Chapter 42
Chapter Forty-Two
The rest of the week went far too quickly.
On Friday evening, Lily and Flynn went to Kit and Seren’s place for drinks after his last official day of work.
Being with other people was the breath of fresh air they needed, and when the rest of the Trenearys turned up over the course of the evening, along with Ted and PC Hill, it turned into the perfect understated leaving party for Flynn.
It involved a lot of chatter about the new sergeant, who neither Flynn nor PC Hill had taken to. There was also a fun exchange of stories about Sergeant Proctor, which seemed to prepare Lily for the memorial service the following day.
Having that to focus on meant the weekend disappeared with Lily barely having time to think about Flynn’s imminent departure.
Their plan to see each other helped, though.
With that in place, she no longer felt the uncontrolled panic she’d previously had.
But she also still hadn’t fully rid herself of the notion that he may be able to stay after all.
At least until she was saying goodbye to him in the hallway of her flat.
Neither of them was keen on an airport farewell, and since Jago had offered to drive Flynn to the airport, they opted for an unemotional goodbye at Lily’s place.
It felt like all the other times they’d said goodbye.
Just an extended hug and a see you later.
Easy.
Except a little more than an hour after he’d left, she wasn’t sure an easy goodbye was what she wanted.
She told Jessica she was heading out for a walk and set off toward the airport, gradually increasing her pace while keeping an eye on the sky for the sight of his plane leaving.
After being adamant she didn’t want an airport goodbye, she was suddenly desperate for one.
Especially as there was something she needed to tell him and it suddenly felt imperative.
By the time she had the airport in her sights, she was jogging, and shifted into a sprint as she approached the building.
“Have I missed him?” she called to Jago Treneary when he almost ran her over driving out of the car park.
“I don’t know.” He grimaced through the open window. “He was about to go through security when I left. Do you want me to wait for you?”
“No, thanks,” she said and darted to the entrance.
Inside the small building, she didn’t have to go far.
Relief made her slightly giddy when she spotted Flynn slouched in a chair near the security area with his backpack at his feet.
“Aren’t you supposed to be getting on a plane? ” she called happily.
Flynn’s head whipped up, but it was the airport worker nearby who replied.
“He’s got about two minutes and then he’s missed the plane,” he said with a hint of an eye roll.
“What are you doing here?” Flynn asked, standing as Lily approached him.
“Checking you leave. Apparently it’s a good job I came.” She put her hands on his chest. “What are you doing?”
His shoulders hitched. “Contemplating whether to go. I heard there’s going to be a job opening at the ice cream shop soon, so I thought maybe I could work there.”
Lily smiled and shook her head. “You’d never make it through the interview process.”
“I think I’d be good at scooping ice cream.”
“And I think you make a better police officer.”
He nodded but didn’t look entirely convinced.
“My flight is booked to visit you,” Lily said. “I’ll see you in three weeks. Everything will be fine.”
“When did you get so optimistic?”
“I think one of us should always be optimistic. Apparently it’s my turn.”
“Will you be okay?” he asked.
“Yes. I promise.”
“I’ll call you tonight,” he said and kissed her until the member of staff cleared his throat loudly.
“You have to go,” Lily said.
“It seems like it.” He gave her another peck and picked up his backpack.
“Wait,” she said, clutching his hand tightly.
“Now you’re giving mixed signals.”
She shook her head and moved to hug him. “I love you,” she murmured against his neck.
“I had a strong suspicion about that.” The smile spread quickly across his face. “I love you, too. Now I’m going to leave before one of us starts crying.”
With a sigh, she released him. “Go on then.”
She watched as he moved through the security area with a backward glance that felt as though it might shatter her heart. Reminding herself she’d see him really soon, she managed a smile, then went to find a window with a view of the tarmac. She didn’t move until the plane was in the air.
Sinking into the nearest seat, she let out a sigh. She didn’t cry, so that was something. She just needed a minute before she could face going home.
With her head bent, she didn’t notice Maria until her hand landed on her shoulder.
“Has he gone?” she asked from the seat beside Lily.
“Yeah.” She clasped her hands in her lap. “What are you doing here?”
“Jessica told me you were here.” She tilted her head. “I just wanted to check on you.”
“I miss him already, but I think I’m okay.”
“He seems determined to come back here.”
Lily pressed her lips together. “You spoke to him?”
“Yes. I promised him I’d keep an eye on you. I hope that’s okay?”
Tears pricked at her eyes then. “It’s okay. Thank you.”
