going to Joely. ‘And who’s with you? She’s been there all night? And you’ve been with her? Is she …? Holly, calm down, I’m only asking. Yes, Mum’s fine. We’re coming … We’ll be there very soon. Fine. Yes. We love you.’ As he rang off, Joely said,
‘You didn’t ask why Freda answered her phone?’
Callum held out his mobile. ‘Call her back. I’m going to get the car.’
‘Did she sound all right?’ Marianne asked, moving swiftly after him. ‘I don’t think Freda will harm her … She had nothing to do with what happened.’
‘Nor did I,’ Joely called after her, ‘and look at me.’
*
‘Freda?’ Holly said, sauntering into the kitchen where Freda was making breakfast. ‘Why did you answer my phone? I know you did, because I can see there was a call from Grandma …’
‘It was on the sofa, where you left it,’ Freda informed her, putting a plate of toast on the table, ‘and when I saw it was Marianne I thought I’d tell her to hold on while I fetched you. Unfortunately we got cut off. Have you spoken to her now?’
‘No, but I have to Dad, and seems like they’re all in a flap about you still being here.’
‘Oh dear.’
Perching on one of the bar stools, Holly helped herself to toast and coated it with butter. ‘You know, that story about Grandma is totally awesome,’ she commented, taking a bite.
‘Mm,’ Freda grunted. She brought mugs and coffee to the table and set them down. ‘So you’ve said, more than once. Do all teenagers keep repeating themselves?’
Holly shrugged. ‘I’m still trying to get my head around her sha— getting it on with her music teacher. And he was your brother?’
Before Freda could reply, Holly’s mobile jingled the Dad tone and with a sigh she clicked on. ‘Hey,’ she said, crunching into more toast.
‘It’s me,’ her mother announced. ‘Is Freda still there?’
‘She is.’
‘What’s she doing?’
‘Making breakfast.’
Silence.
‘Totally amazing story about Grandma,’ Holly declared. ‘I haven’t read it all yet, but wow, she rocked when she was young.’
‘Holly, I need you …’
‘Oh, sorry, Mum, Caitlin’s just texted and I need to get back to her. Glad you’re OK, see you later,’ and clicking off she launched into a lengthy exchange of messages with one of her best friends. By the time she looked up again Freda had disappeared.
Returning to her phone, Holly spent the next ten minutes catching up with other friends while finishing her breakfast and drinking more coffee. It wasn’t until she got up to take her dishes to the sink that she realized Freda was standing in the doorway behind her, watching her.
‘I wish you wouldn’t do that,’ Holly grumbled. ‘It’s dead spooky.’ This had to be the fourth or fifth time she’d turned around to catch Freda staring at her, and it was starting to freak her out.
‘You can read these now,’ Freda said, bringing a handful of pages to the island. ‘You’ll probably end up seeing your grandmother in a very different light to the romantic hue you’ve cast her in now.’
Holly glanced at the time.
‘It won’t take long,’ Freda told her, and going to close the kitchen door she stood against it, blocking the way out.
With a sigh Holly drew the pages towards her and started to read. She got no further than the first couple of lines before her phone buzzed into life again. ‘A lot to sort out today,’ she told Freda not looking up as she went off on another messaging spree.
Freda crossed over to the sink and began loading the dishwasher.
With more arrangements firmed up, Holly dutifully returned to the pages, reaching behind her head to bring her hair over one shoulder.
A few minutes later, as she got to the part where Sir confessed he already had a girlfriend she started to frown. ‘Bastard,’ she muttered under her breath. ‘Sorry, I know he’s your brother, but …’ She looked up and her eyes widened in shock. Freda was standing with her back to the sink and staring at her so hard it was as if she’d forgotten how to blink. Worse though was the bread knife she was holding up in one hand.
Holly’s heart turned over in fear. ‘What are you doing with that?’
Freda looked at the knife.
‘You need to put it down,’ Holly told her, getting up from the stool.
Freda was still looking at it.
Holly took a step back.
Freda said, ‘You haven’t finished. You must read to the part where her lies began. It’s the only way we’ll end