Sam drove out to the garden centre where Sophie acquired a large lavender, a peppermint and several varieties of thyme. As with all flourishing garden centres, this particular horticultural outlet also offered an array of pet supplies, sweets, toys, books and numerous unnecessary scented gifts. Sam alighted upon a tasteless pink unicorn, which Sophie thought looked too dangerously like a horse, but which Laura loved, and a book on garden design to assist Sophie when she was conceptualising his new garden. Driving home, Sophie lay back and inhaled the confusion of intense aromas wafting around the car. Next time she’d buy rosemary and, in the autumn, she’d plant honeysuckle and jasmine along the back wall, to hide the garages. ‘I’d love a proper garden,’ she said, ‘so I could plant apple trees and rows of sweet peas. And giant pumpkins. And I’d have a parterre garden crammed with herbs.’
‘You’ll have a proper garden when we move into our new house. You can come over with me this week and get an idea about the layout. The plot’s just over an acre, so you’ll be able to have a whole orchard of apple trees if you want.’
Sophie stared at him. ‘Our house?’
‘Yes. Yet again I’d like to risk losing all I have on a beguiling woman. We can rent out your mother’s house.’
‘Sam!’ She could feel the stirrings of panic, that even the strong fragrance of lavender couldn’t calm. ‘Can we please slow down a minute?’
‘I’m only doing thirty.’
‘No! I want you to not say things like our house.’
‘Why? Laura needs a place where she can have garden parties with her friends.’
‘Sam, it’s all too quick.’
‘OK.’
‘It’s just that my life’s a complete mess at the moment.’
‘Right. No more mentioning our dream house. With its parterre garden.’
Sophie watched him grinning at the road ahead. ‘I really want it to happen. I just don’t want to talk about it, in case it makes it go away.’
‘That sounds like a good case of Sophie logic. We’re almost home. I’ll park on the pavement and unload the forest.’ But, as he was about to turn into Tanner Street, he caught sight of a police car parked outside Sophie’s house. ‘Soph, don’t panic. The cops are outside. I’ll park round the back and go ahead. See what they want.’
‘Do you think something’s happened to Jonah?’
‘The hospital would have phoned. Just get Laura into her pushchair and follow me round. I’ll come back for your plants later.’
Sophie watched Sam disappear into the narrow shortcut. After a few minutes, she took the pushchair from the boot, negotiated Laura into it and walked round to the front of her house. The door was ajar. Sam hurried to help her up the steps. ‘Don’t worry. They’re just following up a few tax anomalies related to Jonah’s business. Sergeant Wilkes and Detective Inspector Blake. Just act normal.’
Sophie carried Laura into the kitchen, trying to act normal, although, at that moment, she could no longer remember what normal was like. And she was concerned that they’d sent a detective rather than just two ordinary… what were they called… ordinary uniforms.
Sergeant Wilkes bowed his head in recognition. DI Ron Blake introduced himself disagreeably: ‘Ms Denham,’ he said, ‘We have obtained a warrant for an immediate search of Mr Perrin’s business premises. If you could let us have appropriate keys, it would prevent our having to resort to forcible entry.’
Sophie’s brain began racing with crazy thoughts, supreme amongst them that bag full of money in her spare room. She felt Sam’s arm across her shoulders and somehow that focussed her mind. She made deliberate eye contact with the unfamiliar policeman. ‘Could you give me some idea what all this is about, Inspector?’
Inspector Blake paused to ask Sergeant Wilkes to move the car and wait for his call, watched him leave then fixed his eyes on Sophie. ‘In the first instance, Ms Denham, it would appear that Mr Perrin may be involved in fraudulent activities. Records from the Inland Revenue list Royston Computer Solutions as employing four people. You are included in this list. The other three people, despite holding bank accounts and having National Insurance numbers, are untraceable and may be bogus individuals. Over the last three years, significant amounts of cash have been briefly deposited into their accounts. There is evidence that money has been transferred overseas via a complex of online transactions.’
Sam interrupted. ‘Do you intend to interrogate Ms Denham regarding all this?’
‘Questions may well arise following the search of Mr Perrin’s business premises.’
Sophie held Laura closer. ‘What questions? I don’t know anything about Robert Perrin’s business. I’ve certainly never been employed by him. He’s given me cash each month, but that’s been for housekeeping. Are you aware that he has a wife and an additional home elsewhere?’
‘A warrant has also been acquired to search his Exeter residence.’
