early movie so he could catch you,” Jo said grinning.
Beth rolled her eyes. “I won’t stay long. I just want to tell him I can come on the trip.”
“I'm really glad your mum agreed. It wouldn’t have been any fun without you.” Jo could just imagine how moody and grumpy Spencer would be, making them all miserable.
When they entered the house, it was quiet and dark, apart from the opera concerto playing in the lounge. Peter had obviously settled in for the evening and Sarah must be in the study with the door closed.
The girls looked at each other and Jo shrugged. “Maybe they did go out after all. I wonder whose car they took?”
Beth followed Jo into the kitchen to make some hot chocolate. They were both cold as the heater in Beth’s car only worked on the low setting. Jo went to take milk from the fridge and noticed her note had gone.
After making the drinks, they sat down in the family room and Jo flicked on the telly, finding an old black and white classic she and Beth had already seen. They settled in and quickly got immersed in the story. When the movie finished Jo looked at her watch, it was nearly ten.
Beth stood up. “I can’t wait any longer, mum will be expecting me. Can you tell Spencer the good news and that I’ll catch up tomorrow?”
“It’s a bit odd. I was sure he’d be here,” Jo said, curious as to where he’d gone.
“Maybe they couldn't get into an earlier session and James really wanted to see the film. I’m sure they'll be back soon. Don’t come out, I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” Beth put on her coat ready to leave when the phone in the hall rang.
Jo wondered who it might be, not many people rang so late. Knowing Pete wouldn’t hear the ringing over his music, she left Beth to answer it.
“Hey,” Spencer said gruffly, sounding irritated.
“I was beginning to worry. Where are you?”
“We had some problems.”
“What problems?”
“Have you got a few hours?”
“I guess.”
“My car wouldn’t start so Ella gave us a lift into town. I explained about Beth coming over and she promised to collect us outside the coffee shop at eight. While we were waiting she rang to say she’d been held up and would be there at nine. Then we caught sight of Ella's friend Mason. I thought they were out together, so I asked him where she was. He said he hadn’t seen her, so I rang her mobile to find out what was going on. She said she was about to leave Mason’s and would pick us up in twenty minutes. That was forty minutes ago. I know she’s not with Mason but I don’t know why she’s lying. I rang to see if you had any idea who she might be with, or where she might be.”
Jo didn’t know, but this seemed odd. Even for Gabriella.
“Well, if you've spoken to her she must be alright. I'd just ring again, or do you want me to come and get you.”
Beth walked into the hall, her coat buttoned and her bag over her shoulder. Jo grimaced at her.
“What's going on?” she mouthed.
“Beth’s here do you want to speak to her?” Jo asked Spencer, while looking at Beth.
“Definitely,” he answered.
Jo gave Beth the phone.
She frowned as she put it up to her ear. “Hiya, is everything alright? … Do you want me to come and rescue you? … I’ll ring mum and explain. Where are you? … I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
Beth ended the call and turned to Jo. “I’ll go and get them, can you ring mum? Just tell her what happened and she should be okay with it all.”
“Do you think she’d let you stay the night? I promise to protect you from my big brother. It’ll be really late when you get back and if you stay we can make plans for the trip.”
“Sounds good. Tell mum I’ll be home first thing in the morning but I can come home tonight if she wants,” Beth said over her shoulder, before opening the front door and disappearing into the dark night.
Jo decided to make a pot of coffee. She’d already called Beth’s mum and amazingly she agreed to let her
Beth rolled her eyes. “I won’t stay long. I just want to tell him I can come on the trip.”
“I'm really glad your mum agreed. It wouldn’t have been any fun without you.” Jo could just imagine how moody and grumpy Spencer would be, making them all miserable.
When they entered the house, it was quiet and dark, apart from the opera concerto playing in the lounge. Peter had obviously settled in for the evening and Sarah must be in the study with the door closed.
The girls looked at each other and Jo shrugged. “Maybe they did go out after all. I wonder whose car they took?”
Beth followed Jo into the kitchen to make some hot chocolate. They were both cold as the heater in Beth’s car only worked on the low setting. Jo went to take milk from the fridge and noticed her note had gone.
After making the drinks, they sat down in the family room and Jo flicked on the telly, finding an old black and white classic she and Beth had already seen. They settled in and quickly got immersed in the story. When the movie finished Jo looked at her watch, it was nearly ten.
Beth stood up. “I can’t wait any longer, mum will be expecting me. Can you tell Spencer the good news and that I’ll catch up tomorrow?”
“It’s a bit odd. I was sure he’d be here,” Jo said, curious as to where he’d gone.
“Maybe they couldn't get into an earlier session and James really wanted to see the film. I’m sure they'll be back soon. Don’t come out, I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” Beth put on her coat ready to leave when the phone in the hall rang.
Jo wondered who it might be, not many people rang so late. Knowing Pete wouldn’t hear the ringing over his music, she left Beth to answer it.
“Hey,” Spencer said gruffly, sounding irritated.
“I was beginning to worry. Where are you?”
“We had some problems.”
“What problems?”
“Have you got a few hours?”
“I guess.”
“My car wouldn’t start so Ella gave us a lift into town. I explained about Beth coming over and she promised to collect us outside the coffee shop at eight. While we were waiting she rang to say she’d been held up and would be there at nine. Then we caught sight of Ella's friend Mason. I thought they were out together, so I asked him where she was. He said he hadn’t seen her, so I rang her mobile to find out what was going on. She said she was about to leave Mason’s and would pick us up in twenty minutes. That was forty minutes ago. I know she’s not with Mason but I don’t know why she’s lying. I rang to see if you had any idea who she might be with, or where she might be.”
Jo didn’t know, but this seemed odd. Even for Gabriella.
“Well, if you've spoken to her she must be alright. I'd just ring again, or do you want me to come and get you.”
Beth walked into the hall, her coat buttoned and her bag over her shoulder. Jo grimaced at her.
“What's going on?” she mouthed.
“Beth’s here do you want to speak to her?” Jo asked Spencer, while looking at Beth.
“Definitely,” he answered.
Jo gave Beth the phone.
She frowned as she put it up to her ear. “Hiya, is everything alright? … Do you want me to come and rescue you? … I’ll ring mum and explain. Where are you? … I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
Beth ended the call and turned to Jo. “I’ll go and get them, can you ring mum? Just tell her what happened and she should be okay with it all.”
“Do you think she’d let you stay the night? I promise to protect you from my big brother. It’ll be really late when you get back and if you stay we can make plans for the trip.”
“Sounds good. Tell mum I’ll be home first thing in the morning but I can come home tonight if she wants,” Beth said over her shoulder, before opening the front door and disappearing into the dark night.
Jo decided to make a pot of coffee. She’d already called Beth’s mum and amazingly she agreed to let her
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