Page 29 of The Temp

‘Oh, Zelda. What were you thinking?’

‘Shut up, Bella. She got a decent holiday out of it and expensive clothes,’ Linda says. ‘Just write it off, Zelda. Money comes and goes.’

‘Trouble is, I need it now to pay my own rent.’ Zelda rubs her eyes with the heels of her hands.

‘Come on, let’s not divert.’ Linda sighs heavily. ‘We’ve got a dead man in the garden, remember.’

Linda’s right. ‘Come on, tell us what happened next?’ I say, ‘after you refused to hand over any more of your hard-earned cash?’

‘He didn’t believe me. He was like, how can you not have fifteen-hundred-quid when you run your own business, when your mum’s paintings sell for thousands?’ Mum’s artwork again. ‘Honestly, by this time I just wanted him to go. I told him it wasn’t working out and we should call it a day. He could transfer the 2k I lent him into my bank account whenever he could. And that’s when he went mental.’ That’s exactly how he reacted when I refused to re-join the gym. ‘He started pacing up and down the kitchen, scratching his arms and neck, called me a mean bitch, said I was still in love with my ex, accused me of using him, called me horrible names.’ Zelda pauses, looks at me.

‘Go on, sweetheart,’ I say.

‘I tried to calm him down, explained that my decision had nothing to do with Chris – we were moving too fast, too soon. He wouldn’t believe me, called me a slag, refused to give me my money back, suggested I flog all the designer gear he bought me instead. Then he sat down and started scratching his legs, saying he didn’t feel right, that I’d poisoned him with my lemon cake.’ Zelda’s eyes dart from me to Linda, face incredulous. ‘I was like, hello, you did just snort a bag of shit you bought from some corner street dealer. Maybe that’s why you’re feeling ill. Then he seemed to snap out of it, started pleading with me for another chance, said he’d fallen in love with me, that he’d sooner kill me and go to prison than lose me. I went to pick up my phone to call you, Bella, when he grabbed me by my ponytail and pinned me against the wall, holding me by the jaw. I couldn’t speak and then he goes, “No one dumps me. I’ll leave when I’m good and ready.” And then…’

‘It’s okay, honey,’ I say, ‘take a few breaths.’

‘Take your time, sweetie,’ Linda adds, curling a hand around Zelda’s forearm.

Zelda inhales deeply, then lets out a trembly breath through her mouth. ‘He squeezed my jawbone. I thought it was going to crack. I couldn’t move my head, and then he began to unbuckle his belt with his free hand.’

I close my eyes. He was going to rape her.

Chapter 26

‘Jesus,’ Linda mutters, looking away.

‘What on earth was he going to do to you?’ I gulp. My poor little sister must’ve been terrified.

‘Maybe strangle her and make it look like a sex game gone wrong,’ Linda says softly. ‘I read a novel once where that was the twist.’ Linda looks at me. ‘Really good, if you want to borrow it.’

Zelda clears her throat. Linda apologises deeply, says she sometimes gets mental absence when she’s under pressure. ‘He wasn’t going to rape me,’ Zelda clarifies. ‘He was complaining about cramps in his stomach, said he had acid reflux from the rich food and undid the button of his trousers. But then his phone started ringing in his pocket, thank goodness, and he let go of my throat. I wanted to scream, but my throat was so sore. Who would hear me anyway? All the neighbours are away. He kept me clamped against the wall with his body while he rejected the call. I tried to calm him down. I mean, obviously, he wasn’t right in the head. I promised to stay with him if he changed, marry him. I even offered to give him the fifteen hundred quid he wanted; said I’d ask you for it.’ Zelda nods at me. ‘But he just laughed. Then he said something odd.’

‘Oh?’ Linda says, inching closer.

‘He called me a lying bitch and said he won’t be bribed by the stinking Villins again. I think he meant you, Bella, because he can’t have meant Georgie.’ I look at her, then at Linda, but say nothing.

‘He put more pressure on my throat with his fingers. The room began to sway and dim. I could hear him panting. I opened my eyes as wide as I could and focused on a rash that had appeared on his neck while trying to prise his hands off. But it was no use. Even in his intoxicated state, he was too strong. I knew I was going to die.’ Zelda gives the bowl of ripe fruit on the table the thousand-mile stare. ‘My life literally flashed before me,’ she whispers. ‘I had to do something. I rooted around on the worktop – felt a steel implement, and then my hand came down and I stabbed him.’

Linda gasps, as if she’s watching a thriller on Prime. ‘Did you stab him in the jugular?’

‘I don’t know,’ Zelda whimpers, ‘It all happened so fast. I just wanted to get him off me. I thought I only scratched the inside of his shoulder. There was blood. On my hands. On the letter opener. On him.’ Zelda sobs quietly for a few moments and then she turns to me, inhaling teary phlegm. ‘What do you think he meant by he won’t be bribed?’

Linda gives me a long, hard stare and then nods. ‘Go on,’ she says, wearily. ‘Tell her.’

I open my mouth. It’s dry. I take a sip from Linda’s glass and then begin; the words toppling from my lips, tripping over each other. ‘I met Frank at the gym on my first day. He coaxed me into hiring him; he was nice, friendly. We used to chat – a lot. I trusted him. I’m not even sure why…’ Linda and Zelda listen in silence, like jurors, as I relay my story from start to finish, including his threat to ruin me if I tried to split him and Zelda up. ‘I warned him off you, Zee, but he wouldn’t listen. So, I bribed him. Offered him ten grand to get out of our lives.’

‘He knew I was your sister?’ Zelda gulps, ignoring everything else I just said. ‘Tried it on with you?’

‘Yes, in the studio gym.’

‘Came after me because you rejected him?’

‘Zelda, I’m so very sorry.’

‘Are you saying he targeted me to spite you?’ I shake my head, apologise repeatedly. ‘And then he fleeced me. Do you think it was because I told him Mum was a famous artist?’

‘I think so, love. It would explain his motive.’

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