‘I think we’re done here,’ Beth whispered.
Vicky looked indignantly at her.
‘If Mikey comes back tell him I’m inside.’ She spun around and disappeared into the noisy bar.
Beth glanced at her empty glass and was about to put it down on the floor and attempt to slip away unnoticed when Mikey reappeared next to her.
‘Hey. Do you know where Vicky went?’
Beth felt embarrassed. She was glad he hadn’t witnessed their altercation.
‘She said she was going home.’
Mikey frowned, then glanced around the throng of people congregating outside the bar. He looked at the empty glass in Beth’s hand.
‘Can I get you another?’ He nodded towards the glass.
Beth looked down. It took her a moment to realise what he was asking.
‘Oh, no thanks. I think I’ve got to go, actually.’
‘Go on. The only person I know here seems to have abandoned me. Let me buy you a drink?’
Beth looked around, trying to get Margot’s attention, but she was deeply engrossed in a story. Huge hand gestures, lots of laughing. The life and soul of the party, eternally.
‘Okay, just the one though.’
‘White wine?’
Beth nodded, and Mikey smiled before heading into the bar.
He returned a few minutes later with two large glasses of wine in his hands, and two packets of crisps in his mouth. Beth took one of the glasses, and Mikey grabbed the crisps from his lips.
‘Salt and vinegar or cheese and onion?’
‘Either,’ Beth replied. She took a sip.
‘Sorry, I don’t think I got your name.’
‘I’m Beth.’ She held out her hand and Mikey shook it.
‘Hey, Beth. Nice to meet you. So you work with Vicky?’
‘Kind of. I don’t really know her.’
Mikey took a gulp of his drink.
‘Right. So what do you do there?’
‘I work in submissions. I basically vet all the manuscripts that get sent in. The good ones get passed on to Chloe for consideration, the others… don’t!’ She smiled guiltily.
Mikey sucked in air through his teeth.
‘Cut-throat!’
‘We kind of have to be. We’re in this business to make money primarily. There’s no point in wasting time on stuff we don’t believe in.’
Mikey screwed up his face.
‘Remind me not to get on your bad side.’
Beth laughed. ‘Hey, I’m a nice person… at least I think I am. It’s my job. I wouldn’t last very long if I passed any old rubbish through to Chloe.’
‘That’s okay. I’m winding you up. You definitely seem like a nice person. And I’m an excellent judge of character.’
Beth wasn’t sure if Mikey was flirting with her. It was such a long time since anyone had tried, she wasn’t even sure how to tell anymore.
‘How about you? How do you two know each other?’
‘We were at school together.’
‘Oh right.’ Beth couldn’t hide the surprise from her voice.
‘What?’ Mikey smiled.
And Beth actually blushed. His eyes bored deep into her. She couldn’t remember the last time anybody looked at her that way.
‘It’s only… you seem older than her.’
‘Thanks!’ he replied with mock hurt in his voice, then laughed.
‘No, I… I didn’t mean you… she just looks quite young.’ Beth smiled as she met his lingering gaze.
‘Yeah, Vicky has always been blessed there. Apart from when we were teenagers. She couldn’t get into any pubs.’
‘I bet.’
Beth took a sip of her wine. Noticing that Mikey had emptied his glass, she nodded towards it.
‘Fancy another?’ she asked.
He checked his watch. ‘I’d love to, but I’ve got to go.’ He bent over, placing his empty glass on the floor beside him. ‘Some other time?’
Beth looked down, then back up at Mikey, holding her hand up, wiggling her ring finger.
‘I’m married,’ she said.
‘And?’ Mikey held up his hand revealing a thick gold band. ‘So am I! Doesn’t mean we can’t be friends, does it?’
Beth cringed. She had misread the situation.
‘Sorry! No, of course not.’ She felt a wave of heat rush up her neck and face.
Mikey pulled out his phone, looking at her. She took it from him and typed in her number. He gave her a drop call.
‘There’s mine.’
‘Thanks.’
‘Great to meet you, Beth,’ he said with another deep smile.
‘Likewise.’
He turned and disappeared down the promenade.
‘Who the devil is he?’ Margot slurred her words as she appeared in front of Beth.
‘Friend of Vicky’s.’
‘Was he chatting you up?’
‘I don’t think so.’
‘So I didn’t see you give him your number then?’ She raised an eyebrow.
Beth reddened again. ‘Oh God. What the hell am I doing?’
‘What do you mean?’
‘You’re right. Why am I giving a young guy I’ve only just met, my number?’
‘It’s okay, darling. You’re allowed.’
‘No. It’s not okay. Nothing is okay.’
And at that, Beth burst into tears.
20
Margot sat next to Beth on the sea wall with one arm draped loosely over her shoulder.
Beth dabbed at her eyes with the pile of tissues Margot had grabbed from her designer handbag.
After Margot had finally got Beth to stop crying, Beth had told her everything.
About the notes. About the texts. She told her about the newspaper cutting. And she showed her the latest addition that had arrived at work that day. After a seemingly endless pause, Margot clicked her tongue in the roof of her mouth, handing the paper back to Beth. ‘And…?’ she said questioningly.
‘And what?’
‘Are you her?’
Beth looked at Margot, slightly hurt that she had asked.
‘No. Of course I’m not her.’
‘I’m just checking. You never know! First thing in the morning, you must go to the police and tell them what has been happening–’
‘No. That’s exactly what Charlie said. But don’t you see, if I do, this will all get out. It might end up in the papers. And if people think I’m that girl, my life here is over.’
Margot pursed her lips.
‘Don’t look at me like that, Margot. It’s true. That bloody weirdo Vicky has already told me tonight that I look like Kitty Briscoe. That’s why she’s so obsessed with me. All it takes is a tiny seed to be planted in people’s minds, and that will be it.’
‘Hmmm…’ Margot tapped her foot as she gently stroked Beth’s back. ‘You might
