Chapter 4

***Tina***

“I can’t do this any more.” I called Alice the next day bright and early. “Tell Mr Johnson that I am threw following his wife.”

“Wait Tina.” She tried to calm me down.

“No Alice.” I had made my mind up and nothing Alice said was going change that. “She isn’t having an affair, he has to accept that.”

“Did something happen?”

“God, no. Why must there be something?” My tone was slightly agitated. I was offended by the question, even a bit disgusted that she would ask me that. “She’s not cheating on him. Nothing she’s done proves that.”

“I’m sorry.” She knew that when I get like this it is futile reasoning or arguing with me. “I’m sorry. Look, I’ll give him what we have and we can close that case.”

“Good.” I hung up before she could respond.

I shouldn’t be mad at Alice, it was work. It should have been just that, but I crossed that line that night by going home with her. I guess I knew what it felt like to be alone, to want to not feel, to not live.

I was in my studio looking over the photos and putting together the file to give to Alice. I sifted through the photos and organised them in chronological order and made reports for each day. I was working for about an hour when ‘La Donna E Mobile’ came through the speakers of my mobile as it vibrated on my desk. I didn’t recognise the number on my caller id. “Hello?”

“Hi, it’s Bette.”

“Hey, how are you doing today?”

“I’m doing better, thanks.” She sounded confident, strong.

“That’s good.”

“I just called to say thank you again.”

“Like I said it’s no problem.” There was a brief moment of silence.

“So do you have plans for later?”

“No, can’t say that I do.”

“Would you like to go skinny-dipping with me? I promise you wont’ have to save me this time.” She joked.

“Um,” I wasn’t sure how to reply to that offer. “I guess.” Was the only thing I could bring myself to say.

“Great.” She sounded relieved and happy. “Well I don’t need to give you directions or anything,” She joked. “So I’ll just meet you there.”