Preview
Tell Me No Secrets

by Lynda Stacey

CHAPTER ONE

‘How many times do I have to tell you, don’t phone me here.’ Rob’s voice echoed up the stairs, making Kate jump out of bed. He sounded angry and Kate didn’t like it. She crept onto the landing, where she stood and waited, not knowing whether to go down, stay put or go back to bed. ‘Not a chance. I’m not doing it. Now, you stick to your plan, and I’ll stick to mine.’ Kate held her breath as she heard the kitchen door quietly close and the mumbled voice continued.

‘Rob,’ she shouted. She inched her way down the stairs. ‘Rob, is everything okay?’ Her feet were cold and she hopped from foot to foot, wishing for just a moment that she’d thought to put her slippers on as she’d jumped out of bed. ‘Rob?’

The door handle snapped down and the kitchen door jerked open. ‘What?’ he bellowed, making her jump backwards.

‘I … I heard you on the phone, is all okay?’ she questioned, and nervously pulled at her pyjama top. She’d heard whispered conversations like this before. Each one had been in a hushed voice. Each one as secretive as the one before and each one had showed her a side to Rob that she didn’t like.

‘It’s just work. Go to bed, I’ll be up soon.’

‘Okay.’ He was lying to her. That was obvious. ‘Come on, Rob, how long will you be? It’s just … I start my new job tomorrow …’ She tried to play on his conscience. ‘… You have remembered that, Rob, haven’t you? I could do with an early night, and I hoped you might join me.’ She pushed for an answer knowing that the phone was still in his hand, hidden behind the door.

‘Kate, stop nagging and go to bed.’

The kitchen door slammed shut in her face and Kate pouted. She wasn’t nagging and what’s more, she wasn’t stupid; she’d heard his words and knew that he was up to something, but once again, she didn’t know what.

Sighing she went back upstairs, climbed into bed, and picked up her unfinished glass of wine. She took a sip and looked over at the impeccably positioned photo. It stood on her bedside table, silver framed, perfectly polished. The photo had been taken the year before, at their engagement party in September, a time when they’d both been happy. Rob was hugging her so close and looked so good. But then, Rob always looked good. Why wouldn’t he? He always seemed to have the perfect tan, an amazing body, figure-hugging shorts and a smile that could be seen for miles. Unlike her, who in comparison was far too scrawny, with long auburn hair and pale freckly skin that burnt far too easily.

Everyone had said that opposites attract, but Kate still wasn’t sure. Of course, she’d thought so at first. Things had moved quickly, Rob had bombarded her with romance, love and affection and all at a time when she’d needed it the most. But recently, he’d changed. He’d become distant, cold and, dare she admit, just a little on the aggressive side. It was as though from the moment she’d agreed to him moving in with her, he’d become far too comfortable and seemed to do or say whatever he wanted, in whatever tone he liked. And the normal politeness of a new relationship had disappeared overnight.

A million questions ran through her mind. Who had been on the phone? Was it a girlfriend? Had he met someone else? Did he regret meeting her, or was it that he’d simply stopped loving her? She wouldn’t have been suspicious if there had only ever been one call, but there hadn’t and now her mind was working overtime.

Kate shook her head. She wouldn’t blame him if he’d found someone else. After all, what man in their right mind would want to love someone who looked like her? A single tear dropped down Kate’s face as she closed her eyes and tried to decide what to do. Did she go down, confront him, ask him the questions that were spiralling around her mind, or did she go to sleep, curl up in the duvet and once again pretend that she didn’t care?

It was seven o’clock when her alarm clock burst into life. Its constant buzzing drove her insane, but she didn’t dare switch it off. She couldn’t sleep in; not today. But she was struggling to wake herself. She knuckle-rubbed her eyes and finally slapped the alarm clock into silence as she slid her leg over to the left-hand side of the bed, her toes searching for Rob.

His side of the bed was cold. She should have known he wasn’t there due to the lack of snoring, but for a few seconds her hand inched across to where her fiancé should have been sleeping.

The empty space in the bed encouraged her eyes to finally open. She peered at the duvet. It was perfectly straight, even the decorative cushion still lay where she had left it the night before and she slumped back against her pillow, knowing that once again he’d slept downstairs. Kate closed her eyes, punched the duvet and sighed, suddenly remembering the phone call, the secrets and lies of the night before.

