Jasper pulls up in front of the gates of Serenity House, then kills the engine of the van we drove here in. Neither of us have cars – it’s not worth it living in Central London what with public transport being so accessible – so I hired a small van for the day to shift my stuff.
‘Well, mate, this is it, no turning back now.’
I laugh. ‘No need to be so dramatic, I’m only renting a room in north London, I’m not skydiving off Ayers Rock.’
Jasper shakes his head. ‘I can’t understand why you don’t apply for a job at my publishers. I’d put in a good word, you know that. That way you’d be able to afford to rent your own flat in a decent neck of the woods. They’re crying out for smart graduates like you. Quite frankly, they’d be lucky to have you. People aren’t as nosy as you think. And it could be your way in to getting a publishing deal.’
‘You know precisely why I don’t want to go down that route, mate. No matter what you say, people are nosy. Besides, an office job’s not really my bag. I like being my own boss, not beholden to anyone else’s rules or restrictions. Plus I’m serious about my writing. I want to give it a proper shot.’
‘You could have done that in Scotland, though.’ Jasper’s right. But he doesn’t know the other reason I’m in London.
‘That’s true.’ I nod. ‘But I needed a change of scene. And what better place to inspire me than Hampstead?’ I give a laboured sigh. ‘After the shit I’ve been through, I think I deserve to be cut a little slack.’ I look at Jasper with heartfelt eyes, willing him to see my point of view.
He gives me something of a sad smile in return, and I feel reassured by the understanding in his eyes. I know he only means well and wants the best for me. But sometimes he forgets that my life hasn’t been anywhere near as smooth sailing as his. Quite the reverse, in fact. ‘I do, mate, and I’m truly sorry for what you went through.’ He grins mischievously. ‘I’ll be eating my words when you write that bestseller, I know it. But make sure you give my publisher first refusal, else I’ll never forgive you.’
He wags his finger at me and I chuckle. Give him a friendly slap on the shoulder. ‘Absolutely, goes without saying, Jaz.’
I clamber out of the van, go up to the side of the gate and press the buzzer. ‘Adriana, it’s Seb, we’ve arrived.’
Within a few seconds, Adriana’s friendly voice comes on the line. ‘Hi, Seb, I’m opening the gates now.’
I hop back inside the van as the gates open, but just as I do, I notice someone hovering a little way down the road. Far enough away so I can’t decipher a face, but near enough to make me almost certain from their stance and physique that it’s a man. He’s wearing a black cap, dark joggers and a black anorak, almost as if he’s trying not to be seen or, at least, be easily identifiable. He also seems to be looking my way. Staring right at me, in fact. A part of me feels like getting out of the van and investigating further, because it’s a little creepy. But then I tell myself I’m probably reading too much into things. I’m in London after all, the place is full of weirdos hovering on street corners, no matter how wealthy the area, just like Max said. It’s no wonder Adriana feels safer having a male lodger staying in the house with her.
‘Everything OK?’ Jasper asks.
‘Yeah, it’s nothing, let’s go.’
I glance left through the passenger seat window as Jasper drives on and see that the suspicious-looking man is still standing there. Good job Adriana has CCTV-controlled gates and a high-tech alarm system, I think to myself. Not to mention a sturdy front door with more bolts than Fort Knox. Nothing and no one is getting through that thing. I couldn’t be safer once I’m inside.
Once the gates have shut behind us, I push the dodgy bloke to the back of my mind and focus on the house and Adriana who’s standing in the open doorway. She looks as lovely as she did on Monday. Perhaps more so, dressed in skinny jeans and a mint-green V-neck jumper, her hair fastened in a low ponytail. She greets us with a warm smile as Jasper and I step out of the van. ‘You must be Jasper?’ She extends her hand towards Jasper who takes it with a friendly grin, while cutting me a sly look as if to say you said nothing about her being seriously hot. I do my best to ignore him and say a silent prayer that he doesn’t go and embarrass the hell out of me.
Thankfully, he doesn’t. Although it’s early days. You never know with Jasper, because diplomacy has never been his strong point. ‘Yes, it’s lovely to meet you,’ he says. ‘And thanks for taking this troublemaker off my hands, I thought I’d never be rid of him.’ He looks at me and grins, then somewhat cheekily raises his eyebrows at Adriana, as if amused by his own wit. What was I saying, I knew I shouldn’t have spoken so soon. She laughs along with the joke, although I’m guessing out of politeness rather than genuine amusement. And although I may be reading too much into things, I’m also certain I see a flicker of apprehension in her eyes when she glances my way. Surely, she’s not having doubts about me? I can’t imagine why. Can’t think what could have happened between Monday and now to cause her to have second thoughts about my moving in. Unless she’s been looking into my background and discovered something? Or perhaps Max has? God only knows how, though, I’ve been so careful. It’s why I’m not on any social media. A recipe for disaster for someone like me. I tell myself I’m overthinking things, that it’s probably my own paranoia getting the better of me.
