Spoilt by Joanne Ellis

sure how she was going to manage this. She couldn’t
understand why life took such a wonderful person like Elle. Leaning
against the counter, she wiped away the tears and took a shaky
breath.
    Trying to put Elle and the calls out of her mind for the
moment, she walked to the kitchen to prepare lunch.
    With perfect timing, just as she’d finished, the front door
opened and Charlotte breezed through with Sarah following close
behind. She ran to greet them and was enclosed by a Summerville
hug, Charlotte from behind and Sarah in the front. Sarah pulled
back and cupped her face.
    “ How are you holding up, sweetheart?”
    “ Ok,” she squeaked.
    “ Well, we’re here now so you don’t have to worry about
anything. What time do you need us to head over to Bloom?” she
continued in her no fuss way.
    “ In about half an hour.”
    “ Well let’s eat, then,” Charlotte decided.
    They caught up on lighter subjects over lunch. As they
prepared to leave, the phone rang again.
    “ This phone has not stopped,” she said with
exasperation.
    “ Hello.”
    “ You head off to your little shop now, Chelsea. I’ll see you
soon.”
    This time Chelsea hung up.
    “ Who was that?” Charlotte asked.
    “ No-one, just a prank call.”
    “ How many have you had?” Sarah asked.
    “ A few.”
    “ What did they say?” Charlotte said.
    “ He would see me soon and that he was coming for me, that kind
of thing, nothing serious. It’s probably some kids who have seen
the news and know Elle was murdered.”
    Chelsea was still hoping against hope that this was actually
the case, although her rapid pulse and the prickles of cold
fingering her spine, told her otherwise. He knew her
name.
    “ How would they know where she lived?” Sarah asked.
    “ I don’t know. I’m sure it’s nothing.” Chelsea shoved her
shaking hands in her jacket pockets to hide their betrayal of her
words.
    “ It doesn’t sound like nothing to me,” Sarah said, just
getting started now.
    “ Mum, it’s okay, really.”
    “ Drop the bravado, Chelsea. I can tell from your face that the
call bothered you.”
    “ He said my name.”
    “ What? You have to tell the police.”
    “ I don’t know if that’s really necessary.” She wished it
wasn’t.
    “ Yes, it is.”
    “ Can I call Lucas later, when we get home from Bloom?” she
asked. Chelsea instantly realised her mistake once the words left
her mouth.
    “ Who’s Lucas?” Charlotte asked with one eyebrow
raised.
    “ He’s a detective working on Elle’s investigation.”
    Chelsea attempted to keep her face straight, hoping to deter
further questions. However, with Charlotte, this would be
unavoidable. Her sister was far too inquisitive. Chelsea wasn’t
ready to share Lucas with anyone yet. Besides she wasn’t really
sure what was happening anyway.
    “ You like him.”
    “ He’s nice.”
    “ Is there something going on?” she asked, her voice laced with
excitement.
    “ I don’t know.”
    “ What do you mean you don’t know?”
    “ Exactly that, I don’t know. We had dinner last night, nothing
serious.” She shrugged trying to appear nonchalant.
    “ Chelsea’s got a boyfriend,” she teased.
    “ No, I haven’t. How old are you anyway? Six?” she said a
little too fiercely. “Now we have to get going and open Bloom, so I
can make a living.”
    Chelsea promptly stormed out the door. Charlotte and Sarah
exchanged looks and shared a secret grin before following
Chelsea.
    There was much to do. Chelsea completed all the bouquets
required for the next morning out the back and away from her
sister’s questioning looks. Sarah manned the phones and took
orders, while Charlotte served and flirted with her customers. By
the time they’d helped the last of them and shut the door, they
were exhausted.
    “ How do you do this every day by yourself?” Charlotte asked
throwing herself dramatically into a nearby chair.
    “ I don’t do it by myself. On busy days, like today, I have
Lauren to