Save Her by Abigail Osborne (novel books to read .txt) 📗

comfortable. A bow and arrow belonging to what looked like a golden cherub was digging into her back, stabbing at the bruise that engulfed her torso, slowly blackening with each day that passed.

33

All the way home, Flora’s mind whirled. She was brimming with all the things she should have said. She had been so close, there couldn’t have been a more perfect opportunity to confront Cecelia. But she had been a coward. She had felt the eyes of everyone around the table on her, burning into her like laser beams. It was on the tip of her tongue. ‘I think it was you, Cecelia. I think you’ve been doing this to me.’

She visualised what she should have done in her mind. She should have got the necklace from her bag and slammed it on the table in front of Cecelia. She should have stood over her and yelled at her. Asked her why she would get a replica of her dead mother’s necklace and then scratch her name on it. What sort of sick person was she? Did she have no soul? Everyone would be shocked and disgusted and finally see Cecelia for the cruel, vindictive person she was.

But Flora had not done that. The only thing she had done was tell everyone that someone put worms in her house. When she had said it aloud it sounded ridiculous. She was surprised no one carted her off to the looney bin. She would have checked herself in had it not been for the fact Sophie had stuck up for her and confirmed her story.

Cecelia’s behaviour troubled Flora. Cecelia had a key to their house and they both knew that she had made threats because Flora was going to take her favourite son away. But she had genuinely seemed shocked and confused about the worms. To be fair, it didn’t sound like something Cecelia would have even thought to do. Sophie reckoned that Cecelia had hired someone, given them the key. But still… pain lanced through her head as the unanswered questions attacked her mind, causing a tension headache. At the end of the meal, Cecelia had ordered Reginald to contact Sam to discuss setting up a security detail at not only their house but at Flora’s centre. Would she have done this if she was behind everything? Was the offer just for show?

‘Oi, you, come back from la-la land.’ Sam chuckled.

‘I’m sorry. Can I ask you something?’

‘Of course.’ He took Flora’s hand and kissed the back of it. Flutters of desire coursed through her, which she suppressed.

‘What do you really think is happening? Do you have any idea why these things are happening to me?’

Sam sighed deeply. He didn’t answer straight away. She was about to ask him if he was okay when finally he spoke. ‘Honestly, Flora. I have theories, each wilder than the next. I just think we need to focus on moving into our new home. I know it has been a really stressful time, but we will get through this. Together.’

It warmed her heart to know that Sam was as bewildered as she was. It made her feel less alone. She fingered the necklace in her purse. There was no doubt someone was trying to upset her, scare her. It might be Cecelia. It might be someone else. But as long as she had Sam and Sophie, she knew she could face anything. Her parents would not want her to be a quivering wreck. They wouldn’t want her to play the victim, they would want her to stay strong. She would not let whoever it was trying to play stupid mind games ruin any more of her life.

34

‘Where do you think you are going?’ asked Greg. He was blocking the door with his ogre-like frame. Blond hair stuck up in all directions making him appear crazed and intimidating.

Sophie had her hands full with the Amazon parcel and could not easily get around him or try and push him out of the way. ‘I’m going around to Flora’s. I’ve got something for her.’

‘Oh no. No, you aren’t. We need to talk.’

‘Seriously, Greg. Just move out of the way. We can talk later.’

‘No. I want to talk now.’ He moved towards her and she took the advantage and darted nimbly around and behind him before he could process what she’d done. One of the advantages of being married to a mountain man was that he was slower than her. She hefted the parcel onto her left hip and grabbed the door with her right hand.

‘Please, Sophie. I can’t do this anymore. You need to talk to me.’ He sounded so pathetic. So far from the man she had once known.

‘Soph?’ Flora called out.

Once again, the benefit of living next door to her best friend showed itself. ‘Flora’s waiting for me,’ she told Greg. ‘We can talk later.’

Following Flora into her house, Sophie breathed heavily under the weight of the parcel.

‘What’s this big surprise?’ Flora asked.

Sophie heaved the box onto the kitchen island. ‘Well, open it and find out,’ she said in a sing-song voice.

Flora’s pale face brightened slightly. She tore into the box and then looked up at Sophie slightly disappointed. ‘What is it?’

‘A home surveillance system.’ Sophie moved over and pointed to the pictures on the back of the box. ‘See, there are eight small cameras that you can put around the house. They’re really discreet so no one will know they are there. It’s the best one available on Amazon.’

‘I don’t understand.’

‘Well, it streams the footage to your phone. This way, we will find out who is coming into the house and get to the bottom of all this.’ Sophie bit her lip and hesitated. ‘There’s one thing I want you to do that you aren’t going to like.’

Flora put the box down and look up at her warily. ‘Why do I not like the sound of that?’

‘I don’t think you should tell Sam about the cameras.’

‘What? Why not?’ asked Flora, incredulous.

‘Let me finish.’