state of me.’ After her shower Tara had pulled on the same vest and shorts. Her apartment still felt warm and stuffy despite the doors open onto the balcony. She poured two glasses of sparkling rosé and carried them out to the table, while Kate showered and changed.
‘That feels much better,’ Kate said, emerging in a pair of fawn leggings and a flowery print smock. She held one of the Tilly Reason novels in her hand. ‘You reading this? I saw it on your bed.’
‘Only bought it this afternoon.’ Tara handed her friend a glass of wine as she joined her on the balcony.
‘Our Yvonne loved this one. I think there were three or four in the series.’
Tara pictured Kate’s youngest sister, a rather introverted teenager who devoured books and DVDs with equal passion and fervour.
‘Don’t really know why I bought them. It sort of has a connection to a case I’m working on.’
‘Tilly Reason,’ said Kate, reading the back cover. ‘She was killed in a car accident or something. I remember Yvonne talking about it. She reckoned the books were going to be huge, but nothing ever came of it. I suppose maybe her family didn’t want all the fuss after she died.’
A fair point, thought Tara as she considered sharing some details of Callum Armour with her friend. Before she had the chance, her door buzzer sounded, long and deliberate.
‘That’ll be our darling Aisling,’ said Kate, taking a hefty gulp of wine.
‘Deep breaths,’ said Tara, making for the door.
‘Start without me?’ said Aisling, bounding in, dropping bags to the floor, clasping Tara by the arms and placing a smacking kiss on each cheek.
‘First drink of the day,’ said Tara.
‘That’s the God’s honest truth,’ Kate called from the balcony, holding her half empty glass aloft for Aisling to see.
‘Kate, be a love and pop down to the motor for me. I couldn’t manage the wine, not in these heels.’ Tara glanced at the shoes. ‘What do you think?’
‘They are high,’ said Tara, still gazing at the patent leather open-back shoes in black, orange and bronze.
‘It’s a wonder you can walk in them at all,’ said Kate. Aisling was not to be put off.
‘Alberto Guardiani, a snip at three hundred.’
‘You’re joking?’ said Kate, heading out the door and making for the lift. ‘More money than sense, Aisling luv.’
‘Have you been to work in those?’ Tara asked.
‘Bought them at lunchtime. I’ve been sitting at my desk all afternoon. But wait till you see what I’ve got for you. I think it’s perfect.’
When Kate re-appeared with two heavy looking carrier bags and clinking bottles, Tara was already modelling a purple satin dress, string shoulder straps, cinched at the waist and revealing lots of leg. Aisling beamed at her purchase.
‘What do you think, Kate? Our Tara won’t have any bother pulling them wearing this. Couldn’t resist it. All you need now is a decent pair of heels.’
‘You mean, like the shoes I got her?’ said Kate with a wide smile.
‘What are you pair up to?’ said Tara.
‘We both think you’re spending far too much time in black trousers,’ said Aisling. ‘You’ll turn into a fella if you’re not careful.’
Kate produced the taupe shoes with lofty heels, and Tara had little choice but to slip them on. The slim design complimented her tiny feet and slender ankles.
‘Kate, that’s far too much to spend on me. There’s no need. I’m not poor, you know.’
‘Don’t worry, they’re not Guardiani. Not that I didn’t see the perfect pair for you. We can go shopping tomorrow if you like?’
‘Thank you both, very much. I don’t deserve you two, really I don’t.’
‘Now you can impress that new man of yours,’ said Aisling.
‘What man?’ Tara was incredulous.
‘The one you couldn’t stop thinking about the other night.’
‘That was a case, Aisling. I was thinking about a case. He’s not my fella.’ Kate laughed. Tara wasn’t sure if she was laughing at her or
‘That feels much better,’ Kate said, emerging in a pair of fawn leggings and a flowery print smock. She held one of the Tilly Reason novels in her hand. ‘You reading this? I saw it on your bed.’
‘Only bought it this afternoon.’ Tara handed her friend a glass of wine as she joined her on the balcony.
‘Our Yvonne loved this one. I think there were three or four in the series.’
Tara pictured Kate’s youngest sister, a rather introverted teenager who devoured books and DVDs with equal passion and fervour.
‘Don’t really know why I bought them. It sort of has a connection to a case I’m working on.’
‘Tilly Reason,’ said Kate, reading the back cover. ‘She was killed in a car accident or something. I remember Yvonne talking about it. She reckoned the books were going to be huge, but nothing ever came of it. I suppose maybe her family didn’t want all the fuss after she died.’
A fair point, thought Tara as she considered sharing some details of Callum Armour with her friend. Before she had the chance, her door buzzer sounded, long and deliberate.
‘That’ll be our darling Aisling,’ said Kate, taking a hefty gulp of wine.
‘Deep breaths,’ said Tara, making for the door.
‘Start without me?’ said Aisling, bounding in, dropping bags to the floor, clasping Tara by the arms and placing a smacking kiss on each cheek.
‘First drink of the day,’ said Tara.
‘That’s the God’s honest truth,’ Kate called from the balcony, holding her half empty glass aloft for Aisling to see.
‘Kate, be a love and pop down to the motor for me. I couldn’t manage the wine, not in these heels.’ Tara glanced at the shoes. ‘What do you think?’
‘They are high,’ said Tara, still gazing at the patent leather open-back shoes in black, orange and bronze.
‘It’s a wonder you can walk in them at all,’ said Kate. Aisling was not to be put off.
‘Alberto Guardiani, a snip at three hundred.’
‘You’re joking?’ said Kate, heading out the door and making for the lift. ‘More money than sense, Aisling luv.’
‘Have you been to work in those?’ Tara asked.
‘Bought them at lunchtime. I’ve been sitting at my desk all afternoon. But wait till you see what I’ve got for you. I think it’s perfect.’
When Kate re-appeared with two heavy looking carrier bags and clinking bottles, Tara was already modelling a purple satin dress, string shoulder straps, cinched at the waist and revealing lots of leg. Aisling beamed at her purchase.
‘What do you think, Kate? Our Tara won’t have any bother pulling them wearing this. Couldn’t resist it. All you need now is a decent pair of heels.’
‘You mean, like the shoes I got her?’ said Kate with a wide smile.
‘What are you pair up to?’ said Tara.
‘We both think you’re spending far too much time in black trousers,’ said Aisling. ‘You’ll turn into a fella if you’re not careful.’
Kate produced the taupe shoes with lofty heels, and Tara had little choice but to slip them on. The slim design complimented her tiny feet and slender ankles.
‘Kate, that’s far too much to spend on me. There’s no need. I’m not poor, you know.’
‘Don’t worry, they’re not Guardiani. Not that I didn’t see the perfect pair for you. We can go shopping tomorrow if you like?’
‘Thank you both, very much. I don’t deserve you two, really I don’t.’
‘Now you can impress that new man of yours,’ said Aisling.
‘What man?’ Tara was incredulous.
‘The one you couldn’t stop thinking about the other night.’
‘That was a case, Aisling. I was thinking about a case. He’s not my fella.’ Kate laughed. Tara wasn’t sure if she was laughing at her or
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