‘I don’t care what has or has not been signed.’ I keep my voice low; I don’t want Suzanne overhearing. I’ve taken a long time to gain her trust and been all nicey-nicey. I don’t want her to hear me being aggressive now. Only Carl need know how serious I am. His face has turned almost puce. It’s good to know that even at my age, I can reduce a grown man to this. ‘Shall we talk in private, Carl?’ I smile.

Carl does not return the gesture. I’m not sure if I should feel sorry for him for what’s coming. Bless him. He’s not going to know what’s hit him. But I’m confident that after our chat, we’ll both be on the same page; we can be of help to each other. Quid pro quo.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Amber

I duck inside the closest shopfront as I see her. A rush of blood goes to my head, then plummets downwards so quickly I think I might faint.

What the hell?

I gather myself, and peek around the corner of the wall to make sure I wasn’t seeing things.

I wasn’t. It’s definitely her.

Barb has just walked out of Move Horizon’s office. From this distance I can’t be sure, but it looks like she’s smiling – in fact, I’d say she has a smugness about her that could only mean one thing. She is definitely the one trying to sabotage my chances of selling the house.

How bloody dare she? I have to control my urge to march right over to her and demand to know what she’s been doing and why she was in the estate agent’s. I’d come off worse, though. She’d undoubtedly have an answer all prepared that makes me out to be unreasonable. I can see the scenario play out in my head. Can hear what she would tell Nick afterwards: “Amber was so aggressive towards me today, Nick. Flinging hurtful accusations at me in the middle of the street, shrieking like a fishwife.” No. I have to wait. This is the type of evidence Davina was referring to earlier. Gather the intel, then, when I’m sure it’s her, go in for the kill. So to speak. I surreptitiously raise my mobile and take a photo of her. I know it’s not showing her coming out of the estate agent’s now – but it does place her in the vicinity. I’ve at least proof she was in town at this time, so, she can’t deny that.