Ash sized up the apartment block from across the street, then looked back down at the property specification.
"A sumptuous two-bedroom flat with amazing views…luxury bathroom…freshly decorated throughout…private parking."
He got back in the car and drove the five minutes to the estate agent's office, where he paid a month's rent in advance, plus deposit, and collected the keys. Unbidden, a satisfied grin turned up the corners of his mouth till his eyes crinkled. Ash pressed a couple of buttons on the dash-mounted phone, and when Stacie answered, he said, "I've got the keys, so pack your bags, girl!" An excited squeal told him all he needed to know.
**********
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Stacie immediately bent down and helped the surprised woman retrieve the contents of her bags.
"That's all right, I should be more careful of where I'm going!" was the amused reply. Anthea Nugent looked closely at Stacie, her head to one side. "Do I know you?"
"I don't think so," answered Stacie, still busy repacking the Waitrose bags. "I've just moved in round the corner – well, we've just moved in, I should say…" She indicated the apartments down the street.
"Oh, very nice! I believe they've been recently renovated."
"It's certainly a lovely flat," agreed Stacie. "We're settling in rather well." As if the thought had just occurred to her, she added, "Why don't you come round for dinner one evening?"
The woman hesitated, then seemed to throw caution to the winds. "Why not? That would be very nice, I feel like I hardly ever meet new people round here, although I've lived in this area most of my life."
Stacie made a mental note of the first lie, and used it. "Really? Well, Jack and I must pick your brains about the neighbourhood when you come round…oh, sorry, how rude of me – I'm Samantha McCoy." Stacie extended her hand and Nugent took it in a firm handshake.
"Anthea Nugent. Very nice to meet you."
"I'll let you get on," said Stacie. "And I'd better finish my run, or I'll be late back – that'll never do!" She waved as she jogged off towards the park, and Anthea looked thoughtfully at the receding figure, then turned and walked up the drive to her front door.
**********
"Come in, come in!" Stacie stepped aside to allow Anthea to enter the apartment, then showed her through to the living room.
"What superb taste you have!" exclaimed the guest, looking at the carefully-chosen prints on the wall.
"What can I get you to drink?" smarmed Ash, who had appeared suddenly and placed himself quite close to Anthea. She jumped back, a little startled by the man at her side sporting a crew cut and a gold tooth.
"Anthea, this is my husband Jack."
"Delighted." Ash made a little inclination of his head and shook hands.
"I was just saying to Samantha what excellent taste you both have in art."
"Oh, that old crap. I just let her put what she wants on the walls, don't bother with it myself. Would you like some wine, sweetheart, or something a little stronger?"
"Actually, I very rarely touch alcohol. Do you have any soft drinks?" replied Anthea.
This idea seemed to cause "Jack" some culture shock, but Stacie stepped into the breach and smoothed things over.
"Would you like orange juice, or a Coke, Anthea? Or perhaps a mineral water?"
"Orange juice, please, with some ice if you have it."
"No problem. I'll get that." Stacie motioned for Ash to sit down, and went through to the kitchen.
"Sooo, Anthea, what line of work are you in? Bet it pays well, whatever it is, that's some gaff you've got there." Ash sniffed loudly and took a long chug at his beer.
"I inherited the house from my father. I was brought up here, you know, then moved out when I went to university. It was only a few years ago that Daddy passed away and I came back to live here. Oh, thank you, Samantha."
Stacie handed round the drinks and said, "Well, I think I'd like to propose this first toast in our new home: to new beginnings, and new friends!"
Ash and Anthea joined in with gusto, and the trio moved through to the dining room where the rest of the evening passed pleasantly enough, despite Ash's deliberate wide-boy persona.
**********
"How was your dinner party, my dear?" Albert asked with concern. "Everything going according to plan, I hope?"
"Absolutely," replied Stacie, as she tried to catch the attention of a waiter. "I'm her new best friend, and she thinks that Ash is an oaf. What's the news from Apex Towers?"
"Ah, Mickey reports that he's been kept on for a month's paid trial, after an extremely successful first day there."
"Has he been able to find anything we could use?" Stacie was still having no luck in attracting the services of the waiting staff.
"He thinks so. He's made copies of all the documents he's seen so far that might be relevant, and I've got them here for you." Albert handed over a green document pocket.
"For goodness' sake!" exclaimed a frustrated Stacie as a third waiter totally ignored her hand signals. "Sorry, Albie, but the service in this place is dreadful. Thank Mickey for getting these for me." She leaned down to slide the wallet into the bag resting on the floor beside her.
"Is everything all right at the apartment?" Albert asked, sounding anxious. "Things aren't too awkward with you and Ash?"
"Awkward? Why on earth would things be awkward? Ah, finally!" A waiter stood by their table. "We'd like the bill, please." Stacie looked pointedly at her watch and added, "Quickly, if you don't mind." Turning back to Albert, she said, "I really need to get back to take over from Ash. He's going a little stir crazy, I think."
