Covering the Lies Read online

  “So,” she said, a brilliant smile on her face, “you’re now Director of Sales and Marketing. Congratulations. We’re probably going to be working closely together.”

  “You’re Acting Creative Director, so I would think so. How long are you here for?”

  “Six months, and then I move back to Houston. It’s enough time to get the new branding in place, and then I’ll hand over to my team.” The cab swerved to avoid something, and Adele bumped against Nick. “Sorry.”

  He didn’t mind. “You’ve been in Houston for years. Don’t you miss London, even a little?”

  “Not really. I come over every six months or so and stock up on essentials. Marmite, McVities Digestive biscuits, and good teabags.”

  He laughed, and by then, the cab stopped outside the club, and he saw the others waiting.

  Jason managed to whisk the group into the VIP section of the club. He ordered bottles of ludicrously expensive champagne and acted the gracious host for the next few hours. The man had a never-ending supply of wisecracks and jokes, and kept the group well entertained. He also knew a number of small conjuring tricks and produced coins from ears and mouths, as well as palmed objects, using sleight of hand. He’d move and hide them, before revealing them again from pockets and coats.

  Nick danced with Adele. It was like a flashback to his university days.

  Sometime around two in the morning, it was time to leave. Nick made his way outside with Adele, Jason, and the final three who stayed the distance, and they waited for cabs.

  The night air was cold, and Nick yawned as he sobered up. Drinking and dancing was fun, but he was ready for bed. Next to him, Adele shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. Her black wrap looked too thin to keep her warm, so Nick shrugged out of his suit jacket and draped it around her shoulders.

  She looked up at him, her eyes twinkling in the street lamps. “Thank you.” She tugged it across her chest. “This is lovely. I forgot I’m not in Houston.”

  “It’s no big deal. I’ll claim it back on Monday.” Nick glanced over his shoulder at the rest of the group. They smoked and chatted, while staring at something on Jason’s phone. They weren’t paying Nick any attention at all. “It was fun seeing you again, Imelda. We’ll have to do this again.” He wasn’t sure what he was referring to. Dinner? Dancing?

  He was relieved when Jason nudged him and held out a pack of cigarettes. “Thanks,” Nick said and took the proffered Zippo lighter too. He lit one each for himself and Adele, and then rejoined the group. He didn’t want any gossip about him. They were friends, and that was all.

  Chapter Two

  Alex gazed at his sleeping wife. Should he wake her now or let her sleep a little longer? Morning sun filtered through the bedroom curtains, and he wanted to check out the beach and see what had changed out there in the six months since they were last home.

  He still felt like pinching himself at how his life had turned around. A year ago, he’d been a mess—grieving the accidental death of his younger brother, drinking too much, and caring too little.

  What a difference a year made.

  He counted the changes in his head. He’d somehow won Syl’s heart, and persuaded her to marry him. His rock band—Event Horizon—was back together, with Sylvie playing bass guitar. They’d completed an epic tour of Europe and the U.S., and had a two-month break before embarking on the southern hemisphere dates.

  And if all that wasn’t enough, they were finally having their honeymoon in Alex’s sprawling Welsh mansion, away from the prying eyes of the media. Two weeks of privacy before work resumed on rehearsals and promotion.

  Yeah. Life was pretty fucking good.

  Sylvie muttered something in her sleep, and then whimpered. She’d been doing that a lot recently. No nightmares, she said, just stress. They both needed a rest. Well, Alex intended to pamper her for the next fortnight and bring the smile back to her face. He had to keep reminding himself this was a completely new lifestyle for her. Prior to joining the band, she worked in an office.

  He was just about to wake Sylvie with a gentle hand on her shoulder, when she jerked upright. Her eyes flew open, and she sucked in a rasping breath. “No,” she whispered. For a second she looked disoriented, but then she yawned and flopped down, to bury her face in Alex’s chest.

  His heart thumped in surprise, but he hid his concern, and wrapped his arms around her. “Morning, sleepy. Bad dream?”

