Chapter Two #2
‘Probably,’ Kirsty said, when Maura had found her at the window table on the fifth floor and taken the empty seat opposite her. ‘People are often fighting battles the rest of us don’t know about. Maybe she was just surprised to see you.’
Maura toyed with the menu, replaying the encounter in her mind. ‘No, it was more than that. She looked almost horrified.’
Her sister’s gaze flickered upwards to her hair, which Maura knew was damp and frizzy from the rain. ‘Well—’
‘It wasn’t my hair,’ she said, raising her hand to her head in spite of herself. ‘She barely even looked at me.’
Kirsty frowned. ‘And you’re sure you haven’t inadvertently upset her in some way?’
‘I don’t see how,’ Maura replied, after a moment’s thought. ‘I haven’t seen her for weeks.’
‘Then it’s not you,’ Kirsty said, shrugging. ‘Maybe she’s got work trouble. Or relationship problems.’
Either was possible, Maura thought. Hadn’t Zoe hinted more than once that she was frustrated with Liam? ‘I suppose I could ask Jamie,’ she said slowly. ‘If there’s something going on, he might have heard about it.’
Kirsty raised her eyebrows. ‘The rugby club jungle drums. But wouldn’t he have mentioned it already? He knows Zoe is your friend.’
‘He’s been busy,’ Maura said, not quite able to meet her sister’s eyes. ‘We both have.’
‘I’m sure it’s nothing,’ Kirsty said, her tone pragmatic as she lifted the menu to study it. ‘Why don’t you drop her a message later to check in?’
Maura bit her lip. Whatever had caused Zoe’s strange reaction was unlikely to be nothing, but that didn’t mean it had anything to do with Maura herself. ‘Good idea,’ she conceded at length. ‘Thanks.’
‘I’m full of good ideas,’ Kirsty said airily, and leaned back in her chair. ‘Now, about Mum and Dad’s anniversary. How do you feel about a Caribbean cruise?’
‘Have you seen much of Zoe recently?’
Jamie looked up from the paperwork he’d been glued to since arriving home from work. ‘Zoe?’
On the other side of the sofa, Maura nodded. ‘Liam’s girlfriend.’
‘I know who she is,’ Jamie replied, the beginning of a frown etching twin lines between his eyes. ‘I’m just not sure why you’re asking if I’ve seen her.’
‘At the rugby club,’ Maura said. ‘I wondered whether she’s been there lately.’
He shuffled the papers, selecting a new one from the pile and turning his gaze downwards again. ‘I can’t say I’ve noticed. Why?’
Maura shifted uneasily. ‘I ran into her outside John Lewis on Tuesday, when I was having lunch with Kirsty. She seemed a bit off, so I sent her a text and she hasn’t replied.’ She waited but he didn’t acknowledge her words. ‘I’m a bit worried something’s wrong.’
‘No idea,’ Jamie said, his tone preoccupied. ‘Sorry.’
‘How about Liam?’ she persisted, because she knew he’d played at the weekend. ‘Does he seem okay?’
A short huff escaped Jamie’s lips. ‘Again, no idea. I’m not the club’s therapist, Maura. They don’t confide in me when they have problems.’
The flatness behind his words made Maura pause.
‘No, of course not,’ she said, after a moment.
‘I thought maybe you might have heard something, if he and Zoe weren’t getting along or – or…
’ She trailed off, discouraged by the disengaged set of his shoulders.
‘Look, it doesn’t matter. Maybe I’ll come to the club on Friday evening. See if I can catch Zoe for a chat.’
That did get Jamie’s attention and this time his frown was full. ‘You haven’t done that for months.’
It wouldn’t help to explain the reason for her absence, Maura thought – that she’d grown tired of watching Jamie get drunk with his teammates. ‘All the more reason to come along,’ she said, trying to sound jolly. ‘They’ll have forgotten I exist.’
‘Hardly.’
There was something in his voice, a spark of irritation so fleeting that she wondered whether she’d imagined it. ‘You don’t mind, do you?’
Running a weary hand over his forehead, Jamie sighed. ‘Obviously I don’t mind. But I do need to make notes on this report before my meeting tomorrow morning.’ He glanced up at her, a perfunctory smile flicking on and off. ‘So if you’re finished?’
It was the kind of dismissal she imagined he might use at work, to bat away an annoying colleague. Maura took a breath in, let it out, and smoothed the hurt away. ‘I understand,’ she said, getting to her feet. ‘I’ll go and put the kettle on.’
Jamie cocked his head. ‘Not for me, thanks. But there’s a decent Malbec I opened last night. I wouldn’t say no to a glass of that.’
