Every Time We Say Goodbye (22 page)

‘Hello?’

‘Helen? Brenda Flynn here. I hope I haven’t got you at a bad time?’

‘Not at all, Brenda.’

‘Oh, good. I wondered if you could help me.’

‘I’ll try.’

‘Well, I have been having problems with my florist; not only is it an expensive outfit, but they’re unreliable, too.’

‘That’s not on, especially with business as it is at the moment,’ Helen commiserated.

‘It can be disastrous,’ Brenda assured her. ‘I couldn’t help but notice the arrangement on the head table that one of your guests brought; I thought it was very fresh and original.’

Helen lowered her cup, delighted. ‘Yes, I thought so too.’

‘I don’t suppose you could find out who supplied it, could you? I did look for a card but it must have fallen off.’

‘Are you interested in using them instead of your current florist?’ Helen pressed.

‘To be honest, I think I’ll use a couple of florists from now on but, yes, if the price is right, I am definitely interested.’

‘Okay, leave it with me, Brenda, and I’ll do some detective work.’

‘I don’t know what to say.’ Dot sat staring at Helen.

‘Say yes!’ Helen exclaimed.

Doubt crossed Dot’s face. ‘But I’ve only ever done a few classes organized by the ladies’ association.’

‘Does it matter? You’re a natural; that’s what counts.’

‘There’s not much talent involved in sticking a few flowers in an oasis; Andrew could do that.’

‘Anyone could do it but not everyone could do it well,’ Helen corrected. ‘My caterer, Brenda, has been in the business a long time and she was really impressed with your arrangement. Even if you only ever worked for her, you’d make a nice few bob.’

‘That’s a gas,’ Dot chuckled. ‘Imagine getting paid for arranging some flowers?’

‘It would be a lot more than that,’ Helen warned. ‘Brenda runs a very successful business, one of the few that’s weathered the storm in the catering industry; you’d probably need to hire help.’

Dot looked alarmed. ‘Hire someone? Oh, I don’t know, Helen—’

‘No, you’re right, I’m exaggerating,’ Helen said quickly, realizing she was going way too fast. But she felt excited by the idea of this venture; her gut told her it couldn’t fail and her gut rarely let her down. ‘You can always say that you only ever take on small, select jobs and only the best flowers go into each arrangement.’

Dot threw back her head and laughed. ‘Sure, your one was just a few flowers from the garden.’

‘But it was stunning. And, who planted the bulbs and tended the flowers as they grew and how much time and energy went into it?’

‘But I can’t use garden flowers for professional bouquets.’

‘No, of course not; you’ll have to get Marianne to go to the market for them.’

Dot stopped laughing and adopted a serious expression. ‘I suppose it would bring in some extra cash.’

‘It would and you could do it from home and still be able to look after the children; it’s the perfect job for you.’

Dot smiled, her eyes twinkling with excitement. ‘Well, when you put it like that, I suppose there’s no harm in giving it a go.’

‘I’ll call Brenda and set up a meeting,’ Helen said, delighted.

‘Not here; the place is a mess,’ Dot gestured at the chaos.

‘No, we’ll go to her.’

‘Won’t she be put off that I don’t have my own shop?’

‘I doubt it. She started her catering business from her own kitchen, Dot, so she knows what it’s like to be a small trader starting out. If anything it may be a bonus; without the overheads that come with a premises, you will be cheaper.’

‘There’s another thing: how on earth do I figure out what to charge?’

Helen thought about it. ‘Good question. I suppose we need to check out what other florists around the city are charging and then decide on a price that’s competitive but will be worth the trouble.’ Helen saw doubt in Dot’s face. ‘Don’t worry about it, Dot. Marianne and I can help with all that and once it’s done, then all you have to do is arrange flowers.’

‘Now
that
I can do,’ Dot beamed. ‘Lord, who’d have thought it would be so easy to get a job at my age?’

‘You haven’t got it yet,’ Helen cautioned.

‘No, you’re right; I shouldn’t be counting my chickens before they’re hatched.’

‘But I’m sure she’ll give you a trial run at least; she really loved your arrangement.’ Helen frowned. ‘Now, if we could only find Marianne a job. I wonder – did she contact the recruitment companies I told her about? Apart from the cash I think she could really do with the distraction.’

‘She’s gone off to see a consultant this morning,’ Dot told her.

‘No, she’s . . .’ Helen stopped, suddenly remembering that Dot didn’t know where Marianne and Johnny had gone this morning or who they were meeting.

