“Good, well, all I can say is enjoy,” replied Kay. “I’ve gotsome big plans lined up for today. And now I must get on, but before you go,there is one thing I need to ask.”
“Ask away,” replied her younger image.
“If I’m not here tomorrow, can you come and find me? By thatI mean not in this flat, but somewhere else. I will make sure I am somewherewhere there is a mirror.”
“That’s not a problem,” said the angel. “I will see youthen.”
Left alone, Kay considered her options. She was due in workat 9am but took an executive decision to give it a miss. This was a risk. If herplans did not come to fruition, she could find herself worse off than before.Failing to turn up at work on a busy Christmas Eve was highly likely to be asackable offence.
No matter, she would have to take the gamble. There was noway she was waiting another day, not with McVie threatening to cut herelectricity off. She also needed to act while the information was as fresh aspossible in her mind. It might be a good idea if she got as much of it down onpaper now as she could, as even a few hours could make all the difference.
She rummaged in her bag, looking for a pen and something towrite on. Finding a pen wasn’t a problem, but she ended up having to tear openan empty cigarette packet so she could write on the inside.
She prayed her memory wouldn’t let her down. Thankfully itseemed that the repetitive action of writing down the numbers twenty times hadworked. She was reasonably confident she had got the account number, sort code,and the dates the money had been transferred correct. This would surely beenough. Anything else she could remember on top of that would be a bonus.
She checked her phone next, ensuring she had the home numberof Alan’s boss, Nigel. Kay and Alan had had dinner with him and his wife a fewtimes, requiring Kay to speak with her a few times to make the arrangements.She might need that number later, as it formed part of the slightly alteredplan she had formed the previous afternoon.
While she had been enjoying her massage in the hotel, Kayhad thought in great detail about how best to utilise the information she hadfound. Her initial plan had been to replicate what she had done before and justtransfer the money out of his account and into hers. However, the more shethought about this, the more she realised it wasn’t a very realistic orsensible option.
Firstly, she had to be in the house to do it, as shecouldn’t access the account without the passcode key he kept in his desk. Andshe couldn’t get in the house easily due to the changed locks. Potentially shecould break in, it was still her house after all, but even if she managed to doall that undetected, then there was another pitfall.
The money had clearly been fraudulently obtained, sotransferring it all into her account was a bad idea. If Alan’s crimes werelater exposed, she would look just as guilty as him. The money would beconfiscated at the very least and in a worst-case scenario she could end up inprison. There was no way she was risking doing time for his crimes. Clearly,she couldn’t touch a penny of his dirty money.
Shelving that idea, she soon began to formulate analternative plan. It was audacious, but her successes to date had left herbrimful of confidence.
With a clear battle plan in place, she got ready quickly andheaded out. Before she did so, she took the time to phone work to tell them shewasn’t coming in, claiming she had the flu. She was pretty sure they didn’tbelieve her, but she had to go through the motions, just in case today didn’twork out.
If all went well, it wouldn’t matter. She wouldn’t need thejob any longer and she still had her pay for the current month to come. Most ofher wages would have gone to McVie for the rent she already owed and nextmonth’s, but she had no intention whatsoever of giving him a penny of it. Shewouldn’t be living there any longer after today.
She walked briskly in the frosty air, taking a detour toavoid the town centre. As an added precaution, she put her hood up. She didn’twant to be seen by anyone from work, as they would be bound to grass her up.
It had been several months since she had last visited hermarital home and when she arrived she was dismayed to see the state of thegarden. Her well-kept front lawn was scruffy and unkempt. The borders weremessy and full of weeds. It was obvious no one had bothered with it since Kayhad left.
There were two cars on the drive: Alan’s company Mercedes,which she recognised, and a red Toyota which she didn’t. Presumably thatbelonged to Lucy. That meant they were probably both in, which pleased Kay. Shewould get double the satisfaction from dropping her bombshell on both of themat the same time.
She walked up the path to the front door and rang thedoorbell. A few seconds later, Lucy answered with a thick, navy dressing gownwrapped around her, ginger curls cascading around her shoulders. She was takenaback to see Kay and momentarily lost for words.
“Is Alan in, please?” asked Kay, seizing the initiative.
“Alan!” yelled Lucy. “It’s for you.”
“Who is it?” called Alan, from the kitchen, over the soundof the radio.
“You’d better come and see,” called Lucy, throwing a dirtylook at their visitor. “Wait here,” she said to Kay, closing the door behindher.
Lucy had looked somewhat uncomfortable, Kay thought. Good.Kay was probably the last person she had expected to see. You could neverunderestimate the element of surprise. On the few occasions the two of them hadcrossed paths previously, Lucy had been quite vile towards her. This morning,caught off guard, perhaps she would be vulnerable.
The door opened and Alan appeared, wearing a dressing gownthat matched Lucy’s. Unsurprisingly, he looked none too pleased to see her.
“What are you doing here,
