same mum who’d looked after him a few times already. She really did need to organise a regular babysitter, Chloe knew, if she continued to need to deal with business outside the house as she’d been doing lately.
She hadn’t tried ringing Tom again. There’d been no point; he’d see who was calling and ignore it. Plus, he was at work that morning and wouldn’t be able to receive calls anyway. He’d no doubt be furious with her for turning up unannounced and uninvited at his front door, but she was confident that he’d give her an audience if she could just get a word in edgeways at the outset and explain why she was there.
Chloe turned into a side street so that her Astra wouldn’t be visible from Tom’s house. She made her way towards his front door. As she drew nearer she felt apprehension constrict her chest.
Through the closed door she could hear raised voices. Tom’s and Rebecca’s, and they were overlapping as they argued.
Poor Kelly, thought Chloe. For a moment she considered withdrawing. Her presence was only going to inflame an already tense situation. But she was determined to end this nonsense as soon as she could, so she set her jaw and pressed the doorbell.
The voices inside dropped to an angry mutter. In a few seconds Chloe heard footsteps approaching. The door cracked ajar and Tom’s face appeared. He looked haggard, dark shadows weighing heavily beneath his eyes. Nonetheless Chloe felt a surge deep within her chest.
He sighed sharply. In a low voice he said, ‘Chloe, please. It’s not a good time.’
‘I know Rebecca’s here,’ Chloe said quickly. ‘This concerns her, too. I’ve got something you both need to see, right now.’
‘I’ve told you not to interfere. Please, just go away and leave us alone.’ There wasn’t anger in his eyes, but something far more distressing to Chloe: a profound, wrenching despair.
Urgently, insistently, she said, ‘Is Kelly out of the way?’
‘What?’ He seemed fazed by the question. ‘Oh. Yes, she’s at a play date with one of her friends from nursery.’
‘Good.’ Chloe put a confident foot in the door. In her pushiest reporter’s voice she said, ‘I need to come in.’
‘Chloe, no.’ He started to close the door but it caught on Chloe’s boot.
‘Just hear me out for five minutes. Two minutes. Then I’ll go, and I won’t bother you again. I swear to you.’
‘You don’t get it,’ he hissed. ‘If Rebecca sees you –’
‘What’s going on?’ Rebecca’s strident tone came from behind Tom. He glared frantically at Chloe, waving his fingers in a get away gesture, but she stood her ground. Over his shoulder Rebecca’s immaculate face appeared.
‘What? You! My God, you’ve got a nerve –’ she began.
‘Let me in, Tom,’ Chloe urged.
‘Mind your own business,’ snapped Rebecca. ‘Tom, get rid of her.’
Chloe reached into her shoulder bag and took out a folded piece of paper. She opened it up and held it in front of Tom’s face. His incredulous glance flicked from her to the paper and back, then settled on the paper.
Where it lingered.
After a moment he half-turned towards Rebecca, who was standing, arms folded, just behind him.
‘Rebecca,’ he said in an odd voice, ‘I’m going to open the door for Chloe now. You need to have a look at this.’
He stepped aside, opening the door. Chloe went in and walked straight past Rebecca, who stared from her to Tom, open-mouthed. In the living room Chloe waited. Tom came in, followed by Rebecca. On one of the tables Chloe spotted a folder with some sort of legal-looking documents spilling out. She supposed Rebecca had come round to discuss some aspect of the court case she was bringing against Tom.
Chloe held up her unfolded piece of paper. ‘Would you like to know what this is, Rebecca?’
Rebecca put her hands on her hips and titled her head back, glowering at Chloe. ‘Why don’t you tell me?’
‘It’s a signed statement from Christina Hutchinson. Do you happen to know who she is, Rebecca?’
The other woman said nothing, but her eyes widened fractionally. Some of the colour faded from her cheekbones.
‘Christina Hutchinson,’ Chloe went on, ‘is a convicted fraudster and conwoman. She’s served a total of seven years in prison on three proven counts of fraud and embezzlement. At present, she’s on two years’ probation following her last offence. Oh,’ Chloe said, as if just remembering, ‘and she currently goes by the name of Sabrina Jones.’
Tom had been listening intently to Chloe, but now he transferred his stare to