Chapter 14
‘I honestly can’t believe we’re doing this.’ Sam unscrewed the top of the Thermos flask and poured tea into the plastic cup. ‘I’m sure it’s illegal.’
‘What? We’re only sitting in a car talking,’ Jenna said. She dipped her hand into a bag of Wotsits Giants and munched thoughtfully. ‘No crime against that, is there?’
Sam gave her a knowing look. ‘We’re not just sitting in a car talking, though, are we? We’re spying. Stalking. There are definitely laws against that.’
‘I think,’ Jenna said firmly, ‘that I’m perfectly entitled to find out where my husband is living and who he’s living with.’
‘You already know, don’t you? His secretary, isn’t she? Nettie?’
Jenna wrinkled her nose. ‘Annette. He calls her Nettie. Pathetic.’
Sam’s eyes softened with sympathy. ‘Tea?’
She shook her head. ‘I’ve got a bottle of water here. Wotsit?’
‘I’ve got some sandwiches. Cheese and pickle, and tuna and cucumber. Want one?’
Jenna stared at him. ‘You never have!’
‘I have. And some sausage rolls and crisps. We’re set for the evening.’
She laughed. ‘Fancy you thinking of all that!’
‘I know. Anyone would think I made a habit of stalking women’s estranged husbands with them. Which window are we supposed to be looking at anyway?’
Jenna brushed Wotsit crumbs from her T-shirt, and he tried not to wince at the mess she was making of his recently cleaned car. ‘To be honest,’ she admitted sheepishly, ‘I’m not really sure.’
‘You’re not…’ He sighed. ‘Then what are we doing here?’
‘The thing is,’ she explained, ‘like I told you, when I followed them home last night, they drove into the car park of this building, so I assume they live here. But I can’t be a hundred per cent sure.
I suppose they could have been visiting someone.
But I’ve nothing else to go on, you see, and I really want to know. ’
Sam considered the matter for a moment. ‘Does it really matter that much?’ he asked eventually. ‘I mean, what difference does it make where he’s living?’
‘It matters to me. He’s my husband.’ She tightened her lips and stared straight ahead, her gaze focused on the block of flats directly in front of them. ‘I haven’t forgotten, even if he has.’
They’d been parked there for over half an hour now, and she hadn’t seen a glimpse of either Joel or Annette. Her gaze had roamed over each window but there’d been no sign of the errant pair at any of them.
‘So, forgive me if I appear dense,’ Sam said, ‘but what exactly are we meant to do here?’
‘I thought they might have one of those flats with the patios or those up there with balconies,’ Jenna said, nodding at the ones on the upper floor which had little tables and chairs set up and where several people were already sitting outside in the evening sunshine.
‘And if they’re in one of the first-floor properties with no balcony?’
‘I was sort of hoping that one of them would open a window and lean out,’ she admitted vaguely.
‘Seriously?’
‘I know it sounds stupid, but think about it. It’s hot and stuffy. Surely they’ll want to open the window at some point?’
‘Except,’ Sam said, ‘that they might have air conditioning. These are new flats. You never know. And also,’ he added, ‘have you considered that they might not live in a front flat? They could be round the back of the building for all you know. We might be staring pointlessly at the front while all the time they’re sitting outside on a balcony round the back, gazing at the lovely view of the car park and having a gin and tonic without a care in the world. ’
‘Oh, don’t say that!’
‘But it is perfectly possible.’
‘Yes, I suppose it is.’ She sounded gloomy. ‘The problem is we can’t drive round there because they’re probably allocated parking spaces, and I daren’t go on foot in case they see me.’
‘And I can’t go because I haven’t a clue what either of them looks like.’
They were parked up on the street opposite the flats, and Sam couldn’t see that this little adventure was going to yield any results at all.
He wondered why he’d even agreed to this madness in the first place.
It was a waste of time, and he could have been making the most of a rare night off.
It was ages since he’d been out of the pub and he could have been doing something much more agreeable.
Luke and Katy had extended an open invitation to him to join them for dinner whenever he was free. He’d considered calling them yesterday to accept, after Briar begged him for the extra shift, but before he’d got round to it Jenna had told him of her madcap plans.
He could, he realised wistfully, have spent a smashing evening at his friends’ lovely home, Cartwheel Cottage in Weltringham.
He’d barely seen them in recent months, and it was weeks since he’d spent any time at all with their two young children.
He and Luke had so much to talk about and he’d been looking forward to catching up with his friend for ages.