‘This isn’t getting you to work, Kate Duggan.’ She took a deep breath. ‘Get up, you have a new job to go to.’ She threw back the duvet and launched herself out of bed. But as she did so, her stomach turned and the nervous nausea began.

It would be the first full-time job she’d taken since the accident just over a year before. Thirteen months since her whole world had fallen apart. Everything had been such a mess, most of her family had both blamed and needed her in equal measure. But then she’d met Rob. It was just a few weeks after the accident, a time when she’d really needed to be loved. He’d worked, provided for her and, at that moment in time, she’d been happy to let him. She hadn’t thought about what he did for a living. How a personal trainer worked, or how often he’d end up spending days, if not weeks, working away from home. All she’d cared about was that someone actually loved her.

Was it any wonder they’d grown apart, just as quickly as they’d got together?

Flinging open the wardrobe door she scoured inside and without hesitation selected a black pencil skirt, new white blouse and high-heeled black patent leather shoes. Everything was easy to find. All the clothes were colour coded and set out in two distinct sections. There were tops and blouses on one rail and skirts, trousers and gym clothes on the other. Rob may have a problem sleeping with her, but that didn’t mean she’d let her appearance or standards slip for the rest of the world to see.

She laid each item on the bed so she could check them carefully. There were to be no creases, no marks or loose seams. Appearance was everything, especially today. She just had to look perfect.

She scanned the perfume bottles on her dressing table. All stood in a row, all were in size order. All perfectly lined up without a millimetre to spare. She carefully selected the bottle of Vivienne Westwood’s Boudoir and put it on the bed, beside her clothes. She liked everything to be there, just ready to put on. Satisfied with her choices, she padded through to the bathroom at the far side of the cottage.

Intense, bright, early morning sunshine bounced off the glistening white tiles, hurting her eyes. She turned down the blind and waited until she’d stopped squinting, before allowing the bathroom to come into focus. There was a splatter of toothpaste, which had imprinted itself across Rob’s bathroom mirror. He’d left towels on the floor and a toilet that desperately needed attacking with bleach. These were all signs that told Kate that Rob was awake and had already been in the bathroom. She heard herself tut. They’d been together for just over a year and she’d repeatedly asked him to clean up after himself, but still it was always left like this. Even though he knew she hated it. Kate opened the cupboard, pulled on a pair of rubber gloves, and picked up the bleach.

Once she was satisfied that the bathroom was once again perfect, she began to take in her reflection in the mirror.

‘I doubt I’d want to sleep with you either,’ she mouthed as she splashed cold water onto her pale, freckled, scarred face. Her finger drew a line along the long red puckered scar that had been engraved into her jawline, a constant reminder of the accident and a day that had tormented her dreams every night since.

After all, it was a day she’d never been allowed to forget. The reminder was there every time she looked at herself, but according to her mother, she had been the lucky one: the one who’d walked away. A scar was nothing compared with what had happened to her twin sister, Eve, who’d been paralysed and hadn’t walked since, or her poor brother, James, who’d been killed outright, and no matter how many times she’d tried to tell herself that it hadn’t been her fault, the guilt still remained.

After taking a shower, she set to work to correct the disturbing image that stared back from the steamed-up mirror, beginning with the brushing of her long dyed auburn hair. It reminded her of a huge tangled bird’s nest and the brush pulled as she dragged it repeatedly through the strands of hair, until they fell evenly down her back. She then turned her attention to her face and began applying the foundation that for the past year she trusted to hide her scar. Three thin coats, followed by a light dusting of face powder.

Once satisfied, she applied a smudge of eyeliner and a touch of clear lip gloss. ‘Not too much, you don’t want to look like a hussy, now do you?’ she whispered, before smiling back at her reflection and, after dropping one damp towel into the wash basket and then wrapping a dry one around her body, she walked back across the landing and into her bedroom.

‘Morning.’ She heard Rob’s deep husky voice before she saw him. It came from behind the open wardrobe door and she tried to determine what kind of mood he was in. She thought he sounded cheerful, not moody at all. Yet without seeing his face, she really couldn’t tell.

‘So, what’s with sleeping downstairs, again?’ she immediately demanded, and then cursed inwardly for jumping in so quickly. Her job in the police force had taught her that a person always looked down if they lied and she wished she’d waited until the wardrobe door had been closed before she’d asked. At least then she’d have been able to see if there had been any sign of lies or deceit in his eyes.