She nodded, knowing he hadn’t left much more than that in the bottle. ‘Sure. I’ll bring it in.’
He didn’t reply, his focus back on the papers in his hand.
Swallowing her misgivings, Maura set off for the kitchen.
The clubhouse hadn’t changed much since Maura’s last visit, although there were no birthday decorations in evidence this time.
The crowd was smaller too, but she still saw the same familiar faces.
Despite Jamie’s initial diffidence at the suggestion she might join him for Friday evening drinks, she was greeted enthusiastically by the rest of his team.
‘We thought you’d come to your senses and left the bugger,’ Andy said, slapping Jamie cheerfully on the shoulder.
‘Just busy with work,’ Maura replied, smiling.
‘Oh aye?’ Andy said, looking interested. ‘Are you still doing the pots?’
She nodded. ‘That’s right.’
‘Maybe we’ll see you on the telly one of these days,’ he said with a wink.
‘Maybe,’ Maura said, smiling.
Jamie did not smile. ‘I’m going to the bar,’ he said, glancing at her. ‘What do you want?’
‘A coke, please,’ she replied. The rugby club was within walking distance of home so she hadn’t needed to drive but she had a kiln full of ghosts to unload in the morning and she did not need a hangover to get in her way.
Jamie turned an enquiring gaze on Andy. ‘Guinness?’
‘You read my mind,’ Andy replied. ‘I’ll come with you.’
Maura took advantage of their departure to seek out Zoe.
She was not seated on the banquettes that lined the back wall, nor was she among the clusters of other wives and girlfriends gathered at the mismatched tables and chairs dotted around the room.
There was no sign of her at the bar, although it was possible she was hidden by any one of several burly rugby players.
Perhaps she and Liam hadn’t arrived yet, Maura mused, scanning the room to see if there was anyone who might be able to shed some light on Zoe’s odd behaviour.
Georgie was a possibility – she’d seen the two of them chatting on a number of occasions and her husband was a Warriors old boy who might well be in the loop if the problem was Liam.
But Maura could see Georgie was the middle of a group, deep in conversation.
Perhaps she’d be able to catch her on her own later, have a discreet word.
‘Here’s your coke,’ Andy said, offering her a pint glass bobbing with ice cubes and lemon.
A little miffed that Jamie hadn’t brought it to her himself, Maura glanced towards the bar again to see him laughing with a few of the other rugby club stalwarts. She dredged up a smile for Andy. ‘Thanks.’
Nodding, he was about to move away when Maura spoke again.
‘No Liam this evening?’
He took a swig of Guinness. ‘I’d be surprised.’
Maura raised her eyebrows. ‘Oh? Why’s that?’
Andy leaned closer. ‘Rumour has it he’s nursing a broken heart. The lovely Zoe dumped him.’ He paused. ‘Or maybe he dumped her, but I can’t see that happening. He was always punching above with her if you ask me.’
That certainly explained Zoe’s reluctance to speak to her, Maura thought, taking a sip from her own glass. But the fact that Andy knew suggested it was common knowledge, which begged the question, why hadn’t Jamie heard the rumours? ‘Are you sure?’
Andy waved a hand. ‘He’s not here, is he? First time I’ve known him to miss a Friday night social in years.’
‘He might be ill,’ Maura suggested.
‘Except that he’s confirmed to play in the match tomorrow,’ Andy said. ‘Nope, I reckon he’s sat at home, feeling sorry for himself.’
With some justification if he and Zoe really had broken up, she thought but didn’t say. ‘Do you know if anyone has checked on him?’
‘Malky messaged him, to make sure he was okay to play tomorrow.’
Not the most caring of approaches but better than nothing, Maura supposed. ‘And Zoe?’
Andy shrugged. ‘She’s definitely not playing tomorrow.’
‘I should hope not,’ she said ruefully. ‘Thanks, Andy. I hope Liam isn’t too heartbroken.’
He took a long draught of his pint and smacked his lips. ‘We’ll take him under our wing, don’t you fret.’
And they would, she knew. There was a real sense of community among the players, a camaraderie that meant they looked out for each other.
Maura could only hope that Zoe had good friends of her own to support her, because it didn’t seem she wanted anything from Maura.
Perhaps she thought her loyalties would lie with Liam and the rugby club.
Or perhaps she wanted a clean break, and that meant sacrificing Maura’s friendship.
It seemed Kirsty had been right, which was annoying and reassuring in equal measure – whatever the reason for Zoe’s odd behaviour outside the department store, and her subsequent silence, it had nothing to do with Maura.