Page 53 of The Retreat
‘Itwas, I promise you. I’ve got no reason to lie to you, have I?’
‘Well, I guess I was only a fool quite briefly then,’ Talia said with a sad sigh.
Imogen decided it was time to put it all out there. Yes, she’d done wrong. But she wasn’t alone. ‘I know it was horrible finding us like that, and I swear, I don’teverdo things like that… This isn’t an excuse for getting in the middle of your relationship, but she told me you were cheating, so I guess I thought…’
Talia’s face was surprise itself. ‘What?’
‘Well, she said she’d found out you were talking to people on dating apps. And I know I should have waited until it was over with you and her. I should have said no…’
‘Talking to people on dating apps?’ Talia repeated.
Imogen stared. ‘Maybe you don’t think it’sexactlycheating, but she was destroyed by it. She cried in my arms.’
Talia let out a sharp, humourless laugh and turned away, arms crossed. ‘ShesaidIwas cheating?’
‘She saidprobablythat you were… Look, I heard that argument between the two of you. I don’t know if you remember, but…’
Talia’s eyes were locked onto Imogen, wide with fury. ‘That’s not what happened.’
Imogen paused. ‘What did happen, then?’
Talia looked like she might walk off again. But then she sighed and shrugged. ‘OK, Imogen. If you want to know…’
Thirty-Seven
Five Years Ago
Talia had woken first, as usual. It was six in the morning. She’d been asleep only four hours, but it was time to get back at it.
Flora lay half buried in the duvet, one arm flung across the pillow where Talia had been. She looked peaceful. Unbothered.
Talia padded softly to the kitchen, made coffee, and came back to get dressed.
She was passing Flora’s nightstand to get to the wardrobe. Flora’s phone lit up. Talia wasn’t snooping. It was just poor timing. Or good timing, depending on how you looked at it.
Talia read the message without meaning to.
So when are we going to take this thing into the real world? I’m tired of just talking.
Talia froze. The phone went dark again.
There was a moment where she waited to feel angry. But what she felt was the unmistakable beginnings of dread.
She picked up the phone and tapped it, lighting it up again. There it was, no mistake.I’m tired of just talking.There was no name, no contact picture. Just a number she didn’t recognise.
Flora stirred behind her and Talia dropped the phone like it burned.
She left for work quickly.
***
She didn’t make it to the office. Well, she did, but not through the doors. She walked right past the building.
She found herself walking the familiar cracked pavement that led to Flora’s gallery. Her hands were cold. She wasn’t sure how long she’d walked.
She pushed through the front door. Flora stood at the far end of the room, signing for a package.
Talia waited.