‘Sorry, babes, fell asleep. You know, football on telly.’ Rob smirked. The pine door of the wardrobe closed with a bang and he stood before her. He had a wide disarming smile that lit up his handsome face. His customary tracksuit bottoms hung loosely from his hips, allowing Kate full view of his perfect abs, and the dolphin tattoos that wrapped themselves around his equally huge and perfect biceps. In fact, every muscle on his body was toned to equal symmetry. Life had dealt him the Adonis card and his body really was his temple, and it was a tool he tended to use to his advantage, at every given opportunity.

‘Stop admiring yourself, Rob. It’s quite pathetic for a twenty-something has-been.’ She couldn’t help herself. He’d hurt her, yet again, and this time she wouldn’t back down.

He looked himself up and down in the mirror. ‘Got to look my best, darling. No point being a personal trainer if the clients don’t look up to me, now is there? Besides, one of us has to earn a proper wage, don’t we?’

She resented his comments. ‘It’s not like I’ve never worked Rob, is it? I’d always worked before the accident.’

‘Darling, you were just a PCSO.’

‘Seriously, are you going to use that one? I might have been just a PCSO here in Yorkshire, Rob, but that was my choice. I had been a constable in the Metropolitan Police.’

‘So, why swap from being a real copper to being a pretend special one?’ He laughed. ‘A special bobby, that’s what you were, special.’

‘Don’t be an ass, Rob. There were no full-time posts to transfer to when I came back to Yorkshire. I came back to look after my grandmother, in case you’ve forgotten. I took what I could get.’ She glared in his direction. He stood before the mirror, flexing his muscles, while admiring his physique.

‘I know, baby. Why don’t you arrest me for being an ass?’ Again he turned and smirked. ‘Oh, that’s right, you were one of those coppers who couldn’t arrest people, isn’t that right?’

‘Sod off, Rob. You have no idea what my job involved. No idea at all, so keep your opinions to yourself.’ It was true, he didn’t have any idea what she’d done. She’d never spoken of the times when she’d saved lives, or of when her own had been put in danger. She watched as he threw dirty clothes onto the floor, replacing them with clean ones out of the wardrobe.

‘Rob, pick them up. The dirty basket is in the bathroom, and stop acting like I’m your mother, ’cos I’m not. I’m going to work and it’s about time you learned to tidy up after yourself.’

‘And what did you say your new job involved, baby?’ He paused. ‘Ah, that’s right. You’re off to play Inspector Clouseau. Really, Kate? What does your father think?’ He picked up his shorts and threw them on the bed.

‘Don’t make fun, Rob. I’ll be training to be a private investigator and, as for my father, don’t you dare try to second guess what his opinion might be.’ Kate was furious. Ever since she’d told him about her new chosen career, he’d made fun, belittled her decision and had constantly thrown at her how much her father had wanted her to follow in his footsteps and become a lawyer, just like James had been. She closed her eyes as the memory of her brother once again passed through her mind.

Would the pain ever diminish?

Kate opened her eyes, pulled the towel tightly around her, and looked around the room, down the passage and toward the stairs. She took in a deep breath, and silently thanked her grandmother for leaving the cottage to her, but then wondered if the gift had in fact been a curse. Was Rob only here for the free accommodation? Was that the reason he stayed? Or did he actually love her? There had been times when she’d thought he had, but today was not one of those days. She gritted her teeth and fixed his look with a glare. The ‘football on telly’ explanation wasn’t washing with her. She’d heard the phone call and deep down she knew that there was something going on that he wasn’t telling her.

Rob stepped towards her, his lips forming an exaggerated pout – he had the look of a scolded schoolboy – and reached out to snare her with his strong muscular arms, pulling her tightly into his bare chest.

‘Let go of me, Rob. I’m trying to get ready.’ Kate struggled against his all too familiar hold. ‘I mean it. Let go.’

‘Am I forgiven?’ His lips momentarily brushed hers, as his hands travelled up and down the parts of her naked body that he could reach. The towel she’d been wrapped in dropped unceremoniously to the floor and landed in a heap at her feet, giving his hands the freedom to roam unhindered.

‘Why, why would I forgive you, Rob?’ Her serious expression crept into a smile. ‘You’re an asshole.’ She began to laugh. After all, it was hard to stay cross whilst naked, especially with Rob.

‘Am I, baby, am I forgiven?’ He repeated the words, over and over, as he teased her mouth with the brushing of his. ‘Please?’

