lot, drinking a lot. It’s a small community. The jungle drums tend to go into overdrive when there’s something to gossip about.’
Adam smiled wryly at that.
‘She was desperate to keep it from me, as you can imagine. It took me a while to piece things together.’
Adam’s heart stalled. How desperate? he wondered, his mind swinging to Jemma, and how much she might have had to lose. He had to get to Cassie, work out what the hell was going on. Whatever this mess was about, it had started the day Josh had died. Someone was responsible. He was determined to find out who and why. Calling her number again, his head snapped up as an unmistakable blue light swept the interior of the car.
‘Shit,’ Ryan muttered as the inevitable siren wailed behind them, beckoning them to pull over. ‘My brake light’s out. You’d think they’d have something better to do, wouldn’t you?’
Christ, just what they didn’t need. Adam cursed agitatedly.
Fifty-Four
Kimberley
Kim stepped out of the conservatory, scanning the garden as she snapped the doors closed behind her. The thought had occurred that Cassie might be here, snooping around, but that wasn’t likely, she realised, the frantic beating of her heart abating a little. As far as she knew, Cassie wasn’t back. In any case, she never went anywhere near the garden without being kitted out in the right gear: gardening gloves, knee pads… She would hardly be standing about in the dark getting soaked without good reason.
She did have a reason, though. She was probably trying to scare Kim off. Her heart rate skittering up again, Kim decided that calling Adam might be her best bet. If the woman had gone completely off her trolley, he needed to come and get her. Selecting his number, she headed back into the dining room, kicking off her shoes and continuing on to the lounge – where she stopped dead, her heart slamming full force into her chest.
‘Cassie.’ She gulped and smiled weakly as the woman stepped out from the shadows.
‘Kim.’ Cassie smiled sweetly back, which sent goose bumps the entire length of Kim’s spine. ‘How are you?’
‘Fine.’ Looking her over warily, wondering what she was up to, how the hell she’d managed to get in, Kim swallowed again and took a step back.
‘Where is he?’ Cassie asked, her tone calm, her face neutral, which did nothing to appease Kim’s growing apprehension.
‘Who?’ she asked, her eyes swivelling in the direction of the conservatory as she backed into the dining room. Should she lock herself in there? She tried to still the panic climbing her chest and think what to do. Should she bolt for the back door?
‘My grandson!’ Cassie yelled suddenly, causing Kim to almost leap out of her skin. ‘Where is he?’
‘Not here!’ Kim yelled back, nerves knotting her stomach. ‘He’s not here,’ she repeated more quietly, her legs trembling as Cassie came towards her. ‘He’s with a friend. She’s babysitting. I—’
‘What friend?’ Cassie asked tersely.
‘Just a friend. Freya. She’s an old friend… from school,’ Kim stammered, taking another stumbling step away. ‘You don’t know her, but Adam’s met her,’ she lied.
Smiling cynically, Cassie took another step towards her and then stopped, her gaze shooting to the phone Kim still held in her hand. ‘Give that to me,’ she said. ‘The phone, give it to me.’
You must be joking. Kim sidestepped as Cassie held out a hand, palm up. ‘I just want to talk, Kim,’ she said, attempting a reassuring tone, though it was anything but. ‘We’re friends, aren’t we? We can sit down and have a nice cosy chat.’
‘He’s not here, Cassie,’ Kim repeated gently, her mind ticking feverishly as she tried to reason with her. ‘Even if he was, you can’t take him.’
Cassie blinked in puzzlement. ‘Why ever not?’ she asked. ‘It will free you up, after all, if you think about it. You’ll have plenty of time to titivate then.’ Her face darkened. ‘And sleep with my husband.’
Shit, she’d dug her own grave. Cassie had seen the bed, obviously. She’d come to confront her. Her heart pelting in her chest, Kim moved fast, swiping the ornaments from the mantel shelf as the woman continued to advance on her.
Cassie faltered as the ornaments fell at her feet. Kim grabbed her chance. Reaching quickly for the mirror, she heaved it from the shelf, summoned all her strength and swung it hard sideways, hitting her target with a dull thud.
The glass smashed satisfyingly. Cassie stumbled, staggering slightly as the broken shards tinkled to