Sophie carried Laura over to a chair and sat down. ‘I’ve no idea what all this is about. Jonah has lots of clients but, as far as I know, he works alone. I thought everything was above board. Although…’ She glanced at Sam. ‘Inspector Blake, there is one thing. When we were emptying Jonah’s car, we found some money.’
‘Money?’ said Detective Blake.
Sam touched Sophie’s shoulder. ‘Soph, I’ll take Laura. Go up and fetch the bag. And bring Jonah’s keys. They’re on the bedside table.’
As Sophie was retrieving the blue bag, she noticed once again the framed photo taken at Katie’s wedding. She picked it up and studied Jonah’s smiling face. Nothing about that face suggested that he was anything other than a clever, hard-working man who had come into her life and had wanted to stay. She lay the photo face down, grabbed the keys and returned to the kitchen. Laura was in her highchair. Sam and Inspector Blake were deep in conversation.
Sam turned to smile. ‘Inspector Blake’s an Arsenal man, so this is likely to be a short friendship.’ Inspector Blake laughed.
Sophie couldn’t help but marvel at the levelling power of football. She handed over the bag. ‘I’m afraid we both touched some of the notes. But we resisted the temptation to help ourselves, so it’s all there.’
‘And this was in Mr Perrin’s car?’ asked Inspector Blake.
‘Yes,’ said Sophie. She handed him Jonah’s keys. ‘His car key’s also on there.’
Inspector Blake left. Sophie threw herself into a chair. ‘I should have told him about those two thugs that called last week. Perhaps the money’s theirs. And now I’ve given it to the police. My God, I feel like a gangster’s moll. And why does talking to policemen always make you feel guilty? You might want to make a break for it while you can still avoid being sucked down into this criminal underworld that I’m part of.’
‘It’s too late. I’m already hopelessly incriminated. Shall I go and collect your plants?’
Some time later, Sam wandered into the yard to find Sophie on her knees, squashing a peppermint into the soil around the base of a tomato plant, her face a picture of grim determination.
‘Soph, is it OK if Jesse calls round later? He’s got some tile samples for me to look at.’
She looked up. ‘Yes. Will his boys be with him?’
‘I don’t think so. They’re with Grandma Buckley. He’s coming straight from the warehouse.’ He pointed to a lone, unplanted thyme. ‘Where are you going to plant that?’
‘I need more pots.’
Sam stepped over and picked it up. ‘It smells fantastic. Why don’t you put it inside?’
Sophie paused briefly for doubt, overcame her obedience to Jonah’s no-soil-in-the-house directive, pulled Sam back into the kitchen, took the thyme and placed it on the windowsill next to Suzie’s orchids.
‘Should we invite Jesse to stay for supper?’
‘He’ll probably refuse. He’s a committed hermit. But he might stay for a drink.’ He grinned. ‘You might want to wash the compost off your face before he gets here.’
Sophie repaired herself then hurried to the lounge, where Sam was coaching Laura in walking between toys strategically placed around the room. She started to tidy up but, as she piled up the magazines, she remembered Jonah’s invoice from the van hire company, retrieved it from her plant catalogue and handed it to Sam. ‘I think Jonah was planning to take the TV and loads of other stuff to Suzie’s place.’
‘But he would have needed to show the hire company his driving licence and that’s in Robert Perrin’s name.’ Sam shook his head. ‘If the cops come back, we’ll mention it.’
Jesse arrived bearing a box full of tiles and a bottle of Meursault. He handed the latter to Sophie, leaned over to kiss her cheek then gave the box to Sam. ‘The floor tiles you chose were obviously the most expensive and the ordering period’s three months. But that shouldn’t interfere with the schedule. The others are also expensive but mostly in stock.’
Sam peered into the box. ‘Do I get mate’s rates?’
‘Possibly. Sophie, the wine’s been in a cold box but it could probably do with a bit of a chill before you open it.’
‘I wouldn’t worry about that,’ said Sam. ‘Sophie puts ice in everything.’
Jesse gaped. ‘In Meursault?’
‘Ignore him. He’s just being annoying. I have a wine cooler. Will you stay for a glass?’
Jesse looked at his watch. ‘I’m picking the boys up at six thirty. I promised them McDonalds. But yes, just a quick one.’
They carried the tiles into the kitchen, where Laura was busy smearing herself in banana. Sophie located the wine cooler, made her daughter presentable then sat and watched Sam and Jesse comparing tiles. It was the first time she had seen the two brothers alongside one another and it was almost disturbing to see such an accurate copy of her lover standing beside the original. She offered the Meursault for Jesse to approve the temperature. ‘It’s fine,’ he said. ‘But I won’t be offended if you want to drink it with ice.’
