and having a family so young. And then one night Erica started looking at him across the table at the bar, and his eyes wandered, and his thoughts, and he’d betrayed Lindsey.
And now he was paying the price.
He’s lost touch with Greg. They’d worked together day in and day out, but were not so close that he’d told him about sleeping with Erica. He’s glad about that now. Patrick wonders, as he tries to comfort little Jackie, red-faced and squalling, if he should get in touch with Greg. He’s already looked him up; he knows Greg now lives in Denver, and has found out where he works, and has located a home number. Should he talk to Greg? Would he know if Erica has a son? Should he tell Greg what Erica is doing? Or should he hire a private investigator? He’s already tried to find Erica on Facebook but there was no sign of her.
How would Greg react to what Erica’s doing? Surely he would be appalled. He would be on Patrick’s side. Greg had been very supportive after the accident. Greg was the first person he’d called, after 911 … Maybe the fewer people who know about this the better. Patrick mulls over the decision for hours. By the time he surrenders the babies to Stephanie and his head hits the pillow, despite his reservations he’s decided to call Greg.
Stephanie sits on the sofa with the twins as she feeds them; they will go down soon, and she will be able to go to bed. She’s so tired. It’s affecting her ability to think, to cope with even the littlest things. She remembers her visit to the paediatrician. Was it only a few days ago? And now … how the hell is she supposed to cope with these revelations about her husband’s past, and this woman who’s threatening them?
Her thoughts are anxious, confused. She can tell that her husband is afraid of Erica. And he’s more afraid of her today than he was yesterday, she can tell that too. But what’s changed? Is it because Erica was there, at the sandpit? In the drugstore? Or is there something he isn’t telling her?
He’d told her his first marriage was good.
But then why was he sleeping with his wife’s best friend?
The next morning is Saturday – usually their favourite day of the week. Patrick makes pancakes and they laze around together with the twins like they usually do, but this Saturday feels entirely different from the Saturday before. So much has changed since Erica showed up at his office last Monday.
Mid-morning, when the twins go down for a short nap, Stephanie tells him she’s going out to run a quick errand and Patrick closes himself in the upstairs office. He opens his laptop. The house is quiet. Should he call his old friend Greg? Or send an email?
He decides it would be better to talk to him. Finally, he dials Greg’s home number and waits for the call to connect.
‘Hello,’ a voice says, and even over the line, and despite the years, Patrick recognizes it immediately. It gives him a start, just how familiar it sounds. They could be in Colorado again, on the phone; it’s as if almost ten years have fallen away. Suddenly he’s feeling all sorts of emotions that he’d long buried. He’s waited too long to speak, so long that Greg repeats, ‘Hello?’
‘Greg,’ Patrick says, trying to sound relaxed and comfortable, ‘it’s Patrick Kilgour.’ He waits for the reaction. The pause on the other end indicates surprise, certainly. But of course he would be surprised, Patrick calling out of the blue like this.
‘Patrick! Holy shit! It’s been ages!’
Patrick is relieved to hear genuine pleasure in his old friend’s voice … What had he been expecting? The truth is, he hadn’t been sure. He’d wondered if Erica had been in touch with him, after everything that had happened. Or perhaps more recently. ‘I know, it’s been a long time. How have you been?’
‘I’ve been all right. How about you – I saw you started your own company a few years back. Business good?’
‘Can’t complain,’ Patrick says. ‘How’s the family?’ He’s done his research – Greg is married now, with a little boy and little girl.
‘They’re grand, really good. You?’
‘Married, four-month-old twins.’
‘Twins! God. What’s that like?’
‘Oh, you know. Hell.’ They both laugh.
‘Are you coming to Denver?’ Greg asks next.
Patrick feels an immediate alarm. Why would Greg think he’s coming to Denver? ‘No, why?’
‘Just – figured that’s why you