Chapter 2

Lauren stayed in her office for more than an hour, she kept the door locked and ignored her phone. She could not stop her tears. Jo had rang her mobile and left voicemails on six occasions now she had given up the voicemails but had rung and rung her. Lauren rang her friend Sara, The phone was answered immediatly,"Sara."

"Hi Lauren how are you?"

"Sara can I come over I need to talk to someone?"

Sara was immedietly worried about her friend, "of course hun, what's wrong?"

"I expalin when I get there."

Sara knew about Sadie, she could be trusted never to tell Jo, she and Lauren had grown up together in Edinburgh, gone to uni in Glasgow a year apart, shared a student house and a flat then Sara met Harvey an American business man and married him and moved to the States. Lauren was sad to see her friend leave but happy she had found a man she loved. Three years back Sara had turned up at Lauren and Jo's home almost destitute. Her husband had died and had never changed his will, everything had been left to his children from his first marriage. Sara had the clothes she stood up in and a small suitcase and that was all. Lauren had helped her find work and she had eventually been promoted got a flat and sorted herself out. She had not forgotten her best friends help and support and vowed never to reveal the secret Lauren had told her. She had however voiced her concerns if Jo found out.

"Has Jo found out about you and Sadie?"

"No, like I said I'll explain when I get there."

Lauren left her office and walked through the main office, she spoke to Su Chee her deputy editor.

"Hold the fort Su I can't stay in the office today, I have to take the rest of the day off."

"Ok, are you ok Lauren?"

"Fine," see you tomorrow.

Lauren took a taxi over to Sara's she couldn't trust herself to drive. Sara opened the door and Lauren fell into her arms, sobs wracking her body, "Lauren what is it?" Sara held her close.

"Jo's been having an affair, I caught her in her office giving Heidi Riche a good shagging on the desk."

"No," Sara was speeshless, she was certain Lauren would say Jo had found out about her and Sadie.

"I walked in on them, I told Sadie last night we were finished I have a wife I love and then this morning she's shagging that Heidi, you know the one, has that huge house over in Largs I think it is, owns three or four galleries in England.

"The one who's father trains race horses, he lives in England somewhere, stunning looking girl with the personality of a cold rice pudding?" Sara remembered her from a few exhibitions Jo had put on, "What the Fuck does Jo see in her?"

"I don't know Sara, I just don't know what is going on."

Lauren's tears had stemmed and she nursed a glass of Red wine. "Can I stay with you tonight Sara?" Lauren felt bad asking her she hated to put anyone out.

"Of course you can hun,the spare room is always ready."

"I need to get some stuff from home, could you come with me?" Lauren looked into her glass.

"Lauren I would have offered you didn't need to ask."

Lauren opened the front door, Jo came out of the study "Lauren, where have you been, I've been so worried about you, I can explain, please let me." Jo stood barring Lauren's way.

"Move out of my way Jo I can't cope with this now,"Lauren pushed past her and up the stairs, Jo turned to Sara, "Tell her I love her,"

"You tell her Jo, she is raw at the moment and I don't know she will ever get over this but if she does then you owe her a full and honest eplanation.

Lauren came back down the stairs she walked out of the door and to the waiting taxi without a backwards glance. Sara followed her.

Heidi Riche watched the taxi drive away, she rang the bell Jo answered the door, "Heidi," Jo reached out and pulled her in through the door.

"I see she came to the house," Heidi pulled Jo into her arms and kissed her in no time they were naked on the couch, Jo's orgasm wiped out any last thought of Lauren.

"She told me she loves you, I told her to tell you herself, you know I never liked Jo I never made any bones about that." Sara pulled Lauren into her arms, you can stay here as long as you like, I owe you that Lauren, you have always been there for me.

Lauren hugged her back, "Thanks Sara, so much."

"I'll make us a coffee,"Sara moved to the kitchen, "you know where the spare room is make yourself at home.

"Look Lauren I don't want to be devils advercate but I need to say this to you, how is Jo and Heidi different to you and Sadie?" Sar and Lauren sat in the sitting room in the comfortable warmth.