  “Mmm. Not sure.” She snuggled closer, like a kitten seeking comfort, and he smoothed one hand down her hair. “Did you call me?” she asked.

  “Call you?”

  “Thought I heard you shout my name.”

  “Nope.” He pressed a kiss on her bare shoulder. “Not me. Must be some other guy you dream of.”

  “Hmmf.” Hot breath flashed across the base of his throat, and then she lifted her head. “What are we doing today?”

  “What do you want to do?”

  “Well...” She brushed a kiss across his lips. “It is our honeymoon. I can think of a couple of things.”

  “I’m glad we’re on the same page.”

  An hour later, they made it outside. Alex figured there must have been plenty of rain while they were away, because his overgrown garden was wet and muddy underfoot. They walked with care to the tumbledown wall at the far end of the property. From there, he raced up the sand dunes, tugging Sylvie along with him, before skittering down the other side onto the beach. He kept her laughing at his antics, when he scooped her up in his arms and pretended to stagger under her weight, as if he was going to drop her in the water.

  Colour filled her cheeks, and her eyes sparkled, and Alex felt something tight inside relax. They walked hand in hand, chatting, but mainly enjoying the vast expanse of empty sand. Even in the height of summer, this little seaside village was rarely busy, and now that the school holidays were over, it was practically deserted. Perfect for recharging their mental batteries. The weak October sunshine gave a mild day, and he was happy to stay out here for hours.

  Their plans were minimal. Catch up with some of their closest local friends and chill out. Lots of hot sex. Maybe organise the belated wedding party they’d talked about.

  And somewhere along the way, Alex hoped to coax Sylvie into talking about what was worrying her.

  ****

  Lara stared in disbelief at the thin blue line. Willing it to disappear, she closed her eyes, but when she reopened them, the line stared back accusingly.

  You’re pregnant! It shouted inside her head. Your life is about to change forever!

  Though she’d followed the instructions to the letter, she scanned the page again. There was no doubt about it. Shit. Was she ready for this? Was Nick? They’d been married a year. A family was not on her immediate agenda.

  She meant to do the test last night but fell asleep on the sofa, and then dragged herself to bed. When Nick slid in beside her in the early hours, freezing cold and stinking of booze and cigarette smoke, she made a mental note to do the test in the morning. He was fast asleep now, so it wasn’t as though he’d catch her in this state of absolute shock.

  She had to tell him, of course, and soon, but she wanted to get used to the idea first.

  With only slightly shaking hands, she made a cup of tea, and glanced at the kitchen clock. Not even six in the morning, yet Lara felt as though she’d aged years. On the grounds she’d soon look like a beached whale, she added a generous spoonful of sugar and took two chocolate biscuits before crawling back into bed. She sat up, drink in hand, and let her mind spin.

  Nick stirred briefly but carried on snoring. She sipped her tea. The old-fashioned alarm clock ticked reassuringly, and she tried to focus her thoughts. Ideas, images, and fears swirled around inside her head, and she closed her eyes against the early-morning light. Why had she been so careless? Was her subconscious telling her something? She was thirty years old, for Christ’s sake. There were plenty of years ahead for having babies.

  Lara still felt a sens
e of wonder at marrying Nick. He said he loved her happy approach to life and her ability to see the best in people. It was funny. She always thought herself to be serious and organised, but he saw something else. They were together for two years before getting hitched, and had talked in an abstract fashion about starting a family. Surely he’d be pleased. His promotion would more than cover childcare costs, so that Lara could return to work after maternity leave.

  This time next year, they’d have a small baby. It didn’t seem real.

  Nick sighed and turned towards her, to nestle against her body. He caressed her breast with one hand, before slipping it down to rest on her stomach. She looked down, and examined his features. Thick hair, flopping onto his forehead and sticking up in tufts at the sides. Lovely, long lashes, hiding his dark, almost navy-blue eyes. In sleep, his face was relaxed, and she wondered what their child would look like? Or whom? They both had dark hair and eyes, so that seemed likely, but Nick was tall and athletic, to her shorter and rounder frame.

  She realised with a start that he stared back at her. “You didn’t bring me a cup of tea,” he muttered, only half-awake.