‘What?’ Dot looked at her.

‘I thought she was checking out some sort of training course today but maybe I’m wrong.’ Helen glanced at her watch. ‘I’d better get going.’

Dot walked her out and gave her a warm hug. ‘Thanks so much, love.’

‘For nothing; all I did was pass on a message.’

‘Get away out of that! No wonder Johnny is such a success with you to back him up; you’re a great woman!’

Helen smiled. ‘I really hope this works out; it’s about time you had some good luck.’

‘I won’t argue with you there, love.’

Johnny had offered to pick Marianne up but as she was meeting Rob afterwards she said she’d take the car.

‘I’ll meet you at the Lansdowne and we can go and meet the enemy together,’ he’d joked. But Marianne was glad he’d suggested it; the idea of walking in and meeting her alone made her feel sick. Come to think of it, how was she going to recognize her? And she didn’t even have a name. She, on the other hand, would know what Marianne looked like from the photos on Dominic’s phone. Suddenly she felt angry. She didn’t care if Dominic had been having an affair but it was abhorrent to think of his mistress looking at their family photos.

When she drove into the packed hotel car park, Johnny was already parked. He immediately vacated his spot so that she could take it.

‘Morning,’ she smiled as she sat in beside him.

‘Hello, sweetheart, how are you?’

‘Scared stiff.’ She fastened her seat belt and hung on to the sides of the seat as he swung the car out into traffic.

‘And what have you to be scared of? She’s the one who’s in the wrong. I hope she’s shaking in her shoes.’

‘We don’t know it’s a she and it may not be someone who knows Dominic; it could be a thief.’

Johnny nodded. ‘Ah, yeah, right; thieves always love to come and meet their victims.’

‘Okay, okay, so it’s someone who knew Dominic and, yes, it’s a woman.’

Johnny patted her knee. ‘Don’t worry, love, it will be fine.’

Marianne sighed. She had become too dependent on Johnny these last few weeks; she’d have to make a conscious effort in the future not to pick up the phone at the drop of a hat and ask his advice.

The lights changed and Johnny turned right. ‘I still think you should tell Dot the truth.’

‘I can’t, not now. Perhaps when we have a better idea of what Dominic was up to.’

‘But if Dominic had lived he would have been dismissed and probably prosecuted. And not only would all of the details have come out about the drugs and the girlfriend, it would have been in the newspapers too and impossible to protect Dot or the kids from the truth.’

‘I know, and if I have to tell her, I will. Right now I just want to get through this meeting.’

Johnny parked the car, switched off the engine and smiled at her. ‘You’re the boss. Come on, let’s go and find out exactly what we’re dealing with.’

As they walked into the lounge area, Marianne’s eyes darted around the room but there was no one there who fit her impression of a two-bit thief or a mistress.

‘Did you arrange where to meet? Did she tell you what she looks like?’ Johnny said, looking around.

‘No, but she’ll know what I look like from the photos on Dominic’s phone.’

‘Fair enough. Now, tea or coffee?’

‘Coffee, please.’

Johnny led the way to the bar and Marianne perched on the edge of a stool as he ordered. Her stomach was in a knot and she reached into her bag for an indigestion tablet but had none – typical. She’d expected the woman to be here first, waiting nervously, not keeping her waiting; bloody cheek.

‘Marianne?’ She looked around as a woman in a smart black suit approached.

‘Yes?

‘My name is Barbara West. Dominic’s . . . friend.’ The woman offered her hand. Marianne took it, at a loss for words.

Johnny immediately stepped forward to shake hands. ‘Johnny Sheridan, I’m a friend of Marianne’s.’

‘Pleased to meet you,’ Barbara said, her voice quiet and polite with little trace of an accent.

‘Can I get you some coffee?’

How civilized we’re being, thought Marianne; how ludicrous this all was.

‘I already have tea, thank you.’ She pointed to a table in the corner. ‘I was working while I waited for you.’

