by Wendy Hudson
“So the fact that your best friend is suddenly a lesbian doesn’t concern you at all?”
“Concern me? Are you kidding? What concerns me is your reaction to the fact and that Andrew is calling to tell you, as if he’s performing some kind of public service. It has absolutely nothing to do with him. Or you, for that matter.”
“He didn’t call to tell me that.”
“Oh really? You’re telling me that wasn’t the first thing out of his mouth?”
“No, actually. It was more the whole situation in general. He thought Alex was just a friend.”
“What situation? What has he done?”
“He showed up last night at Lori’s drunk, hoping to talk. Seems he made an arse of it and got a bit rough with her. He was calling me to see if I’d spoken to her. He’s devastated about the way he acted.”
“Oh my God. Is she okay? I’ll bloody have that bastard if he’s touched her.”
“Calm down. He said he only grabbed hold of her arm. He was angry she wouldn’t talk to him. Then, it seems, Alex stepped in.”
Stella was searching for her phone to call and check Lori was okay, losing patience as Scott tried to justify Andrew losing it with Lori. “Are you even listening to yourself?” She looked around frustrated, quickly giving up the search, and too angry to be any good to Lori at that moment anyway. “If any other guy had ‘only grabbed’ her, you’d be knocking his door down right now, with me not far behind. Lori’s been miserable with him and you know it. Is her being with a woman so incomprehensible to you? Would you rather she spent the rest of her life as Andrew’s sad, obedient wife?”
He jumped up from his chair, knocking it over in the process. “Don’t you dare question my loyalty to my sister. You know what she means to me and that’s exactly why I won’t let her make this mistake.”
Although surprised at his anger, Stella wasn’t about to let him intimidate her. She calmly crossed the kitchen toward him as he reached for her. Instead, she moved behind him, and picked up the fallen chair before heading out of the kitchen in search of her phone.
He followed her to the living room, taking a different tact. “Listen, Stella, I know she’s your best friend and we both love her. You have to admit this is a bit out of the blue. It isn’t her. Don’t tell me you weren’t surprised by this, as well. I really think if we got together and talked to her, we can make her realise all this Alex business is just some early mid-life crisis. It’s Lori’s way of finally rebelling and not being the good girl for once.”
She saw right through him. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, determined not to lose her temper. “You know, you and James are the only family Lori has left to love and trust. I wonder what she would think if she could hear the way you’re talking, trivialising this massive change in her life, without even having a conversation with her.”
He raised his hand, stepped toward her, and opened his mouth. “But—”
She banged her hand on the sideboard as he tried to interrupt. “Damn it, listen to me. She’s already had her dad on the phone conspiring with Andrew to get her to take him back, I expected more from you. Do you realise since they split up, the pair of you have only ever considered Andrew’s feelings and your own?”
He was pacing now, clearly upset by the home truths. “Maybe that’s because Lori doesn’t seem to have any feelings about it, not according to Andrew, anyway. He says she’s like a different person these past couple of months. Has she been seeing this Alex woman all along?”
“See, once again you’re only worried about Andrew and his side of things. I’ll repeat myself. How about you actually call her and find out?”
“That’s not fair. You know how worried I’ve been about her.”
“Yeah, so worried you haven’t even tried to see her this weekend? I mean, what is it, Scott? Did telling yourself that Andrew was looking after Lori help alleviate the guilt of deserting her? Of never being around? Is that why you and James are so keen to see them back together?”
His voice was low as he answered, “How dare you? I never deserted her.”
She held up both hands, she’d clearly hit a nerve and that maybe wasn’t a road she wanted to go down with him. “Okay, okay, I’m sorry. But, Scott, she’s still your sister. The same Lori we both know and love.”
Stopping mid-pace, he glared at her, his anger coming through. “Lori the lesbian is not my sister. I don’t know that person. I mean, what, she has one bad relationship with a guy and suddenly women are the way to go?” The pacing continued. “How could she decide something like that and then lie and keep it from us? That’s not my Lori.”
