her long copper hair fanning across her shoulders.
‘Jealousy. Money maybe. Who knows?’
Courtney throws her mobile onto the sofa and leaps to her feet. She begins pacing the tiny room. ‘When I went to that house and saw your room – Una’s room – I don’t know … I can’t stop thinking about it all. I can’t bear that we may never know what really happened.’
We fall silent, each deep in thought. Then I get up too. I can’t put it off any longer. I need to go. I pull on my floral bomber jacket from where I’d left it on the back of the kitchen chair. It’s been a weird few days living with Courtney. I was here when Kris came back for his stuff on Monday. He was angry when he found that Courtney was serious about not taking him back, calling her coldhearted one minute, then begging her to change her mind the next. I was proud to watch her standing firm. She’s moving out too. She’s going to live with her mum and brother for a while until she’s got her head together, as she puts it. She says the flat has too many sad memories. I think she’s doing the right thing.
I hope it doesn’t take her and Peter too long to realize they’re perfect for each other.
Courtney comes over to me and pulls me into a hug. ‘Take care of yourself. Promise to keep in touch.’
‘I promise.’ I have no idea what I’m going to do with my life now that the job with Elspeth has fallen through. I’m back to square one. I haven’t broken the news to Arlo yet. He’ll be disappointed in me. He was so happy when I got the job. I know he’s worried about me since Mum died and I sensed he was reassured that I was settled. I also think he liked me being out of his hair. I know it’s not good for his reputation to be living with his little sister.
‘Will you be okay?’ she asks, her pretty face full of concern.
‘Of course. I’m always okay.’ I laugh, which hides my real fear. I have no idea if it’s true. ‘I’m going back to my brother’s flat – he’ll be chuffed, no doubt – and then, well, we’ll see.’
She puts her hand on my arm and what she says next sends chills through me. ‘I think you’ve had a lucky escape.’
It’s still light when I leave Courtney’s flat. My heart feels unexpectedly heavy. I’ve only known Courtney a few weeks but all of this has bonded us. I feel we could become proper friends. And I love Bristol. Maybe I’ll come back. When I’ve decided what I’m going to do with my life.
I head to the bus stop through the unfamiliar streets. It’s much quieter here than in Clifton but as I amble along the pavement I get the familiar feeling that someone is behind me. I quicken my pace, telling myself not to be paranoid. The footsteps are getting closer but I daren’t turn around. It’s probably someone making their way to the bus stop too, I tell myself. But apart from me and the person behind me, the street is quiet. I hear them speed up and I tense. I can see the bus stop ahead. To my dismay, nobody else is waiting and, even though it’s not yet dark, the area has a ghost town feel to it. I slow down as I approach the bus stop and as I do so someone brushes past me, shoving me hard in the shoulder. I cry out in shock but they continue walking briskly, a hood pulled over their head. It looks like a bloke. I want to shout at his retreating back and call him a wanker, but I feel vulnerable, worried he might turn and attack me. I’m relieved when the bus to Temple Meads station pulls in.
The area might have been quiet, but the bus is heaving with commuters and the great unwashed so I have to stand for most of the journey. Temple Meads is even busier and I run to catch my train, just making it on time. I wander through the carriages until I find a seat next to a man in a smart suit with a laptop. His eyes slide towards me and I can almost see him wrinkle his nose when he takes in my hair and clothes. I might look a bit eccentric, I want to