They turned as the letterbox flapped open. ‘Sophie, it’s me.’
Sam rolled his eyes. ‘Talking about being offended… You’d better fetch another glass, Soph.’ He hurried to invite Katie inside.
‘Hi, Sam,’ she said. ‘I’ve come round to hear the news because Sophie seems to be unable to write texts of more than three words.’ She followed him into the kitchen and came to an abrupt halt. ‘Good God, they’re both here!’
Jesse got to his feet. ‘Hello, would you like a glass of Meursault?’
‘Now, there’s something you don’t often hear! Am I interrupting something?’
Sophie walked over and hugged her. ‘If I said yes, would you leave?’
‘No.’ She caught sight of the box of tiles. ‘What’s all this?’
‘We’re choosing tiles for my new house,’ said Sam. ‘The one Jesse’s building.’
Katie gave him a withering look. ‘Don’t you like colours? They’re all white.’
‘Ivory,’ said Jesse. ‘Different textures.’
‘Really?’
Sam and Jesse opted for cautious silence whilst Katie interrogated Sophie about her trip to Devon, listened to the details of Rosemary Perrin’s Zane Alternative and her obvious reluctance to have Jonah living with her on any kind of permanent basis.
‘Well, you did tell her there was no way that you’re letting that skunk back into your house, didn’t you? And, if she didn’t collect his things, you’d burn them?’
Sophie noticed Jesse grimacing at his brother. She exhaled frustration. ‘No, Katie, I didn’t tell her that.’
‘Why didn’t you? She was expecting him back anyway, wasn’t she?’
‘Not exactly.’ She glanced at Sam. ‘I don’t know if you’ve told Jesse about Suzie…’
‘I have.’
‘Suzie who?’ said Katie. ‘What do you all know that I haven’t been told?’
Sam got ready to be annoyed, but Sophie pre-empted the anger. ‘It seems that Jonah wasn’t actually going back to his wife. He was just moving on.’
‘What?’
‘Do you remember me mentioning a woman called Suzie Kay?’
‘No.’
‘She witnessed the accident. She came in and made tea…’
Sophie explained and the wine disappeared. Eventually, Katie sat back and folded her arms. ‘God, Soph, how do you do it? You must have MUG written right across your forehead. Let’s hope your latest acquisition proves to be less of a problem.’
Sam stared at her, speechless. Jesse, however, was moved to voicing his disgust. ‘That was a very unpleasant thing to say in front of my brother.’
‘Would you have preferred me to say it behind his back? And anyway, it’s true. People just seem to crap all over Sophie. And to be honest, she’s fallen straight into this relationship with Sam without pausing for breath. I don’t want to see her hurt again.’
Sam shook his head. ‘I’m not going to hurt Sophie…’
‘And, if you ask me, there’s something too good to be true about you conveniently falling off your bike like that, straight into Sophie’s ruined life.’
‘Katie, my life is not ruined.’
‘But it’s not just about you, is it? It’s about you and Laura. I know I said positive things to start with but aren’t you worried how eager he’s been to move in here?’
‘Katie,’ said Sam, ‘just in case you haven’t noticed, I’m sitting right here!’
‘And I think you could show more grace when expressing opinions about things you know nothing about,’ said Jesse.
‘Hooray!’ sneered Katie. ‘It’s the Übermenschen Duo!’
Sophie jumped to her feet. ‘Katie! Have you gone mad?’
Laura started to cry. Jesse tried to hand her a rusk but the crying became screaming. Sophie hurried to pick her up. The kitchen became silent. Jesse got to his feet.
‘Sam, we’ll sort the order out tomorrow. I’ll leave the tiles here for you to take another look. If that’s OK with you, Sophie. And—’
‘If you go now,’ interrupted Katie, ‘Sophie will blame me.’
‘That’s really not my problem,’ said Jesse. ‘My problem would be having to carry on suffering the presence of an interfering woman who experiences a meltdown every time she doesn’t approve of something.’ He turned to Sophie. ‘Thanks, Sophie. I hope to see you soon. Sam, on site tomorrow, OK?’ With that he left.
Katie rapped her nails on the table. ‘I didn’t mean to upset anyone.’
‘It sounded pretty deliberate to me,’ muttered Sam.
Katie slumped in her chair. ‘Sophie, do you want me to leave?’
