The Liberation of Alice Love - Abby McDonald [107]
“Maybe Julian’s realized that he’s madly in love with you, and can’t bear to see you with anyone else,” Flora sighed happily.
Alice laughed. “I doubt it. These things are never that simple.”
She gave Flora a careful look. “So…How are you feeling? It must be nerve wracking, having your new series up for everyone to see.”
Flora gave a small shrug. “Not really. I’m used to it by now, I think. And everyone’s said such nice things.” She swung her legs back and forth, pink kitten heels clattering against the wall.
“Yes, but you’ve been under lots of stress.” Alice tried again: “Maybe now you’ll get to relax a little. You could go on that holiday with Stefan you were talking about,” she said encouragingly. “Somewhere with white beaches and little umbrellas in your drink.”
“Maybe.” Flora shrugged, and then turned to Alice with excitement again. “So, Nathan. Tell me everything! I saw you off in that corner earlier, very private…”
Alice smiled. “No, we were just talking about the investigation. We’ve found an old address for her, in Bath, so I think I’m going to go out there and ask around.” She paused, suddenly remembering Flora’s hurt at being excluded from the Rome affair. “You, could come with me, if you want,” she added. “I mean, it would be nice, to have the company.”
Flora’s eyes widened. “Really?”
“Sure.” Alice smiled, glad she’d suggested it. Time away together would, perhaps, encourage Flora to open up. Plus, her trademark innocence might be a useful tool when it came to investigating Ella’s past. “It could be fun.”
Flora hopped down from the wall. “What are we waiting for?” she exclaimed. “Let’s get on the road straight away. I’ll drive, and you book the hotel, and—”
“Whoa! Aren’t you forgetting something,” Alice grabbed her arm. “Your opening? The room full of people gushing over your life’s work?”
Flora bit her lip. “I’m sure they wouldn’t miss me. I’ve said hi to everyone there at least twice already.”
Alice frowned. “Flora, are you sure you’re all right?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean…” Alice paused, noting the defiant angle of her chin. Flora clearly wasn’t in the mood for sharing now. “No, never mind.” She managed a smile, linking her arm through Flora’s as they began to walk back toward the gallery. “The investigation can wait, one night at least. Let’s get you back to your adoring fans.”
Chapter Twenty-four
They set off the next morning, equipped with five emergency-breakdown numbers and what seemed to be the entire contents of Marks and Spencer’s snack food section.
“So you think this Kate Jackson woman is really Ella?” Flora curled up in the passenger seat, slurping on a carton of juice. They were just emerging from the traffic of London onto the wide swaths of motorway that would take them to Bath.
Alice paused, careful to keep her eyes on the road. “I’m not sure. She did everything she could to cover her tracks after she left, but I’m hoping she wasn’t so careful, before.”
A person just didn’t emerge from the womb a criminal mastermind: they had to learn it. And along the way, Alice hoped, they made some mistakes.
“I still can’t believe you have to do all this yourself.” Flora made a face. “Can’t the police run, like, DNA tests or something?”
Alice grinned. “She’s not a murderer.”
“You don’t know that. She could be anything!”
“No.” Alice shook her head firmly. “I know her, she’s not that kind of person. And even what she stole from me—it was only what could be replaced. She doesn’t do this to hurt people.”
There was silence, and when Alice glanced over, she found Flora watching her with curiosity. “What?”
“You don’t even sound angry,” Flora said slowly.
“I’m not. Well, I was at first,” Alice admitted, carefully checking the rearview mirror before merging into another lane. “But what was the damage, after everything? The bank’s refunded my money, the credit card debt is being written off. And…” She’d been about to mention Safe Haven and all the good Ella’s donation was doing over there but caught herself just in time. Instead, she said vaguely, “And, perhaps she did something