Free Killer Plan by Leigh Russell Page B

he returned to the kitchen, put a couple of slices of bread in the toaster and took some cheese from the fridge. He wasn’t aware his wife had come in until she spoke.
    ‘You eat like an animal. Can’t you use a knife and fork?’
    He laughed bitterly. ‘You want me to eat toast with a fork? Is there a clean fork in the place?’ He looked at her in unbearable irritation. ‘Jesus, just look at the state of you. You must be freezing. Go and get yourself dry, for Christ’s sake. Why didn’t you wear a coat? You’re worse than a child.’
    Smoothing down her drenched hair she stalked out of the room, muttering to herself under her breath.
    ‘What’s that?’ he demanded sourly. ‘Can’t you at least try to behave normally? I’ve just come in from a long day at work, for Christ’s sake. Most wives would be at home to put the kettle on, never mind have a conversation with me for a change, instead of talking to yourself all the time.’ But she was already out of earshot. ‘I ought to have divorced you a long time ago,’ he called out.

16
    Geraldine regretted having agreed to go out for a drink with Nick. At first morose, he surprised her by suggesting they go somewhere more private. When she rejected his suggestion, the evening ended abruptly. They walked back round the corner to the car park without exchanging a word. It was growing dark by the time they parted, and beginning to rain. With a terse goodbye she hurried away. If he had registered her disappointment it would have been humiliating, but he seemed too preoccupied to pay any attention to her feelings.
    Pleased to get home, she fixed herself a simple supper of cheese and pasta, with a glass of red wine. She had finished clearing up and was flicking through channels, television remote control in one hand, glass of wine in the other, when her phone rang. Not having heard from her sister for over a week, it was no surprise to hear her slightly nasal voice at the other end. Expecting Celia to start grumbling about how she never called, and didn’t want to spend time with her family, and hardly ever saw her niece, Geraldine prepared to make her excuses.
    ‘Guess what?’
    Celia sounded surprisingly cheerful. She usually phoned to complain. Feeling guilty that Celia always called her, Geraldine threw out a few suggestions: her niece Chloe had passed a piano exam; she had come top in a class test; she had been chosen to play the lead in the school play. Only news about Chloe could prompt such excitement in her mother.
    Celia gave an impatient laugh. ‘No, no. It’s nothing to do with Chloe. Why are you so fixated on Chloe all of a sudden?’
    ‘I give up.’
    ‘That is, it is something to do with her, but it’s more to do with me. I mean, it’s going to change things for her. For all of us.’
    Geraldine tried not to sound as tired as she felt.
    ‘You’ve got a job?’
    ‘No.’
    ‘Oh, I don’t know. You’ve booked a holiday?’
    ‘No. Guess again.’
    ‘I can’t. You’ll have to tell me.’
    ‘I’m pregnant!’
    ‘What?’
    Taken by surprise, Geraldine didn’t respond straight away. Not for the first time, she envied her sister. It wasn’t that she wanted children herself. Far from it. Even if she had been in a relationship, she couldn’t imagine allowing anything to distract her from her work. But she couldn’t help feeling that her life would have been more fulfilling, if only she had been a different kind of woman.
    ‘Aren’t you going to say anything?’
    ‘That’s wonderful news!’
    After a convoluted account of how she had been afraid she might never conceive again Celia paused, and Geraldine butted in with a promise to invite her niece to stay for a weekend as soon as she could.
    ‘What does soon mean?’ Celia demanded. ‘When are you going to have her?’
    ‘Oh God, please don’t go all hormonal on me. I’m really up to my ears right now, but I’ll see her as soon as I can,’ Geraldine repeated, already regretting