‘No, if Sam can stand it, so can I. You can help put Laura to bed. I’m cooking pasta. You can stay and criticise it.’
Salmon and broccoli tagliatelle was about to be served when the doorbell echoed along the hallway. Sam hurried through to prevent a repeat that would be sure to wake Laura. He walked back into the kitchen moments later, carrying another bottle of Meursault and trailing his brother. Sophie looked up from transferring pasta to a serving dish. She glanced at Sam but he just shrugged his shoulders. ‘Jesse, is everything OK?’ She inclined her head towards the yard. ‘Katie’s having a cigarette.’
Jesse’s brow furrowed. ‘Does she smoke?’
‘Not usually. Has something happened?’
‘I’ve left the boys in the car park. I’ve just come back to…’
The door flew open and Katie stepped in followed by a waft of cigarette smoke. ‘Who the hell was that at the door? Soph, you should disconnect that doorbell or at least stop it ringing directly under Laura’s room. You…’ She noticed Jesse and became silent.
Jesse took a step towards her, his confident poise now diminished to a faltering display of his brother’s feigned awkwardness. ‘I’ve come to apologise. My behaviour was outrageous. I shouldn’t have said… what I said. I realise that you were only trying to protect your friend. Please accept my apologies.’ He turned to Sophie. ‘I’ve brought another Meursault in case I ruined the first one.’ With that he bowed his head and left.
Katie’s eyes remained fixed on the hallway. ‘Soph, did that just happen?’
Sam banged the Burgundy down on the table. ‘Go after him, you stupid woman!’
Katie glared at him then hurried towards the front door.
‘Ask him if he’d like some pasta,’ called Sophie. The front door banged shut and Laura’s stereophonic scream came resonating along the hallway and out of the baby monitor. ‘Damn! Sam, would you cover the pasta and put it in the oven?’
By the time Sophie returned, the kitchen table had been extended, the two functional garden chairs had been brought inside and Jesse’s two copper-headed sons were sitting opposite their father, eating Happy Meals. Katie was washing bistro salad and the Burgundy was waiting. ‘She’s asleep,’ said Sophie, smiling at the two boys.
‘Sophie, let me introduce my sons.’ Jesse got to his feet and extended his palm towards the oldest boy. ‘This is Benjamin, who is seven and prefers to be called Benz, because he wants me to remember to buy him a Mercedes for his seventeenth birthday. And this…’ he indicated the smaller boy, ‘…is Jake, who is six and wants me to buy him a Ferrari, preferably before his seventeenth birthday.’ Both boys said hi then returned to their burgers.
The rest of the evening went surprisingly well. Sophie was impressed with Jake and Benz, their conversation and behaviour seemed way beyond their years. She watched them engaging with their father and uncle almost as equals, two little boys who probably had no memory of their mother. Perhaps just a memory of missing her. She wondered what memory of her Laura might have if she was suddenly no longer there and it made her feel sick. But at least she’d have no memory of Jonah either. She wished she could say the same for herself.
‘Soph, come back, wherever you are! Jesse’s about to go.’
She looked up. ‘Oh, sorry Sam, I was just…’
‘I should get the boys home,’ explained Jesse. ‘They’ve had too many late nights lately.’ His statement elicited protest.
‘Daaaad, I’m nearly eight years old. And Sam usually lets us stay up when you’re out.’
‘Oh, does he?’
‘Just the once. And that, if you remember, was because you were both throwing up.’
‘No negotiations with the under tens, I’m afraid,’ said Jesse, getting to his feet. ‘Both of you, thank your hosts.’
Benz pushed himself away from the table. ‘Thanks, Soph. Is Sam living here now?’
Katie snorted into her hand.
‘Yes, I am,’ said Sam. ‘And Sophie and I would be very pleased to have you visit any time you’d like to drop by.’ That seemed to satisfy both boys, who allowed their father to herd them towards the front door.
‘I’ll walk to the car park with you,’ said Katie, grabbing her bag.
Sophie closed the front door as quietly as possible. ‘Well, that was exhausting.’
‘I thought the boys were perfectly behaved.’
‘No, I mean Katie and Jesse.’
‘Oh, that. Yeh, there’s a bit of chemistry there. Certainly, in Jesse’s case. I’ve never seen him behaving as weird as that. He’s—’ The telephone interrupted their conversation. Sophie ran to stop it ringing. She returned a few minutes later looking ashen.
‘It was the hospital. Jonah’s regained consciousness.’
‘Sophie, it’s not your problem.’
But, somehow, Sophie knew that it was.