Kate caught the strong scent of his aftershave – an earthy, musky, manly smell. His lips left hers momentarily and began to sear a path, kissing every part of her neck and chest, making her moan with desire. His lips once again captured hers; he was more demanding this time and his tongue sent shivers racing through her body as his fingers gently traced the curve of her spine. She closed her eyes as a sudden and overwhelming sensation took over her. It was a mixture of love and lust that engulfed her and she found it harder and harder to stay annoyed.

She felt his hands squeeze her gently, making her flick open her eyes and look deep into his. Melting into his arms, she still couldn’t believe that someone like Rob loved her and the feelings she had right now were exactly the same as those she had experienced the first day she’d set eyes on him.

‘Am I forgiven, baby?’ His words were little more than a whisper, as Kate reluctantly nodded her forgiveness and lifted her lips back towards his.

But just as quickly as he’d pulled her to him, he released his grasp, a cheeky grin ripped across his face, and his hand grabbed his T-shirt from where it lay.

‘Too late, kiddo, you should’ve forgiven me sooner.’

Kate’s naked body landed on the bed, as Rob smirked, flashed a wink and strode out of the room.

The heavy footsteps on the stairs, the opening and closing of the fridge, followed by the slamming of the back door, all told Kate that he’d left for the day and he wasn’t coming back.

‘Bastard,’ Kate shouted and in a gesture of frustration she scooped up one of her heels and hurled it towards the bedroom door. As the shoe rebounded, everything went into slow motion. She could see what was going to happen, but was powerless to prevent it. Before her eyes the black patent leather shoe caught the tall stemmed glass on the bedside unit and the remnants of the previous night’s red wine splattered across a section of the cream shag pile carpet.

‘Damn you,’ she screamed. She grabbed at the fallen bath towel and dropped to her knees. She was still naked, but frantically used the towel to dab at the carpet, attempting in vain to get the stain to lift, as tears ran down her face.

The carpet would have to be professionally cleaned or replaced. She wouldn’t allow anything to stay spoiled, not in this cottage.

CHAPTER TWO

Kate was running late. She climbed into her old yellow Volkswagen Beetle. It was rusty and creaked, but the interior was spotless and Kate was loath to exchange it, even though, as with everything else, Rob made fun of it every chance he got. But to her, it was perfect. She loved it, and just like River Cottage, it had belonged to her grandmother.

There had been a time, after the accident, when she’d wondered if she’d ever drive again. She had fond memories of driving around North Yorkshire with her grandmother, and it was only the memory of that which had actually got her back in a car, driving. At first, she’d forced herself to take short journeys around the moors. She’d gone looking for and picking heather, even though she didn’t need or want any. And on days when the sun had shone, she’d spent hours looking for the perfect picnic spot, and then sitting quietly to watch wildlife, all the time daring herself to get back in the car and to drive back home. Even now, on occasions, she’d begin sweating or feel nauseous and would have to keep stopping the car to sip water, or to wipe her hot, clammy hands on a small towel that she now kept in the door pocket for such an occasion.

Kate took note of the time and reversed out of the drive. She had just twenty minutes to get to Bedale. A quick calculation meant that she only just had enough time to get to work for her nine a.m. start. She cursed inwardly while repeatedly and anxiously keeping one eye on her watch, the other eye on the road. She drove carefully. She hated to be late and normally prided herself on her timekeeping, but the carpet had been stained and she’d had to at least try her best to repair the damage.

The road between Caldwick and Bedale was unbelievably clear, which was quite unusual for a Monday morning and the car gained momentum, snaking around the long isolated roads and past the low stone walls. It was April and the fresh spring morning air made the drive pleasant, and Kate smiled as she saw sheep, scattered through the fields, all with newborn lambs by their side. Kate found herself slowing the car down to a crawl while she watched a beautiful white swan cautiously herding its six young cygnets away from the road and into the safety of a nearby pond. The swan watched vigilantly as one after another of her babies jumped in with a splash, before making their way to the safety of her side. It reminded Kate of days before the accident, days when she, James and her sister Eve would run side by side, just as the cygnets did. Days when their mother had cared enough to shepherd them to safety. Days when they’d been a family group and the happier days she’d had before the isolation she felt following the accident. It had been as though she’d become invisible, as everyone had rushed to take care of her mother, father, and Eve.

