Free Undercover Alice by KT Shears Page A

phone buzzing frantically. I
groped around for it, realising that my room was still pitch black. As I
fumbled with the buttons, I noticed the time: 4am. Who the hell was calling me
at 4am?
    ‘Hello?’ I mumbled, still half asleep.
    ‘Alice, it’s Matt. I’m sorry for calling you so
late. Or early. Is it early? When does it stop becoming late and become early?’
    I was awake instantly. I could tell from his voice
something was wrong.
    ‘Matt? What’s wrong? Are you ok? Did the taxi turn
up?’
    ‘Yes it did. I got to the hospital in time. My dad
died an hour after I arrived.’
    His voice, always so passionate and cheerful,
wavered and my stomach tightened. I felt sick for him. I wanted to put my arms
around him again and hold him tight.
    ‘Oh my god, Matt, I’m so sorry. Are you ok?’ I
turned on my bedside lamp. ‘Of course you aren’t ok, what a stupid question.’
    I didn’t know what to say, so I kept babbling.
     ‘At least you got to see him, I’m so glad you got
there in time.’
    ‘I didn’t know who else to call.’ His voice sounded
so small, so full of pain. I wanted to weep for him.
    ‘Where are you?’ I demanded. ‘Are you somewhere
safe?’
    ‘I’m at my parents’ house,’ he said, sighing. ‘I’ve
just put my mum to bed. She’s utterly destroyed, but I think she’ll sleep for
an hour or two. They were married for 40 years.’
    I thought I caught a stifled sob and I had to hold
back my own tears. It wouldn’t do to have both of us crying down the phone.
    ‘Is there anything I can do?’ I asked. ‘Do you need
me to do anything?’
    He paused, and I could tell he was debating whether
or not to ask something.
    ‘This is totally inappropriate,’ he said, ‘but I
don’t have anyone else. Would you be able…’ he tailed, off, suddenly sounding
awkward.
    ‘What?’
    ‘Could you come out here? I’ve got so much to
organise and I don’t know where to start. My mum is in a state and I can’t ask
her to help, and I’m an only child now…’ He broke off.
    ‘Of course I will,’ I said. ‘But what about Sarah?’
    ‘Sarah?’ He sounded puzzled.
    ‘Wouldn’t she be better?’ I asked, gently.
    ‘I don’t see why,’ he said, still sounding confused.
    I thought for a second. I was pretty sure this
wasn’t in my job description, but the thought of Matt alone and struggling made
me feel wretched, and I couldn’t bear to say no.
     ‘I’ll look at flights and get out there as soon as
possible.’
    I heard his sigh of relief.
    ‘Thanks, Alice, this is amazing of you. I know it’s
not in your job description, and you’ve only worked here a couple of weeks.’ He
laughed, mirthlessly. ‘Some induction, eh?’
    ‘Try to get some sleep,’ I said. ‘I’ll text you my
flight details.’
    He asked me to stop by his flat – he said he kept a
spare key in a drawer in his office – and pick up a couple of things en-route,
and said he would pick me up at the airport as he would be hiring a car.
    ‘Thanks again, Alice,’ he said, gratefully. ‘You’ve
no idea how much this means to me.’
    I got out of bed and headed into the living room,
turning on my laptop to search for flights. There was one at lunchtime that
seemed my best bet. I paid, wincing at the price and thanking my lucky stars I
had a fairly generous overdraft facility, and tried to get back to sleep. I
couldn’t, though, so got up and started packing. Google had informed me the
temperature was mid-20s, and I scoured my wardrobe for suitable things to wear
in the warmth. Should I pack something for the funeral? Surely not, he wouldn’t
want me at that, I was just out there to be practical, that’s all.
    When I was packed, I texted Jen. She wouldn’t be up
at 6am, but I had nothing else to do and the sooner I told her the better, as
it meant she might have calmed down by my return. I knew she would recall our
conversation just a few hours earlier, and now I was doing the exact opposite.
    ‘So, I’m off