how genuinely nice she was, Ellie felt wretched at being the one who was cheating with her husband, and also bearing his child behind her back. Sylvia seemed so innocent, so genuinely interested in Ellie’s pregnancy, and Ellie had the impression that she’d have liked to make a friend of her. But there would be no way she would bear to maintain contact with the woman she was deceiving.
The meeting also made her angry and insecure about Alan. How could he not love such a nice woman as Sylvia? He clearly liked his wife enough to have sex with her. Maybe it was Ellie he was deceiving, and that he had no intention of ever leaving his wife. Insecurity rose up inside her like bile.
Yet how could she claim to be a decent person herself, when Alan’s wife was the innocent victim of their appalling deceit?
C HAPTER 19
K erry sat on the edge of Laura’s hospital bed, holding her hand sympathetically.
‘How do you know all this?’ Laura demanded, tears in her eyes. ‘You couldn’t possibly find out so much by simply following Jeff!’
‘No, you’re right – when I got home after work this evening, I checked through the last few weeks’ newspapers online, because I’d a hunch that I’d seen a picture somewhere of the guy who was with Jeff. And there he was, smiling as he left court after his acquittal. He’d been prosecuted for importing and supplying Class A drugs, like heroin, and cocaine.’ Kerry grimaced. ‘But the informer who was to testify against him disappeared – presumed dead – so he got off.’ She reached into her pocket and took out a folded piece of paper. ‘Here – I printed off the page, so you can see for yourself.’
Laura looked at the picture of the smiling man, but it meant nothing to her. She definitely didn’t recognise him.
Kerry looked at her earnestly. ‘What worries me is why Jeff would be meeting a guy like that?’ She took a deep breath. ‘Aren’t you worried that whatever he’s doing, it looks decidedly dodgy?’
Laura could feel anger building up inside her. ‘You’ve no business following my husband while I’m here in hospital!’ she said hotly. ‘I’m sorry now that I told you about his real lineof work – he’s clearly on some kind of mission. He probably has to deal with these people for reasons of national security!’
Seeing how angry Laura was, Kerry quickly backtracked. ‘I’m sorry, love – I accept that maybe I shouldn’t have followed him. But I’m worried about you, and I just want you to be safe and happy.’
Laura looked slightly less angry, so Kerry decided to tell her what else she’d looked up.
‘I also Googled Jeff’s father’s name. There were lots of old newspaper reports about his family at the time of his parents’ deaths. The coroner ruled that Jeff’s mother had been murdered by his father, and then the father hanged himself.’
Laura turned pale with shock. ‘Oh God! I knew his parents were violent, but I’d no idea his father was a murderer! Poor Jeff – that explains so much.’
Kerry grimaced. ‘I just thought you should know. You’d have been livid with me if you found out later that I’d known all this and hadn’t told you.’
Laura nodded. ‘Okay, I get that. But Jeff can hardly be blamed for his awful parents, can he? It’s not his fault that his father was a murderer. I know Jeff is scarred by his childhood – he probably didn’t tell me all that because he’s embarrassed by it.’
Kerry squeezed her hand apologetically. ‘Promise me you won’t let him know that I’ve told you all this?’
Laura looked at her truculently. ‘Of course I won’t! He’d be so humiliated. You know how insecure Jeff is! Besides, he’s my husband. I signed up for better or for worse, and I’m expecting his child. So I have to make a go of it.’ She looked at Kerry defiantly. ‘Besides, I love him.’
Kerry smiled sympathetically. Still gullible. Still seeing the best in her husband, despite the fact that he’d
The meeting also made her angry and insecure about Alan. How could he not love such a nice woman as Sylvia? He clearly liked his wife enough to have sex with her. Maybe it was Ellie he was deceiving, and that he had no intention of ever leaving his wife. Insecurity rose up inside her like bile.
Yet how could she claim to be a decent person herself, when Alan’s wife was the innocent victim of their appalling deceit?
C HAPTER 19
K erry sat on the edge of Laura’s hospital bed, holding her hand sympathetically.
‘How do you know all this?’ Laura demanded, tears in her eyes. ‘You couldn’t possibly find out so much by simply following Jeff!’
‘No, you’re right – when I got home after work this evening, I checked through the last few weeks’ newspapers online, because I’d a hunch that I’d seen a picture somewhere of the guy who was with Jeff. And there he was, smiling as he left court after his acquittal. He’d been prosecuted for importing and supplying Class A drugs, like heroin, and cocaine.’ Kerry grimaced. ‘But the informer who was to testify against him disappeared – presumed dead – so he got off.’ She reached into her pocket and took out a folded piece of paper. ‘Here – I printed off the page, so you can see for yourself.’
Laura looked at the picture of the smiling man, but it meant nothing to her. She definitely didn’t recognise him.
Kerry looked at her earnestly. ‘What worries me is why Jeff would be meeting a guy like that?’ She took a deep breath. ‘Aren’t you worried that whatever he’s doing, it looks decidedly dodgy?’
Laura could feel anger building up inside her. ‘You’ve no business following my husband while I’m here in hospital!’ she said hotly. ‘I’m sorry now that I told you about his real lineof work – he’s clearly on some kind of mission. He probably has to deal with these people for reasons of national security!’
Seeing how angry Laura was, Kerry quickly backtracked. ‘I’m sorry, love – I accept that maybe I shouldn’t have followed him. But I’m worried about you, and I just want you to be safe and happy.’
Laura looked slightly less angry, so Kerry decided to tell her what else she’d looked up.
‘I also Googled Jeff’s father’s name. There were lots of old newspaper reports about his family at the time of his parents’ deaths. The coroner ruled that Jeff’s mother had been murdered by his father, and then the father hanged himself.’
Laura turned pale with shock. ‘Oh God! I knew his parents were violent, but I’d no idea his father was a murderer! Poor Jeff – that explains so much.’
Kerry grimaced. ‘I just thought you should know. You’d have been livid with me if you found out later that I’d known all this and hadn’t told you.’
Laura nodded. ‘Okay, I get that. But Jeff can hardly be blamed for his awful parents, can he? It’s not his fault that his father was a murderer. I know Jeff is scarred by his childhood – he probably didn’t tell me all that because he’s embarrassed by it.’
Kerry squeezed her hand apologetically. ‘Promise me you won’t let him know that I’ve told you all this?’
Laura looked at her truculently. ‘Of course I won’t! He’d be so humiliated. You know how insecure Jeff is! Besides, he’s my husband. I signed up for better or for worse, and I’m expecting his child. So I have to make a go of it.’ She looked at Kerry defiantly. ‘Besides, I love him.’
Kerry smiled sympathetically. Still gullible. Still seeing the best in her husband, despite the fact that he’d
Similar Books
