TOYL

she had been so adamant in refusing Stuart’s offer of walking her to the station. Maybe she was too proud to have him do her any kind of favour. She moved through the tourists who were still out at this late hour, heading for Waterloo Station.
    She was around the back of the station when her mobile registered a text message.
    Initially deciding to wait until she was safely inside the station, she couldn’t resist reading the message. When she read it, a chill ran through her – an icy wind whipping up from behind and slithering down her back.
    It was from Dan.
    Why do you hurt the one you love?
    She read the message again. Then she hurried into the station, heading for the tube entrance, thinking about what he had meant by that strange message. Suddenly she stopped and pressed the shortcut key to Dan’s number, expecting the call to be diverted like on all the other occasions. But it started ringing.
    She held the phone close to her ear, breathing hard, waiting for the pick-up.
    It came on the sixth ring.
    ‘Hello?’
    ‘Dad?’ Emma said, completely dumbfounded. ‘I don’t understand.’

36

    ‘He found it below the letter box,’ Emma said to Lizzy, trying to eat a piece of toast, but without much appetite. ‘Dan must have posted it through. Miranda heard it ringing and called Dad. He picked it up.’
    ‘But why?’ Lizzy asked. ‘It doesn’t make sense. Why would he post his mobile phone through your dad’s letterbox?’
    Emma shrugged.
    ‘And that text message. It’s so strange, Em. Not just what he said, but the fact that he must have sent it whilst he was standing outside your dad’s house. Do you think Dan’s okay? Mentally, I mean? You hear about people suddenly having some kind of breakdown, then walking out and spending the rest of their lives wandering around, hanging around bus stations.’
    ‘Don’t,’ Emma said, not wanting to think about Dan suffering like that. ‘Anyway, he seemed okay when he cancelled the wedding dress.’
    ‘You did say his voice was a little strange.’
    ‘Yes, but not that strange. I just want to know what he meant by that message. Does he think I hurt him? Have I hurt him?’
    ‘Not unless you’ve had an affair that you’re not telling me about.’
    Emma pondered some more.
    ‘Could the police do anything with the phone?’ asked Lizzy.
    ‘What do you mean?’
    ‘I don’t know. Check who he’s called since he went missing? He might also have some text messages saved in there too.’
    ‘Good idea,’ Emma said. ‘I hadn’t thought of that. I’ll check it when I go round to Dad’s this afternoon.’
    ‘I meant give it to the police, really.’
    ‘I don’t think so.’
    ‘You really don’t like the police, do you?’
    ‘I don’t trust them,’ Emma said. ‘Anyway, even if they did take a look at the phone, they’d have to ask me about the numbers. I’m saving them the bother.’
    ‘Your call,’ Lizzy said, holding up her hands. ‘So are you looking forward to lunch at your dad’s?’
    ‘Not particularly,’ Emma admitted. ‘He’s probably going to go mad when I tell him I’ve met Stuart. He really hated him for walking out on me – made me promise that I’d never take him back.’
    ‘You’re going to tell him?’
    ‘I think so.’
    ‘Will you see him again? Stuart, I mean?’
    ‘I don’t think so,’ Emma said, thinking back to the contact card he had given her, and the way she had just walked away.
    ‘You don’t sound so sure any more,’ Lizzy noted. ‘You’re not still in love with him, are you?
    ‘No way… no way.’
    ‘Okay,’ Lizzy said. ‘I’m convinced.’
    But she didn’t sound convinced, and Emma knew it.
    ‘The other reason I’m not particularly looking forward to the meal,’ Emma said, changing the subject, ‘is because Miranda’s going to be there, and I’m not sure I can take all that talk about the new baby.’
    ‘Your new half-brother or sister.’
    ‘I know,’ Emma grimaced. ‘Don’t get me wrong; I’m happy for Dad if he’s happy. But I can’t help thinking that it could be too much for him. It’s a long time since he had a small baby.’
    ‘Are you sure you’re not just a little bit jealous? I mean, it would be understandable.’
    ‘Jealous of a baby?’
    ‘Jealous of his new family.’
    Just hearing the phrase Emma stopped in her tracks – maybe Lizzy had got it dead right.
    ‘Maybe,’ she admitted.
    ‘How do you feel about Miranda now?’
    ‘I don’t know