  “You were fast asleep.”

  “Do I get a kiss instead?”

  “Not with that stinky breath. Were you smoking again last night? I thought you gave up.”

  “Just the one.” He pouted, looking as innocent as a little boy. “No kiss and no tea? What kind of place is this?”

  She ignored his sleepy question and glanced at the clock again. “Aren’t we going to your mum’s this weekend? What time do we need to leave?”

  “Yeah.” He closed his eyes and burrowed back under the duvet. “Ten-ish.”

  Nick had promised they’d help his dad clear out the garage, and then they were staying for dinner and would come back tomorrow. His parents lived sixty miles away, so it usually took a couple of hours to drive there. Plenty of time to get used to the idea of the miracle growing inside her.

  She hoped Nick would feel the same way.

  ****

  Sylvie was pleased at the chance to catch up with their friends on Sunday. Kate and Jordan lived next door to their Rhosneigr home, and the invitation was for a lazy afternoon get-together, which would drift into dinner. Their other local friends, Anita and Jon Craigowan would also be there, and Sylvie hadn’t seen them since they had their baby. Mindy was born when the band was on tour, and while Anita seemed awfully young to be a mum, both her and Jon were besotted with the child.

  After the sunshine of the day before, the weather reverted to normal, and a chilly drizzle fell. It was warm and cosy in Kate’s library, though, where they gathered to coo over Mindy, play with Poppy, and catch up on all the gossip. It was good to be home.

  Kate and Jordan seemed even more loved-up than usual, and it came as no surprise when Kate announced she was pregnant again. This was an excuse for more celebrating, and the talk soon revolved around babies. Sylvie felt a bit left out, especially when she saw how gooey-eyed Alex looked, holding Mindy. Was he getting broody? Sure, she wanted a couple of kids later, but she was only twenty-three. Other people’s children were more fun, since she could hand them back if they cried.

  Over dinner, the conversation moved to other subjects. They talked about Jon’s career as a race driver and his first season driving Formula 1 cars. He’d won two races and was placed in three others, and it was an excellent debut for him. Anita, although terrified by the racing itself, followed him from track to track, and they took Mindy everywhere with them.

  There was a brief lull, and Jordan cleared his throat. Everyone looked at him, but his gaze settled on Sylvie. He looked serious, and she shivered. Whatever he was about to say didn’t look like good news.

  “We’re moving back into the old TM-Tech building in a few weeks, and there’ll be a memorial service for those who didn’t make it.”

  It felt like ice dripping down her spine. She’d worked hard to put that behind her. Could she bear to re-live it all?

  Jordan continued. “I’ll understand if you don’t attend. And if you wanna talk about it, you know where to find me.”

  Sylvie nodded, unable to speak. Alex squeezed her hand, and she turned to him, needing the comfort of his embrace. He tugged her into his strong, safe arms. He was her rock in any storm, and she loved him more every day.

  Although Alex had found a succession of shrinks and counsellors, she’d spoken little about the events of that day. She’d been trapped in the wreckage of the collapsing office block, and her then-boyfriend, Rico, had saved her life—and someone else’s—at the cost of his own. He’d been a good friend of Jordan’s, who felt the loss too.

  Alex had been standing outside, and saw the disaster as it happened, and it was equally hard for him to deal with. He and Sylvie had been friends at the time. They only started a relationship once she mentally said her goodbyes to Rico.

  Going to the memorial service would be a chance for closure.

  Who was she kidding? She didn’t want to go within a mile of the place. Just thinking about it made her heart thud and her pulse clatter. No. She wasn’t ready. She didn’t think she’d ever be.

  “I’ll go along with whatever you choose.” Alex’s voice was soft in her ear. “And you don’t have to decide now.”

  Jordan spoke up again. “Hey, while I remember. Any chance of you holding some of the New Zealand concert tickets for me? Wellington ones, if you can.”

  Sylvie wiped her eyes and turned back to her friends. “Are you thinking of flying long haul, to watch us?”