Stella sighed, finally finding her phone down the side of the sofa cushion. She pocketed it and perched on the arm. Evidently, she was in for further arguments and, frankly, couldn’t believe Scott’s reaction. Sure, she had been mad at Lori for about two minutes, for hiding the fact Alex was a woman, but, after seeing the two of them together, she couldn’t maintain it. And, of course, it was out of the blue, she couldn’t deny that. But if this was what Lori wanted, it was up to Stella and her family to support her, not make things harder. It was Lori’s life to live as she chose and so long as she was happy, Stella was only going to support her. Scott had fixated himself on the word lesbian, but this wasn’t about that for her. It was about Lori and Alex, two people who had found each other and, right now, all she cared about was her best friend’s happiness.
“It’s not as if she purposefully deceived us. We made assumptions because of Alex’s name and she didn’t feel ready to correct us. She’s still trying to figure things out. Give her a chance to explain to you how she’s feeling. Can you imagine, all of a sudden finding yourself attracted to a guy? Right when the one and only relationship you’ve ever had is falling to pieces. How confusing would that be?”
Scott spun around and pointed his finger at her. “Don’t be disgusting, as if that would ever happen.”
“Disgusting?” She shot up from the sofa. “You can’t be serious. The places you’ve been and everything you’ve seen in the world, all the horrors, the poverty, the wars, and hate.” It was her turn to point the finger. “I’d have thought you’d be happy to see a bit more love in the world, in your life for that matter. Instead, you stand there judging and denigrating your sister’s relationship because you can’t wrap your tiny mind around the thought of two women in love?”
“Love?” he scoffed. “Don’t be so ridiculous. This Alex has clearly taken advantage of her. Andrew’s pillow is barely cold and now she’s a lesbian running off with the first girl she meets? Please. It’s a phase. She’ll soon wake up and see what a fool she’s making of herself.”
Exasperated and angry, Stella knew she wasn’t going to get anywhere the way he was acting. The Scott that stood before her was not the same man she’d thought, only the day before, that she was falling in love with. Deciding to give him an opportunity to cool off and think before he said anything else to regret, she stood and pointed at the door. “I’d like you to leave.”
His face softened. “Stella, come on. Don’t be like that.” He moved closer to her.
She held his gaze and stepped around behind the armchair, putting it between them. “I’m not being like anything, Scott. It’s you who has the problem here. Now leave.”
“Surely you can understand why I’m upset?”
“Honestly, Scott, no I can’t. I think you’re being a dick and, I’m realising maybe I don’t know you the way I thought I did. I’ve told you before, Lori’s the number one Hunter in my life and whatever’s happened between me and you won’t change that. I won’t stand here and listen to you being so hateful. You haven’t even met Alex, haven’t seen them together. You haven’t given her a chance.”
She pointed again towards the front door. “If we’re to have any chance of salvaging something from this, you need to leave now.”
He snatched up his coat and stormed into the hallway without another word.
“Scott,
” she called after him as he flung open the front door.
He stopped but kept his back to her. “What?”
“When you get home, I want you to think about something for me.”
His shoulders tensed, but he didn’t turn.
“I want you to think about how often you’ve seen Lori truly happy.” His shoulders dropped and she heard him sigh. “Because last night was the happiest I have ever seen her and I won’t let you get in the way of that.”
He remained silent, only pausing a few seconds before walking out the door without a backward glance.
Chapter 35
Lori woke with a crick in her neck, having spent most of the night with Alex’s arm tucked under it. She stretched slowly, groaning with satisfaction, and reached across the bed to pull Alex back to her.
Her hand slid along the still warm sheet, there was no Alex, but she couldn’t have been gone long. Lori smiled, wondering if she was taking a leaf out of Frank’s book with an attempt at breakfast in bed.