They fell silent for a few minutes, then Maria spoke again. “There’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you about Derek,” she said softly. “It’s probably a bad time…”
“Tell me,” Lily said.
“I don’t even know if this is helpful, or just frustrating, but the last time I spoke to him he’d decided he was going to explain everything to you about your childhood.”
Lily inhaled a breath. “He must have changed his mind, because he never mentioned any of it.”
“He didn’t change his mind, he just didn’t have a chance,” she said, then paused and took a breath. “The last time I spoke to him was the night before he died.”
Lily whipped her gaze to her. “How do you know? I thought you only found out he died when I came to Scilly.”
“I already knew.” She pushed her hair from her face.
“Derek and I hadn’t spoken for ages. We only exchanged a few emails over about a decade.
He got in touch when the two of you moved back to the UK, but I was married at that time, so we weren’t properly in contact.
Then he called me out of the blue.” She paused and bit down on her lip.
“We were on the phone for hours that night. I was divorced by then, and it seemed as though things might finally work out for us. We didn’t exactly make any long-term plans, but he was going to come and see me in Bristol the next day and we’d see how things went. ”
“He didn’t turn up?”
“No. I was disappointed, but I thought maybe something had come up and he’d get in touch again.
When he didn’t answer my calls, I convinced myself that he’d only said he wanted to meet up in the heat of the moment and had changed his mind.
I was angry with him – and with myself for letting myself hope things might finally work out.
Eventually, I decided I was owed an explanation, and if I had to turn up on his doorstep and demand answers, so be it.
” She inhaled a dramatic breath. “One of his neighbours told me he’d died.
I figured out it must have been right after we spoke. ”
“I’m sorry,” Lily whispered. “Was that when you moved to Scilly?”
“Yes.”
“I’d argued with him,” Lily said after a moment. “I told him he’d ruined my life by moving me around so much, and that I’d never had a proper home. I was so angry with him.”
“He told me all about it.”
Lily caught a teardrop at the corner of her eye. “I hate that he died when we were angry with each other.”
“He wasn’t angry with you.” She shook her head. “Not at all. He laughed about your argument. Said it was pretty standard that you’d get in shouting matches, but he thought it got everything out in the open, and he said you’d always apologise to each other later.”
“That’s true.” Lily nodded. “That one felt different though.”
“Maybe. He was worried he’d made a mess of your upbringing too. That’s why he decided the least he owed you was an explanation. He really was going to tell you everything.”
“And I was going to apologise for shouting at him, and for the horrible things I’d said, but he was dead when I got there.”
Maria pressed a hand over her mouth. “You found him?”
Lily nodded.
“I’m so sorry,” Maria said, her chin trembling madly.
“It’s okay,” Lily managed, taking Maria’s hand.
“And now I’m doubly sorry because I came to check you were okay, and I think you probably were until I arrived.”
Lily smiled through tears. “I’m glad you came. I know we’re not actually family, but you’re the only link I have to my family.” She gave a quick shake of her head. “You’re not going to leave too, are you?”
“No.” She swiped tears from her cheeks. “After Derek died, this felt like where I needed to be. I wasn’t sure how long I’d stay, but when I went back to Bristol recently, it was to complete the sale of my house, and pack everything up.
I was going to look for my own place here, but Glynis is keen to keep me with her. ”
Lily grimaced. “Now I feel bad that I have your flat.”
“Don’t feel bad. It’s yours for as long as you want it.”
“Thank you.” Lily glanced at the door, contemplating getting back to the shop, then she turned back to Maria. “Do you think Uncle Derek was right about what happened with my parents and my gran? That it wasn’t an accident.”
She looked thoughtful. “I really don’t know.”
“Did you change your name because of your connection to me and Uncle Derek – did you think you were in danger?”
“I didn’t change my name. I just started going by my middle name.”
“Because you were scared?”
“Yes. But I really didn’t know if Derek was being paranoid or if there was something to his theories.”
Lily sat up straighter. “I’m going to find out,” she said determinedly.
“What?”
“I’m going to investigate my parents’ death.”
Maria frowned. “Your uncle couldn’t find evidence of anything.”
“Because he didn’t look properly,” Lily said. “He decided that getting me away from the situation was more important than investigating it. I need to get to the bottom of it, once and for all.”
Maria bit down on her lower lip. “I don’t think Derek would want you poking around in this.”
“Well then he should have raised me differently.”
He may have brought her up running from problems, but in the end, that was exactly what made her the sort of person who could face anything head on.
Besides, she needed something to keep her from missing Flynn.
Tracking down her parents’ killer was exactly the distraction she needed.
To be continued…