Rebecca pulled her silky gold dressing gown around her as she went to answer the door to the Home Farm kitchen. It was past 11 at night and she was alone in the house. Seb was with his dads and Victoria had Rachel for the night. Joe and Graham were away on a business trip. Who would be knocking at this time?
She left the chain on the door as she opened it, in case it was a strange man. However, it was a woman standing there, blonde and smartly dressed.
"Oh, hello," said Rebecca, confused. "Can I help you?"
She was already thinking it might be one of Graham's lady friends, but the woman smiled and said, "I'm looking for Joseph Tate."
"He's not here," said Rebecca, taking the chain off the door and opening it wider, reassured that it wasn't a total stranger. "He's away for a few nights. Can I help?"
"It's really Joe I need to speak to." The woman's eyes strayed around the kitchen.
"I can take a message," said Rebecca, tightening her dressing gown, feeling strangely self-conscious next to this woman, who was dressed for a boardroom meeting. "Is it something to do with the business?"
"Business? No." The woman gave a little laugh. "It's a personal matter."
There was something in her tone that Rebecca didn't like. "Well, maybe I can still help."
"And you are?" the woman asked imperiously.
"Joe's wife."
The woman's eyes widened. "He didn't tell me he had a wife." She chuckled. "Naughty boy."
"I don't understand." Rebecca looked at the woman more closely. She must be in her fifties, heavily made up, with coiffed hair and deep red lipstick. Surely she wasn't implying... She looked old enough to be Joe's mother. "Who are you?"
"Who's your husband? That's what you should be asking yourself," the woman remarked.
"I don't know what you're talking about," said Rebecca coldly.
"Of course you don't." The woman still sounded amused. "All those business trips... you must have wondered."
"I trust my husband." Rebecca was resisting the temptation to fly at the older woman and scratch her eyes out. "What are you really doing here?"
"I was in the neighbourhood. Thought I'd stop by to see Joe." The woman shrugged. "I didn't realise the little woman would be all alone."
"I'm not alone," Rebecca lied. This woman could be dangerous. "My brother's upstairs."
"Oh? Which bedroom is he in?" the woman asked. "I know my way around this house, especially the master bedroom..."
"Just go," said Rebecca, feeling sick. "Leave now, before I call the police."
"Of course." The woman examined a perfectly manicured fingernail, seemingly unconcerned. "Tell Joe I stopped by, won't you?"
"How can I do that? I don't know your name," Rebecca spat.
"Oh, he'll know." The woman smirked as she finally turned and walked away.
Once the woman was out of sight Rebecca closed the door and double-bolted it. She stumbled over to the kitchen table and slumped into a chair, shaking.