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She tried to swallow the hunk of cheese she had in her mouth so she could speak.
‘Freya! Are you there?’ Emma questioned.
‘Mmm… hang on. Sorry about that. What did you say?’ She swiped at her mouth with her hands.
‘I’ve been trying to get hold of you all day. It’s all over the news about your car being attacked and Mike being hurt and something happening at your house. What’s going on?’
‘Sorry, it’s all been a bit crazy here. I lost my bag with my phone in at the casino and it hasn’t been turned in, so don’t be surprised if you end up getting a phone call from some drifter.’
‘Are you OK?’
‘Not really. We had an intruder in the house. We got home after the car incident last night to find the kitchen covered in photographs of me and Nick. Well, I say me and Nick; they were of Nick really because someone had done some sloppy editing of me with a pair of scissors.’
‘What?! Oh my God!’
‘I have to say, it wasn’t the best welcome home I’ve had. But Roger and an army of security experts have made my lovely little Waltonesque house into something that now resembles Alcatraz.’
‘Oh, Freya. Do you think it has something to do with the article about your father?’
‘Do I think it has something to do with my rich, lowlife, daughter-hating father? Can I ask the audience?’ She sucked in a breath and thought about Nicholas. He’d left an hour ago. They were hardly talking to each other. He’d never been so bloody minded like he had today at the bridge. She was worried about him. She’d seen people after an audience with her father. She didn’t know if she could tell Emma about it.
‘And Mike’s attack? God, do you think he did that too?’
‘I’d say it was an incident right out of the psychotic father book of “Ways to Bring People to Their Knees”.’
‘Did you tell the police you think it’s him?’
‘No I didn’t, but Nick did.’ She swallowed a lump in her throat. She couldn’t say the words. She couldn’t tell Emma she’d let her fiancé go to face her father.
‘Nick’s worried about me; he’s gone all Neanderthal, actually. I’ve got Jolie coming round to keep me company because Nick’s… had to go out and he doesn’t want to leave me alone.’ She took the slab of cheese out of the fridge and sunk her teeth into it. She moved into the hallway and headed for the living room.
‘I think he’s right to be protective. You’ve had someone in your house; that’s terrible and freaky and I can’t imagine how jumpy I would be in that situation.’
‘Thanks, Em, that’s made me feel a whole lot better about the whole thing. I was so trying not to feel like the babysitter in a horror movie but now…’
‘Sorry, but I’m worried about you too. When are you coming over here? Perhaps the sooner the better would be best. Have you made any wedding arrangements yet?’
‘Er, no, not really. There hasn’t been time, what with police and psychos and motion sensors. Say, what’s been happening in Kassiopi? Tell me about stuff there to take my mind off it.’ She sat down on the sofa and took another bite of cheese.
‘Oh, there’s nothing happening here this time of year. The holiday season doesn’t kick in until May, so everything is quiet… and not so warm.’
‘Don’t talk to me about warm. I moved to America to catch some rays and they’re talking about snow here next week! Snow! I know it’s November but snow?!’
‘I’d love to see snow.’
‘The wind here would kill you. Anyway, how’s everyone? How are Mr and Mrs P?’
Mr and Mrs Petroholis were Emma’s parents-in-law. They were good, honest people who thought the world of Freya.
‘Everyone’s fine. Why do I get the impression you’re hiding something from me?’
‘What? No, I’m not. I just want to try and focus on something else other than what’s going on here. Tell me about the building work with your house. Are those Greek builders still on schedule?’
Emma wouldn’t give up until she’d confessed everything. She couldn’t tell her about Nicholas meeting her father. The less people knew about that, the better.
‘Freya.’
‘Alright, alright, I’ve been in hospital. I passed out at the casino when I found out about Mike.’ She took another bite of cheese.