Pulling into the town, she looked at the clock embedded in the church tower. It was just five minutes before nine o’clock and she felt her breathing begin to relax. She drove over the cobbles, past pedestrians and cyclists who were also making their way to work. A parking space appeared before her and she aimed for it, knowing that she had no time to spare.

‘Nooooooooooo!’ she screamed as her foot slammed down on the brake. She narrowly missed the silver BMW, which had swiftly slid in front of her and into the space that should have been hers.

‘That was my space, you moron,’ she shouted shakily through the open window of her car, which now stood in the middle of the cobbled road, with nowhere to go. She knew she’d overreacted and felt the need to apologise to the driver, but there was no time. She had to move the car, find another parking space and get herself to work.

It was exactly nine o’clock by the time she’d parked. Near misses were not good and for a moment, she just sat and waited for her breathing to calm and for her heart to stop palpitating heavily in her chest.

Memories of the accident flashed through her mind, the car that came from nowhere, the screech of brakes, the sound of metal upon metal and then the darkness.

Parker & Son was situated close to the church. A double fronted Victorian terraced house with no signage, it stood impressively between two similar properties. A wine bar stood to the right and to the left was what looked like a new bakery. It had no signage either, but the smell of fresh bread drifted out from the open door, making Kate’s mouth water. Not only had she missed breakfast due to the wine spilling incident, but cleaning up after it had meant that she hadn’t had time to make herself any lunch either.

Kate felt a tinge of excitement. She couldn’t wait to see what lay beyond the shiny, jet-black front door and reached out for the polished brass door handle. Taking a deep breath, she checked her clothes one last time, flicked her hair back, straightened her skirt and with a look of confidence, stepped forward.

‘Oh, hi, you must be Kate?’ A woman stood up from behind the reception desk and smiled. ‘I’m Gloria.’

Kate stepped forward and allowed the door to close behind her. Gloria fumbled with a packet of Hobnob biscuits, until they spilled out onto a small china plate. She then held out a hand to where Kate stood.

Gloria had a warm smile. She was elegant, looked around fifty years old and had soft, short, golden hair. She was a mixture of Mary Poppins and a younger version of her grandmother, which made Kate feel immediately comfortable.

‘Sit down, honey. I’ll put the kettle on.’ Gloria walked to a small table that stood in the corner of the room. ‘I bought the biscuits in your honour. Do you want some coffee?’

Kate nodded appreciatively. ‘That’d be great, thank you.’ She took a seat on the brown leather settee. ‘What a lovely room,’ Kate said as she looked around the reception and admired the deep skirting board and ornate coving. Half the room was overpowered by a huge traditional high-fronted mahogany reception desk, the other half taken up by the leather settee on which she sat.

‘Mr Parker will be ready to speak to you in a minute; he was just taking a call.’

Kate sipped at the coffee. Her stomach grumbled nervously and she searched the walls for something to talk about.

‘It’s fine. I really don’t mind waiting. It’s nice to have a few moments to compose myself, especially after being late. I had a nightmare of a morning.’ She began to explain. ‘First, I had a spillage accident at home, last night’s wine.’ She pulled a face. ‘And then, I was just about to pull into the space right outside the door, when some moron stole my parking space. I ended up having to park right down at the bottom of the high street.’

‘Ah, I think that moron may have been me?’ A deep assertive voice filled the room, just as a man’s broad six-foot frame suddenly occupied the ornate doorway that stood between the reception and a hallway beyond. ‘Ben Parker,’ he said as he held out his hand to shake hers. Kate looked up and gasped as she took his hand and caught the deep density of his eyes. They were jet black with a sparkle that came from somewhere deep within. He released her hand and she glanced down to take in the expensive cut of his suit, which screamed money and her heart sank as she looked between Ben and the entrance, wondering how quickly she could make an exit. Shouting like a banshee had not been the impression she’d wanted to give her new boss, especially on her very first day.

‘Ah, I see you and Ben have already met. Coffee, Ben?’ Gloria asked completely ignoring Ben’s comment and automatically picked up a third cup before Ben had the chance to reply.

Ben stood for a moment without speaking. Kate seemed nice and he was angry with himself for having taken the parking space, wishing instead that he’d played the gentleman and given up the space to her. At least then, they’d have got off to a better start and the atmosphere in the room would have been a little less edgy.