  Jordan flashed a grin around the table. “Yeah, actually. It’s TM-Tech’s turn to host the biannual Technology Marketing Conference. We’re keen to develop the Asia-Pacific regions, so it makes sense to hold it in New Zealand. It’s great timing. I have to be there anyway, so I may as well combine it with a vacation, and Kate can spend some time with her sister, who lives in Wellington. If I can reward some of my hardworking staff with Event Horizon tickets, that’ll be the icing on the cake.”

  Alex checked the calendar on his phone. “We’re playing Auckland on the twelfth of January, then Wellington on the sixteenth and Christchurch the week after. How many tickets do you want? I won’t let you pay for them.”

  Jordan laughed. “Thanks, Alex. It’s very generous of you. Can I let you know?”

  “Honestly, it’s nothing.” Alex smiled at Sylvie. “And we have a favour to ask Kate.”

  Sylvie sat up straight, her equilibrium returning. “Kate, you did such a fantastic job of Anita’s wedding party last year. How would you feel about organising something for us?”

  Kate looked surprised and pleased. “I’d love to. I had the greatest time doing that.”

  Talk flowed freely around the table, and the atmosphere was happy once again. Sylvie leaned against Alex, enjoying the weight of his hand on her thigh. While the others swapped party ideas, her mind swirled and dodged around the prospect of the memorial service.

  She had to go. Even if it paralysed her with fear.

  ****

  Alex woke to the sound of rain pelting against the windows. “Welcome to Rhosneigr,” he muttered as he rolled over, seeking Sylvie. Instead of her soft, warm body, he found a cool gap. He raised his wrist and peered at his watch. Almost eight thirty. Probably time to get up. A new riff teased at the back of his mind, and he lay there a few minutes, while he coaxed the music to take shape.

  He fully expected to hear Sylvie moving around, either in the en-suite bathroom or pottering around downstairs, but the house was silent. No enticing smells of toast or coffee drifted up the stairs. Where was she?

  They’d made vague plans to explore Beaumaris Castle today, but not in this weather. He rubbed his eyes, and picked some more at the riff in his head but couldn’t quite reach it. He knew from experience, if he stopped thinking about it, the music would flow more easily.

  Sylvie might be in the basement studio. Alex hauled on a pair of jeans, then went in search of his wife. There was no sign
of her in the kitchen, and the kettle was cool to his touch. The coffee remains were also cold in the jug. If she was busy in the studio, she’d appreciate some coffee, so he flicked the kettle to boil. The day’s papers sat in a heap on the table, which meant she walked down to the gates to collect them. Alex wouldn’t have bothered in this weather. He flicked through the headlines, and as expected, there was another feature on Event Horizon in the gossip pages.

  According to this report, Alex had been spotted in a Bangkok nightclub, smooching with a Ladyboy. He laughed aloud. Sylvie must have giggled at this piece of fiction. The photo above the story showed him dashing through an airport terminal somewhere, Sylvie holding his hand.

  The caption read: AJ and his beautiful young wife, Sizzle. Is the age difference showing already?

  Alex shook his head, amused. It was a good picture of Sylvie, but he looked bad tempered, his default setting when faced with the paparazzi.

  He poured boiling water onto fresh coffee grains, and then went looking for Sylvie again. Not in the basement. Not in the house at all. He tried her cell phone, and the ring led him to the top of the fridge, where it was charging. He glanced out the window, at the rain hammering down.

  He phoned Kate. She hadn’t seen her.

  Where the hell was Sylvie?

  Coffee abandoned, Alex tugged on a T-shirt and boots, grabbed a long waxed coat, and set off for the garden. When he had something on his mind, he headed for the beach. Sylvie might do the same.

  He was right. As he scrambled over the top of the dune, he saw her huddled against a rocky outcrop, sheltered from the rain. He hurried across the sand, and shouted her name as he approached. This drew a smile and a wave.

  She wasn’t wearing a coat, and her shirt and jeans were soaked. “If you’d said you wanted to walk on the beach, I’d have come with you,” he said. He stripped off his overcoat and draped it around her. “What the hell are you thinking of? You’re saturated.”