Chapter Six
‘Does nothing ring a bell?’ asked Paddy.
Aster looked around the Mayfair street and shook her head. She and Paddy had been walking around for over an hour. The soft spring air was warm enough but still required a coat, and the two women were feeling the cold seep in.
‘No, it’s a blank,’ Aster could feel the frustration building. This gap in her memory was intolerable, and it was slowly dawning on her it would never come back. A UPS van was heading towards them and parked up drawing alongside a row of already parked cars. Delivering here must be a nightmare, thought Aster absentmindedly and was surprised when the driver hopped out of the van and headed straight towards her.
‘Hello again. Did you get home alright?’
Aster stared at him in confusion and Paddy jumped in.
‘Have you seen my sister before?’
‘Yesterday morning. She was lost and looked pretty upset.’
Aster continued to stare at him. This wasn’t the man who spiked her drink and it wasn’t the man who took her home. Who was he?
‘I don’t remember you.’
‘Well,’ he scratched his hair, embarrassed, ‘you were quite – confused.’
‘Where was I?’
‘Belmond Street. That’s just a few streets over. When I saw you, you’d been shouting at an old woman and then nearly got run over by a bike. Not the sort of thing you’d forget. Unless…’ He scratched his head again. ‘I did suggest calling the police?’
He looked at the two sisters and Aster quickly changed the subject.
‘I reckon I just drank too much. That was all.’
The driver looked at her closely and shrugged.
‘If you say so. But you’re alright now?’
‘I am. Can you tell us how to get to Belmond Street?’
Thanking the driver, the girls walked off as Paddy slipped her arm through Aster’s.
‘Well now we have a lead,’ said Paddy brightly.
‘I don’t remember him at all. Or swearing at some woman.’
‘What about the bike?’
‘Nothing. Only don’t mention the bike thing to Nick. You know how she gets about pedestrians stepping off pavements.’
‘I promise. Now look,’ the girls entered Belmond Street. ‘Does any of this look familiar?’
‘Jesus, Paddy. I just told you I can’t even remember talking to that man, why would I remember the bloody street?’ Paddy was about to reply, then left her words unspoken in a big sigh.
‘Cup of tea? That place looks nice.’ Across the street was a pretty little café with decorative bowers of flowers around the windows and door. A milk churn was propping up a blackboard with the day’s specials on it and a bike with a wicker basket was propped up on the other side of the entrance. Normally, this close to home they wouldn’t have bothered, but Paddy wanted to make sure Aster was comfortable being in a public space with strangers.
Aster nodded her head. ‘Let’s grab an inside table, though. It’s too cold to sit outside no matter how toasty those heaters are.’
The sisters made their way into the café and ordered a pot of tea to share but nothing to eat. Paddy had nipped out early and bought enough provisions for a full English, which Aster devoured.
‘It’s so pretty around here,’ said Paddy. ‘I forget how lovely London can be. I do love Cornwall, but honestly, the lack of mud is such a relief.’
She poured Aster a cup of tea and then poured herself one as she carried on chatting. ‘Did you see all those pretty planters along that street? With the small bay trees? I think I’m going to buy a pair for Hiverton House. What do you think? Would you mind?’
Aster rolled her eyes. She was trying to regain her memory and Paddy was window dressing. ‘Whatever.’
Aster drank her tea in a sullen silence, then pushed her chair back.
‘This is a waste of time. I’m going home.’
She was nearly home when Paddy caught her up, having had to queue to pay for their tea.
‘Aster, I’m sorry. I was just trying to distract you. Take your mind off everything.’
Aster whirled round and shouted at her sister. ‘I don’t want to take my mind off everything. I want my bloody mind focusing on everything.’ She balled her fists up in fury. ‘I want to remember.’
An older couple were walking along the pavement on the other side of the road and looked at Aster shouting at Paddy.
‘What?’ spat out Aster across the street. ‘Do you want an autograph?’
‘Aster! Apologise right now!’
Aster stared at her sister in astonishment.
‘I’m not kidding. Right now.’
For a second, Aster held her ground and then ran across the road and spoke quickly to the couple before walking home on the other side of the street. As she looked over her shoulder, Paddy trailed miserably after her.
Slamming the front door behind her, all her energy dissipated in the slam. She was halfway up the stairs when she stopped. What was she going to do? Run to her bedroom? Slam that door as well? Paddy had just spoken to her like she was a child. Well, maybe she shouldn’t behave like one. She slumped down onto the step and started to breathe deeply. A moment later, the front door opened and closed and Paddy called out.
‘Aster? I’m sorry.’
Paddy rubbed her eyes.
‘No, I’m sorry.’ She watched as her sister ran up the staircase, her coat undone and her hair dishevelled. Aster hadn’t noticed when they were shouting in the street, but Paddy must have had to sprint out of the café to catch up with her.
‘You look a mess.’
Paddy tucked her hair behind her ear and laughed.
‘You should see me back home. I spend most of my days looking like a scarecrow.’ She took a deep breath. ‘Look, I’m sorry about back there. I was just talking nonsense to try to entertain you.’
‘I know you were, and I appreciate it. Honestly, I do. It’s just…’
‘It’s just when you have something on your mind, you don’t want to be distracted until it’s resolved.’
‘Exactly.’
‘So, then. How do you plan to resolve this?’
Aster sat up straighter. ‘I’m going to do as you suggest.’
Paddy tilted her head in surprise. ‘You are?’
‘Yes, I’m going to report this to the police and I’m also going back to the club, report it to them as well. See if I can get them to look at the tapes.’
Paddy breathed out a sigh of relief.
‘I think that’s a good idea. Where shall we go first?’
Now Aster took Paddy’s hand and squeezed it.
‘We aren’t doing anything. I need to do this by myself.’