He looked her up and down. She was stunning and looked perfectly proportioned; she was beautifully dressed and her smile immediately caught his attention. She looked nervous, which was probably his fault, but her high cheekbones and expressive brown eyes held his attention for much longer than he’d intended. Even her clothes were beautiful; they were expensive and gave her a certain quality that he admired.

‘Your coffee.’ Gloria passed him the mug, smiled and glanced between him and Kate.

‘Thanks.’ He looked fondly in Gloria’s direction, caught her eye and discreetly shook his head. He knew by the look on her face that Gloria would have loved to play matchmaker. He knew she wanted to see him happy again, but mixing business with pleasure would never be a good thing and Gloria knew it, giving him a sense of relief that at least this time she’d leave well alone. The last thing he needed right now was for Gloria to try and fix him, make him whole again, repair his damage, like everyone else had tried to do. It was as though the world didn’t see you as a whole person, not unless you were attached to someone else. But the sudden death of his wife, Julia, had taken its toll and even though it had happened four years before, the thought of moving on had never crossed his mind. It was only recently that he’d realised that his life was empty and that he needed something more than work.

‘Hobnob?’ Gloria’s voice broke through his thoughts and he took the biscuit from the plate, turning himself purposely back towards Kate’s gaze. He once again held it for just a moment too long. His entrance had obviously shocked her and he was enjoying himself, watching her indecision.

‘Kate. When you’re ready, maybe you’d like to follow this moron through to the office,’ he said with a cheeky smirk and a wink, as he turned and strode from the room. ‘Mr Parker’s waiting and unless you’re the prime minister, you shouldn’t keep him waiting for very long. He doesn’t like it.’

Kate’s head spun between the door that Ben had walked through and Gloria, who had picked up another Hobnob, taken a bite and then waved it frantically in the air, indicating to Kate that she should follow.

‘Go on, William doesn’t bite, honestly. No matter what Ben says.’ Gloria continued to nibble at the biscuit, which she held in one hand, while she stirred her mug of coffee with the other.

‘But … I thought Ben was Mr Parker,’ Kate questioned as she jumped up from the settee, straightened her clothes and stepped towards the door.

‘He is dear, he’s Mr Parker junior. The Mr Parker that you’re about to meet, your boss, is his father.’

Kate felt the tension once again rise up in her chest; her hands felt hot and clammy and her heart began to beat rapidly. Again, she looked toward the exit.

Should she run now, or later?

She swallowed hard. She was determined not to fail. She caught her breath and pulled the door open, to find herself in a corridor where there were several closed doors and a staircase which rose up before her. Each new obstacle added to her already indecisive morning. And, as though things hadn’t been bad enough, she now had two Mr Parkers to deal with. But she’d been in worse situations than this. Hadn’t she? How bad could it really be?

She studied the doors. Which one would Ben have gone through? She began to play ‘Eeny, meeny, miny, mo’ in her head as a tall, slim, dark-haired man rushed out from one of the rooms, almost colliding with her in his haste to leave the building.

‘Oh, hi there, how you doing?’ He grinned. He seemed to pause and waited as Kate smiled back. She raised an eyebrow and once again she looked between the doors. The man pushed his over-sized glasses up his nose.

‘Well, the idea of working here seemed so much more fun when the woman at the employment agency told me I had the job,’ Kate said as she held out her hands. ‘Where did he go?’

‘Doesn’t it always? And if you’re looking for Mr Parker’s office, it’s in there.’ His smile faded as he looked at his watch and pointed to a door.

‘Thank you.’ The man’s face looked familiar, but Kate couldn’t place him and looked over her shoulder to where he now raced through reception, before nervously entering the room.

The office was bright and filled with light and in comparison to the reception was quite modern and airy. It had obviously been recently refurbished. The smell of fresh paint still lingered in the air and there was no sign of the traditional ornate decor anywhere. The desk was huge and impressive. It was curved, made of oak and behind it sat an older, more distinguished looking duplicate of Ben.

‘Now then, Miss Duggan, please take a seat.’

Kate nodded and sat down in the tub chair that stood before his desk. She glanced across at Ben who was perched against a sideboard. She was hoping for reassurance, but his hands were clasped tightly together and although he smiled, his face gave nothing away.

‘Welcome,’ William Parker said as he ran a hand through his dark, peppered hair. The tiny speckles of grey were just starting to appear by his sideburns, making him look older and more mature than Ben and she guessed that he’d be around twenty-five years Ben’s senior. He crossed his legs, to reveal shiny black shoes that could have been used as a mirror. Kate loved well-kept shoes and she made a decision that her new boss had to be nice. Why else would he take so much care about his appearance?

