Greer dragged in a deep breath. Damn Isla bloody Taylor. If she hadn’t arrived when she did, by now Nathan would be dead. If he survived, it would be Greer’s word against his about their discussion before he’d collapsed. Nathan couldn’t prove anything.

  CHAPTER 56

  Greer made her way back to her rented flat. Once home, she poured herself a glass of wine and sprawled on the sofa. It was too soon to phone the hospital, and the staff wouldn’t discuss Nathan with her anyway, given that she wasn’t a relative.

  Impossible to ask Isla about her son. That left Jessica. Isla might be a lousy mother, but she’d still tell her daughter that Nathan was critically ill. Sorted, then. Greer would text Jessica tomorrow.

  Not that Greer cared a jot about Nathan. What concerned her was Tom. If Nathan died, so would her beloved boy’s heart. Her last connection to him.

  Earlier, everything had seemed so simple. Justice for Tom had been all that mattered. Now the future of his heart meant everything.

  Wait a minute. Might the hospital remove Tom’s heart from Nathan and reuse it? Two transplants of the same organ—was that even possible? For part of Tom to still live on?

  Her only hope. All Greer had to cling to.

  BETWEEN BOUTS OF WAKEFULNESS that night, Greer snatched a few brief dozes. Exhausted, she stumbled out of bed at six am, reaching straight for her mobile. A quick text to Jessica. I was with Nathan yesterday when he became ill. Can you keep me informed, please? Thinking of you. X.

  The morning dragged by without so much as a beep from her phone. Midday came. Should she call Jessica? Leave it another hour?

  Her mobile rang. Jessica’s name appeared on the screen. Greer stabbed the ‘accept call’ icon.

  ‘Nathan’s dead.’ Jessica sounded like she’d been crying. ‘He died not long after he got to the hospital. The doctors did their best, but he was too far gone.’

  ‘Oh, my God. I’m so sorry, sweetheart.’ Greer exhaled a guilty breath. What had she said the day before to Nathan? Ah, yes, that was it. Quite the hypocrite, aren’t you? The pot calling the kettle black, no less. Jessica had just lost her brother, though. What else could Greer have said?

  ‘Organ rejection’s always a risk,’ Jessica continued. ‘Despite the medication, the check-ups. Mum’s out of her mind with grief, of course.’

  Greer didn’t doubt that. Jessica was her chief concern, however. ‘Can I do anything to help? Will you be all right?’

  A strangled sob. ‘Thank you. I’ll be fine, honestly. Mum’s my priority. She needs all the love I can give her.’

  Greer swallowed. She longed to ask about Tom’s heart, but it wasn’t the time. Later, when Jessica was less raw with grief. ‘I’m here for you, sweetheart. Call me if you need me.’

  JESSICA DIDN’T CALL or text over the next few days. Greer realised she shouldn’t trouble the girl when she was grieving. Better to wait a while, then go to the care home where she worked. Assuming she wasn’t on compassionate leave, that was. She’d hang around until Jessica finished her shift, and then they would talk.

  How hard it was to wait, though.

  Once she judged enough time had passed, Greer set off to drive to Willowbank Care Home. She parked up outside, prepared to stay for as long as was necessary. A nearby bus shelter provided the perfect spot to wait, despite the chilly breeze. Greer huddled into her coat, counting the minutes.

  After half an hour, the front door opened, and Jessica emerged. As she drew nearer, Greer stood up and walked over to her. ‘Hello, sweetheart. How are you holding up?’

  Not good, it seemed. The girl looked tired, pale, and had shed weight she could ill afford to lose. Well, it couldn’t be easy for her. She’d just lost her brother, and Isla was too wrapped up in her own pain to care for her daughter.

  Jessica shrugged. ‘I’m okay. Sorry I’ve not been in touch. It’s been a difficult time.’

  Greer nodded. ‘You’re right.’

  Jessica smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. ‘It’s good to see you again. I need to get back to Mum, though. She’s in a bad way.’

  ‘I understand. I just wondered if the hospital had transplanted Tom’s heart into someone else. Nathan was on the donation register, and—’

  Jessica’s smile was sad. ‘I might have guessed you’d ask that. The answer is no.’

  Greer’s throat constricted with disappointment. ‘Why?’ Her voice was a dry croak.

  ‘Too damaged. His body rejected it, remember?’