As they talked, Marianne studied Barbara. She was attractive and stylish and she wouldn’t have looked out of place in a courtroom representing the accused. Her black hair was pulled back into a severe chignon that emphasized her high cheekbones, she had a long, straight nose and sharp, dark eyes and she wasn’t wearing a scrap of make-up nor any jewellery. Marianne guessed from the telltale wrinkles around her eyes that she was closer to forty than thirty, but she looked good on it. She was the complete opposite to what Marianne had expected. As they followed her back to her table on which sat a sleek laptop, Marianne noticed that Barbara’s knee-length skirt and sensible heels didn’t disguise a lovely pair of legs. It was strange that she could feel so detached when she was faced with Dominic’s mistress but she didn’t feel the slightest twinge of jealousy, nor did she harbour regrets. If anything, she was confused as to why a woman like this would have anything to do with her husband.

Marianne looked over at Johnny, willing him to kick off the conversation. He caught her look and obliged.

‘Barbara, it’s hard to know where to begin. Perhaps you could start by telling us how you knew Dominic and what you’re doing with his phone.’

‘Excuse me?’ Barbara’s eyes narrowed.

Marianne bridled. ‘I think they are quite straightforward questions.’

‘Look, I didn’t have to agree to meet you; I did it for Dominic’s sake and, I suppose, because I was curious to meet you myself, but if you’re going to be like this—’

‘Now, just hold on one minute—’ Marianne countered, angrily.

‘Ladies, let’s stay calm. Barbara, I think you need to remember that while you had some sort of relationship with Dominic, you knew that he was a married man and a father, whereas this is the first Marianne’s heard of you.’

‘What are you talking about?’ Barbara looked at him in disbelief. ‘This woman has been making my life miserable for more than a year.’

Marianne stared at her. ‘How on earth have I been doing that? I never even knew you existed.’

Barbara folded her arms across her chest. ‘That’s a lie.’

‘It isn’t,’ Johnny assured her. He glanced at Marianne. ‘Somehow I get the impression that you’re not the only person Dominic was lying to.’

Marianne studied Barbara carefully; she seemed upset. ‘This is all very strange.’

The woman managed a brief nod and met Marianne’s eyes. ‘You really didn’t know about me?’

Marianne held her gaze. ‘Not until you sent that text.’

Barbara shook her head, bewildered. ‘I don’t understand that. Dominic and I were in love. He said he’d told you all about us and asked you for a divorce but that you refused. He said the house was in your name and you wouldn’t sell it and give him his share, and that you threatened to tell Matthews and Baldwin that he took drugs.’

‘This is laughable,’ Johnny said, incredulous.

‘It’s all lies,’Marianne said. ‘Dominic never mentioned your name. I had no idea he was having an affair. Our house is in both names and, while we weren’t exactly happy, we never discussed divorce.’

‘So he lied to me,’ Barbara said looking stunned.

‘It seems that way,’ Johnny replied, his voice compassionate. ‘I’m sorry.’

Marianne never expected to feel sympathy for this woman but it was hard not to; she was obviously upset. ‘How did you meet him?’ she asked.

‘We used to work together a long time ago.’

‘We’ve met before,’ Marianne said. She’d thought there was something familiar about the woman.

‘Yes, a couple of times at company functions,’ Barbara admitted. ‘But there was nothing going on then. I left Matthews and Baldwin five years ago to take a job in London but my mother got sick and I came home two years ago to look after her. There were no vacancies at Matthews and Baldwin but Dominic put in a good word for me with another firm and I got a great job as a result. We started to meet up after that and as time went on, we became closer.’ Barbara glanced at Johnny and then back at Marianne. ‘He told me that the marriage was over but you said if he left that he’d never see the children again.’

‘The bastard, as if Marianne would ever do something like that.’ Johnny shook his head in disgust.

‘I can’t believe he lied to me,’ Barbara said, almost to herself.

‘You knew he was on drugs,’ Johnny said.

Barbara’s expression grew more guarded and she looked away from him. ‘I knew he dabbled; so did I, occasionally. It’s the job. The pressure is intense but so is the buzz when it’s going well. When it’s not . . .’ She shrugged. ‘I realized that he was probably taking more than he should. He denied it, said he was fine, that he was just having a rough time at home and that once he was separated, everything would be okay. But he said he couldn’t talk sense into you. We decided that our only chance of a future was to leave Ireland.’

‘This is unbelievable,’ Marianne murmured. It made no sense. None of it. Dominic must have known she’d have been happy to be free of him and that she would have made sure that he had access to the children. It sounded like he’d just strung Barbara along and made promises he’d never intended to keep. For what? Sex?

‘I felt very sorry for him. You had the house and his children whereas he had nothing. He was broken-hearted at the thought of leaving Kate and Andrew but he said it was better than them witnessing the constant arguments between you.’