Page 37 of Secrets Beneath a Riviera Sky
See you as usual in the morning? I need your help.
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Mel was waiting for Zazz on the quay early the next morning, a big smile on her face. ‘Who had supper with my big brother then? What kind of help are you after?’
‘I’ll tell you as we run,’ Zazz said. ‘Dominic has asked me to go to a screening at the Palais des Festivals during the film festival. I’ve said yes of course but what do I wear? Please point me in the right direction.’
‘No problem. I’ll take you to a few of my favourite boutiques and help you choose something spectacular to walk up the red carpet and those famous steps.’ Mel glanced at her. ‘Dominic gets tickets every year but has never taken a girlfriend before. He must like you a lot. How about you? Do you like him?’
‘You’re not going to become the protective sister, are you?’ Zazz said. ‘I do like him but I’ve only just come out of a relationship so I’m not looking for anything serious right now. And I also need to concentrate on my new career. I did tell Dom that last evening. He seemed fine with us being friends.’
‘Friends with benefits?’
Zazz shrugged. ‘Maybe in the future. Right now we’re getting to know each other. We’ve only just met, Mel, but I do like him – despite him being your brother,’ she said, laughing at the expression on Mel’s face at her words.
After their run, Zazz collected the usual bag of breakfast croissants from her favourite boulangerie. Once back at the house she left the bag on the kitchen table and ran upstairs to take a shower before joining her parents for breakfast in the kitchen.
Her phone pinged with an e-mail from Marcus. ‘Yes,’ she said, punching the air with delight as she read it.
‘Marcus is going to give my blog and my YouTube channel a mention in the magazine.’
‘Well done,’ Edwin said. ‘Look forward to seeing your name in the magazine and boasting about my daughter, the influencer. Think we might open a bottle of bubbly tonight to celebrate.’
‘Thanks, Dad.’ Zazz looked at her mother questioningly. ‘Mum? Aren’t you pleased for me? The magazine has a huge circulation online.’
‘Yes, of course I am. Huge congratulations,’ Francine said.
‘You don’t sound terribly convincing. I sense a but?’
‘It’s just I worry about you being so far away from home trying to create a new life for yourself in a strange country. As for living here in this house on your own initially, I do worry,’ Francine shook her head. ‘I know you’ve been living independently ever since Dad and I left but Bath is a lot closer to Devon than Cannes is, should you need anything.’
‘Have you forgotten that thanks to you and Gran I’m half French? It’s not a totally strange country. Great-Uncle Theo is only down the road. I’m sure he’d be the first to help me if I ever needed it,’ Zazz said. ‘And as for living in this house, Mel wants me to share an apartment with her after September, so I won’t be totally on my own for long in any case.’
‘Well, that’s something,’ Francine said. ‘Dad’s right, we’ll celebrate your magazine success tonight with a bottle of bubbly. Are you free to give us a hand today? We really need to start clearing things out ready for the place to go on the market.’
‘Sure. I can help this morning but this afternoon I need to do some content planning and update all three of my social media channels. What do you want to do first?’
‘Pack up all Oscar’s clothes ready for Sunny Bank, the local charity.’
‘I can do that if you like,’ Edwin offered. ‘I know it’s not a job you are looking forward to.’
‘Thanks,’ Francine said. ‘In that case, Zazz, you and I can make a start on cleaning the unused bedroom.’
33
Monday evening and knowing Agnes and he had a rendez-vous with the notaire the next day, Theo decided time had run out and he couldn’t keep quiet about the folder any longer. He had to show Agnes all the incriminating paperwork and tell her what Oscar had done. If Agnes agreed they would take the file with them and show it to the notaire. It was doubtful that he could do anything about it after all this time but Theo was of the opinion he still needed to be told.
Agnes was sitting out in the courtyard happily reading and looked up when Theo fetched the briefcase from his room and placed it on the small courtyard table. She looked up in surprise.
‘I need to talk to you. Here’s the envelope with your name on it,’ he said taking it out of the briefcase and handing it to her.
‘Thank you,’ Agnes said barely glancing at it before laying it on the table and regarding Theo curiously.
‘You know I’ve sorted out Oscar’s papers. Everything was in order and correct until I found this.’ He pushed the folder across the table towards her. ‘I wish I didn’t have to show you this but,’ he shrugged, ‘everything looks to have been drawn up legally when looked at initially but it most definitely isn’t when you know the truth.’
‘The truth about what? Theo, you are worrying me now,’ Agnes said, putting her book down on top of the envelope. ‘Whatever is it? Has Oscar murdered someone and hidden the evidence? I wouldn’t put it past him.’
‘No but he has committed a crime that affects you. It was the name on the folder that first drew my attention,’ Theo said, pointing to it.