She props the front door open against the wall with a doorstop, at which point Jasper and I start bringing all my stuff through. Thankfully, it’s a dry day making the job less painful. Within thirty minutes everything is stacked up in the hallway, both Jasper and I feeling somewhat hot and sweaty from our labours despite the glacial outside temperatures. I also couldn’t help noticing how quick Adriana was to lock the front door as soon as we were done unloading the van. It makes me wonder if she also spotted the strange man hovering at the end of the road earlier. Perhaps she’s seen him loitering there before? I chalk it up as something to ask her later once I’ve settled in. Living here, I have a right to know if there’s anything or anyone I need to be concerned about.
As Jasper and I both stand in the hallway catching our breaths, I watch my friend look around, his eyes agog as he takes in my new lodgings. ‘Wow, it’s some house you have here,’ he says to Adriana. ‘I don’t blame you for being careful about vetting who you take on as a lodger.’
‘Thank you,’ Adriana says. ‘My husband, Charles, loved this house, and it’s why I could never live anywhere else. It holds so many special memories for me, and I like to think that he’s still here, watching over me.’
‘I’m so sorry to hear of his passing,’ Jasper says. ‘Heart attack, wasn’t it? Quite unexpected.’
‘Aren’t they all, Jaz,’ I mutter through clenched teeth. Jasper has a heart of gold, but he can be a bit tactless at times.
‘Sorry,’ Jasper says, holding up both hands, ‘it’s none of my business.’
‘It’s OK,’ Adriana assures him, despite looking a little uncomfortable. ‘Yes, that’s correct. It was a heart attack and a massive shock. Charles was my world, but life can be so unpredictable. One minute everything’s perfect, the next your whole life is turned upside down.’ She gives me a knowing look as an awkward hush ensues. I take the opportunity to shoot daggers at Jasper, a warning not to stick his nose in where it’s not wanted or do anything to embarrass me further. He gives me a sheepish look in return.
‘Anyway,’ Adriana breaks the uneasy silence, ‘if you boys want to make a start on taking those boxes upstairs, I have a couple of emails to send. Once you’re done, we can all have a cup of tea in the kitchen. How does that sound?’ As her eyes flit back and forth between Jasper and me, we both find ourselves nodding like obedient schoolboys.
She walks away in the direction of the study at which point Jasper and I start hauling the boxes up to my bedroom two at a time. Twenty minutes later, we’re both sat at the foot of my new king-size bed, three times the size of the single bed my six-foot frame has been squished into for the last six months. I lay back and stare up at the ceiling, exhausted, but thinking how I’m sure to sleep well later. Looking around me – everything is so elegant and uncluttered, from the sleek contemporary furnishings to the room’s neutral tones and statement wall lighting – I can hardly believe I’m going to be living in such style. I tell myself I’d better not fuck it up.
‘So you like the place?’ I ask Jasper, raising myself up again on my elbows.
Jasper nods. ‘Yes, it’s amazing, obviously. Even more impressive in the flesh than in the photos you showed me.’ He looks around. ‘A little cold, though. What with all the white, minimalist décor. Sterile is the word that comes to mind.’
I sit up, feeling slightly irritated with my friend for putting such a dampener on things. He’s always been a bit of a cynic. I’m not sure why. If anyone has reason to be cynical in this world, it’s me, not Jasper. Who’s had it pretty easy his whole life as far as I can tell. I mean, his parents are alive and together, he has a great relationship with his siblings, he’s in a job that’s going places and more recently he’s found himself settled in a relationship with a girl who adores him. Quite honestly, I’d do anything to trade places with him. ‘I wouldn’t say that,’ I say with a frown. ‘I rather like it. You’re just not used to being somewhere so clean.’
‘Fair point.’ He nods. Before a wide grin spreads across his face.
‘What?’
‘You know what. She’s bloody stunning. And you’re not exactly relaxed around women at the best of times. How the hell are you going to manage being around Adriana? I saw the way you looked at her.’
I feign ignorance. ‘How do you mean?’
‘You looked like a teenage boy with a crush on his hot teacher.’
‘Don’t talk rubbish.’
He shakes his head. ‘Don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about. I know you, mate. You don’t fall for women easily, but when you do, you fall hard. And I can’t say I blame you in Adriana’s case. She’s gorgeous, intelligent, and not that much older than you to make the age gap a big deal.’
I shoot up from the bed, Jasper’s remark making me feel decidedly uncomfortable even though a voice in my head is saying I wouldn’t be acting so defensively if there was no truth to it. ‘Again, you’re talking rubbish.’
