Chapter Twenty-Five #3
‘Yes it is.’ She stroked it affectionately. ‘It’s a sort of commitment gift, you know, to tell me he means what he says … that he wants us to be together.’ She touched the bracelet once more and smiled at Cat. ‘I am so looking forward to living down here with him. I know we’re gonna be very happy.’
‘He’s meeting you here this evening?’
Tanya nodded. ‘Yeah, around nine-fifteen. Said he had a few loose ends to tie up first. Whatever that means.’ She shrugged, making her hair dance around her shoulders.
‘Our first evening together. I’m so excited.
Being in love is wonderful, don’t you think?
’ Another sigh followed. ‘Well,’ she shouldered her bag and raised her glass to Cat, ‘have to go. Thanks again for the wine.’
‘You’re welcome,’ Cat replied, watching Tanya disappear into the dimness of the club.
Something about Tanya unsettled her. There were so many coincidences.
She fitted the description of the girl in the BMW.
Then there was the story about meeting her boyfriend abroad and losing touch.
Luke had been back from the Far East for five months and what had happened out there had been another area he’d never fully discussed.
And finally the cuff, which was almost a duplicate of the one he wore, although she hadn’t noticed any inscription.
Taking another mouthful of wine she released a deep calming breath.
No, it wasn’t possible. It had to be a coincidence.
As she was attempting to banish these worrying thoughts she looked up and saw Luke arrive, surrounded by a group of service technicians, including Kieran. He immediately broke away from them and headed towards her.
Strong arms wrapped themselves around her, bringing back all the familiar things she had missed about him: his warmth, the soapy smell of shaving gel and the woody scent of his cologne. His mouth found hers and instantly all her fears were forgotten as she lost herself in his kiss.
Hearing whoops and whistles in the background she realised they were being watched by the techs who were currently at the end of the bar ordering their drinks. He released her with a comment that made them all laugh and she could see the relief and happiness in his face.
‘I’m glad you’re back, I’ve missed you so much,’ she said as she reached for his hand and squeezed it.
‘Three days seemed like a lifetime, didn’t it? Thank you for being there for me; for never losing faith.’
‘So what exactly happened today?’ she asked, keen to get to the bottom of his mysterious absence. ‘We arrived at Truro only to find someone else had collected you.’
At the mention of this his buoyant mood seemed to evaporate. ‘Um, that’s what I want to talk to you about. Can we go outside for a moment?’
‘Outside? What is it, Luke? Has something happened?’ Cat tried to breathe slowly, attempting to ward off the sudden tightness in her chest. She noticed his smile had gone, replaced by an expression she couldn’t identify.
It told her something was wrong; very wrong.
She thought of Tanya again, sitting somewhere out in the dimness of the club.
Was she watching them? Waiting for it all to be over so she could join him?
Calming herself, she decided to listen to Luke’s explanation before jumping to any more conclusions.
Grabbing her bag and jacket she slipped from the bar stool and followed him out of the club. Reaching the main door, Luke reached out and swung it open, standing back to let her walk through.
‘What’s happened to your cuff?’ she remarked, noticing his wrist was bare.
‘At the moment I’m not sure where it is.’ He shrugged uncomfortably as he followed her through the door.
She pulled him to a halt outside. ‘What exactly does that mean?’ she demanded.
‘I … well … actually I couldn’t find it.
I turned the cottage upside down looking for it.
I was sure I’d left it in my bedroom drawer.
I definitely wasn’t wearing it when they arrested me.
Look it’s not a big deal, I’ll check again later, okay?
I’ve more important things on my mind at the moment,’ he said, reaching for her hand.
‘Let’s find somewhere quiet, there’s something I need to tell you about this morning. ’
‘Forget it, Luke.’ She pulled away, avoiding his touch.
‘I don’t need an explanation about this morning.
You see, I know exactly what you were doing and where your cuff is,’ she snapped.
‘Someone called Tanya Clarkson is wearing it. Ah, I see from your expression you know her. She was the one who picked you up from Truro, wasn’t she? ’
‘Oh shit,’ he cursed under his breath, then looked at her and nodded. ‘Yes … she must have stolen it while I was showering.’
‘Showering? She was upstairs with you? At the cottage?’ Cat could feel her whole life unravelling as she realised everything Tanya had told her was the truth.
