Page 96 of A Helpin g Hand for the Village Nurse

‘That’s good of you.’

And there it was again, such coldness. How could a man who’d been so warm and funny that silly night at Magnus and Geoff’s cinema be so cold now? Had she really hurt him so badly? All she’d done was the sensible thing for both their sakes.

He bent to kiss Florence. ‘See you next week, eh?’

Florence nodded, looking sorely put out that her plan had gone awry. In any other circumstance, Ottilie might have found it funny. Then he strode out, the sound of the front door slamming a moment later bringing that awful sense of déjà vu back again.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Her favourite part of any home improvement had always been the painting. Ottilie guessed that it was everyone’s favourite bit, because this was where you finally got to see what it might look like. Plus, after the week she’d had, there was something therapeutic about being able to totally switch off and zone out, simply watching the brush go back and forth along the skirting board as the colour spread.

The front door was open, letting in a crisp breeze from the garden which carried the fumes of the paint away. On it, instead of paint, she could smell the first notes of autumn – her first one since she’d come to live in Thimblebury. Already, the leaves were turning gold and orange. In a few weeks the landscape would be alive with colour. A few months ago she’d have been terrified to leave her front door unlocked like this, but Thimblebury, despite the dramas, had been kind to her. She trusted her community completely and she felt safe. She’d been lost in all of this, content to drift, the problems of the week passing through her like all those autumn leaves carried away on a stream when the sound of a text-message alert snapped her out of it.

Putting the brush down she went to retrieve her phone from the table. Faith. She unlocked it to read the message, anxiety like a crushing weight suddenly bearing down on her once again as she readied herself for something that would inevitably stress her out in one way or another, because messages from Josh’s old colleague always did.

Can you call me?

Ottilie dialled the number.

‘Hey,’ Faith said. She sounded tired, but perhaps that was only a reflection of how Ottilie herself was feeling. She was tired of thinking about this, tired of that shadow hanging over her life. Josh had died, but she couldn’t move on, not while his murder was unresolved, not when she dreaded every phone call from his station that would rake it all up again. ‘How are you doing?’

‘Well, I’ve been better. That flooding I had has taken a few weeks to get sorted. I’m on the home stretch now, I think.’

‘Oh, you mentioned it before but I didn’t realise it had been so bad.’

‘That’s life, eh? These things happen. It’s probably a good thing you didn’t come to visit after all.’

‘Oh, right, sorry, I did say I would, didn’t I? It’s just been so busy here.’

‘Of course – no need to apologise. So…’

‘Yes, well, I know we’ve been here before but I wanted to tell you we’ve had a breakthrough in the case. A proper one this time, Ott, at least, I hope it will be. Our guy has been brought back into custody, and this time we have a witness, one I don’t think will back out. I think we might have him, Ott.’

Ottilie lowered the phone and stared at the opposite wall. She didn’t have words. She didn’t know how she was supposed to feel about this. She’d imagined it would be relief, but Faith was right – they’d been here before and the case had fallen apart.

‘Ottilie?’ Faith’s voice was distant and tinny.

Ottilie put the phone back to her ear. ‘Sorry…yes.’

‘It’s good news, isn’t it?’

‘Of course.’

‘Are you…?’ Faith stalled. ‘Are you all right with this?’

‘Why wouldn’t I be? Like you said, if we’ve got a solid witness then it’s going to go to trial, isn’t it? And that has to be good.’

‘Hold tight,’ Faith said. ‘The end of your nightmare might be in sight.’

‘Yes. Thanks, Faith.’

‘Is there anything you want to know? Anything you want to ask me?’

‘I don’t think so.’

‘Well, you know where to find me when you change your mind. I know it’s a lot to take in, and I’m sure things will occur to you when you’ve processed it.’

‘Yes. Thanks.’

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