Paddy frowned, but Aster ploughed on. ‘Look, I know you love me. I know you want to help, but you know me. I want to do this by myself. It’s just how I am.’
‘But-’
‘I’m fine and this will take days. You need to get home to your gorgeous children.’ Paddy was about to protest again, but Aster knew she was already missing the little ones. ‘I shall call you every hour. I will even switch on my phone’s locator.’
‘You will?!’
‘I will. I’ll be fine, honestly. You’ve helped me through the worst of it. Now I need to get on with it myself.’
The two girls sat in silence for a while and then Aster saw Paddy breathe out deeply and knew she had won.
‘Very well. I’ll call Hal to get me. And you promise you aren’t going to go after him. try to get revenge?’
Aster shrugged. ‘I guess I’ll just go to the police.’ She laughed at such an unlikely concept. Aster always fixed problems herself, but if it made Paddy happy, then she would do it. Plus, it might help prove her point. That victims have no justice in the legal system. ‘And then I’ll see you at Hiverton.’
Paddy looked momentarily confused.
‘Easter,’ prompted Aster.
‘Of course. Do you think Clemmie will make it?’
‘I think if she doesn’t,’ said Aster, grinning. ‘Ari will storm up to Scotland and drag her out of her castle by her hair.’
Both girls laughed, remembering some of their childhood scraps. They were rare, but occasionally Ari and Clem would tear the world apart when they fought. After their parents died, they never fought again, but they continued to disagree from time to time.
‘Besides, she has to give her report at the board meeting.’
Paddy shook her head. God, her reports made Nicky weep. She mimicked her sister’s voice: ‘I’m a genius. Who cares what it costs?’ Aster was laughing openly now. Paddy was a brilliant mimic. Now Paddy did Nicky: ‘God dammit Clem, we’re running a business!’
Both girls were howling with laughter as Paddy continued in her sisters’ voices until Aster waved her arm in defeat.
‘Enough!’ she wheezed through her laughter. Then, slapping her thighs decisively, she stood up. ‘Time for me to go.’
Hugging her sister goodbye, and assuring her for the umpteenth time that she would be alright, she headed out the front door smiling.
Two hours later, she strode briskly back to the house, her face set in a scowl. Her first call had been to the club. During the daytime clubs are very different places, and Aster stepped over hoover cables as the cleaners moved around the brightly lit rooms. Asking for the manager, she was directed to an upstairs office. The manager was defensive and when she asked him to review the security footage, he said that wasn’t possible. When pressed, he cited GPDR legislation and that only a warrant could get him to share this information.
Her next port of call was the police. Things deteriorated when the male police officer asked if she had any evidence. She mentioned that there would be video footage at the club, as she didn’t want to explain how she had hacked their system. He dismissed her suggestion and pointed out that she should have had a blood test for any drugs in her system. He then asked if she might have had too much to drink. At this point, Aster asked for a female police officer. When none was available, she was told that she was being taken seriously. Her accusation would be written up but as she hadn’t been assaulted, had no blood test, or any eyewitnesses, and refused a rape test, there wasn’t anything else to do.
‘You could look at the tapes,’ said Aster in complete frustration.
Eventually she headed home and called out as she walked through the door, but she could already tell that Paddy had left. The house felt empty. Aster headed into the kitchen and switched the radio on. Opening the fridge in search of the leftover chocolate mousse, she stared in amazement.
Paddy had fully stocked it with ready meals from the local deli, bags of salad and berries, some bottles of wine, a big juicy steak, and a second bowl full of chocolate mousse. In front of the bowl was a little note reminding Aster to eat.
Sticking her finger in the mousse, she took a lick and then headed off to get changed and got to work.
Two hours later, Aster sat motionless in front of her computer screen, the harsh glow illuminating her furrowed brow. Marcus Barrie's life was laid bare before her - a thirty-two-year-old telemarketing salesman with a business degree, living in a flat share north of the city. No long-term relationships. Rarely visited his hometown of Leicester. The usual pattern emerged: strong, unsavoury opinions scattered across various online forums.
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, poised to unleash digital retribution as she had done countless times before. But something held her back. Aster shook her head, trying to clear the fog that seemed to have settled over her usually razor-sharp mind.
‘This should be simple,’ she muttered, pushing away from the desk and beginning to pace. Her steps echoed in the empty house, a rhythm that usually helped her think. But tonight, it only emphasised the hollowness she felt inside.
She returned to the computer, staring at the damning evidence - the video of Barrie spiking her drink. It should have filled her with righteous anger, fuelled her desire for justice. Instead, she felt… disconnected.
She had promised Paddy that she wouldn’t take revenge, but she was so tempted. But what was the point? He hadn’t actually hurt her and the other girl had escaped.
With a deep sigh, Aster composed an e-mail. She attached the video and warned Barrie never to try that again, or she'd take the evidence to the police. Her finger hesitated over the 'Send' button for a long moment before finally pressing it.
As she closed her laptop, Aster expected to feel a sense of accomplishment, or at least relief. But the unease lingered. She wandered to the window, gazing out at the London night. Her mind drifting to the stranger who had come to her rescue. The gap in her memory gnawed at her. If only she knew his name. That was what was unsettling her, why she still felt unresolved.
Aster nodded to herself, clinging to this explanation. It had to be the reason for her hesitation, her lack of focus. Nothing about this felt right, but then she had never been the focus of a crime. Maybe this was just how it felt. Clearly, she just needed to be able to thank her good Samaritan, and then she'd be back to her old self.
As she headed to bed, Aster's thoughts continued to circle around the mysterious rescuer. She tossed and turned, her dreams a confusing mix of faceless strangers and dimly lit nightclubs. In her sleep, she reached out, trying to grasp a shadow that always remained just beyond her fingertips.