"That's exactly the kind of thing I was talking about," Albert said firmly.
"Oh, he'll be fine," countered Stacie. She clicked her tongue in annoyance at the lack of speed with which the waiter was returning to their table. "Thank you, here you are," she said, placing the money in the folder and handing it straight back. "And now…" – she stood up and bent over to kiss Albert – "…I'll be off. Stay in touch!" With that, Stacie left the restaurant and a very bemused Albert in her wake.
**********
"All set, Stace?"
"Yep, how do I look?" Stacie executed a little twirl.
"Triffic. Very convincing." Ash grinned, gave her a peck on the cheek, and opened the front door. "Five-fifty – she should be home any minute. See you!" He made his way downstairs to the residents' car park, got behind the wheel, and waited. A moment later, Anthea Nugent's Audi swept past, and Ash put his car into gear and followed her. He pulled up behind her at the end of the street where she was indicating to turn right, and leaned hard on the horn. He could see the shocked and angry face looking back at him in her rear view mirror.
"Ah, get on with it!" he mouthed, gesticulating out of his window and sounding the horn again. Nugent's car turned right, and right again into her driveway, where she jumped out and stormed to the kerbside as Ash roared past in his top-of-the-range BMW coupé.
"Honestly, what a cretin!" she muttered to herself. Five minutes later, she was pouring herself a cup of tea when the doorbell rang. On answering it, she was appalled to see a distraught Stacie.
"Samantha! What on earth's happened? Come in!" The tea was immediately set down on the hall table, and Anthea solicitously guided Stacie onto the sofa in her front room. Offering her a box of tissues, she sat beside her and said, "Tell me what's wrong."
Hiccupping and tearful, Stacie said, "I don't know if I can," and blew her nose several times.
"Nonsense, of course you can. Is it your family? Is someone unwell?"
Stacie shook her head. "No, it's Jack." Another blow into the hanky.
"Jack?" Anthea repeated, puzzled. Then light dawned. "Has he hit you?" Stacie looked up, seeming unsure if she should trust this woman. "You can tell me, I can help you."
"No-one can help me," sobbed Stacie. "He'll kill me if I tell anyone."
"He will not!" replied Anthea most emphatically. "Has he gone out?" Then, remembering what had occurred earlier, she said, "I saw him driving away. Has he left for good?"
"I don't think so. He hasn't taken anything with him." She looked up with a doleful face that would have made anyone's heart break. "Oh, Anthea, what am I going to do? I love him so much, and I'd forgive him in an instant. He just gets so angry. He's very jealous." She dabbed at her eyes and nose.
"Jealous? What on earth is there to be jealous of?" asked Anthea in astonishment.
"He's convinced I'm seeing other men behind his back. You see, I work in marketing and deal with clients all day, meet them for lunch, and most of them are men - and he thinks I've been unfaithful to him."
"What rubbish. Anyone can see you're devoted to him. He must be terribly insecure. But that's absolutely no excuse for what he's done to you. Is this the first time this has happened?" Stacie was silent. "It isn't, is it? The bastard. You must pack all your things up tonight, before he comes home, and go and stay with your family or a friend. I'll take you in my car." Anthea stood up, action decided upon.
Stacie turned away, still sitting hunched on the settee. "I don't have anyone else," she whispered.
With only a moment's hesitation, Anthea said, "Then you must come here. Jack need never know. Why would he suspect you'd only moved round the corner? Leave him a note saying you've gone abroad, or something like that, and he won't think for a minute that you're here. Come on now, let's get going." She hoisted Stacie up by the arm and practically marched her back round to the flat, where she supervised the packing of a couple of bags of essentials.
A little over an hour later, with Stacie safely ensconced upstairs in Anthea's guest room, the bell rang once more, and the door opened to reveal Ash standing there, looking as if butter wouldn't melt in his mouth.
Anthea seized the opportunity to put him on the back foot. "Jack, the very man. What on earth were you sounding your horn at me for? Were my brake lights not working or something?" she demanded haughtily.
"Brake lights?" Ash frowned. "Oh…no…listen, Anthea, never mind that. Have you seen my Sam anywhere? Has she been round here tonight?"
"Sam?" Anthea looked even more disapproving and incredulous. "Why on earth would she come here?"
Ash appeared somewhat discomfited. "Well, when I got home tonight she'd taken some clothes and stuff. There was a note saying she'd gone away for a few days, and I just wondered…well, if she'd said anything to you about where she might be headed."
Anthea raised a schoolmarmish eyebrow. "I still don't see why you think she would have come here, or told me her plans. I barely know you both." She stared Ash down frostily. "Was there anything else?"
"Er…no. But," as the door started to close, "if you see or hear from her…"
"You'll be the first to know," Anthea said scathingly, and slammed the door in his face. The porch light went out, and she had no idea that Ash looked like the cat who'd got the cream.