‘Am I?’ His eyes linger on me, but I don’t succumb.
‘Look, can we just change the subject?’ I say. ‘I’ll be fine, I’ll manage. She’s busy with her own friends and charity work, and I’ll be tucked up in here most of the day writing.’
‘And what about in the evenings? You going to stay in this room twenty-four-seven?’
‘No, of course not. Don’t forget I’ll be out three nights a week working shifts at the bar.’
He nods. ‘Good point. And you’re always welcome at mine, you know that, don’t you?’
‘Not sure Rochelle would second that.’
‘Ahh, don’t be so hard on her. She likes you, she just doesn’t want you living with me permanently.’
I shrug my shoulders. ‘That’s fair enough. Three’s a crowd and all.’
Jasper smiles then holds my gaze, as if he has more to say, but for some reason hesitates.
‘What?’ I probe. ‘And don’t say nothing, I know you too well and I can tell you’re itching to say something. So spit it out whatever it is.’
His gaze becomes uncharacteristically serious. ‘OK, but don’t get cross.’ He keeps his voice low, as if he fears being overheard, despite the closed door and the distinct clatter of crockery coming from the kitchen making it clear Adriana’s otherwise occupied.
I roll my eyes. ‘Christ, why all the whispering? She can’t hear us from down there. What have you done now?’
‘Nothing, it’s just… well, I did a little searching on the internet.’
I raise my brow. ‘Searching? For what?’
‘I looked up Charles Wentworth, just because I was interested to know more about the guy.’
‘Jaz, honestly.’
‘What? Like I said, I was interested. You’re my best mate, you’ve been through so much, and I feel it’s my duty to look out for you. Let’s face it, nobody else will.’
I sigh, thinking he has a point, and that I should be grateful that someone gives a toss about me. ‘OK. And? What did you find out, Inspector Morse?’
My sarcasm is lost on him. His eyes still unusually solemn. ‘I found out that his death came as a total shock to those who knew and loved him well. His brother, Stuart, for instance. Their parents passed away fifteen years ago, but Charles and Stuart were very close according to the newspaper article I read.’
I frown. ‘Well, of course it would come as a shock. Heart attacks are a shock, generally. Unless there’s a history of heart disease. Stuart was his brother, and Adriana already mentioned he was Charles’s right-hand man at work. They would have seen each other day in, day out. So naturally they were close.’
Jasper shakes his head. His voice becomes lower still. ‘No, you’re not getting my drift.’
I frown again. ‘How do you mean?’
‘Apparently, other than Charles being a bit of a workaholic and having an old rugby injury, he was in tip-top condition health-wise. He’d only just had his annual BUPA check, in fact. Passed it with flying colours.’
I start to get an uneasy feeling in my gut. ‘OK, but still, these things happen. Maybe it was stress.’
‘It wasn’t. Well, they didn’t mention stress as a cause. The article said he died of a morphine overdose.’
‘Morphine?’
‘Yes. Adriana claimed he took it for the pain in his knee. But always in controlled amounts. The coroner ruled an overdose of morphine caused him to go into cardiac arrest.’
I shrug my shoulders. ‘It can happen, I guess. Overdosing on pain meds. You hear all the time about pro athletes getting addicted. And someone as rich as him would have access to all sorts of stuff.’
‘But why go swimming after taking morphine?’
‘Swimming?’
‘Yep, that’s where Adriana found him. Floating face down in their pool. Clearly, the added exertion on top of the opiates put too much strain on his heart. It seems like a dangerous thing to be doing when you’ve just taken morphine, wouldn’t you say? Plus, you’d have thought he’d have been too out of it to even think about going swimming.’
The same uneasy feeling swishes in my belly as Jasper’s words sink in.
‘What are you saying, Jaz? Why are you telling me this now?’
‘Seb, Jasper, I’ve made some tea!’ Adriana’s voice calls, presumably from halfway up the stairs so that we can hear her. I almost jump in fright, and immediately feel guilty for talking about my landlady’s late husband behind her back, worse still speculating on the truth behind his death. Even so, based on what Jasper just told me, it does all feel a bit iffy.
‘All I’m saying is that you need to be careful,’ Jasper whispers. ‘Enjoy living in luxury for a bit, but don’t get too cosy with the landlady, no matter how hot she is. Rich people aren’t like us. They’re a law unto themselves. I’m not saying Adriana had anything to do with her husband’s death, I’m just saying don’t allow yourself to get too close to her. There’s a reason why beautiful women who’ve lost their husbands in mysterious circumstances get labelled “Black Widow”, but so long as you maintain your distance, keep things professional, there’ll be no danger of you getting caught up in her web.’