She allowed herself a few minutes to savour the memories from the night while she listened out for noises in the kitchen. Not hearing any, she gave in to temptation, the need to be near Alex was overwhelming. She pulled a baggy T-shirt from a drawer and tugged it on. Her head popped through the opening to the sight of Alex in the doorway.
“Morning, lovely. I was just about to look for you. Where’s my breakfast in bed?”
Alex slowly padded into the room, stopped in the middle, and swayed slightly, not looking at Lori. Her brow was creased and she seemed shrunken and small, drowning in Lori’s long dressing gown.
Lori glanced down and noticed Alex’s white knuckles where she gripped her phone. She looked back up and her stomach dropped when she found tears in Alex’s eyes.
“Alex? Are you okay?” Lori rushed to her as the tears fell. “Here, come and sit down. What’s happened?”
She guided Alex to the bed, where she sat but didn’t reply, merely shaking her head slowly and staring through Lori. She still held the phone and made no effort to wipe the tears.
“Alex, you’re scaring me. What’s going on?” Lori grasped her shoulders giving her a small shake. “Alex, talk to me.”
As if only realising where she was, her gaze fell back to Lori, briefly meeting her eyes before looking away again. Her lips moved silently for a few seconds before she uttered one small word, “Beth.”
Lori was confused. “Beth?” She took Alex’s face in both hands, forcing her to come back to her, to focus. “Alex, you need to tell me what the phone call was about, tell me how to help.”
Alex’s face darkened then, and the tears abruptly stopped. Her gaze steely, she glared at Lori. “I couldn’t fucking help her, so how the hell are you going to help?”
Lori recoiled at the venom in her words. “I…I…”
Then Alex was in tears again; she crawled onto the bed, curling into a ball. Sobs wracked through her body. Lori couldn’t bear it, despite the outburst. Going to her, she folded her into her arms, feeling her T-shirt dampen almost instantly as Alex buried her face into her chest.
She drew the covers up over them and gently stroked the side of Alex’s face. Replacing the phone with Lori’s hand, she squeezed tight. In between soft kisses to the top of Alex’s head, she whispered reassurance, meaningless because she had no idea what was going on, but soothing enough that the sobs eventually calmed.
Whatever had evoked such fierce reactions in Alex clearly needed to work its way through her system. Lori’s mind whirled. She could wait for an explanation but, meanwhile, her mind spun in a circle of wondering. She couldn’t understand what kind of call Alex could have gotten to bring about this situation so many years after her sister’s death.
Alex’s breathing gradually steadied, then deepened as she dozed from the exhaustion of emotion. Sure she was asleep, Lori slipped her arm from underneath her and quietly slid out of the bed. She wrapped the covers tighter around Alex and placed a light kiss on her cheek.
Okay, think, Lori. What could have happened?
She grabbed cotton shorts from a drawer and then crept through to the kitchen, found her phone, and called the one person she could always rely on.
“What?”
Lori held the phone away from her ear and her friend’s harsh tone. “Um, Stella. It’s me, Lori.”
“Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I thought it was work. I’ve got the mother of all hangovers and I’ve just had a raging argument with—” she stopped short. “Oh never mind, you don’t want to hear about that. I’m so glad you called. How’s the head? How’s the lovely Alex.”
Lori couldn’t help but smile at the suggestion in her voice. Ideally, this would have been a call she’d be making once Alex had gone; spilling her guts to her best friend and telling her how truly wonderful ‘the lovely Alex’ was. But it would have to wait.
“Actually, Stella, she kind of just freaked out on me and I’m really worried. I woke up and she wasn’t in bed. Then she came back in the bedroom all dazed and crying, clutching her phone and not speaking. Well, apart from getting really angry and shouting at me when I asked how I could help. She was muttering about her dead sister Beth—”
“Whoa. Lori, slow down for me. Hangover, remember? I can tell you’re upset so I’m going to save the grilling about you being in bed together for another day and, instead, I just want you to take a breath, calm yourself, then I can help you figure this out.”
“Okay.” Lori closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and heard Stella do the same. “I’m calm.”