  So that was that. She’d never hear Tom’s heart beat again. Grief almost drove Greer to her knees, but somehow she stayed upright.

  ‘I’m sorry, but I really should go,’ Jessica said. She touched Greer’s arm, concern in her expression. ‘You take care of yourself, okay?’

  AT HER AIRBNB FLAT, Greer packed quickly, then messaged the landlord to say she was leaving. Birmingham held nothing for her anymore.

  That night, back in Bristol, she slept holding Tom’s sweatshirt for the first time in ages. It no longer smelled of him. She’d lost every last trace of her son.

  CHAPTER 57

  Beth hacked away at the dead plants in her garden. What was going on with Greer these days? Her neighbour had seemed subdued earlier, but hadn’t opened up to Beth’s gentle probing. Very worrying.

  At least Greer was back in Bristol; all that nonsense about moving to Birmingham had vanished, it seemed. And not before time. Greer’s fixation on Nathan Taylor had been unhealthy, in Beth’s opinion. Perhaps now she could grieve for Tom properly.

  Beth slung the remaining clippings in her basket and tucked her secateurs into a side pocket. She was just about to make herself a coffee when she spotted a woman walking up the driveway to Greer’s house. Tall, a little overweight, her caramel-coloured hair swept up in a messy bun. Beth edged closer to the dividing fence to get a better look.

  Oh dear. The woman mustn’t have checked in the mirror before going out. An expensive-looking designer jacket, yet buttoned up wrongly. Handbag a dark brown that didn’t match her black trousers. No make-up; Beth would have expected a swipe of lipstick, if nothing else. And that scruffy hair...

  Poor love. She didn’t look well, not at all.

  As Greer’s visitor reached out to ring the doorbell, Beth spoke up. ‘Greer’s not home right now. She popped into town earlier and won’t be back for a while.’

  The woman stared at her. Now that Beth saw her full-face, she looked really ill. Eyes red-rimmed, an unhealthy pallor to her skin.

  ‘I’ll stop by later,’ the woman said. Her tone was curt.

  ‘Can I give Greer a message?’

  ‘Tell her Isla Taylor called. And that I’ll be back.’

  Nathan’s mother. Greer had mentioned her to Beth with unmistakable dislike.

  Not good. Had this woman come to hassle Greer? She definitely sounded angry.

  But so unhappy, too. Beth recognised misery when she saw it, and Isla seemed as if her entire world had imploded.

  ‘Would you care for a coffee?’ Surely Isla wouldn’t say no? ‘It’s about to pour down, and I’m sure you haven’t got an umbrella in that tiny bag.’

  Isla stared at Beth, clearly unsure how to respond. ‘It’s kind of you, but—’

  ‘No buts. It’ll be my pleasure.’ Beth needed to get Isla inside right away. The woman was so pale she might faint any minute. The rain fell more heavily, and Isla nodded. ‘All right. Just a quick coffee.’

  She made her way down Greer’s drive, and up Beth’s, following her inside. Beth led her into the kitchen and pulled out a chair at the table.

  ‘Make yourself comfortable. Tea or coffee? Milk, sugar?’

  ‘Coffee, please. Black, no sugar.’

  Beth busied herself with mugs and spoons, as well as sliding two chocolate brownies onto a plate. Isla’s haggard face indicated she’d not bothered with food recently.

  Minutes later, she placed the coffees and cakes on the table. ‘Greer might not be back for a while. I’ll tell her you called. Get her to contact you.’

  ‘I doubt she’ll do that,’ Isla said. ‘She murdered my son.’

  Beth’s mouth fell open with shock. Greer hadn’t mentioned that Nathan had died. ‘I’m sorry—what did you just say?’

  ‘My Nathan is dead. That bitch killed him.’ Isla’s face crumpled, and her noisy sobs filled the room.

  Well, this was weird. Worrying too. Greer might be a cold fish, but murder? Isla’s grief must mean she wasn’t thinking straight. The woman had Beth’s sympathy, but...

  At last Isla seemed to have sobbed herself dry. ‘It was his heart. Organ rejection, according to the hospital.’

  Beth set down her coffee mug, pausing before she responded. Isla was so fragile, so wounded, and she needed to proceed carefully. ‘I don’t understand. If Nathan’s body rejected his new heart, why would you say Greer killed him?’

