The Forever Home by Sue Watson

Chapter Twenty-Six

‘Erin was supposed to come back here, last night,’ Lara was saying. ‘She said she was meeting a friend. I was looking after Billy and she was going to collect him afterwards. But she didn’t come home. I just assumed she’d gone back to him at the cottage…’

‘But she isn’t there…?’ I finished her sentence.

‘No, she isn’t there now. I just called and he said he hasn’t seen her since yesterday, but I don’t trust a word he says.’ She said he like Mark was dirt on her shoe; the new baby hadn’t changed things there. ‘I’m terrified something’s happened to her. She’s been getting nasty messages on her social media. Someone’s really jealous of her. It’s because of him, women actually think he’s a prize – can you believe that?’

‘No,’ I lied, but I could, actually. There was always a woman somewhere waiting for Mark. Who hated the one he was with.

‘I’m calling you because when I saw you’d called, I hoped you might… you might know where…’

She burst into tears and I tried to talk her down, saying stupid things like, ‘I’m sure she’s fine,’ and ‘She’s probably with a friend.’

But Lara, understandably, wasn’t listening. ‘She’s been behaving weirdly recently, the messages have been really nasty, and – I know this is crazy, but she thought you might have been the one sending them.’

‘What? No – why on earth would she think that?’

‘Oh, she got it into her head that you and Mark were secretly back together. Apparently the messages you sent—’

‘I didn’t send any!’

‘Okay, okay – but some of the messages suggested you might be back with him.’

‘Lara, you know me. You were there the night Mark told me. He slept with your daughter; he ruined our friendship. I could never go back to him. You must know that even if Erin doesn’t?’

‘I’m desperate, Carly. I can’t think straight, I’m imagining all kinds of things. She’s not answering her phone and… I wondered if you hated her for what she did?’

‘No, I—’

‘I know you were upset about everything. I wouldn’t blame you if you did, just to get back at her… but, Carly, I’m worried, please, if you know anything…’

‘Look, Erin was here last night,’ I started. ‘She came looking for Mark. I guess she told you she was meeting a friend, but she was coming here instead. I think she thought she’d catch us here, together.’

‘What did she say? When did she leave? Carly… there must be something?’

I told her in more detail about Erin’s visit, and how she’d virtually run away.

‘Oh God, you don’t think she ran down the garden and jumped—’

‘No. no. I bet she’ll turn up in the next half-hour. She might even have booked into a hotel to teach Mark a lesson?’ I suggested, but I wasn’t even convincing myself, and now I was really worried.

‘Teach him a lesson? But you said he wasn’t with you.’

‘He wasn’t, but from what Erin said, it sounded to me like he might have been with someone last night.’

‘The little shit!’ Lara snapped. ‘I told her this was the biggest mistake of her life. Let’s face it, he was the biggest mistake of yours.’

I didn’t want to get into the mistakes of my life right now. ‘Lara, what can I do?’ I asked. ‘Shall I come over?’

‘No. No, really, it wouldn’t help, but if you could check your garden again, and the… beach?’

‘Yes, of course I will.’

‘What time did she leave yours last night?’

‘Oh, er, I imagine it was about 8.45ish… a bit later? As soon as I saw she was gone, I ran outside to see if I could see her but—’

‘Okay,’ she cut me off. ‘I’m going to see him – if I don’t get any answers, I’m calling the police. I honestly don’t know how you put up with him for all those years. You were a bloody saint, Carly. After what he did to you, how he hurt you… If he’s lifted a finger to her, I will… I’ll…’ She started to cry and then hung up.

I put down the phone; so Lara knew about the abuse. She’d watched my video, even though I asked her not to.

I was sure Mark would be upset that Erin was missing, but knowing him as I did, I knew he’d be even more concerned with how this would play out for his TV career. I doubted very much that Erin and their child were any higher on the food chain than the first ‘Awesome Andersons’.

Erin was a loose cannon. Had it not occurred to him that she would want to be the centre of attention? She wouldn’t be satisfied with a cameo role as I was. Erin wanted more.

When I’d called him earlier, Mark had been booking flights to leave the country having just pocketed three million pounds. And now his high-maintenance girlfriend was missing. I couldn’t help but wonder if Erin had also stopped being an asset and become an obstacle in his life. And what lengths Mark might go to, to move on.