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Back The Marriage Trap: A completely addictive psychological thriller Save as PDF
Chapters (60)
  1. Cover
  2. Books by Sheryl Browne
  3. Dedication
  4. KARLA
  5. One
  6. Two
  7. Three
  8. Four
  9. Five
  10. Six
  11. Seven
  12. Eight
  13. Nine
  14. Ten
  15. Eleven
  16. Twelve
  17. Thirteen
  18. Fourteen
  19. Fifteen
  20. Sixteen
  21. Seventeen
  22. Eighteen
  23. Nineteen
  24. Twenty
  25. Twenty-One
  26. Twenty-Two
  27. Twenty-Three
  28. Twenty-Four
  29. Twenty-Five
  30. Twenty-Six
  31. Twenty-Seven
  32. Twenty-Eight
  33. Twenty-Nine
  34. Thirty
  35. Thirty-One
  36. Thirty-Two
  37. Thirty-Three
  38. Thirty-Four
  39. Thirty-Five
  40. Thirty-Six
  41. Thirty-Seven
  42. Thirty-Eight
  43. Thirty-Nine
  44. Forty
  45. Forty-One
  46. Forty-Two
  47. Forty-Three
  48. Forty-Four
  49. Forty-Five
  50. Forty-Six
  51. Forty-Seven
  52. Forty-Eight
  53. Epilogue
  54. The Affair
  55. Hear more from Sheryl
  56. Books by Sheryl Browne
  57. A Letter from Sheryl
  58. The Babysitter
  59. The Second Wife
  60. Acknowledgements

Back in my office, I manage to reschedule the community services rota, which is miraculous but essential, with a young single mum who has a boy with severe physical disability relying on us for assistance. Well into my lunchtime, I’m actually thinking about having some lunch when my mobile rings. My dad, I realise, noting his number. Strange that he would call now, when he’s seeing Jason in half an hour.

‘Hi, Dad,’ I say, curious.

‘Karla. I imagine you’ll be busy, and I’m in a meeting myself, so I won’t keep you,’ Dad says with his usual officiousness. ‘I was wondering, have you checked his laptop?’

‘Sorry?’ I furrow my brow.

‘I thought I’d mention it. It’s just that, after our conversation on Saturday about the – shall we say – undesirable content on Jason’s phone, and then my almost falling over his computer in your hall, it occurred to me that you should check it.’

It wasn’t ‘our’ conversation, I think, peeved already with his interference. It was a private conversation with Mum which he eavesdropped on. I would never have dreamed of confiding in Mum if I’d thought there was the slightest danger of my father overhearing. And hang on a minute. What does he mean, ‘check it’? Does Dad think he damaged the laptop?

But I know what he means. The implication lands like a cold stone in my chest.

Thirteen

JASON

Fenton’s receptionist, Abbie – whom Jason had met once before, and whom he’d gathered didn’t rate her boss highly, unsurprisingly – smiled apologetically when he arrived at Fenton’s premises. ‘He’s in a sales meeting,’ she said, nodding towards the glass-sided conference room.

‘Right.’ Jason sighed, immediately irked, since he’d made sure to be there bang on time, as instructed.

‘He shouldn’t be too long. Why don’t I grab you a coffee, while you wait?’ she suggested, nodding him towards the waiting area.

‘No, I’m good, thanks, Abbie.’ Hiding his agitation, which he would have to do if he was going to get through this, Jason smiled back and took a seat. He had no doubt that Fenton was going to keep him waiting, indicating the shape of things to come.

After several minutes, Fenton acknowledged him with the briefest glance and then carried on pontificating, pointing at his whiteboard, his gestures animated, demonstrating what a great businessman he was.