  ‘Because his last check-up, almost a week before his death, showed everything was fine. I kept asking him whether he was taking his medication, and he always assured me he never missed a dose. I can’t help thinking Greer tampered with his tablets, or brought on heart failure somehow, or—’

  Both options sounded unlikely, in Beth’s opinion. ‘I realise you’re looking for answers. But you can’t go slinging wild accusations around. Besides, the diagnosis was organ rejection, not a heart attack. I’m no doctor, but surely they’re different. I’m sorry, but I can’t fathom why you’d point the finger at Greer.’

  ‘You don’t believe me.’ Isla’s tone was flat. ‘Nobody does.’

  ‘Isla—’

  ‘My daughter said the same thing. I told the hospital I wanted a post-mortem done on Nathan, but the doctors tried to talk me out of it. Insisted their diagnosis was correct. They implied grief was clouding my judgement. I did my best to insist, but Jessica—that’s my daughter—told me that Nathan had shown all the classic symptoms of organ rejection. She’s a nurse, so she should know.’

  ‘You should listen to her.’ Beth needed to choose her words with care. ‘You’re grieving, and I’m so sorry for your loss, truly I am. A post-mortem, though—would you really want to subject your son’s body to that?’

  Isla wiped away a tear. ‘That’s what Jessica said.’

  ‘She’s right. How are you holding up?’

  Isla blew her nose. ‘Like you’d expect. I’m not eating, barely sleeping. Can I ask you something? How well do you know Greer Maddox?’

  Beth shrugged. ‘We’re friends, but she’s a closed book. Why?’

  ‘I just have a strong gut feeling that something isn’t right with that woman. She was at Nathan’s flat the day he died. I called round and there she was, behaving like she owned the place. Nathan had already gone into cardiac arrest and she’d phoned 999, but her manner seemed off. The way she looked at Nathan, as if she hated him. Until then, she’d been obsessed with him, like he was a substitute son. I’ve no idea what changed, or why. But I can’t help wondering if she engineered Nathan’s death.’

  ‘But you’ve no concrete evidence?’

  ‘Only the fact I caught her grinning, just for a second, while we waited for the ambulance. The minute she spotted me staring, she switched to looking all concerned, even though she obviously wasn’t. What she shouted at him made me suspicious too.’

  ‘What was that?’

  Isla paused, drew in a deep breath. ‘When I arrived at his flat, I heard voices before I rang the bell. Nathan said something I didn’t catch. Greer yelled back about how Nathan had to admit he’d driven her son to suicide. How she’d only call an ambulance if he did. I was so shocked I froze and didn’t hear Nathan’s reply. Then the word ‘ambulance’ sank in, and I realised my son needed urgent help. That’s when I pounded on the door, desperate to get inside.’

  What a dilemma. Beth had no wish to betray Greer’s trust or speak out of turn. ‘I’m no psychologist, but I suspect Greer is mentally ill. Like you, she’s dealing with the death of her child. I won’t go into details, but she’s had a tragic life. I think she deflected her grief by becoming obsessed with Nathan.’

  ‘So what changed? One minute she’s all over him, the next she loathes him, couldn’t care less that he was dying in front of her eyes.’

  ‘Please don’t get upset, Isla. But it’s a long way from shouting at someone to actually killing them. Are you certain you heard right?’

  Isla looked unsure. ‘It all happened so fast. And once I realised Nathan was seriously ill, everything became a blur. That’s why I haven’t gone to the police. They’re like the NHS—overstretched and under-funded, and I have no concrete evidence. Just a gut feeling that Greer knows more than she’s letting on.’

  Beth took the plunge. ‘Why did you come here today?’

  ‘Good question. I hoped if I confronted her, I’d get my answer, no matter how she replied. I’ve always been good at reading people. I just wish I understood why she turned against Nathan so much.’

  ‘Like I said, Greer might be mentally unbalanced. She got it into her head that Nathan dated, and then dumped, her son, leading to Tom committing suicide.’

  Isla shook her head. ‘No way. Nathan only dated women. Besides, even if he slept with men, what are the odds of him receiving a heart from one of them? Almost zero.’

  ‘That’s exactly what I told Greer.’ Beth wasn’t about to get Jessica in trouble with her mum over her claims about Nathan and Tom. The girl must have got some essential details wrong. The two men had most likely never met, let alone formed a relationship.

