Hayden rattles off her number. “I swear, we will make sure she gets what’s coming to her,” Hayden promises. “Leave your number with my assistant. I’d like to keep in touch if that’s okay with you.”
“Thank you,” she croaks out.
“What for?”
“For believing me. I might not be able to see your face, but I can hear in your voice you want justice for them both.”
“I want justice for them all,” Hayden declares.
Milly’s breath hitches. “All?”
“There have been loads more, but I swear to you, it will never happen again. I really do need to go, but I will call and explain the rest when I get time. I just think the police officer and my cousin need to hear this.”
“I understand. Thank you for taking my call and listening to me. And I really hope your cousin sorts everything out.”
“Me too.”
They say their goodbyes and moments later, her phone dings with a message. I watch as her eyes widen. “So that’s Sophia.”
I lean over the parking break, and my heart begins to race as I snatch the phone out of her hand. “Oh my God,” I breath.
“What?”
“I know that woman.”
“You do?”
“Yes. Although her hair is a different colour to that blonde.”
“Who is it? What do you mean?”
I turn to her, my pulse beating rapidly as I think of what this means. What it means for Charlotte.
“It means we need to get to Charlotte. It means she’s in danger. She knows this person too.”
Hayden takes the phone back, her lids squinting at the picture. Her eyes widen as she slowly turns to me. “Fuck.”
My thoughts exactly.
CHAPTER FORTY
CHARLOTTE
I twirl around the kitchen, humming along to Katy Perry’s, Roar. Life is so good. The smell of brownies fills the air; love fills the air.
I still haven’t made up my mind on when to tell him. He told to me to wait until everything has calmed down, and that the stress of the case isn’t hanging over our heads. However, last night, after hours in bed together, I wanted to tell him then. I wanted to scream it from the rooftops.
I pick Katnip up from the counter, moving her away from the food before she gets a chance to steal it. “Not for you, kitty.”
Meow.
She swats at me, trying to play with a strand of my hair, but I tusk, placing her down on the floor. “Nope. You aren’t chewing on my hair either.”
I have spent hours curling my hair into stronger curls than the thick, bouncy, loose ones they normally are. I tied most of it back from my face in braids, putting those pieces into a bun at the back of my head, leaving the rest to flow down my back. My makeup is already done too. All I have to do is put on some lipstick, throw on my dress, and spray on some perfume. And I am good to go.
We still have two hours until we need to leave for the wedding, three until it starts, but I was so excited, so full with life, that I couldn’t keep still and wait around. I didn’t need to go into work like Drew did. And I didn’t want to lose track of time by baking first. So I compromised and did my hair and makeup before I began baking. All I’ll have to do once it’s time, is slide on my dress.
My phone rings from the kitchen counter and I twirl, still singing along to the lyrics. Seeing Nora’s name on the screen, pleasant surprise fills me.
“Nora, how are you?”
“Charlotte,” she breathes out dramatically. “I’m at the library looking for a couple of books I need. I’m looking for Women’s Political Rights in History, and Feminism History and Theory. Your bloody receptionist—yes, I’m talking about your lazy arse—refuses to even speak to me.”
I inwardly groan, even as a chuckle escapes at hearing Marlene try to defend herself in the background. “Give me a few minutes and I’ll be right there,” I tell her.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” she cries out in joy.
Laughter spills out of me. “See you soon.”
I race up the stairs to my bedroom, grabbing my dress for the wedding that’s hanging on the bedroom door. I know I still have hours before I need to get dressed. I shouldn’t risk getting something on it. But I also know from experience that I’m easily distracted, and I don’t want to make us late by forgetting to get changed. Not after last night’s argument. I want to make a good impression today and turn up on time and look the part.
With that in mind, I strip out of the pyjamas I have been lounging in and slide the dress over my head. The forest green ankle-length dress is more daring than any of my other dresses. I bought it a few years ago but once I put it on, it felt too revealing and every time I’d look in the mirror, I’d cringe. I felt like a little girl playing dress up. Now, as I stare in the mirror, I feel anything but. It’s empowering and I feel sexy. There is a newfound confidence inside of me that pushes me out of my comfort zone.
The thin-strapped dress has a deep V cut down the middle, showcasing my cleavage. The bodice below clings to my waist like it was made perfectly to fit my figure. It hangs a little looser at the waist, but not by much, so it flares. It still clings to me but the wrap over style at the bottom gives me room since there is a spit up the middle that reaches the middle of my thighs. I slide on my matching shoes, the heels barely giving me any height. Which I don’t mind. I’m practical over style and I know from experience that being drunk in high heels is never a good thing.
I grab my clutch from the side table, already having packed it earlier. I only need to put my phone and keys in there.
Snowball’s reptile meow greets me when I reach the front door. I glance down, finding him and Katnip sitting there. I kneel in front of them, running my fingers through their fur. “You can’t come to the library with me today.”
Meow.
“I promise, you can come next time.”
They have both been coming with me to work. The children who visit love it, as well as most of the people who enter. There are only a few grumpy people who don’t and who swore to never return. I’m kind of happy about it. I don’t have one of those policy’s where I can refuse someone’s entry. Legally I could, I just don’t have one. Anyone is welcome at the library. All but people who don’t think kittens are cute or don’t like animals all together... Those people can’t be trusted. In my opinion anyway.
Plus, Katnip only hissed at the woman because she blocked the sun from where he was sunbathing.
It was all a misunderstanding.
I give them one last scratch behind their ears before grabbing the keys off the side. I send a text to Drew, letting him know I’ll be at the library and to meet me there.
Katnip distracts me, making me drop my phone. I pick it up, mindlessly throwing it in my bag. “Katnip. You need to be a good girl for Mummy. And look after Snowball.”
She sniffs before waddling away, and something fouls hit me. Adorable and so mushily cute, Snowball glances up at me, his reptile meow quiet before he, too, walks away.
“For someone so cute, your farts are deadly,” I call out.
I’m not sure if it’s a male thing or a rag doll thing, but when that cat farts, I swear I can taste it in my mouth it’s that bad. Before the rotten smell can cling to my clothes, I head outside, locking up behind me.