‘Thank you so much and I’m so sorry that I was late this morning,’ she announced. ‘I really didn’t mean to shout at your son.’ Kate was nervous and tried to cover her tracks, just in case Ben had told him about the incident.

‘Don’t apologise for being feisty, we like feisty women, don’t we, Ben?’ He grinned, stood up and walked back and forth behind the desk, finally perching against the windowsill. His hands clasped together, matching Ben’s mannerisms and they both studied her in a silence that seemed to go on forever.

Kate took note that Ben had purposely failed to answer his father’s question, which made her wonder why, or how scary Mr Parker might really be after all?

‘So, you want to be a private investigator?’ he said, his words suddenly slicing through the silence, like a newly-sharpened knife.

‘Yes, sir, I’d like that very much. The agency that recommended me, well, they thought I’d be ideal for the job.’ Her answer had been polite and it occurred to her that his words could have been either a statement or a question. ‘You see, sir, I’ve always been interested in the law.’

‘So I see. You’re twenty-eight, is that right?’

‘Yes, sir, I am.’

‘And you worked for the Metropolitan Police. As a constable?’

‘I did. Yes, sir.’

‘My dear, my name’s William, not sir, I don’t like it … and you’re correct, the agency has always been excellent at sending us the right candidates. That’s why we ask them to do it.’

He walked away from the window and to the front of the desk, perching on its edge, allowing Kate to look him up and down. Like Ben, his suit looked expensive. Even his haircut screamed money. ‘I see you went to law school?’

Kate nodded. ‘Yes, I did. I graduated with honours.’

Ben stepped forward, a file held in his hand. ‘Father, Kate not only graduated with honours, her reports say that she was the perfect student.’ He smiled and Kate saw that the sparkle was back in his eyes.

‘So, why didn’t you go into law? You could have become a solicitor.’

Kate shrugged. Closed her eyes for a moment and thought about her answer. ‘You want the truth?’ She looked at him for permission to continue. ‘I guess I wanted to annoy my father.’

Both William and Ben looked at one another and smiled.

‘Sound familiar, Ben?’ William asked and gave Ben a knowing look. ‘My son here used to do everything he could to annoy me too. Must be a generational thing.’

Ben walked back to lean against the sideboard. He shifted uncomfortably against it and looked down at the floor.

William studied the file. ‘The scar on your face. It happened just over a year ago, am I right?’ He tapped his pen on the file. ‘There was a place on the application asking about your personal life and about anything that could affect your role. Did you not think this relevant?’

‘No, I’m sorry. I didn’t think it was.’ She took in a deep breath. ‘How did you find out about it? I don’t normally tell anyone.’ She looked between both William and Ben. The accident was personal and she hadn’t written anything about it on the application form but now realised that she was going to have to explain. She looked down, purposely holding the scarred side of her face away from him, and held back the tears. She hated the scar and hiding it had become a habit since the accident; it was hideous and the fewer people that saw it, the better.

William coughed, drawing her attention back to where he sat. ‘Of course we know, Kate. Don’t be alarmed and don’t take it personally. It’s what we do. It didn’t take Ben a moment to find out about your background.’ He laughed. ‘He is a private investigator, after all. Doing these checks are second nature to him. Once trained, it’ll be second nature to you too.’

Ben cringed, caught her eye and mouthed ‘sorry’. He liked the way she came across, appearing to be timid, cautious, yet with the flick of a switch, she’d turn feisty, and easily capable of standing her ground.

She intrigued him. He realised why she thought the accident was personal, he could understand her not wanting to talk about it in public and why she had omitted it on the application form. After all, he knew that her sister had been paralysed, her brother killed and out of curiosity, he half hoped his father would push her for just a few more answers.

Ben once again caught her gaze. She looked defenceless and ready to run; her eyes held the light like mirrors and sparkled as though full of tears that didn’t or couldn’t fall. He smiled at her and her mouth curled up slightly at one side in a quirky, nervous half smile and then there was the scar, a scar that carved itself into her jawline. It was definitive, yet somehow added to her vulnerability, and for some reason, it made her even more beautiful.

He breathed in deeply and then closed his eyes. She wore a fragrance that reached its way across the office. It was fresh, musky and distinguished and he kept his eyes closed momentarily to enjoy the scent.

