The Apartment - K. L. Slater Page 0,20

offered, I accepted, and I want to keep positive and optimistic about our new life in Kensington despite one or two early reservations, like our weird neighbours, and little details that niggle me, like the lack of photographs in the Marsdens’ apartment.

‘I actually think living there will be wonderful for Skye. I’ve just got to work out how to tell her she’ll have to leave Grove Primary and her best friend, Petra, behind. It might not sound like much, but it’s a very big deal to her.’

She nods. ‘Of course, it’s a big deal for any kid, but she’ll get over it.’

I don’t think Brenna has ever seen the full force of Skye’s wrath. If she had, she mightn’t be as flippant. To my irritation, she returns yet again to the subject of Dr Marsden.

‘Do you think you’re just a tiny bit too impressed with your new place, though? Too willing to trust the old fella from the outset because he’s a doctor?’ She takes her mug over to the sink.

Brenna has won numerous accolades and awards for her groundbreaking research, but sometimes, she allows her imagination to get the better of her.

I smile and shake my head.

‘He’s never pressured or coerced me once, Bren. In fact, he asked me to go away and think carefully about whether living at Adder House was what I really wanted before giving him the go-ahead to prepare the tenancy agreement.’

‘And did you take him up on it and say you’d think about it?’

‘Not likely; I’d have been mad to dither! There’d be a thousand people snapping at my heels to move there in a matter of hours.’

Brenna smiles wryly in a thoughtful sort of way, as if she thinks I’m being na?ve. I can’t deny it narks me, but I push it away.

I did google Dr Michael Marsden but surprisingly little came up to match the name. None of the results referred to him. But I get the impression he hasn’t worked for a while, probably retired ages ago not needing the money. More to the point, nothing came up saying a Dr Marsden got struck off or was involved in a terrible scandal. Maybe I’ll ask him at some point if I get the chance, but for now, I’m really not worried.

‘Well anyway, I really must be going. Lots to do.’ I drain the last of my coffee and take the mug over to the sink. ‘I’ll go and have a think about how I’m going to broach the subject of starting a new school with Skye later. Wish me luck.’

‘I’m sure you’ll handle it brilliantly.’ She gives me a hug. ‘And if you get any vibes that all’s not well at the palace, give me a shout and I’ll come over. I can figure out where the Marsdens might be on the Levenson psychopathy scale. Although I could probably hazard a guess right now . . .’

She nudges me playfully.

There are very few people I can count on these days, but Brenna is one of them. We met on my first day as an administrator at the clinic – we’d both reached for the last cheese-and-ham sandwich in the café – and we’ve been friends ever since.

Brenna is also Skye’s godmother and she is the singular person I’d trust to look after my daughter if I wasn’t able to. Brenna is just one of those rare people you can count on to watch your back in life.

Skye and I often go over to Brenna’s house for one of Viv’s legendary Hungarian stews with sour cream and homemade bread. Divine.

When my marriage broke up eighteen months ago, before the terrible events that followed, I realised too late that most of my friends were Lewis’s, too, and they were his before mine.

So, when he left, most of them went with him, and the few friends I had made disappeared like wisps of smoke within weeks.

Moving around with foster families from a young age, I never really got a chance to make any lifelong school friends like lots of people do. I guess a natural distrust of people, thanks to my fostering experiences, precluded me from making acquaintances as I got older.

So I’m sort of left with nobody. Except for Brenna. She stuck around.

12

You get to Grove School in good time for the children’s mid-afternoon break. You have already found the exact spot which affords you cover without appearing to skulk.

One has to be very careful these days, around schools and parks and other