Trust Me - Sheryl Browne Page 0,85

even with what was happening between them and the awful things he’d said to her, Emily felt for him.

Coming around the desk, he smiled at her. A short smile that didn’t reach his eyes. He looked distracted, uncomfortable. Emily willed back the tears that stung her eyes. She couldn’t function if she was permanently crying. She wasn’t sure she would ever function properly again. ‘Okay?’ he asked her, his expression a combination of sadness and regret.

He could never feel as awful as she did. She felt as if he were slowly ripping her heart from inside her. ‘Yes, thanks,’ she said, arranging her face into a smile.

He nodded and plunged his hands in his pockets. ‘I had a call from Sally,’ he said awkwardly. ‘She’s going to be off for a while.’

‘Oh no.’ Nicky looked up at him worriedly. ‘Is she poorly?’

Emily glanced down. Knowing why Sally was off, and learning that she’d communicated directly with Jake rather than just ringing in sick, she felt almost bereft. ‘I’m just off to make tea,’ she said, swallowing back her tears as she heaved herself to her feet. ‘Anyone want one?’

‘No,’ she heard Nicky say behind her. ‘Thanks, I’ve just had one.’

Tom’s door was open as she passed it, Fran’s tones drifting from inside his office. Emily didn’t need to guess what the topic of conversation was. ‘… She’s usually so efficient, as well, always here on the dot up until recently.’ She heard the tail end of Fran’s remark and guessed she was filling Tom in on the terrible pyjama crime. ‘Are they going through a bit of a rough patch?’

Tom had obviously picked up on the prying edge to her tone. ‘I’ve no idea, Fran. It’s really none of our business, is it?’ he replied curtly, to his credit.

Fran was silent for a minute, astoundingly. Then: ‘There’s no need to be quite so sharp, Tom,’ she said, evidently put out. ‘I was only enquiring.’

‘Yes, so I gathered.’ Tom sighed knowingly. ‘I don’t have the inclination or the time to chat about other people’s problems, though. I have patients due.’

‘I see,’ Fran answered, after another pause. ‘You never do have time to chat, do you, Tom? Considering how close we once were, I find that quite hurtful.’

Close? Fran and Tom had had a relationship? Emily’s eyes widened with surprise. It seemed they might well have done. Was that what her comment about privileges had been about? Edward was obviously right. The woman was jealous. Of her. She had everything, after all, didn’t she? A well-paid job. A marriage to a handsome doctor who in everyone else’s eyes was a good man, caring, faithful. She was living the luxurious life Fran had imagined for herself. Emily was almost tempted to put her right.

Thirty-Three

Jake

Reading over the text he’d typed, Jake hesitated before sending it. Telling Emily he was spending the night at the surgery would only make the situation between them worse. Could it get any worse, though? he wondered despairingly. Doubtless she wouldn’t believe he was here anyway, probably imagining he was off with another woman. However, he’d found out today that the CCTV at the back of the office had been tampered with, indicating that someone was possibly entering the premises at night, so he didn’t have any other choice but to watch and wait and hope he would catch them in the act. There was no sign of a forced entry, so whoever it was had a set of keys. It clearly wasn’t Emily taking medication from the safe, he now realised, once again bitterly regretting having accused her. If she’d wanted to do that, she had many opportunities when she was here on her own. She would have no reason to sneak in out of hours. She’d been forgetful, unable to concentrate even before the trouble between them – Jake’s gut twisted as he reminded himself that that might have something to do with the drugs she’d been ingesting. It was feasible therefore that someone had taken her keys and copied them without her knowing.

Sighing, he hit send, guessing she wouldn’t reply. He’d texted her earlier asking how she was. She hadn’t responded. He wished she would talk to him, if only in a professional capacity. Now that they’d eliminated all conceivable sources of the drug, disposing of any vitamins she’d been taking at home and at the surgery, writing out a new prescription for her iron tablets, and making sure she only swallowed food and drink she’d prepared