“Right, where is she now?”
“She’s in bed. She was crying so much she eventually exhausted herself and fell asleep.”
“Okay, you said you thought she took a phone call, did you look to see who it was? Was it maybe one of her friends that you met in Scotland with some bad news?”
“See, this is why I called you. I haven’t checked. Hang on and I’ll go get it.”
She returned with the phone and thanked the stars it didn’t have a pin code locking the screen. “Okay, the last call was 10.36am, not from a number in her address book. It’s a 0131 code, isn’t that Edinburgh?” She switched Stella to speaker phone and poured a glass of water.
“Yeah, it is. Read me the full number; I’ve got my laptop open. I’ll see if I can reverse look it up.”
Lori did as she was asked, waiting patiently, and listening to the tapping of Stella’s keyboard. “Find anything?”
“Hang on, ah, here it is. Oh…”
“What?” The line was quiet.
“Stella? What?”
“It’s a police station in the south of the city. Why on earth would they be phoning her about her sister? Didn’t you say she died years ago?”
Lori could hear more tapping. She was losing patience. “I don’t know, Stella. You’re meant to be the detective. Alex said she died eight years ago. She was fourteen.”
“What did you say her name was again?”
“Beth, Beth Ryan. What are you doing?”
“Okay, wait a minute, I can’t run an official search, that would be breaking all kinds of laws, but we still have the internet. I thought I’d see if there was something in the news, an article about an accident maybe.”
“Hang on, Stella, I don’t feel good about this. I just wanted you to calm me down but we shouldn’t be looking into this. Alex should be able to tell me in her own time what the deal is with Beth.”
“And what if she doesn’t? Don’t you want to be able to help her?”
“Of course I do, but it feels weird prying like this. Last night was so amazing and I want to be able to help, but I don’t want her angry at me for meddling in something she doesn’t want me to be a part of.”
“Listen, Lori, you are part of her life now, and you care about her. We’re not looking out of some kind of morbid curiosity. We’re looking out of concern for her given her current state. We can wait until she wakes up if you like. I thought it might help
if we had some info, that’s all.”
Lori appreciated that Stella couldn’t help going into automatic detective mode. Helping people was built within her, and to do that, she needed facts. But this wasn’t a stranger; this was a girl asleep in Lori’s bed. “I think we should wait until she wakes up. Whatever it is, I’m sure she’ll tell me eventually. For now I’ll let her sleep.”
Stella sighed. “You’re right. I’m sorry, sweetheart. I didn’t mean to go off on one then, it’s like autopilot. Will you call me later and…” She trailed off.
“What? What is it? You’re still searching, aren’t you? Stella, honestly, leave it. I’ll go and try talking to her again.”
“Shit.”
The dread in the pit of Lori’s stomach turned to a solid lump. She knew this was going to be bad. Her hand found the edge of a kitchen stool, and she sat. “Stella?”
Her friend blew out a long breath.
“Stella, don’t you go fucking quiet on me. Tell me what you found.”
“Sorry, darling. Look, I don’t mean to hold out on you. I’d put her name in already, and the results were there as I went to close it. I don’t want you to panic, but maybe it’s not my place—”
“Stella, don’t do that to me. You’ve looked now and, as my best friend, you need to put me out of the misery I am currently in. Now what did you find?”
“You’re right. You’re my priority which is why I looked in the first place. You need to know this one way or the other.”
“Know what, Stella?” Lori’s mouth had gone dry.
“Okay, okay. There’s an open case on Alex’s sister, Elizabeth Ryan, and her father George.” Lori heard her suck in a breath.
“Lori, there’s no way to sugar coat this. They were murdered at the farm eight years ago. The article says it was a robbery gone badly. There’s a follow up on her mother, Annabelle. It says she committed suicide less than a year later.”
It felt as if the solid lump in Lori’s stomach had burst up through her chest and was now choking her. Shaking, she held on to the countertop with both hands, steadying herself.