The Judas Scar by Amanda Jennings

girl. ‘It was good to meet you again, Luke,’ she said. ‘And amazing that you and Will were at school together.’
    He smiled. ‘Well, I hope now Will and I have made contact we’ll be able to stay in touch.’
    Harmony nodded. ‘That would be nice.’
    Ian clapped Luke on the back. ‘Thanks for the game. Shame you played so damn well. I’ll give you more of a run for your money next time.’
    Luke shook Ian’s hand then turned to Emma and kissed her on the cheek. ‘Lunch was delicious. Your children are charming, and you’re right, they certainly have a passion for Pavlova.’
    Emma laughed. ‘They do.’ She paused and smiled at them all.
    ‘Perhaps we should do this again soon.’
    Luke looked directly at Harmony. ‘I’d like that.’
    She reached for Will’s hand and took hold of it before nodding.
    ‘We would too.’
    The three of them walked out of the house and across the driveway towards the cars, their feet crunching over the silence. They paused beside Luke’s dark grey convertible Audi, its alloy wheels shining like polished silver medals. He pointed his key at the car and it flashed its lights in greeting.
    Luke and Will faced each other and Harmony felt the tension between them return. Luke held out his hand. Will stared at it and for a moment Harmony worried he might not respond. But at last he reached out and took hold of it, their two scarred palms clasped.
    ‘It’s good to see you, Luke.’ Will seemed to hesitate, then he reached into his jacket pocket for his wallet. ‘Here’s my number,’ he said, handing him one of the shop’s business cards. ‘Why don’t you give me a call? Maybe we could meet for a beer?’
    ‘Sounds good.’ Luke took the card and smiled.
    Will reached for Harmony’s hand as they turned to walk back to their car. She could feel Luke watching them. She glanced backwards and, sure enough, he was sitting in his car, door closed, hands gripping the steering wheel, eyes locked on them. He didn’t move a muscle. There was no embarrassed look away. No smile. No reaction at all. He just sat there, impassive, watching.
    Once in the car, Harmony expected Will to say something to her, but he was silent, his eyes distant, driving on autopilot. Every now and then his brow would furrow as if trying to work something out.
    ‘Seeing him again has thrown you, hasn’t it?’ she said at last, unable to keep quiet any longer.
    He glanced at her and then nodded.
    ‘I spoke to him for quite a long time at Emma’s party. He’s … unusual.’ She paused, waiting for Will to reply. When he didn’t she pressed on. ‘And charismatic. Was he always like that? I mean, when you were friends at school?’
    Still Will said nothing.
    She turned to look out of her window. It was so frustrating how guarded he was when it came to his past. She loved to discuss things; she was a scientist, she liked answers. Her mother used to laugh at her when she was a young girl, always asking questions, determined to know why trees grew upwards and how clouds floated and why snowflakes looked like miniature paper doilies. Facts made life easier to understand. She’d asked Will so many questions over the years and had so many non-committal, one-word answers and dismissive shrugs in return. As far as he was concerned his past was irrelevant. It didn’t merit discussion; as unimportant, he said, as a lacklustre lover with a forgotten name. All that mattered was the present, was her, their life together. She’d accepted his secrecy because she’d had no choice, but now his past had been revealed like the tip of an ashen finger in the soil and she was desperate to uncover the rest. Especially about Luke. He fascinated her. There was something about him that brought to mind her father. Charismatic. It was a word she’d heard her mother use when describing him. Despite having spent night upon night dredging her memories for any recollection of the man that might be lurking in a corner of her mind,