Extract 7

As I near my desk, Artemis looks up from a copy of Marketing Week.

“Oh Emma. I was sorry to hear about you and Connor.”

“Thanks,” I say. “But I don’t really want to talk about it if that’s OK.”

“There’s a message for you from Jack Harper, by the way.”

“What?” I start.

I didn’t mean to sound so rattled. “I mean, what is it?” I add more calmly.

“Could you please take the–” She squints at the paper. “–the Leopold file to his office. He said you’d know what it was. But if you can’t find it, it doesn’t matter.”

I stare at her, my heart hammering in my chest.

The Leopold file.

It was just an excuse to get away from our desks…

It’s a secret code. He wants to see me.

***

The family day is happening at Panther House, which is the Panther Corporation’s country house in Hertfordshire.

I follow the sounds of music and walk round the house to find the event in full swing on the vast lawn. Brightly coloured bunting is festooning the back of the house, tents are dotting the grass, a band is playing on a little bandstand and children are shrieking on a bouncy castle.

“Emma!” I look up to see Cyril advancing towards me, dressed as a joker with a red and yellow pointy hat. “Where’s your costume?”

“Costume!” I try to look surprised. “Gosh! Um… I didn’t realize we had to have one.”

“You people! It was on the memo, it was in the newsletter…” He takes hold of my shoulder as I try to walk away. “Well, you’ll have to take one of the spare ones.”

“What?” I look at him blankly. “What spare ones?”

“I had a feeling this might happen,” says Cyril with a slight note of triumph, “so I made advance provisions.”

He chivvies me into a tent, where two middle-aged ladies are standing beside a rack of… oh my God. The most revolting, lurid man-made-fibre costumes I’ve ever seen.

“No,” I say in panic. “Really. I’d rather stay as I am.”

“Emma, this is a fun day,” snaps Cyril. “And part of that fun derives from seeing our fellow employees and family in amusing outfits. Which reminds me, where is your family?”

“Oh.” I pull the regretful face I’ve been practising all week. “They… actually, they couldn’t make it.”

Which could be because I didn’t tell them anything about it.

***

“Connor, look, I’m sorry I’m late.”

“That’s all right,” he says stiffly, and starts chopping a bundle of mint as though he wants to kill it. “So, did you have a nice time the other evening?”

That’s what this is all about.

“Yes, I did, thanks,” I say after a pause.

“With your new mystery man.”

“Yes,” I say, and surreptitiously scan the crowded lawn, searching for Jack.

“It’s someone at work, isn’t it?” Connor suddenly says, and my stomach gives a small plunge.

“Why do you say that?” I say lightly.

“That’s why you won’t tell me who it is.”

“It’s not that! It’s just… look, Connor, can’t you just respect my privacy?”

“I think I have a right to know who I’ve been dumped for.” He shoots me a reproachful look.

***

“There she is! Emma! Cooee!”

That sounded just like my mum. Weird. I stop briefly, and turn round, but I can’t see anyone.

It must be a hallucination. It must be subconscious guilt trying to throw me, or something.

“Emma, turn round! Over here!”

Hang on. That sounded like Kerry.

I peer bewilderedly at the crowded scene, my eyes squinting in the sunshine. I can’t see anything. I’m looking all around, but I can’t see–

And then suddenly, like a Magic Eye, they spring into view. Kerry, Nev, and my mum and dad. Walking towards me. All in costume. Mum is wearing a Japanese kimono and holding a picnic basket. Dad is dressed as Robin Hood and holding two fold-up chairs. Nev is in a Superman costume and holding a bottle of wine. And Kerry is wearing an entire Marilyn Monroe outfit.

What’s going on?

“Mum… What are you doing here? I never – I mean, I forgot to tell you.”

“I know you did,” says Kerry. “But your friend Artemis told me all about it the other day, when I phoned.”

I stare at her, unable to speak.

I will kill Artemis. I will murder her.

“So what time’s the fancy dress contest?” says Kerry, winking at two teenage boys who are gawping at her. “We haven’t missed it, have we?”

“There… there isn’t a contest,” I say, finding my voice.

“Really?” Kerry looks put out.

I don’t believe her. This is why she’s come here, isn’t it? To win a stupid competition.

“You came all this way just for a fancy dress contest?” I can’t resist saying.

“Of course not!” Kerry quickly regains her usual scornful expression. “Nev and I are taking your mum and dad to Hanwood Manor. It’s near here. So we thought we’d drop in.”

“We’ve brought a picnic,” says Mum. “Now, let’s find a nice spot.”

“Um, the thing is,” I say in sudden inspiration, “the thing is, actually, I won’t be able to stay. We’ve all got duties to do.”

“Don’t tell me they can’t give you half an hour off,” says Dad.

“Emma’s the linchpin of the whole organization!” says Kerry with a sarky giggle. “Can’t you tell?”

***

All I can do is stare dumbly down at my plate, telling myself this can’t last for ever. Dad and Nev have made about a million jokes about Don’t Mention Connor. Kerry has shown me her new Swiss watch which cost 4,000 and boasted about how her company is expanding yet again. And now she’s telling us how she played golf with the chief executive of British Airways last week and he tried to head-hunt her.

“They all try it on,” she says, taking a huge bite of chicken drumstick. “But I say to them, if I needed a job…” She tails off. “Did you want something?”

“Hi there,” comes a dry, familiar voice from above my head.

Very slowly I raise my head, blinking in the light.

It’s Jack. Standing there against the blue sky in his cowboy outfit. He gives me a tiny, almost imperceptible smile, and I feel my heart lift. He’s come to get me. I should have known he would.

“Hi!” I say, half-dazedly. “Everyone, this is–”

“My name’s Jack,” he cuts across me pleasantly. “I’m a friend of Emma’s. Emma…’ He looks at me, his face deliberately blank. “I’m afraid you’re needed.”

“That’s a shame!’ says Mum. “Can’t you at least stay for a quick drink? Jack, you’re welcome to join us, have a chicken drumstick or some quiche.”

“We have to go,” I say hurriedly. “Don’t we, Jack?”

“I’m afraid we do,” he says, and holds out a hand to pull me up.

“Sorry, everyone,” I say.

“We don’t mind!” says Kerry with the same sarky laugh. “I’m sure you’ve some vital job to do, Emma. In fact, I expect the whole event would collapse without you!”

Jack stops. Very slowly, he turns round.

“Let me guess,” he says pleasantly. “You must be Kerry.”

“Yes!” she says in surprise. “That’s right.”

“And Mum… Dad…” He surveys the faces. “And you have to be… Nev?”

“Spot on!” says Nev with a chortle.

“Very good!” says Mum with a laugh. “Emma must have told you a bit about us.”

“Oh… she has,” agrees Jack, looking around the picnic rug again with a kind of odd fascination on his face. “You know, there might be time for that drink after all.”