Rousing himself, he walked to the door and excused himself from the room. He then stood in the passageway with his back against the wall. His hands made fists and he felt angry with himself for looking at Kate that way. She was a work colleague after all, and he reprimanded himself for thinking otherwise. It had been the first time, since Julia had died, that he’d admired another woman. Or had thought of one in that way and, for a moment, he felt as though he’d betrayed her memory. Even though he knew he didn’t need it, he looked up to the sky for forgiveness, before taking a deep breath, opening the door and walking back into the office, where Kate and his father were talking.

‘My father, he’s a barrister,’ Kate was explaining. ‘He wanted me to go into law once I’d qualified, just like my brother had done. But I didn’t want to. I joined the Met police, went to live in London for a while and only came back to join the local force when my grandmother became ill. I came back to help look after her, until she died. By then, the only position available was as a PCSO, so I took it until something more permanent came along.’ She looked across at Ben. ‘I was considering joining my father’s firm, doing as my father wished, then …’ She faltered. ‘… then there was the accident. My sister Eve was paralysed and James, my brother, was killed. Everything changed.’ She paused and swallowed hard. ‘After the accident I simply couldn’t follow my father’s wishes. I couldn’t step into James’s shoes; it wouldn’t have felt right. I couldn’t comprehend the idea of doing the job that he’d done. It was all too painful. Besides, my father sold the company, went to York and took a position there within another firm.’ Her voice drifted off; again her mind flashed back to the accident. She vividly remembered drifting in and out of consciousness. The pain that had soared through her and the memory of her brother’s body, lying there.

Kate glanced around the room. She knew he’d be watching her mannerisms, watching how she handled herself under pressure. But it was easier to look around than at where William perched. He was still clasping his hands tightly together as though holding onto something for dear life. She waited for him to speak, but when he didn’t she looked over to where Ben now sat, studying her every move.

‘I’m sorry, I should have told the truth, you know, on the application form,’ she said as she crossed her legs. ‘It felt easier to omit the truth, than to try and explain. Yet here I am, trying to explain.’ She felt stupid that Ben had so easily managed to find out so much about her.

‘So, why did your father sell the law firm? Surely it would have been something to hang onto?’ William suddenly asked.

The question had been fair but Kate struggled to answer. ‘He … he didn’t want it any more.’ She took in a breath and gritted her teeth. The last thing she wanted to do was to cry, not here, not today. ‘He couldn’t bear to drive these roads, or to walk into the office and to see James’s desk empty. You see …’ She choked back the tears. ‘… James … he … he was his favourite, the only boy and my father didn’t take losing him very well. He didn’t even tell us about the sale. I was at the hospital a lot of the time, with my sister, and before we knew it, he’d sold everything and even though he only moved to York, it was far enough away for him not to have the daily memories that the company had given him.’

She looked around, battling her thoughts and was relieved when Gloria walked in with a tray of coffee and biscuits, carefully placing it on the desk next to where William still perched.

‘There you go, I brought more coffee. Just give me a shout if you need anything else.’ She glanced at where Kate sat. ‘Now, don’t you two go upsetting Kate. It’s her first day and I quite like the idea of having another woman around the place.’ She gave both Ben and William a stern look, before smiling at Kate and patting her on the shoulder. ‘Be nice to her,’ she said, before sweeping out of the room, allowing the door to slam shut behind her.

William picked up his mobile, checked the screen and then tossed it back on the desk. ‘You’ll be working with Ben for the first couple of weeks. I know you did surveillance work in the force, but you need to follow our way of doing things now. But, don’t worry, you’ll quickly learn the ropes. Ben will show you around the place, get you acquainted with the technology that we use and teach you as much as you need to know. The one thing we’re strict on, Kate, is that we do things by the book. At Parker and Son we stay within the law. So, no breaking the rules.’

Kate looked him directly in the eye. ‘Yes, sir. I’m pleased to hear that.’

‘Good.’ He looked at Ben. ‘Maybe you could take Kate out with you on the next job. Let her show us what she can do and, Kate, my name is still William.’ He smiled, but then stood up and Kate watched as he walked across the room, opened the door and once again, he smiled. ‘I’ll let Ben show you to your office. And Kate,’ he paused and held out his hand to shake hers. ‘Welcome to Parker and Son.’

Available to purchase as an eBook on all platforms. In paperback February 2018
More details

Where heroes are like chocolate – irresistible!