Chapter 17
SEVENTEEN
ARIELLA
None of us really truly believed Melissa was missing until we heard that the police were conducting interviews and arranging to speak to everyone at the wedding. In order to sail through the interviews without implicating ourselves in Melissa’s other crimes, Dominic sent over an advocate and a solicitor the very next Tuesday to prepare us for what questions may be asked and to help us frame our answers as tightly as possible.
Who we weren’t prepared for was the private investigator Kevin hired. He camped at our office for the whole day on Thursday, calling us in one by one, asking us all accusatory questions, while expressing what seemed like worrying excitement to meet Caleb on his return. Samir eventually threw him out, when Lydia pulled a record of complaints about him off the internet. It has been a long hard week, so I am delighted to see Lara at mine when I return home.
‘Thank goodness you’re back. MsPat is refusing to feed me.’
‘Because you eat everything in the house, Miss Lara,’ MsPat responds, not bothering to hide the judgement in her voice.
‘I’m a growing girl!’
‘Yes, I see,’ MsPat claps back.
‘Did she just call me fat?’
Even if I knew how to respond to that, I really don’t want to.
‘You want something to eat, Miss Ariella?’ MsPat asks lovingly.
‘So I didn’t eat everything in the house.’ Lara narrows her eyes at MsPat.
‘No. Vegetables survived and I hide the crab. Everything else, gone. You like too much cookies.’ MsPat points to the empty packet of biscuits next to Lara.
‘I—’
‘Thank you, MsPat. Anything you have will be wonderful,’ I interrupt to put an end to the exchange, then flop into the couch next to Lara.
‘Long day?’
‘Yeah.’
‘Ugh. I might have to go back to London.’
‘Why?’
‘Samir responded to my CV with just “no thanks” in his email. Your competitors were much more polite but are all still telling me to sling my hook. Also, Dominic isn’t responding to any of my threats to give me a job.’
‘I’m literally counting down my two years.’
‘I’d kill for two years.’
‘So, how are things going with you and Honey?’
‘You’re just as bad as Caleb. We’re just friends at the moment, which is more than I can say for you.’
‘Why? What did I do?’
‘You could have told me she was gay, babe.’
‘I couldn’t, Lara. I?—’
‘I know. She already defended you. I just wish you could have snuck me a little clue.’
‘I’m sorry.’ I reach over to hold her hand and she nods her forgiveness. ‘So, where have you been all week? I tried to reach you. Have the police been in touch?’
‘Honey had an exhibition fight in Bangkok so I went along for the free flights, hotel, room service, VIP seats and parties. You know, hanger-on, entourage shit.’
‘That’s all?’ I tease.
Lara immediately buries her face in a nearby pillow. When she pulls it away, she has the most adorable smile.
‘I hate you so much,’ she groans.
‘I know. So what are you going to do?’
‘Nothing.’
I’ve never seen Lara this unsure about anything. Honey has definitely got under her skin.
‘You know, Caleb is moving out of his apartment at the end of next month. You’re welcome to stay here with us or…’
‘Or I can get my own apartment as soon as someone gives me a job. I’m definitely not moving in with Honey and there’s too much drama going on with you two. I’m not quite ready to back up MsPat when she helps you dodge Dominic and I refuse to watch Caleb undressing you with his pervy eyes from across the living room.’
‘You have a bit of time. I’m sure something will come up.’
‘I just wish it’d hurry up.’ She pouts.
‘Crab salad, Miss Ariella?’ MsPat announces, setting a place for one in front of me while eyeing Lara.
‘Thank you, Ms Pat.’
‘My pleasure. I will bake you fresh cookies for dessert,’ she offers kindly.
‘You BAKE cookies?!?’ Lara whips round. ‘Babe, I want your life,’ she complains, picking up my fork and tucking into my crab salad.
She is on her third mouthful when her phone vibrates.
‘NOOOOO!’ she screams, almost knocking the crab salad and our drinks over.
‘What?’
‘I got a job! I just got an email from DMVI. I smashed the interview Dominic set up for me. They have offered me a job!’
‘What is it?’
‘I’m the experience director of your charity app thing.’
‘What is that?’
‘We talked about it on the plane. I’ll be going to see the “loadeds” to make sure the offerings on the app are actually relevant and luxurious enough for them to use; then I’ll be beating suppliers over the head to provide it. While trialling the experiences first, of course.’ Lara leans back and kicks her legs in the air, laughing and relishing the excitement.
‘Ooooh, let’s see how much it’s paying,’ she goes on as she grabs her phone. ‘Ugh.’ She frowns and shows me.
‘Lara! That’s an incredible salary.’
‘Yes, but no bonus, no housekeeper and driver. And I only get an apartment allowance. I want a fancy penthouse. This sucks. I’m going to negotiate.’
And that’s what she does, the following day. By the time she is done, Lara has got her bonus, apartment – and a pay rise before she has even started. Lara Scott has finally found a home in Singapore, and I couldn’t be more pleased for her.