Page 6 of Villa of Secrets

The syringe and the packaging fell to the floor and Rebecca blinked back her tears. Blowing her cheeks out, she remembered she only had one more injection to go.

She cradled her arms and looked down, imagining the infant that she prayed would be the result of this fertility treatment.

‘I hope you appreciate what I’m going through for you, baby,’ she whispered.

She tidied up, straightened her clothes, and went into Fritz’s office.

‘Am I interrupting anything? I need a hug,’ she said quietly.

‘Hello, beautiful.’ Fritz swivelled his chair around and pulled her onto his knee. ‘Are you all right? You look a little ruffled.’

‘Just my jab. Last one tomorrow, thank God.’

‘I could have done it for you. Wouldn’t that feel better?’

She shook her head. ‘What are you up to?’

He beamed. ‘We’ve received an offer for the company, from America. They want to amalgamate.’

‘That sounds exciting.’

‘It is, more than I ever dreamed. There’s a mountain of work to get through over the next month, but we’ve signed their contract to meet the deadline. The deal with Aloe Cosmetics clinched it. A huge effort, but it paid off in the end.’ His excitement was contagious.

‘I’m thrilled, Fritz. You’ve worked incredibly hard. You deserve this success.’

‘I’ll take you out this evening, a champagne dinner to celebrate!’

Rebecca’s mood dampened. She smoothed his pale blond hair that he had a habit of pushing back. ‘Oh, Fritz, I’d love to, but like I said, it’s my last jab tomorrow. You know how it is. I wouldn’t want to jeopardise anything at this stage, sweetheart. I’ll cook you a super steak, how’s that?’

‘Lovely,’ he said, but she could see he was crestfallen. He placed his hands on her tummy. ‘You’ve got your own priorities to take care of, I do understand, darling. It’s important, and I appreciate all you’re going through for us.’ He kissed her cheek. ‘Now, off to the kitchen, woman! I’ve work to do.’

They both laughed, and Rebecca left him at his desk.

Chapter 5

Rhodes, Greece.

Naomi caught Bubba’s whimper and rushed into the room. Her grandmother cowered against the pillow, her eyes wide, glazed, afraid.

‘They’re going to hang me! Help me, please. I have to escape,’ she slurred. ‘Papa! I can’t see him. Where is he? Don’t let them kill my Papa, I’m begging you!’

Naomi held her grandmother. ‘Come on, Bubba. It’s just a bad dream. You’re safe with me.’ She found it heartbreaking to see the old lady like this. Whatever was going on in her mind was very real to her grandmother.

Bubba thumped herself in the chest. ‘I loved her, and because of me she’s dead too. Please, bring her back!’

‘Who, Bubba? Who did you love?’ Naomi asked, cooling her grandmother’s forehead with a damp facecloth, but Bubba had purged herself of the memory. Exhausted, she returned to sleep. Naomi watched her eyes flutter behind thin lids, and the occasional twitch of her body with a half-started word on her lips.

Despite these anxiety attacks, the last thing Naomi expected was Bubba’s strange request: to post a gun to Rebecca.

Dragged away from her thoughts by more movement across the road, Naomi saw Papas Yiannis in his striped pyjamas ambling onto his front porch. He pushed his fingers behind his glasses and rubbed his eyes. Above him, Marina’s bedroom light went out. The priest placed his tiny coffee cup on the tin table and pulled out a rickety chair.

Reluctant to break the peace of the hour, Naomi gave him a wave.

He nodded before sucking the froth off his drink.

Naomi returned indoors and tried to block thoughts of the gun by concentrating on a fresh batch of hand cream. She gathered the ingredients from memory, no longer needing Bubba’s recipe.

2 cups of olive oil.