as the next man. I'm afraid your prospects aren't too rosy around here.'
'I'm only going to live with him for a while.' ‘And after that?'
'Who knows? I'm going to take it a day at a time. Will you be all right?'
For the first time Stephanie's mask slipped. 'How should I know? Perhaps they want me dead too. You can't imagine what it's like sitting in this house, jumping every time the bell rings! Although they're not likely to ring before they enter, are they?' And she gave a strained laugh.
'Who could possibly want you dead? Simon obviously made a few enemies—he doesn't seem to have been the most successful of businessmen—but that's not your fault. Anyway, he killed himself because he was ill.'
'He was no more ill than I am.'
'You told me yourself he'd been having chest pains.'
'He had a hiatus hernia. No one kills themselves over a hiatus hernia!'
'That's what he told you, but the doctor said… '
'Any fool can tell he was got at. How come he didn't tell the police about Simon's illness straight away? Why keep it until things were getting really difficult for us all?'
'I suppose he felt that it was confidential information.' 'He was bribed.’
'But who'd bribe Dr Morris?'
'The same people who killed Simon, of course.' Lisa stared at her. 'The Superintendent said… '
'Him! I knew we were all right as soon as he arrived. There are certain crimes that have very long tentacles, and those tentacles often reach out to some surprising places.'
'Isn't anything what it seems?' exclaimed Lisa. 'Aren't there any normal, honest people in the world? I can't believe all this.'
'Go to your television star and enjoy yourself. If he hadn't come along those tentacles would be round your pretty neck as well. You've been lucky. Get out while you can.'
'But it was you and Simon who tried to involve me!'
Stephanie sighed. 'Yes, it was. I didn't care—after all, you weren't going to get hurt—but Simon cared. He wanted you to go off and live a normal life, even if it meant offending certain people. Then he did something stupid and you were his only way out. He did love you though, and if his death's set you free then wherever he is he'll feel it was worthwhile. So go now, while you still can.'
'I told Toby I'd stay until Saturday,' said Lisa hesitantly.
‘You’re no help here,' said Stephanie bitterly. 'All you do is remind me of things I'd rather forget. Go tonight for all I care.'
'Do you really mean that?' asked Lisa quietly. 'Yes.'
'Then I will. I'm sorry I was a disappointment to you,' she murmured hesitantly.
Stephanie looked up at her. 'Be happy. I know you haven't been happy with us. Be happy with Toby instead.'
For a brief moment Lisa wanted to hug the older woman, explain how hurt she'd been all those years ago, and how ever since she'd been shielding herself against another possibly even greater hurt; but Stephanie wrapped her arms round herself and sat looking at the floor.
She obviously didn't want any emotional scene, and the sad truth was that they were two people with nothing in common at all and so, at eight o'clock that night, Lisa drove out of Stephanie's life forever.
For a time she was happy. For several months she and Toby thoroughly enjoyed themselves. They went to parties, took long walks and told each other everything they were willing to reveal. They also learnt to know each other's bodies off by heart.
For Toby too it was a particularly good time. His show was doing well; he drank sparingly; and with Lisa waiting at home no longer felt the need for endless conquests among the girls and women who pursued him. His life had a stability he'd fully expected to resent and in fact enjoyed.
When Lisa got herself a job at a small, exclusive kindergarten helping out with the under-fours he was even more delighted. Knowing that when he was busy working so was she, the slight unease, not great enough to be called jealousy, that he had previously felt when on set disappeared.
He couldn't
'I'm only going to live with him for a while.' ‘And after that?'
'Who knows? I'm going to take it a day at a time. Will you be all right?'
For the first time Stephanie's mask slipped. 'How should I know? Perhaps they want me dead too. You can't imagine what it's like sitting in this house, jumping every time the bell rings! Although they're not likely to ring before they enter, are they?' And she gave a strained laugh.
'Who could possibly want you dead? Simon obviously made a few enemies—he doesn't seem to have been the most successful of businessmen—but that's not your fault. Anyway, he killed himself because he was ill.'
'He was no more ill than I am.'
'You told me yourself he'd been having chest pains.'
'He had a hiatus hernia. No one kills themselves over a hiatus hernia!'
'That's what he told you, but the doctor said… '
'Any fool can tell he was got at. How come he didn't tell the police about Simon's illness straight away? Why keep it until things were getting really difficult for us all?'
'I suppose he felt that it was confidential information.' 'He was bribed.’
'But who'd bribe Dr Morris?'
'The same people who killed Simon, of course.' Lisa stared at her. 'The Superintendent said… '
'Him! I knew we were all right as soon as he arrived. There are certain crimes that have very long tentacles, and those tentacles often reach out to some surprising places.'
'Isn't anything what it seems?' exclaimed Lisa. 'Aren't there any normal, honest people in the world? I can't believe all this.'
'Go to your television star and enjoy yourself. If he hadn't come along those tentacles would be round your pretty neck as well. You've been lucky. Get out while you can.'
'But it was you and Simon who tried to involve me!'
Stephanie sighed. 'Yes, it was. I didn't care—after all, you weren't going to get hurt—but Simon cared. He wanted you to go off and live a normal life, even if it meant offending certain people. Then he did something stupid and you were his only way out. He did love you though, and if his death's set you free then wherever he is he'll feel it was worthwhile. So go now, while you still can.'
'I told Toby I'd stay until Saturday,' said Lisa hesitantly.
‘You’re no help here,' said Stephanie bitterly. 'All you do is remind me of things I'd rather forget. Go tonight for all I care.'
'Do you really mean that?' asked Lisa quietly. 'Yes.'
'Then I will. I'm sorry I was a disappointment to you,' she murmured hesitantly.
Stephanie looked up at her. 'Be happy. I know you haven't been happy with us. Be happy with Toby instead.'
For a brief moment Lisa wanted to hug the older woman, explain how hurt she'd been all those years ago, and how ever since she'd been shielding herself against another possibly even greater hurt; but Stephanie wrapped her arms round herself and sat looking at the floor.
She obviously didn't want any emotional scene, and the sad truth was that they were two people with nothing in common at all and so, at eight o'clock that night, Lisa drove out of Stephanie's life forever.
For a time she was happy. For several months she and Toby thoroughly enjoyed themselves. They went to parties, took long walks and told each other everything they were willing to reveal. They also learnt to know each other's bodies off by heart.
For Toby too it was a particularly good time. His show was doing well; he drank sparingly; and with Lisa waiting at home no longer felt the need for endless conquests among the girls and women who pursued him. His life had a stability he'd fully expected to resent and in fact enjoyed.
When Lisa got herself a job at a small, exclusive kindergarten helping out with the under-fours he was even more delighted. Knowing that when he was busy working so was she, the slight unease, not great enough to be called jealousy, that he had previously felt when on set disappeared.
He couldn't
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