Joker in the Pack (Romantic Suspense, Completed, Watty Winner)

Chapter 19

It was almost midnight on Sunday when I arrived home with the remnants of my hangover still knocking about inside my skull. I'd planned to leave London earlier, whereas Maddie hadn't wanted me to leave at all.

"You can have the sofa bed for as long as you need it. We don't mind, honestly."

"Lilac Cottage is my home now, Maddie. It's hard to explain, but I need to be there."

In the end, we'd compromised and she and Dave drove me back after dinner. Dave climbed out of his van carrying a tyre iron while Maddie brandished a can of hairspray.

"What are you going to do?" I asked. "Lacquer him into submission?"

She glanced down at her hand. "I could do. This is super-strong hold."

"Over here," Dave called. "The bastard's been at your front door."

The remains of a dozen eggs and a tin of red paint dripped down it. If Jackson Pollock had been involved, he'd have called it "Sunset over Olivia's life" and sold it for seven figures.

"The bastard probably had the red left over after doing my living room wall."

"How can you take this so calmly?" Maddie asked.

I waved an arm at the door. "Pah! This is nothing. It's like he hasn't even tried this time."

"You know I love you, right? Even if you are crazy."

I gave her a hug. "I know, and I love you too. Thanks for everything this weekend. It's helped just to talk about things."

"Don't ever keep a secret like this again, you hear me?"

"I won't, I promise."

Working on the theory that there was safety in numbers, the three of us checked inside for any evidence of unwelcome visitors. When we found nothing, Maddie insisted on waiting until I'd locked myself in before she and Dave set off home. She'd barely been gone five minutes when her first text arrived.

Maddie: Just checking you're okay?

The messages continued throughout the next day, on the hour, every hour. If I took more than two minutes to reply, I got a phone call.

"Are you still alive?"

"I was in the shower. Please tell me you're not going to keep this up all through the night?"

"You get eight hours' sleep."

"I'm rolling my eyes at you."

"Roll away. Eight hours."

Maddie kept her word. I got a message at eleven and another one at seven. I might have feigned irritation, but I did sleep easier knowing I now had four people looking out for me.

Warren had phoned on Sunday afternoon while I was still at Maddie's, and he'd promised to keep an ear out locally in case anyone mentioned the trouble at the cottage. Kids liked to brag, right? And Tate checked in just after nine on Monday morning.

Tate: How was your weekend?

Olivia: Great! Better than I thought it would be.

Mainly because I'd spent a good portion of it unconscious.

Tate: Any more problems at the cottage?

Olivia: Someone threw eggs and paint at the door, but that was it.

Tate: That's horrific! I'll arrange for a new door to be installed.

It was sweet of him to offer, but I didn't want to become his charity case. Nor did I fancy fanning the flames of the Olivia-is-a-gold-digger bonfire.