Clare was in the Bank where she had arranged to meet Maddy for lunch. She arrived at 12.20 p.m., ten minutes before they were due to meet, so she got herself a drink while she waited. She sat down and scanned the menu, looking at her watch once she’d decided what she wanted to eat. It was still only a minute past half twelve so there was time yet for Maddy to get there.
Clare glanced round the pub. It was full of business types, men in suits and officious-looking women, with the exception of a few tables where the clientele were more casually dressed. She guessed that the latter were friends meeting for lunch like her and Maddy. While her eyes scanned the room she noticed that she was the only person sitting on her own.
As the minutes ticked away Clare began to feel self-conscious. She caught a few curious glances from the people on a neighbouring table. They probably thought she’d been stood up.
Clare couldn’t resist checking the time on her watch again. Almost a quarter to one. She wanted to ring Maddy but knew she was in a meeting, and Clare didn’t want to disrupt it. Besides, Maddy would probably have her phone on vibrate so she wouldn’t be disturbed.
When Clare’s glass became empty she returned to the bar and came back carrying a second glass of wine. She looked at her watch one more time. Turned five to one. Maddy was almost half an hour late now. Clare flicked through her texts to make sure she had got the meeting time right. Yes, Maddy should definitely have been there by 12.30.
Clare fired off a text to Maddy; surely that wouldn’t disrupt the meeting. The most they’d hear would be a ping and maybe that would be enough to remind Maddy of where she should be.
As Clare looked up from her phone she caught the gaze of a lady on the next table, who flashed a sympathetic smile. She managed a faint smile in return, but she didn’t feel like smiling. Clare was becoming angry. How dared Maddy stand her up like this, whatever her reasons?
Finally, Clare decided that if Maddy hadn’t shown up or called her by the time she had drunk her wine she would give her a call and to hell with the consequences. She was getting a bit tired of Maddy messing her around. Since Maddy had met Aaron she hardly saw her any more and when she did she was usually late. Even when she rang her, it seemed as though Maddy couldn’t get off the phone quickly enough.
Clare soon finished her second glass of wine. She fished in her bag for her phone, then made the call. After two glasses of wine and over three quarters of an hour sat stewing, Clare wasn’t in the best frame of mind when Maddy answered.
*
After a tense start to the day, Maddy decided to stop dwelling on the graffiti and the fraught call to the magazine editor, knowing she had other things to do. For the latter part of the morning she threw herself into her work, which helped to take her mind off things.
Maddy worked solidly for over two hours until her rumbling stomach reminded her that it was lunch time. She checked the clock on her PC, noticing that it was well after 1 p.m., and finished what she was doing so she could take a break. Maddy was just checking out the contents of her fridge when the phone rang.
The ringing phone, along with her rumbling stomach, suddenly jolted her memory. Damn! Clare. She had completely forgotten that she should have met her for lunch. She dashed over to her phone and answered it, then braced herself while she awaited Clare’s reaction.
‘Maddy! What the hell’s happened to you?’ Clare demanded, and Maddy could tell straight away that she wasn’t very happy.
‘Clare, I’m so sorry!’ said Maddy. ‘I completely forgot. You wouldn’t believe the morning—’
But Clare butted in, her tone hostile. ‘Save it!’ she said. ‘I don’t want to hear your lame excuses. It’s bad enough that you never have time for me these days and that you’re always late when we do meet. But to stand me up altogether is beyond the pale. Just what the hell is going on with you, Maddy?’
Maddy tried to cut in but Clare wasn’t finished yet. ‘You’re missing appointments, losing work, you’ve no time for your friends and you’re even short with Becky. It’s like I don’t even recognise you any more.’
Maddy could feel herself becoming annoyed on hearing Clare’s words. How dare she pass judgement? She was meant to be her best friend. ‘Now, just a minute,’ she said. ‘Fair enough, I didn’t make lunch, and I’ve apologised for that. But there’s no need to bring Becky into it or my work life, for that matter.’
‘What do you expect, Maddy? I’ve been sat here like an idiot for the best part of an hour, and all because you can’t be bothered to show up!’
‘It isn’t because I can’t be bothered. I’ve had a lot on my mind this morning, if you must know. But you haven’t even given me a chance to explain.’