Instead, he was sitting in his car on a hot and sultry evening, watching a lovesick and scorned woman munching desolately on cheesy Wotsits, and drinking tea from a Thermos flask which he’d unfortunately forgotten to add sugar to.
I must be mad. What the hell am I doing?
The trouble was, she’d sounded so desperately unhappy.
And the plea in those large, grey eyes of hers was irresistible.
He wondered what power she had over him, and how this had happened so suddenly and so unexpectedly.
He’d never felt this way about anyone before.
It was scary – especially since she was still so besotted with this loser husband of hers.
That didn’t make sense to him either. Joel had treated her terribly, and from what she’d told him it wasn’t the first time he’d done the dirty on her – or even the second. So why was she still so hung up on him?
He’s her children’s father, he’d reminded himself as he pondered the question while showering that morning. Joel’s always going to matter, even if he is a prat. He’d tutted impatiently. Why are you so bothered anyway?
But he knew why. When she’d shook his hand last night the surge of electricity that he’d felt at her touch had been so strong he was amazed he hadn’t ended up with a curly perm.
He couldn’t get rid of her fast enough after that.
The last thing he wanted was for her to see how much she affected him – especially since she had more than enough to deal with right now.
I’m just worried that she’s going to get even more hurt, the voice in his head insisted, even though Sam knew it was lying.
Seems to me that he’s the type to have his fun then go crawling home, and if Jenna doesn’t pull herself out of this state soon, she’s going to take him back. Which would be a big mistake.
Would it?
He’d scowled at the voice of his conscience, which was making all this very muddled and difficult. ‘Of course it would!’ he’d muttered out loud. ‘He’s a serial cheat and a liar.’
But they’re married, and don’t children always need their dad?
‘No one’s saying they don’t, but Jenna deserves better than that!’
Hmm. If you say so. Well, whatever will be will be.
‘Maybe,’ Jenna said with a sigh that brought him back to the present moment, ‘we should just give up. I’m sorry to have dragged you out on a wild goose chase.’
He felt ashamed for bringing her mood down and not supporting her more.
‘Look, we’ve got plenty of food to eat so why don’t we wait here at least until we’ve finished this picnic?
We can keep watch in the meantime, and if we don’t see anything by the time we’ve eaten this little lot – well, then we’ll give up and go home. Deal?’
Jenna looked uncertain. ‘Are you sure? I know it’s a lot to ask.’
‘It’s fine. I’d only have been stuck behind the bar,’ he said. Okay, it was a lie, but it was a white lie. He didn’t want her to feel even worse.
She looked a bit happier and snuggled back in the passenger seat. ‘It’s really kind of you, Sam. I do appreciate it.’
‘Hey, you helped me out by offering to work at the pub,’ he reminded her. ‘I owe you a favour.’
‘No you don’t. To be honest…’ She hesitated a moment, then looked at him nervously. ‘I only took the job because I didn’t want to be sitting at home moping about Joel. I wanted a distraction. Sorry.’
‘Well,’ he said, with a wry smile, ‘I didn’t think you’d taken it for the good of your health. And it doesn’t exactly pay that much, does it? Considering you already have a very good job I figured there was an ulterior motive for helping me out.’
‘I don’t know what’s wrong with me,’ she said sadly. ‘Why can’t I just get over him and move on?’
It was a question Sam had asked himself many times over the last few hours, and if she didn’t know the answer, what chance did he have of working it out?
‘It takes time,’ he said eventually. ‘It took me a while to get over my last relationship, and to be honest, when I look back at it now, I realise I wasn’t even really in love. I just thought I was.’
She looked interested. ‘When did it end?’
‘Oh, about two years ago now. When I moved back to Kelsea Sands in fact. She wasn’t happy about me moving in with Dad and taking over the running of the pub. She thought Dad should pull himself together and get on with things, and she hated Kelsea Sands. Thought it was the back of beyond.’
Jenna pulled a face. ‘Yeah, Joel thinks the same. He can’t see why anyone would want to visit, let alone live there.’
‘They just don’t get it, though,’ he said.
‘I suppose, if you look at it with an outsider’s eyes, there’s not much to it.
I mean, there’s nothing there to visit for, is there?
Not unless you’re a nature lover or a birdwatcher or something.
For the everyday sort of person who wants a trip to the seaside, Kelsea Sands isn’t somewhere you’d choose, is it? ’
‘I suppose not,’ Jenna agreed. ‘But then, they’re missing out, aren’t they? Because it may not have hills and dales and abbeys and castles and—’
‘Shops!’
‘Or amusements.’
‘Or boat trips.’