Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 56117 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 281(@200wpm)___ 224(@250wpm)___ 187(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56117 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 281(@200wpm)___ 224(@250wpm)___ 187(@300wpm)
‘Please, Mark. Just let it go. I am being bombarded from all directions. I don’t think I can take much more. What I really need right now is a friend. Someone who doesn’t want anything at all from me.’
To my surprise he nods. ‘You want a friend? You got it. I’ll be the best friend you ever had. Tell me what I can do to help you.’
I smile sadly at him. I know what it must have taken for him to say that. ‘Nothing. Just knowing you’re a friend that I can turn to is enough. I’m going back to Michigan this afternoon. I’ll text you if I have any news, OK?’
He looks suddenly miserable. ‘You’re leaving?’
‘Yeah, my mom needs me.’
‘When are you planning to come back?’ he asks anxiously.
I shrug. ‘I don’t know. I bought a one-way ticket and I’m playing it by ear.’
He nods slowly. I have never seen him look so devastated. I resist the desire to reach out and stroke his hand. That would just be cruel. In the end it is clear I will never love him the way he loves me.
‘I guess it is goodbye,’ I say softly.
He looks at me fiercely. ‘What’s his name?’
‘What does it matter?’ I say gloomily.
‘Tell me,’ he insists urgently.
‘Zane. His name is Zane.’
His expression doesn’t change, but his eyes flash suddenly.
‘Do you know him?’ I ask immediately.
‘I know of him. He is called Zane, but his real name is Aleksandr Malenkov and he is a very dangerous man. A ruthless killer,’ he says slowly. ‘Think very carefully, Dahlia. You could be making a very big mistake.’
I feel a shiver go through me at the quiet horror in his voice. Yet another voice in my head says, Yes, this is the name that suits him far better than Zane.
Aleksandr Malenkov.
Nine
Dahlia Fury
When I go back to the apartment Stella is awake. Her door is open, the radio in the kitchen is playing, and I can hear her moving about. I stand at the doorway. She is cutting fruit to make her breakfast smoothie. She looks up from peeling a banana then looks away without saying anything.
‘I’m leaving for the States today,’ I say.
‘Good,’ she says, and chucks the banana aggressively into the blender.
‘I’ve paid my rent for this month, but I’ll pack all my stuff and leave it in a corner of the room so you can start to show the room to prospective tenants. I’ll also make sure everything is out before the end of the month.’
‘Great,’ she says, and viciously rips the stem off a strawberry.
‘All right then. I … I guess, I’ll see you around.’
‘Have a safe flight,’ she says without looking at me.
‘Thanks,’ I say backing away as she cracks an egg on the side of a bowl with unnecessary force.
I hear her curse loudly when the shell smashes and the egg ends up on the counter. I can’t believe that our friendship is going to end like this. I love this woman and in my heart I have never betrayed her, no matter what she thinks. That thing with Zane just happened. I go into my own room, close the door and lean against it. I press my palms tightly against my mouth.
‘Oh God!’ I cry into them. Then I straighten my shoulders. I didn’t do anything wrong. No one is going to make me feel guilty for doing everything I can to save little Daisy. I pull my two suitcases out from under my bed and put them on top of the bed. I won’t take very long. I don’t have that much stuff and I will throw away what I don’t need. My eyes fall on the string of flower fairy lights that Stella and I bought together when we went to that Christmas fair. It was the last one and we had tossed a coin to decide who would have it. I won. I have just taken it down from the mantelpiece when there is a timid knock on the door.
‘Yes,’ I say immediately.
Stella stands at the doorway.
‘Do you want these stupid lights or shall I just bin them?’ I ask her, not looking at her directly.
‘I don’t want you to move out,’ she says.
I turn to look at her. Tears pouring down her cheeks. I start crying too. ‘I don’t want to move out either,’ I bawl.
She comes into the room and we hug each other and cry.
‘I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. Really I am,’ I sob.
‘And I’m sorry I was such a bitch yesterday,’ she wails.
‘No you weren’t,’ I cry.
‘Yes, I was.’
‘We sound like two cats caterwauling,’ I sniff.
‘I’ll have the lights if you don’t want them,’ she says.
‘God, you’re so greedy,’ I say with a half-laugh.
‘That’s not true. The only thing I’m greedy for is shoes,’ she says.
I laugh through my tears.