BooksBarbecue
Back Again, Rachel
Chapters (98)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Epigraph
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
  53. 50
  54. 51
  55. 52
  56. 53
  57. 54
  58. 55
  59. 56
  60. 57
  61. 58
  62. 59
  63. 60
  64. 61
  65. 62
  66. 63
  67. 64
  68. 65
  69. 66
  70. 67
  71. 68
  72. 69
  73. 70
  74. 71
  75. 72
  76. 73
  77. 74
  78. 75
  79. 76
  80. 77
  81. 78
  82. 79
  83. 80
  84. 81
  85. 82
  86. 83
  87. 84
  88. 85
  89. 86
  90. 87
  91. 88
  92. 89
  93. 90
  94. 91
  95. 92
  96. 93
  97. 94
  98. Acknowledgements

What Ella did next would be very interesting. If she played along with Roxy, it was a bad sign.

Happily, though, she reacted. ‘Excuse me, Roxy? You’re what? An alcoholic? And addicted to weed? No judgement, but who are you to think you know me? I shouldn’t even be here.’

Roxy laughed and several of the others gave knowing smirks.

‘I shouldn’t,’ Ella insisted. ‘No offence, you all seem cool—’

There was another exchange of glances.

‘Yeah.’ Ella was snippy. ‘Whatever.’

‘Ella,’ I said. ‘Can you tell us about the three cards of sleeping tablets which Priya found sewn under the lining of your handbag the morning you arrived?’

The blood drained from her face. Even her lips were white. She cleared her throat. ‘But why didn’t you—’

I hadn’t mentioned it until now, so she’d decided I didn’t know. But we all knew everything.

‘If you’re not an addict, Ella, why would you need to smuggle in sleeping pills?’

‘…I was…afraid I wouldn’t sleep in here. That’s all.’ She stumbled through her explanation. ‘It’s hard at the best of times since I was attacked. I thought it would be even tougher in a strange bed.’

‘How have you managed these past four nights?’ I asked.

‘Oh. Okay, I suppose.’

‘According to Moze and Hector, you’ve been sleeping fine.’

‘Were they spying on me?’

‘Yes.’

‘Seriously?’

‘Yes. You’re in rehab. That’s how it works.’

Momentarily, she looked confused, lost even, then she turned away.

*

A text had arrived from Claire. Call me. URGENTLY.

What now?

With shaky hands, I hit her number and she answered immediately.

‘Kate?’ she gasped. ‘Luke’s nephew?’

‘Yes…’

‘What’s he like? Nice? Kind? As sexy as Luke?’

Jesus Christ.

‘Is it too soon to invite him for dinner?’

‘Yes, Claire, yes.’

‘I’ll get some dates from them. Would you like to come?’

‘…No. Thank you.’

‘You don’t? Okay, grand. Does he eat shellfish?’

‘Bye, Claire.’

23

‘Hi.’ Quin, wearing an apron and a tea towel slung over his shoulder, gave me a distracted kiss. ‘You haven’t seen the tahini?’

I hadn’t seen the tahini and I planned to keep it that way. I enjoyed cooking but Quin was making one of his needlessly complicated dinners and only a fool would get involved.

I had to tell him about Luke’s visit and phone calls, but now wasn’t the time, not when Quin was charring aubergines and generally stressing about making a dinner elaborate enough to impress his ex-wife.