‘Interested,’ says Louise, kindly.
‘Anyway, he said his dad didn’t like to talk about it. He implied it had something to do with his mother.’
‘Hmm, yes, it probably didn’t help my marriage.’ She gives a sardonic smile.
‘I think he was only in the force a few years, anyway.’
Louise swallows a mouthful of steak. ‘Did you say his wife has died?’
‘Yes, about eight years ago now – quite a while. He’s moved to be nearer to us as well.’
‘In-laws on your doorstep.’ She laughs bitterly. ‘Not always a good thing.’
‘He’s better than Jonas’s parents. His mum was so overbearing at times. Jonas is definitely her little prince. Although his dad’s a sweetheart.’ She does miss them. They vowed to keep in touch after the divorce, but as Jasmine got older the need for her to communicate with them became less and less and now she sees them maybe during the Christmas holidays. ‘But I don’t miss Eliza “popping in” every five minutes.’
‘Sounds like Frances.’
‘I know Frances isn’t that nice to you but at least she’s great with Toby.’
Louise nods. ‘There is that. And to be fair to the monster-in-law I’d find it hard to do this job without her. And Mike is useless. He’s a big kid himself.’
Emilia had met Mike only once. He’d come to pick up Toby from a play date when Frances couldn’t. She’d thought, with a stab of guilt, that he was nice: warm and friendly, and he’d seemed great with Toby, letting him climb onto his back as he carried him to the car. But she didn’t know the ins and outs of their marriage and subsequent divorce. Louise was quite private about her past, saying she didn’t like to dwell. ‘It’s the here and now that we need to focus on,’ she’d always say. And Emilia agreed. The past could stay where it was as far as she was concerned.
‘Anyway … I have news.’ Louise puts her knife and fork together on her empty plate, and dabs at her lips with a napkin. She’s not dressed up for the occasion, wearing her usual outfit of jeans and an oversized jumper, often with an animal on the front. This time it’s a llama with a tartan bow-tie. Emilia had put on a silky blouse and curled her hair. ‘That was delicious by the way. First proper meal for ages.’ Louise always joked that her diet was awful as she mostly ate on the run. That didn’t surprise Emilia. Louise was short, like her, but whippet-thin and androgenous with her gamine hairstyle. She looked like a pretty boy.
‘Ooh, tell me more.’
‘Remember that guy I was seeing early last year?’
‘The one who really liked you but you weren’t sure?’
Louise looks sheepish. ‘Yes. I’m such an idiot sometimes but it felt too soon after Mike. Anyway, it’s back on.’
‘That’s great news. I’m so pleased for you. What was his name again?’
‘Marcus. He’s also a police officer. Although we work in different forces. I originally met him on a training day. So …’ she gives a self-deprecating laugh ‘… that means we won’t see much of each other but I feel more ready this time. I haven’t told Toby yet, so I’d appreciate it if you kept it to yourself.’
‘Of course.’ Emilia downs the rest of her wine.
‘Oh, and I’ve got a cat. I know, I know, I’m going to turn into one of those cat ladies, but Mike is allergic so now he’s out of my life I can finally get one.’
‘My kids would love a pet but Elliot is too anal.’ Emilia laughs. ‘The friends he shared a house with at uni called him Mrs Mop because he was always cleaning. Is it a kitten?’
‘Yes. A boy. Hamish. He’s gorgeous. Black, except for a white bib and a pink nose. Look at him!’ She pushes her phone under Emilia’s nose to show her a photo. ‘Do you like his tartan collar? Notice a bit of a theme?’ She points to her sweatshirt.
‘I do. He’s very cute,’ she says, with a twinge of envy. She’d love a cat. She passes Louise back her phone.
It’s getting late now and the restaurant is emptying. They talk some more, and as they’re leaving Louise asks about the book.
‘So you’re calling it Her Last Chapter?’
‘That’s its working title. Although it might get changed. Do you want to read the finished version? I’d appreciate you checking for any inconsistencies. As you know, there’s a lot of police procedural in this one. Thanks for all your help on it. You’re a life-saver. You know how difficult I found it.’ She feels the familiar swirl of dread in the pit of her stomach when she remembers.
‘I was glad to help, and I’d love to read the finished version. Email it to me, if you like.’ Louise presses a black beanie onto her head and buttons her coat before heading through the entrance hall.
‘And you’re coming to my launch party, aren’t you? On the seventeenth?’ she asks as they step onto the rain-slicked pavement.
‘Launch party? But I thought Her Last Chapter was being published in October.’
‘This is for the paperback of book nine – The Lost Man. I didn’t get the chance to have a launch for the hardback because of lockdown.’
‘Sure,’ she says, linking her arm through Emilia’s. ‘If I’m not working, I’ll be there.’ They head towards the green, which looks shadowy and ominous ahead, the light from the lamp posts carving out halos in the mist. It’s deserted and eerie, the darkness pressing around them, like they’re being swaddled. Emilia shudders and Louise notices. ‘Are you okay?’
‘I am. It’s just … I keep thinking … What if I’ve got a stalker?’
‘You’re with me. Anyone gives you any hassle and I’ll arrest the prick.’
‘How do you know it’s a man?’
‘Or the prick-ess. Whatever.’ Louise collapses into laughter and Emilia can’t help but smile.
‘I don’t think you’re in the right state to arrest anyone just now.’
‘Good job Toby’s with Mike tonight. Although I miss him.’
‘I hope you mean Toby.’
‘I do. Of course I do. I don’t miss that fucker Mike.’
‘Talking of fuckers, you’ll never guess who I saw yesterday.’ Emilia fills Louise in on her meeting with Jonas.
‘So he’s cheating on Kristin?’ she says, horrified, when Emilia has finished.
‘I don’t think so yet. But he’s tempted.’
‘Well, that’s karma for you.’
‘I don’t know, though. I thought I’d be happy to think of him doing that to her, but I’m not. It just makes me think, What was it all for? Why did he put me and Jasmine through all of that heartache for it not to work out with Kristin?’
But Louise isn’t listening. She’s stopped suddenly on the dark path, forcing Emilia to stop too as their arms are still linked, and her whole body has gone rigid.
Emilia shivers. ‘What is it? What’s wrong?’ she whispers.
‘I think someone’s following us,’ she whispers back. All the joviality has gone from her voice and she suddenly seems stone-cold sober.