‘Go on, then, enlighten me,’ was Clare’s sarcastic retort. ‘I can’t wait to hear this.’
Maddy made as if to speak but before she had chance to get the words out she felt tears cloud her eyes again. She would have liked to confide in someone about her troubles. Someone close. But not like this. She wanted sympathy, not someone pouring scorn over her words.
‘Well?’ Clare prompted.
Maddy knew she’d have to give Clare something to appease her. Hearing how angry she was, Maddy knew their friendship depended on it.
‘I’m sorry,’ she said again, her voice catching. ‘I didn’t go to the editorial meeting. I didn’t get as far as Manchester. I didn’t even get further than the front door.’ Then the catch in her voice developed into a tremor at thoughts of the front door. ‘I… something cropped up.’
‘Yes?’ said Clare, and Maddy could tell she was already mellowing. ‘What is it, Maddy?’
Maddy took a moment to calm herself before she said, ‘Somebody had written the word “bitch” on my front door. In massive letters. And in bloody permanent marker. Bright red! I had to get rid of it. I couldn’t have Becky coming home and finding it still there. I think she already saw it this morning as it is. And the magazine editor wasn’t too pleased when I had to cancel the meeting. I’m worried I might lose that magazine too.’
‘OK, OK. Calm down,’ said Clare. ‘It’s probably just some idiot with nothing better to do.’
‘That’s what I thought at first,’ said Maddy. ‘But there’s something else.’
‘What?’ asked Clare, and Maddy could hear a lingering note of irritation in her tone.
‘There was a car. Well, more than one. But at least one that I know of. Somebody was sitting in it watching my house. I didn’t mention it before because you might have just thought I was being paranoid but now this has happened too—’
Clare cut in. ‘How do you know they were watching the house?’
‘It was obvious. He was there for ages.’
‘He? So, it was a man?’ asked Clare.
‘I think so, but it was difficult to tell. He had a baseball cap on and his jacket pulled up round his face. He was parked across the road so it was a bit too far to see from the living-room window. The second time the car was parked further up the street. But it was a different car.’
‘OK. So, two cars?’ asked Clare, and this time Maddy could detect a hint of scepticism in her voice.
‘Yes, but it might be the same person.’
‘Look, Maddy, don’t you think you’re getting a bit carried away?’ Clare said. ‘I mean, how many times has this happened?’
‘Twice. Well, twice with the second car and once with the first. But he could have been there other times for all I know.’
‘Um, are you sure it isn’t somebody looking for Aaron?’
‘No! Why would it be?’
‘Well, it just seems strange that these things have started happening since he came on the scene, that’s all. Do you think he could have a jealous ex-girlfriend still sniffing around?’
‘Not that I know of,’ said Maddy, becoming defensive.
Suddenly Maddy felt annoyed. She knew she couldn’t expect Clare’s sympathy after she had stood her up, but why did she always seem to pick any opportunity to have a go at Aaron? Maddy couldn’t see any point in continuing the call with Clare in this frame of mind. She’d had enough of being patronised in the last two days and it was obvious Clare thought that she was either losing it or that she’d brought these troubles on herself.
‘Look, Clare, I’ll have to go,’ she said. ‘I’ve got a lot of work to do. Like I said, I’m really sorry. But I’ve got a lot on my plate at the moment.’
She put down the receiver without waiting for Clare’s response, then took a few deep breaths and tried to steady her rapidly beating heart. But she couldn’t calm down. Anxious thoughts were flitting through her head. Clare’s anger. The graffiti. Rebecca’s problems at school. Her work situation. And the thought that a stranger could be watching her even now. Full of hatred and malice, and plotting against her.
It was impossible to feel calm with everything that was going on. Her heart was still hammering inside her chest and her muscles felt as taut as piano wire. She thought again about ringing Aaron but decided against it. He had enough going on in his life. The last thing he needed was an emotional call from an overwrought girlfriend. Then she thought about the present he had given her, and his words kept playing over in her head. Take some. It’ll make you feel better.
She tried to resist but, eventually, when her troubled thoughts refused to go away, she capitulated. Maybe, just a little bit. As long as I don’t make a habit of it, what harm can it do? She recalled again how good the coke made her feel and this time she gave in to temptation.