Chapter 67

I've never been a Fiona fan. I mean, she's not the most level-headed person on the planet. Linda almost fainted when I told her that Fiona was [email protected] and not Frank, as we all suspected. I should've worked it out, really. We all called Fiona, Ona, back in the day, apart from her ex-husband Steve, who insisted on calling her Fi, which she loathed.

Liam once told me that Steve took out a restraining order on Fiona because she refused to accept that their marriage was over. I gasped when he said she'd keyed Steve's brand-new Range Rover. What a vindictive, thuggish thing to do. But that was just the tip of the iceberg. Liam also confided that she'd stalked his new girlfriend and almost ran the pair of them over as they were leaving their local pub. ‘She was in a bad place, Bells,' Liam confessed. ‘On antidepressants. Drinking far too much, not eating properly. She's a different person now. Therapy helped. Apart from the jealousy thing, that is. I think that's just how she's wired. But, hey, none of us is perfect. I've got a good life with her and the kids.'

Biting my thumbnail, I stare at her name on my phone until it rings out. A beat and then it starts again. Surely, she won't give Daisy any trouble…will she? No, of course not. I'm being silly. Paranoid. She's a changed woman. Come on, Bella, where's your sense of charity? The woman's bereaved, at a loose end.

Fiona told me that Liam didn't have any life insurance, when I rang to offer my condolences, and if that weren't enough, her landlady was kicking them out at the end of the month. Finding a landlord who accepted housing benefit tenants was near impossible. ‘I'm sorry for sending you those awful emails, Bella,' she admitted. ‘Once the police identified the body, they gave me all his belongings. I went through his phone and when I saw your name I lost it. I thought you two were…you know.' I told her it was fine. That it was our fault. We shouldn't have liaised behind her back. ‘I was looking for someone to blame for his death. I'm so sorry.'

Her dilemma played on my mind. She was grieving. Had just lost her husband. I couldn't stand by and do nothing. Daisy's flat is affordable and convenient for schools. I had to offer it up.

‘Hi Ona,' I say now, ‘everything okay?'

‘Um…actually,' she begins, sounding breathless. I cross my fingers tightly, praying she's going to tell me she's found another flat.

‘I'm running ten-minutes late. Is that okay?'

My shoulders sag. ‘No problem at all,' I reply, uncrossing my fingers. ‘Listen, Ona, just to let you know we've had a lot of interest in the flat, and I did say it's only a two-bedroom, didn't I?'

‘Don't you dare let it out to anyone else before I see it, Bella,' she warns. ‘It sounds ideal and the kids don't mind sharing.'

Clamping the phone between my jaw and shoulder, I assure her that I won't, as I hurriedly do up the zip of my skirt and dash to the bathroom.

‘I'll see you soon, then,' I say. ‘We'll be waiting outside.'

Linda looks at her watch and gives it a shake. ‘What time is it? Is she late?'

‘Ten past ten,' I say, glancing at my Apple watch. ‘And here she is.'

We watch as Fiona rocks up along the shared driveway, tanned and groomed and cool as a cucumber. ‘Sorry I'm late.' Fiona pulls me in for an air kiss. ‘Noah couldn't find his PE kit. You look amazing, Bella.'

‘Thank you. So do you. You haven't changed a bit.' Bar her chestnut hair, which is now platinum blonde.

‘Gah.' Fiona gushes. ‘Three kids and a dead husband puts a lot of lines on your face, but thank you.'

‘This is Linda, my partner in crime,' I grin, and Linda gives me a look as she thrusts a hand out.

‘And this must be...'

‘Daisy Murphy.' Daisy takes Fiona's hand and they exchange limp handshakes.

‘Are you related?' Fiona asks. ‘I can see a resemblance.'

‘We are,' I begin, as Linda urges us to all make our way inside, she'll be late for her eleven o'clock.

We walk along the driveway and as Fiona fires questions at Linda about the flat, Daisy hangs back, drawing me to her. ‘You don't have to tell her about me if it's awkward,' she whispers. ‘It's okay.'

I stop stock-still and look at Daisy. I get the feeling she thinks I might be ashamed to relay her history. But she's wrong. Daisy put her neck on the line for me and Zelda from the get-go – kept our secret about Frank. Didn't tell a soul that Liam replied to her email on the ancestry website and gave her every single detail about me that she wanted. She even picked up the letter knife when I dropped it at the cashpoint, knowing full well what it was, implicated herself. Protected me. Protected us. I'll never forget that. I cover her hand with mine and we start walking, picking up pace as Linda calls out to us.

At the front door, we pause while Linda pushes the key into the lock, all the while keeping up a commentary about how wonderful the flat is – it's immaculate – ultra modern – spacious, bright, has a balcony with side glass panels. A well-kept garden that backs onto Green Bay Gardens and Lake.

‘Daisy's my sister,' I blurt to Fiona, realising this is the first time I've introduced her as my sibling and feeling surprised at how normal and natural it feels.

‘Seriously?' Fiona says, disinterested, as we step inside the flat, ‘I thought it was just the two of you.' Fiona takes in the bright hallway hungrily. I can see she likes what she sees already, and then Zelda thunders down the stairs in her cream loungers and animal slippers.

I watch as Zelda and Fiona exchanges pleasantries and my heart breaks a little for her. Although Zelda has moved on and seems more upbeat, I sometimes catch her in deep thought and wonder if she's missing Frank. Although I loathe to admit it, he was good to her. She was the happiest I'd seen her in years. Was I wrong to intervene in their relationship? Maybe. But the truth is, I couldn't bear seeing them together. The truth is…

‘Bella, did you bring the particulars sheet?' Linda asks briskly.

Snapping out of my musing, I pull the A4 sheet out of my handbag. ‘Here you go.' My phone buzzes with a text. Daisy glances up at me from her phone. It's from Georgia, pleading with me to join her and Tom for dinner tonight. I hesitate, type out I'll think about it, then press send. Thumbing the cracked screen, Frank's face slams into my mind and guilt claws at my chest. I did the right thing. I was protecting my sister.

Hastily, I slip my phone back into my handbag, making a mental note to get the screen repaired. This is no time for regrets. Frank would've destroyed Zelda, broken her. It was only a matter of time. How could I be so sure? Well, it's what irresistible men like him do, isn't it? They bewitch you with their charm and good looks, make you want to sacrifice everything for them – your marriage, your family, your life…and then they push you away. Just like Frank had done to me.