Chapter 33
FAYE
Back at home, Alistair helps me search the house and check all the windows and doors are locked. We replay the doorbell footage several times, to see if there are any details we’ve missed.
I watch my twin sister, trying to gauge what kind of mindset she’s in.
Did she break in that day? There’s a possibility she may have walked around the side of the property and searched for an open window.
But she looked so confused in the video, not at all like someone determined to break into a house.
Evidence gathered, I make the phone call to Cleveland Police.
When I finally get through to a police officer involved in Claire’s missing persons case, they seem rather baffled by my story but ask me to email over the doorbell footage and say they’ll send an officer out to interview me tomorrow afternoon.
It feels like an impossibly long time to have to wait, I’m itching to share my findings and regain some peace in my life, but I will have to be patient.
And vigilant. Who knows what Claire Blackburn’s motives are for coming here? Who knows what she’s capable of?
A few hours later, Alistair reluctantly heads home after double-checking every room in the house.
“Are you sure you’re going to be all right?” he asks as we kiss goodbye on the doorstep.
“Yes, of course.” I hope my voice sounds more certain than I feel. “Life goes on.”
He makes me promise to call him if anything, absolutely anything, happens. I smile at him with reassurance as he drives away and then I close the front door. Now I’m alone in Palmer House, or at least I hope I am.
I know it’s time to tell Penny about everything that has happened. There’s so much to share, I have no idea where to begin. But as I’m working out how to explain everything, she beats me to it and calls me.
“How does lunch sound?” she asks. “My treat, tomorrow, at The Black Swan. The one with the really good scampi.”
“That sounds lovely. We need to have a chat.”
“Oh,” she says. “Is everything all right?”
I lie. “Yes, nothing too bad. I’ll explain everything tomorrow.”
“Bring Alistair,” she says, her voice filled with enthusiasm. “I want to meet him. It’s been ages now.”
“Okay,” I say, before thinking it through.
“Good. That’s sorted then! See you tomorrow. Love you!”
She hangs up before I can say anything else. Lunch? While I’m this tense? While my stomach is coiled into a knot? At least I’ll be able to tell Penny everything that’s been going on while on neutral ground, and with Alistair there to help explain, it might be even easier.
* * *
“Thank you for coming at such short notice,” I say as I drive along country roads. I let out a shuddering breath and Alistair reaches across the gear stick to take my hand.
“It’s about time I met the family.” He grins. “I put my smartest shirt on just for this.”
I return the smile and then turn into the pub carpark. Judging by Alistair’s relaxed demeanour, I’m the only one with butterflies flapping about inside my stomach.
“Faye?” Alistair says, pulling me from my thoughts. “Are we going inside?”
I let out a shaky laugh. “Yes. Come on.”
We make our way into the pub. It’s been about five years since I last came here.
It was with Scott during the summer and Nathan brought Jessica with him for the first time.
I remember him ordering champagne and Penny ended up so drunk that she passed out on the car ride home.
I later learned that Nathan was topping up her glass without us noticing.
He always encouraged her to be naughty.
“Hey, Mum.”
When I turn around to give Penny a hug, I’m surprised to see Tim with her. But before I can react, she throws her arms around my neck.
“Mummy, we’re engaged!”
“What?” I whisper.
She pulls back and then flashes a diamond in my face. “Tim asked me to marry him. Isn’t it amazing? Look at this ring! I can’t believe how gorgeous it is.”
I turn, somewhat dazed, to Tim, who is beaming like he’s the cat that got the cream.
“It’s a little soon so I’m not surprised you’re shocked, Mrs Mathis,” Tim says. “But Penny is the most amazing woman. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with her.”
Penny makes an “aww” sound and sinks into his torso.
“Wow,” I say. Then I remind myself that this is supposed to be a happy occasion and I force a smile onto my lips. “Wow. Congratulations to you both.”
Penny hugs me again. “Thanks, Mum. It means so much to me that you approve.”
