been screaming at them that Seth hadn’t attacked her, but the police had insisted she get checked out at the hospital.
Jane had been shepherded from the house leaving a wide-eyed and frightened Anna on the doorstep literally holding the baby. One of the officers had insisted on accompanying them to hospital. This meant Maggie hadn’t been able to get any information as to what had really happened.
“It’ll be fine,” Maggie soothed, clutching on to Jane’s hand. “You’ll see.” She hoped to hell she was right. That bastard, Seth. He’d done it again hadn’t he? He’d lost the plot and fucked everything up. Again...
Jane glanced at the nurse as she filled in the paperwork. “There’s nothing wrong with me. I’m fine!”
The nurse smiled. “Of course you are dear...”
Jane gripped Maggie’s hand. “Where’s Seth?” she hissed. “He can’t get charged! It will fuck our case up!”
Maggie sighed. Seth had definitely been arrested for attacking his wife. What a fucking mess. She had no idea what was going on. As it was, Dan had been vague when she’d discovered Seth showering in their bathroom in the middle of the night and now a couple of hours later – this.
The nurse patted Jane’s hand and looked at her. “Mrs Wright, if your home is untenable we can get you support and help. Like a refuge. You don’t have to be on your own with th...”
“My home life is just fine thank you!” Jane snapped, watching the nurse give one of those knowing looks reserved for people not wanting to admit the truth. She felt like screaming. She wasn’t a victim of domestic violence! It had been an accident. The only thing Seth seemed to be guilty of was screwing around and if that were true she’d brain him herself.