"I knew Jo had had a fling with Heidi a 10 years ago, before we married, we had been together just over three years then, she swore she had finished it and we married, about a year ago she was goingaway alot to places I thought a bit out of the way but thought nothing of it. I couldn't always get her on her mobile, sometimes for the whole time she was away. I put it down to bing in the highlands. Then today I find her shagging Heidi in her office. I put two and two together, it was what she was doing last time. goingaway to obscure places and not having a signal or so she said." Lauren looked exhausted.

"And Sadie?"

"A dalience, she seduced me and our sex life was down the toilet too, Jo and I hadn't had sex for more than three months, after Jason Wharton's party was the last time." Lauren sipped her coffee looked thoughtful, "I should have suspected, Sadie was fun to she was free and lived free, she didn't care what anyone thought or said, and she said she fucked for fun, suited me I just needed someone to give me some fun and good sex and Sadie did that alright. Problem is nowshe says she's in love with me."

"Do you like her Lauren?" Sara stared intently at her friend, " I think I was beginning to but I thought she was truble, she didsomethingso stupid it caused a great embarrasment to me I told her to get out of my life. She was there this morning, shetold me this morning she loved me wanted to be my friend if she couldn't have me."

"How do you feel about it?"

"I said no I couldn't do it i didn't want her to be around me."

"How about something a little stronger than coffee?" Sara opened a cupboard and pulled out a large bottle of Hennessy's, she poured two glasses and handed one to Lauren, she took a large mouthful feeling the liquid burn the inside of her mouth, she swallowed appreciatvley the warmth reaching her inside. They sat there in the gathering gloom of the day sipping brandy and talking about the past and their lives after Sara had gone to America.

The next morning Sara had gone to work when Lauren woke, she had consumed a lot more of the brandy and was feeling hung over, she found a note from Sara.

"Help yourself to the cupboards, see you later Sara x"

Lauren found musili, some nice granery bread and coffee, she also found paracetamol for her head. At 11.30 there was a knock at the door, she looked out of he bay window of the front room to see two police officers. She opened the door fearing bad news, "Lauren McClintock? Lauren nodded, "PC Walker and WPC Taggart, can we come in Miss McClintock?" Lauren stood aside and let them in she looked worried they went to the sitting room, "have a seat."

"How well do you know a Miss Sadie Anderson and a Janice Martin?" The police officer had his notebook and pen in his hand.

"I know Sadie Anderson fairly well she works for me as a freelance writer and works for my wi... my... works in The Gallery in the city centre, I've never heard of the other woman."

"Would that be Miss Joanne Carter's gallery?"

"Yes, what's this about?" Lauren looked from one officer to the other.

"The Gallery was broken into last night and quite alot of damage was caused, Janice Martin claims you put her and Sadie Anderson up to it in revenge for you partner Miss Carter's affair,"

The look of complete shock on Lauren's face said either she was completely innocent or she was shocked to be found out. "I haven't spoken to or seen Sadie Anderson since yesterday morning at my office, I left in a taxi at about 12.45ish and came here to the flat, later on I went home to colllect some things and came back here I was here all night. I know nothing about the break in at all."

"Sadie Anderson can't remember anything about last night after about 6pm, Janice Martin was arrested in the early hours of this morning at Sadie Anderson's home causing an affray in the street"

"What about Sadie?"

"She confirms she left you at the office at around 11.30 yesterday morning you told her to go and said nothing to her about revenge on your partner."

"Janice Marin says you text Sadie asking her to getrevenge on Miss Carter, Miss Anderson has no text on her phone can we see your phone please?" Lauren gave the officer the phone.

"Thank you Miss McClintock," The office scrolled through her texts, thankfully she had erased all of Sadie's texts incase Jo had found them. "Nothing here to Miss Anderson.

"Can anyone confirm you movements for last night?"

"My friend who lives here, Sara Benedict we were her all night drinking Brandy, I had just found out about my partners affair and she was helping me drown my sorrows."

The police officers asked some more questions and then left.

Lauren wondered back into the sitting room, had Sadie really trashed The Gallery, Her mind raced, should she call Sadie to see waht she had to say.

She plumped back onto the couch and stared into space, "Can I really forget Sadie Anderson?"