She didn’t bother to ask what she was doing at the cottage; unpacking and settling in no doubt.
This had now become more than simply Luke keeping things from her; it was betrayal of the worst kind.
‘I called in for a shower and a change of clothes.’ She heard the hitch in his voice as he struggled to explain. ‘I had to get rid of the smell of that cell. And before you go accusing me, nothing happened, I swear.’
Cat watched his discomfort, a mixture of emotions playing across his face as he rubbed his jaw nervously.
‘Look,’ he said, reaching for her hand, ‘it’s not what you think.’
‘And what do I think then, Luke?’ Cat asked as she deliberately stepped away from him.
‘That I’m in a relationship with her.’
‘Well, she seems to think you are. I’ve just been sitting at the bar with her.
She told me she’d been with you abroad and how you’d lost touch but were now back together again.
She’s looking forward to moving in with you.
Starting a new life down here. So I’ll make it easy for you, shall I?
No more excuses, just go … walk back into the club and join her. ’
‘I don’t want to be with her, Cat. Will you please stop and listen for a moment?’ There was desperation in his voice as he paced in front of her. ‘Since I met you I swear there has been no one else. Only you.’
‘If that’s true, why have you been in touch with her to make arrangements for her to move down here?’ Stay angry a small voice inside her prompted. Anger is good; it barricades the door, keeping tears at bay.
‘I haven’t. I’ve not seen her since Bali. Why won’t you believe me?’
‘Because she knew exactly where to find you.’
‘My arrest made the tabloids. She saw the news and drove down here this morning. She spoke to Jed at The Smugglers. He told her where I was.’
Cat watched him begin to pace again, staring at the floor, his hands cradling the back of his head. ‘I don’t know what to do,’ he said, his voice rough and tearful as he stopped to look at her, his grey eyes misting. ‘What to say to convince you I’m telling the truth.’
‘I think we’ve gone beyond that point, don’t you?
’ Cat bit her lip to stop herself from crying.
‘I’m sorry, Luke, but even if I did believe the things you’re telling me everything has changed.
When the police interviewed you over Marika’s death and you told me what had happened between you and her, I asked you if there was anything else in your past I needed to know about.
You said no. And now Tanya turns up, which means you lied to me.
Believing you is one thing, trusting you is entirely different.
After this I don’t and it means I can’t be with you any longer. ’
Luke opened his mouth to respond but Cat raised her hand to stop him. ‘No, please, I don’t want to hear anything more you have to say. No more lies. Just go, will you?’
Luke hesitated, took one last look at her and then with a shrug and a shake of his head he turned and walked back into the club.
As the door closed behind him Cat made her way slowly back to the hotel.
Only when she had reached her room and closed the door did she allow herself to cry; for love, for loss and for what might have been.
Nathan returned just after midnight. Cat heard the soft knock on her door before his anxious face appeared around it. She turned on the bedside light and eased herself up against the pillows.
‘Hey, where did you get to?’
‘It’s over, Nathan. Luke and I have split up. There wasn’t much point in staying so I thought I’d come home; have an early night.’
‘Cat?’ Nathan settled himself on the end of her bed and gently stretched his hand over hers. ‘Whatever’s happened?’
‘I discovered Luke had been keeping things from me again.’ She wiped away the moisture from the corners of her eyes. ‘It’s worse this time. There’s someone else in his life. Someone he met before me.’
‘Do you mean the little brunette I saw you chatting with up at the bar?’
‘Yes.’ Cat nodded. ‘Luke met her abroad long before we got together. She’s the one who picked him up today.
That’s where he’s been all afternoon, catching up with her.
She seemed really friendly when we chatted.
She had no idea about our connection. Told me about this boyfriend she’d been with abroad.
How they’d lost touch but had found each other again and were planning to begin a new life here.
It was when I noticed the cuff she was wearing – his cuff – the penny dropped. ’
‘And what does Luke have to say about it?’
‘That she’s lying. He admits he met her but told her he was with me now. It was rubbish of course. If she wasn’t with him, why had he given her his silver cuff?’
‘Did you ask Luke?’
‘Yes and he said he’d lost it, but—’
‘Cat, I can’t believe Luke would do that to you.’
‘Well he has.’ She felt her tears threatening again, angry that Nathan could make excuses for him. ‘Don’t you believe me?’
‘Of course I do, but—’