‘I don’t know,’ Karen said. ‘It looks to me like he’s having just as much fun as Mallory.’
She handed her mother a gin and tonic and then sat down beside her old boss, ex-DCI Anthony Shaw. His legs were stretched out in front of him and his head dropped forward as he dozed in the sun.
‘I suppose we should consider ourselves lucky it’s just the water pistol today,’ her mother continued. ‘It won’t be long before Mallory is asking for the paddling pool again.’
Mallory loved the water. It didn’t matter what time of year it was, she always wanted to go swimming, and absolutely adored splashing around in the water. Another thing she had in common with Tilly.
‘I’m just thankful she’s forgotten about the camera.’ The motion-sensing security camera beside the front door had been installed a few months ago, and Mallory thought it was great fun to set it off and pull faces at the camera and watch them appear on the app on Karen’s phone.
Karen had found it funny the first few times. The tenth time hadn’t been quite so amusing.
The camera had been recommended by Anthony. He’d installed it and got it up and running for her, telling her it was a wonderful gadget and regaling her with a recent incident where he’d spoken to a delivery man using the security camera at his front door while he was in the supermarket. She suspected the real reason for the recommendation was because he worried about her living alone. Karen usually slept through the alerts at night. Not that that was a bad thing. It was sensitive, and typically the alerts were down to the neighbour’s cat, and when it went off during the day, it was usually triggered by the postman or someone delivering leaflets.
There were raised voices from the other side of the garden. Karen’s sister, Emma, was hovering beside her husband, issuing instructions as he finished grilling the remaining sausages and burgers.
‘That one’s burning. You need to flip it over.’
‘If you think you can do a better job, you’re welcome to take over, Emma,’ he snapped.
Emma put her hands on her hips. ‘Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Look! It’s turning black!’
Karen caught her mother’s eye and grinned. Karen had given Emma the nickname ‘Little Miss Bossy Pants’ when they were children, something her sister had never quite forgiven, but the name still suited her.
Emma was goodhearted and kind, but she had her faults. Namely, she thought she knew best about everyone and everything, and that could get a little annoying at times.
Karen said, ‘I think I’ll go and get Mike another beer. He probably needs it.’
Her mother chuckled. ‘That’s a good idea.’
She went into the kitchen and opened the fridge. She’d bought far too much food and drink for the barbecue. A large fruit-covered meringue took up a whole shelf. She’d give it another ten minutes before offering everyone dessert. She was stuffed, and Mike was still cooking even though no one could eat another bite at the moment.
They’d all have to take home some of the food to snack on later. There was no way she’d get through it all on her own.
She looked up as her sister walked into the kitchen. ‘Another drink, Em?’
Emma nodded. ‘Yes, I’ll have another fizzy water. Thanks. I don’t know what’s wrong with Mike today. He’s ever so touchy.’
Karen tried to hide her smile and pointed at the window, where they could see Mallory shrieking and laughing as she ran towards the house. It seemed grandad had grown tired of being the victim and decided it was his turn to use the water pistol.
‘She’s certainly enjoying herself. But I hope she realises she can’t use the water pistol in the car on the way home.’
Karen handed her sister a bottle of fizzy water from the fridge. ‘I’m sure she does. Besides, at this rate she’ll be too tired to put up any arguments. I bet she falls asleep in the car.’
Emma smiled as Karen rummaged through a drawer, searching for the bottle opener. ‘I expect you’re right.’
‘I’ll just give this to Mike. He did a great job on the barbecue today.’ Karen prised the lid from a bottle of beer.
‘Wait,’ Emma said, reaching out and putting a hand on Karen’s forearm as she moved past. ‘You know Mum is worried about you, don’t you?’
Karen felt her good mood begin to evaporate. She bristled. ‘Why? I’m fine.’
Emma rolled her eyes. ‘You know why.’
‘Emma, don’t ruin today. It’s been really nice.’
‘I don’t want to ruin anything. I just thought you should know Mum and Dad are worried.’
‘There’s no need. I’m fine, Em.’
‘Are you, though? All you do is work, sleep, work, sleep.’
‘There’s nothing wrong with that.’
‘Do you even have any friends outside work these days?’
‘Yes, Christine. We go to the pub quiz every single week.’
Emma gave an exasperated sigh. ‘Christine is in her sixties.’
‘So?’
‘Is there anyone on your pub quiz team under the age of sixty?’
‘Scott goes sometimes.’
‘Scott? Your boss?’
‘Yes. What’s wrong with that? Christine adores him. Apparently, his knowledge of British rivers is unparalleled.’
Emma gave a derisive snort.
‘It’s fun,’ Karen insisted. ‘I find it relaxing and they’re a nice crowd. Who cares about their ages?’
‘I’m just saying you need to enjoy life more. Get out and about.’
Karen tightened her grip on the neck of the beer bottle. ‘I do.’
Emma raised an eyebrow. ‘Visiting crime scenes doesn’t count as getting out and about.’
‘Look, I’d be perfectly happy if you stopped trying to shape my life into something I don’t want. You know, maybe if you didn’t nag as much, things would be better between you and Mike,’ Karen snapped.
She regretted the words as soon as she’d spoken them.
Her sister paled, blinked rapidly and folded her arms over her chest.
‘I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. It was a horrible thing to say.’
‘I was just trying to help,’ Emma said with a sniff.
Karen sighed and put the beer bottle down on the kitchen counter. ‘I know. But you can’t live my life for me, and I can’t live yours for you. If I need your help, I’ll ask.’
‘That’s just it. I can see you need help, but you never ask.’
Karen shook her head. There was no getting through to Emma sometimes. Karen was happy with her life the way it was. Yes, she worked long hours, but her job was rewarding and gave her little time alone to mope and think about the past. Everyone, including Emma, thought a new relationship would be just the ticket to fix her problems. But that was the last thing Karen wanted.
Surely she knew what was best for herself? She didn’t want to be patched up and shoved back on the dating conveyor belt. The very thought made her skin crawl. Taking each day as it came, plodding onwards, one foot in front of the other, suited her just fine.
Emma’s eyes filled with tears. Karen sighed again. No one could hold a grudge like her sister. She’d be upset and hurt for weeks.