  Isla was silent for a while. Then: ‘You’re probably right in thinking she’s unbalanced. But I can’t get it out of my head that she’s responsible for Nathan’s death.’

  CHAPTER 58

  Beth stared at the big guy browsing the beer aisle in Sainsbury’s. He looked familiar, but for a second she couldn’t place him. Ah, yes; Charlie, that nice young man she’d met when visiting Greer. She tapped him on the shoulder. ‘Hi, Charlie. Remember me? I’m Beth. We met at Greer’s house.’

  He turned, clearly surprised, but then smiled. ‘Of course I do. How could I forget those delicious brownies?’

  ‘It’s good to see you again.’ He appeared hungover. Not that it was any of her business. She barely knew the guy, but from the little she’d seen, she liked him.

  He managed a smile, despite the tiredness in his eyes. ‘Yeah, you too.’

  ‘Do you fancy a coffee?’ He looked lost and unhappy, and she never could resist a lame duck. Take Isla Taylor, for example. Besides, she longed to discuss her worries about Greer.

  He’d probably say no. A good-looking young man wouldn’t want to chat with a middle-aged mother-hen like her. Time to turn up the pressure. ‘I’m concerned about Greer. Can we talk?’

  ‘Sure. I could murder a strong black coffee.’

  He did look rough. She mustn’t say so, however. ‘The cafe’s over there.’

  Beth and Charlie seated themselves at a table. An espresso for Charlie, a latte for Beth. She took a quick sip. ‘Have you seen Greer recently?’

  ‘Mrs M, you mean? Not for a while.’ Charlie blew out a breath. ‘Which is a shame. She’s like a second mother to me, and I’m worried about her. First, she wanted to track down Tom’s boyfriend. Said she’d make him pay for what he did. All kinds of crazy stuff.’ He took a gulp of coffee. ‘Then she became obsessed with the man who got Tom’s heart.’

  ‘You know Nathan Taylor’s dead, right?’

  Charlie looked shocked. ‘I had no idea. What happened?’

  ‘His body rejected the transplant. He died before the doctors could save him.’

  ‘Mind you, that guy definitely wasn’t on the level,’ Charlie continued. ‘Mrs M wouldn’t listen, though.’

  ‘She should have. Greer said he conned money out of her.’

  ‘So he took advantage of her grief to fleece her of her savings. The bastard. The goddamn prick.’ He caught Beth’s eye and flushed. ‘Sorry. I’m concerned about her, that’s all.’

  ‘Me too.’

  ‘I met Nathan when I visited him with Mrs M one evening.’ He took another gulp of coffee. ‘I saw something weird while I was there.’

  ‘What?’’

  ‘He had a photo of that woman who disappeared a while back. Her body was discovered only recently. Murdered, apparently. Lily Hamilton, her name was.’

  ‘Yes, I saw that on the news. Lily Hamilton probably knew lots of people, though.’

  ‘Mrs M said the same thing. How Lily was a cardiac nurse, and Nathan must have met her while having treatment in Bristol.’

  ‘Well, that explains it, then. It’s tragic what happened to that young woman. I don’t doubt that Greer was upset. She told me she feared Rose might have suffered the same fate.’

  Charlie gave her an odd stare. ‘Who’s Rose?’

  What a strange question. Hadn’t Charlie said that he was like a second son to Greer? ‘Her daughter, of course.’

  If she’d thought he looked puzzled before, it was nothing to the shock on his face now. ‘I’ve known Mrs M for over twenty years,’ Charlie said. ‘She doesn’t have a daughter.’

  CHAPTER 59

  What? Beth must have misheard, surely? ‘I don’t understand. Greer told me about Rose. She showed me a picture of her. Explained she was afraid for Rose’s safety because she went on blind dates with guys she met online. She definitely said Rose was her daughter.’

  Charlie looked equally confused. ‘I’m telling you—Tom was an only child. He never had a sister.’

  Beth didn’t know what to think. ‘I’m desperately worried about Greer. First her obsession with Nathan Taylor, and now this business with Rose, who apparently doesn’t exist. Oh, and did I mention I talked to Nathan’s mother? Isla Taylor believes Greer killed her son. She’s just not sure how.’

  Shock edged into Charlie’s face again. ‘That sounds like grief talking.’

 

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