Free The Keeper of Secrets by Amanda Brooke

it came down to it, only one answer. It was simple. She had inherited her dad’s inferiority complex and Rick had thrived on it.
    With half an hour to spare before her guest arrived, Elle went upstairs to change. Charlie sat on the bed and watched her applying her makeup.
    â€˜Can I stay up until ten o’clock?’
    She stopped what she was doing and turned to face him. Charlie was sitting cross-legged in the middle of the bed and using the pattern on the patchwork quilt to line up his spaceships, creating a miniature landing pad on the criss-crosses of an imaginary planet. He rolled a bright orange moon-buggy absentmindedly up and down his shin as he met her gaze. He was becoming a tough negotiator and his eyes narrowed. She narrowed hers. ‘Eight.’
    Charlie raised an eyebrow. ‘Nine-thirty?’
    â€˜Eight o’clock,’ Elle repeated. ‘Any more objections and it’s seven-thirty as usual.’
    Her son huffed.
    â€˜We could always ask your dad?’
    â€˜No, no,’ he said, immediately forgetting his poker face. ‘Deal.’
    She turned back to the mirror. A final dusting of foundation and a smear of pale lipstick and she was done. Elle tucked a blonde curl behind her ear as she slipped on a pair of gold earrings. She stood up to fasten the matching necklace that sat just above the V-shaped neckline to her dress, which revealed the tiniest glimpse of cleavage.
    â€˜Here, let me do that,’ Rick said. He had been in his study all afternoon and she had been hoping his work would keep him preoccupied through to the evening so she could have some time alone with Angie.
    Elle gave Charlie a brave smile as Rick struggled with the clasp.
    â€˜Mummy looks beautiful, doesn’t she?’
    Rick finished what he was doing and turned her around to face him. She hadn’t worn this particular dress since before Charlie was born. It was a deep maroon satin with classic lines that curved around her waist and was cut just above the knee. ‘Yes, she’d make a few quid on the streets.’
    By the tone of his dad’s voice, Charlie could only assume that this was a huge compliment. ‘Ten thousand pounds!’
    Rick’s insult stung and Charlie’s innocent complicity only compounded her misery. She tried desperately to think of a retort but struggled to find one that wouldn’t hurt Charlie’s feelings.
    Taking in the dumbstruck expression on her face, Rick laughed then shook his head. ‘I’m going to have a quick shower. Can you dig out a clean shirt and the grey suit for me? Thanks, sweetheart,’ he said without waiting for a response.
    Swallowing her pride, Elle did as she was told, then took a moment to watch Charlie gathering up his toys. She would do anything for her son and if years of ridicule were all she had to sufferer to secure a better life for him then that was surely a small price to pay.
    The doorbell rang and Charlie gasped in excitement. ‘It’s Angie!’ he cried and grabbed the last toy spaceship in his already laden arms. He ran out of the bedroom and into his own. There was a clatter of metal as he threw everything into his toy box. Elle was following and barely registered the smile of amusement that had crept onto her face. He was her reason for being.
    â€˜Not so fast, you’re going to fall,’ she warned as he raced down the stairs, not stopping until his body hit the front door with full force.
    Charlie was trying to jump up to reach the door knob and Elle was laughing now as she wrapped her arms around his waist and lifted him up to reach it. With a little help, the door swung open wide.
    â€˜Oh,’ Elle said after she and her son had stood staring at their new visitor for longer than was strictly polite. ‘Sorry, we weren’t expecting it to be you.’
    The man standing in front of her was six foot two with broad shoulders and short-cropped hair. He lifted up a bottle of