‘She’s in London with Liam Brett. They’re not due back until tomorrow.’

‘That doesn’t matter. We have an agreement.’

‘Who am I supposed to believe? You? Her? She knows we met on that flight. You claim you didn’t discuss it with her. She has no reason to lie. You, on the other hand, have every reason to deceive me. You promised me a future yet you won’t even allow me to see your apartment.’ She pouted warningly. ‘We spend all our time in my space. Tonight, I want to spend some time in yours. Otherwise, this just becomes another one-sided relationship.’

The silence when they entered Apartment 2 was eerie, almost oppressive. Jake switched on lights, turned up the music, opened wine. Nothing could banish his unease.

‘Stop worrying.’ Karin watched in amusement as he gathered unwashed dishes from the coffee table and carried them to the kitchen. ‘You’re making me nervous. Sit down and relax.’

‘Just give me a moment.’ He headed to the bathroom, unable to remember the last time he splashed Harpic around the rim of the toilet bowl. In the bedroom he picked up his clothes from the floor and shoved them into a laundry basket. Thankfully, he had changed the sheets the previous day.

He was smoothing out the duvet when she entered the bedroom. Her glance flickered around the room, checking for the feminine touch, the spill of powder on the dressing table, necklaces hanging from black, ornamental fingers, perfume, a silk scarf draped over the back of a chair. Satisfied that this was an all-male environment, she stood before the full-length chervil mirror. Slowly, teasingly, she opened her blouse, her gaze sultry yet playful as she undid each button. Her breasts rose, plump and firm, from the cleavage of her bra. She waved the blouse over her head before tossing it across the room then unzipped her skirt, kicked off her high heels, rolled down the lacy tops of her stockings. The urge to take her in that instant, to plunge in deep and hard, to hear her sharp little cries and feel her nails digging deep into his shoulders almost overpowered him. Her eyes – reflecting back at him in the mirror – commanded him not to touch her. She unhooked her bra, tantalisingly removed her thong. Only then did she turn to face him, her body as smooth and flawless as a doll. The air was musky with her scent, her sense of anticipation as he lifted her in his arms and lowered her onto the bed. He kicked off his shoes as she unbuckled his belt, her fingers nimbly unzipping him, freeing him. She laughed at his urgency as he pulled off his shirt then traced his lips from her throat to her breasts, moved downwards over her taut stomach. She opened to him, her legs rampantly splayed as his tongue probed deeper, tasting her, hearing her whimpering cries, the rush of her breathing.

Nadine’s presence hovered above him like a reproachful shadow. He forced her away. The unknown could not hurt her but in that pause, that instant of guilt, remorse, shame, he had no idea what to call it, he became aware of sounds from Apartment 1.

He tensed as he heard the clatter of wheels. Nadine was dragging her overnight case up the stairs. He tightened his hands on Karin’s wrists, forced her to be still.

‘That’s Nadine. You said she wasn’t due back until tomorrow.’

‘That’s what Liam Brett told me. Monday, he said. Not Sunday.’

‘Then she must have come back early.’

‘It doesn’t matter. She won’t know I’m here.’ He felt her resistance, the strength of her thighs as she arched towards him.

‘We should leave. I can’t… not with Nadine upstairs.’

‘Poor Jake, you’re really spooked.’ She laughed softly and ran her finger over his lips. ‘Just relax.’

He heard music, a door slamming, a phone ringing. Nadine was right about sound carrying. It was a cacophony. She crossed her bedroom floor. He imagined the high arch of her foot when she kicked off her shoe, then the second one. He listened to the pull of wood against wood as she opened drawers, hinges whining, a chair being dragged closer to the kitchen table, the rumble of pipes as the taps ran. Why had he not been conscious of those sounds before now? Had she moved so silently that the only indication of her presence was the occasional blare of the radio? No, he thought, this evening was no different to any other. It was guilt that honed his awareness. Lies. That was the difference. Submerged in lies… submerged in desire… submerged yet afloat. The words contradicted each other and mired him in deceit. The wood squeaked as Nadine climbed down the stairs. That would be the seventh step. It had creaked even when he was a boy. He heard the front door open and close. His doorbell rang.

‘Does she usually come to your apartment at this time of night?’ Karin whispered.

‘No, never… not at night.’

‘Don’t answer it.’

‘Something must be wrong.’ He pulled on a pair of boxers, grabbed his fleece top from a chair and padded bare-footed towards the front door.

‘We need to talk.’ Nadine had changed into trainers and a tracksuit but there was nothing casual about her expression.

He stepped outside, eased the door closed behind him. ‘What’s wrong? Has something happened to Ali?’

‘Ali’s fine.’

‘Stuart?’

‘He’s good. Are you going to ask me in or do we have to conduct this conversation on your doorstep?’

Light flared from the breakfast room. Nadine turned, startled and walked to the bay window. He watched, too shocked to move, as she stopped and raised her hands to cover her eyes. Karin, unaware that she could be seen, was standing in the curve of glass. She was wearing one of his shirts. Not just any shirt. His favourite one, pale blue twill, a present from Nadine. She had bunched it loosely over her bare shoulders, her hands clutching the two edges protectively over her breasts. The gesture made her nakedness underneath even more provocative. Suddenly, aware that she was visible, she pulled the curtains across but it was too late. The enormity of his betrayal washed over him when Nadine dropped her hands and he saw her stricken expression. She opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. The only sound to break the silence was the slap of her hand against his cheek. Its force sent him staggering backwards. By the time he recovered she was running towards her car. He followed her but he knew that no matter how fast he ran he would never be able to catch her.

Chapter 28

Nadine

The moon is full and racing behind trees as I drive from Sea Aster. I slow at the gates. The turn onto Mallard Cove is sharp and dangerous. Not that there’s likely to be anyone driving past at this time of night but good habits persist even in the midst of trauma. Once onto the road I accelerate again. The hedgerows whip against the car as it judders over the uneven surface. Broadmeadow Estuary is a glaze of midnight blue and the heron stands stoic and alone at the water’s edge. The road still bends but the surface is smoother, the view clearer. I drive past lone bungalows, past housing estates, Seabury, Chalfont, slumbering suburbs. Private lives sleeping behind closed blinds. The railway bridge looms before me. This arched space allows only one car to pass through at the same time. I should slow down. I must slow down… too late I realise that an oncoming car is about to enter the arch.

I’m driving too fast to brake and the oncoming car pulls sharply against the wall before the bridge entrance. The driver blares a warning until I’m out of earshot. I turn up New Street. The restaurants are closing for the night, the pubs still doing business. Traffic lights turn red when I reach The Diamond crossroads. My hands tremble on the steering wheel as I wait for the green signal.

Headlights blink in my rear-view mirror. I recognise the silvery sheen of Jake’s van, the sleek, hearse-like lines, the icy heat of its signage. The thought of them planning it together adds to my fury. I swear at the lights until they change then I veer left towards the coast. The sea is rough tonight. Slanting waves heave with froth and rush silently ashore. Coast Road twists along the shore. Accidents have occurred here in the past, cars plunging over the embankment onto the rocks below. I press the brake when I reach another bend but my car swerves dangerously.