The Woman Who Lied(21)

‘Yes. And I told Louise. My detective friend,’ she clarifies, when Ottilie looks blank. ‘You haven’t met her yet, but she’ll be at my book launch hopefully. She told me to install cameras and one of those Ring doorbells.’ Emilia weaves her fingers around her warm mug. ‘The fact it’s the same as my plotlines freaks me out a bit.’

‘Not surprised. It’s harassment. At least you’ve reported it now. Some people are just weird.’ Ottilie sighs and glances towards the river as a family of swans swim by. She turns her attention back to Emilia. ‘They get a kick out of this kind of thing.’

‘It worries me that they know where I live. And what my married name is.’

‘You only use Rathbone at school, don’t you? Could it be someone from Jasmine’s or Wilfie’s place?’

She thinks back to all the parents she knows from her children’s year groups. She can’t think of anyone who would have a grudge against her. ‘No. Not at all. They seem like decent people. Some have even become friends.’ She thinks of Louise and Marcie, Nancy’s mum, whom Emilia has known since their girls started in Reception. ‘I can’t believe it would be one of them.’

‘Maybe it’s a crazed fan. You’ve read Misery, haven’t you?’

‘Cheers, thanks, Ottilie. You really know how to make me feel better.’ Emilia tries to keep her tone light but something dark has settled over her.

Ottilie pats her hand. ‘I’m sorry. That wasn’t helpful. You’ve reported it now, and you’ve installed cameras and stuff. There’s not much else you can do.’ She sighs again, and Emilia realizes her friend has something on her mind.

‘What is it? What’s wrong?’

The waitress appears again with their quiche but, unusually, Emilia finds she’s lost her appetite. When she’s gone, Ottilie says, ‘It’s Stefan. It’s not going to work out.’

This doesn’t surprise Emilia. Ottilie’s relationships never last longer than a year. ‘Oh, no. Is it the distance thing?’

‘Partly. He’s just not for me, though. Too immature.’ She digs into her quiche. ‘You’re lucky with Elliot, you know. To find someone you really gel with. I’m nearly forty and I still feel like I haven’t got my shit together.’

‘You’re still three years away from forty. And you’re a successful independent woman. I admire you,’ Emilia replies sincerely, picking up her knife and fork and making an effort to eat.

Ottilie scoffs. ‘Why would you admire me? You’ve got it all. A successful marriage, a brilliant career, two wonderful children, that stunning house …’ She pats her stomach. ‘At this rate I’ll have to use a sperm donor. And I would if I could afford it.’

‘Look at me ten years ago, though. Jonas had walked out – run off with one of my closest friends …’

‘Glad you didn’t say best friend.’ Ottilie winks, spearing a tomato with her fork and causing juice to fly onto the table.

‘You have been and always will be my only best friend,’ Emilia says seriously, dabbing at the tomato juice with a napkin. ‘And, anyway, you don’t need a man to make your life whole.’

‘You know I have trust issues, thanks to my darling daddy.’ She rolls her eyes self-mockingly and grins, waving her fork in the air.

Ottilie’s jokey tone doesn’t fool Emilia. She remembers how devastated Ottilie had been when her parents split up, blaming her father for her mother’s unhappiness.

‘Not all men are the same. If I’d let what Jonas did to me fuck me up, I’d never have met Elliot. Talking of Jonas, I think he might be on the verge of cheating on Kristin.’

Ottilie nearly chokes on her quiche. ‘What? How do you know? Although I don’t see why I’m surprised.’

She tells her about bumping into him with a young woman and their conversation in the café.

‘Do you know I actually heard from Kristin this week?’ says Ottilie, when Emilia has finished. ‘For the first time since she did the dirty on you. Can you believe it?’

‘What? Really?’

‘It was all a bit weird. I wasn’t quite sure whether to tell you.’

The quiche feels heavy in Emilia’s stomach. ‘Of course you should tell me. We don’t keep things from each other. What did she want?’

‘Well,’ Ottilie glances at her, and Emilia knows she’s wondering how honest she can be, ‘she said she was worried about you.’

‘Worried about me? In what way?’

‘She said you’ve been working too hard, arguing with Elliot, and secretly meeting up with Jonas. She implied that there might be something going on between the two of you. Did he tell her you bumped into him and then went for a coffee?’

Emilia’s mind reels. ‘I don’t know, but there’s nothing going on with me and Jonas. She must know that. And Elliot and I aren’t arguing. And if we were – which we’re not – how would she know?’ She shakes her head. ‘I don’t get it. And why would Kristin tell you all this anyway when you haven’t spoken to her in years?’

‘I don’t know. To garner my sympathy, perhaps? You know what Kristin can be like. It was a strange conversation and … well, she started crying on the phone. She said she missed me, missed our friendship, and that she was sorry for everything that had happened.’