I definitely haven’t given her my approval, but I don’t tell her that. I hug her back until she pulls away. Then Penny turns to Alistair who I awkwardly remember is still standing behind me.
“Oh, sorry. Alistair, this is Penny, my daughter,” I say.
“And I’m her favourite son, Nathan.”
I hadn’t even noticed him approach. But there he is. My stepson, all six feet of him. I blink, completely overwhelmed by all the people, all the noise.
“Aren’t you going to say hello, Mummy Faye?” he asks.
“Of course. It’s good to see you, Nathan.” I turn to Penny. “Where’s the table?”
Penny smiles. “Over here. Isn’t it lovely? Tim had it all decked out. The balloons are so pretty.”
As soon as I see the “Congratulations” confetti spread across the tablecloth, I know I can’t tell Penny about Claire now. This is an engagement party. It isn’t lunch with my family.
We sit down and order drinks, making polite chitchat. But I need to know more.
“So, Tim,” I turn to the man who is going to become my son-in-law. “You proposed. How romantic.”
“We were in Manchester for an Albion Foxes gig,” he says. “It was amazing, as always.” His eyes flit over to Penny and I have to admit that he does seem smitten with her. “But what Penny didn’t know was I’d arranged with the band for us to go on stage for the encore. And then—”
“He got onto one knee and presented me with this!” Penny, breathless with excitement, holds up her left hand.
“It really is a lovely ring,” I say.
“Whopping diamond,” Nathan says. “Shall I order champagne? I feel like we should. Remember last time, Pen.”
I watch my daughter’s cheeks flush with shame and could slap Nathan for bringing up that day. She was twenty and he’d been the instigator of it all.
“It’s a family ring,” Tim says. “We had a rich auntie who left it to my mum. She always said she was keeping it aside for when I met the right person.” He gazes adoringly at Penny. “I knew from the moment I saw her.”
“It’s quite sudden,” I can’t help saying.
“We realise that. But when you know, you know,” Penny says, her smile somewhat forced as she senses my mood. I glance at Alistair. He isn’t Penny’s father but he is my ally and I need someone to back me up on this. An engagement after only a couple of weeks? They haven’t even lived together yet.
Alistair seems to take the hint and helps ease the situation by changing the subject.
“So, what line of work are you in, Tim?”
“Insurance, mostly buildings, contents, that sort of thing.” He smiles and carries on explaining. Despite the dry subject of the conversation, I watch Penny gaze on adoringly and I put all my energy into swallowing the urge to say something I’ll regret.
Nathan clicks his fingers at the waiter and orders two bottles of Dom Perignon. A sense of discombobulation washes over me. Like I’m at sea, treading water, the surf catching in my throat. All of these people around me are sharks.
“Mum?” Penny asks.
When I turn to her, Nathan is pouring us all a glass of champagne. I didn’t even notice it arrive.
“Yes, love?”
“I was saying that Tim and I were going to go away somewhere to celebrate but I already have this spa break booked with some of the girls at work. We’re heading to this amazing rural spa in Northumberland.” She gazes lovingly at Tim. “But that’s okay because we’ll celebrate properly another time.”
“Lovely.”
Nathan hands me a glass of champagne. I watch the condensation sweat against the glass, feeling the same damp beading break out across my forehead.
“Signal might be patchy,” she says. “I thought I’d let you know in case you need me. I don’t want you to have an episode and not be able to get hold of me.”
“An episode?” Alistair asks.
My heart drops.
“Yes, with her condition,” Penny replies, innocently.
“Not now, Penny,” I almost yell.
The table grows quiet, everyone looks at me.
“Sorry, what condition?” Alistair’s voice is hard and serious.
Nathan lets out a sharp burst of laughter. “Don’t tell me she hasn’t told you?”
“Told me what? Faye?”
The room starts to spin as I focus on the champagne flute sat in front of me on the table. I can’t bear to look up, but I force my gaze to meet Alistair’s.
Nathan blurts, “She has—”
I cut him off. “Let’s go somewhere private and talk.”
“Yes, it sounds like we should,” Alistair says.