60. Helen
HELEN
Helen looked at the photo Lucy had texted her, captioned, ‘Helen and Nigel before the Capybara incident.’
She remembered the feel of his arm around her waist as Lucy had encouraged them to stand closer together. The pose made them look like a proper couple.
She sighed. But that was all before she’d read that email.
It had been hard enough losing him the first time. But now they were lovers, not just friends.
Helen texted Carrie.
Could really do with a quick chat. Is now a good time?
Carrie FaceTimed her immediately. ‘I warn you I’m on my second glass of Chardonnay. I feel like I’ve earned it today.’
‘A good or a bad day?’
‘Ultimately good. I landed the funding I’ve been chasing for months. But it was a slog. How was your day?’
‘I’ve had better.’
‘Not regretting moving to Devon, are you?’
‘No. Well, perhaps a little bit.’
‘Which bit?’
‘The Nigel bit.’
‘I thought you two had finally got together?’
‘We had, but we’re not together anymore.’
‘He’s not gone back to his wife, has he?
‘No. I could deal with that better.’ She could feel tears forming in her eyes. ‘He’s being investigated for fraud, Carrie. That’s why he left his job.’
Helen closely watched Carrie to gauge her reaction.
Carrie laughed. ‘Mr Staid? I’ve never forgotten that time when you and I were living in that grotty student flat in Acton, and I cooked us all duck for dinner.
The look he gave me when I announced that I’d shoplifted it from the supermarket.
I thought he was going to choke on it, as if the police were going to arrest him for swallowing stolen goods.
And you’re telling me he’s been doing what? Stealing?’
‘He’s being investigated by the stock market watchdog in New York.’
Carrie took a large swig of her wine. ‘Are you absolutely sure?’
‘I know it sounds crazy. But he got made redundant from his job, his wife is desperate to divorce him, and he lied to me about having an appointment with his attorney next week - one who specialises in fraud - and he’s going there to be interviewed.’
‘I can understand why that would worry you, but I just can’t see Nigel breaking any rules.’
‘People change.’
‘Not that drastically. That would require a complete change of his core values.’
‘I know. But he broke the rules in the capybara pen.’
Carrie nearly choked on her wine. ‘You need to explain that to me in detail.’