Desperately Seeking Heaven (18 page)

I tried to hide my gasp of surprise. She looked so different, much more ordinary without all the bling, yet still so pretty in a completely washed-out and weary manner. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for her.

‘Shall we go and grab a coffee?’ I suggested.

‘Um, I’d rather not. You know, just in case someone spots me looking like this. Is there somewhere else we can go here, somewhere more private?’ The brashness that had been so apparent in the nightclub had been replaced by a beguiling softness.

‘Yes, yes, of course. Hang on a minute.’ I got up and walked over to Debbie who’d been watching us the whole time from behind her desk. ‘Is there a meeting room free?’

‘Um… room 2B on the ground floor?’

‘Great. Could you book it out for me please? And arrange some coffee and sandwiches?’

Debbie was already busy tapping into her keyboard.

‘I’ll get straight onto it,’ she said.

‘Come on,’ I said to Donna, ‘follow me.’

No sooner had we closed the door of the meeting room and settled ourselves into our chairs, Donna turned to me.

‘I wanted to apologise. For the other night.’ She undid the zip on her hoodie, displaying her burgeoning bump and settled into her chair, immediately looking more relaxed. ‘It was just such a shock, that’s all. I wasn’t expecting it.’

‘Yes, I suppose it must have been. And I’m sorry for hijacking you like that when you were on a night out, but it was the only way we could think of getting to meet you. And my sister Lexie can be a bit over-enthusiastic at times.’ I paused. ‘How’s it going?’ I asked, nodding towards her tummy.

‘Oh fine,’ she said, her face lighting up. ‘I’ve just about got used to the idea now and at least the sickness has stopped. I know I look a wreck, but actually I’m feeling a lot better than I’ve done in weeks.’ She paused, dropping her gaze to the floor. ‘It’s been a difficult time.’

Just then there was a knock at the door and Debbie appeared bearing a tray.

‘Many thanks, just leave it on the table here. Coffee?’ I offered to Donna, picking up the flask and pouring the piping-hot liquid.

‘Thanks. And I’ll have a couple of sandwiches if you don’t mind.’ She helped herself to a handful, piling them on her plate. ‘I’ve been absolutely ravenous ever since I became pregnant. Talk about eating for two. I think I’m eating for an entire rugby team.’

I laughed, still trying to reconcile the two completely disparate images of Donna that were jostling for position in my head. There was no sign of the meticulously groomed, hard-edged career girl who would do anything to get herself into the limelight who I’d seen a glimpse of the other week, in the young woman who sat in front of me now.

‘I suppose you know why I’m here?’ she said, between mouthfuls of an egg and cress sandwich.

I shook my head. To be honest, I hadn’t given it any thought. I’d been so keyed up about having to deal with some awkward questions from a newspaper hack that coming face to face with Donna’s alter ego had been at first a shock and then a relief.

‘I did a lot of thinking after that night,’ she began. ‘You really brought things home to me. About the baby and what… and what I’ve done.’ Her shoulders slumped and tears gathered in her eyes. She stood up, brushing crumbs away from her bump, before sitting back down again. ‘How could I have been so stupid?

I shook my head in response.

‘I don’t know what possessed me to come up with the whole thing in the first place. It just seemed like a good idea. And, of course, as soon as I mentioned Jimmy’s name, the tabloids were over me like a rash. And then, well, I was in far too deep. I couldn’t get out of it.’

It was almost too much to believe that Donna was sitting in front of me confessing that Jimmy wasn’t the father of her child, after all. I felt like punching the air with my fist. Wait until I tell Lexie, I thought excitedly. And what about, Jimmy? Was he hovering about us, doing a ghostly jig?

‘So, um, do you know who the father is?’

She lifted her eyes to me and the laser-like glare of Donna Diamond, the celebrity, bore down on me.

‘Of course I know who the father is! Everyone has this impression of me, that I’m a real slapper, but I promise you, I’m not.’ She shook her head, smiling wryly. ‘I’ve been with my boyfriend Tony for years. He’s a doorman at Marko’s. And then we split up just before I found out I was pregnant and I didn’t know what to do, how I would ever cope alone. I didn’t dare tell Tony. I thought he wouldn’t want to know me. That I’d deliberately trapped him. He always said he never wanted children.’ She shrugged, as if she could barely make sense of it all herself. ‘I’m really sorry about Jimmy. You know, him being a friend of yours and everything. It must have been awful reading those things about him.’ She dropped her gaze, looking apologetic. ‘I met him once.’

‘Did you?’ Of course, I knew they’d met. Jimmy had told me all about it, but now I wanted to hear it from her side.

‘Not long before he died. At a black tie function. He seemed really nice. A proper gentleman. Most men look at me in a certain way. But not Jimmy. He wasn’t interested in me in that way at all. I thought then what a lovely husband and dad he’d make. You were lucky to have him as your friend.’

‘Yeah,’ I said wistfully. ‘I think he may be the best friend I’ve ever had.’

She tilted her head to one side, a questioning expression on her face.

‘I mean I was lucky to have him as a friend.’ I cupped my hands around my coffee cup. ‘I haven’t really got used to him not being around any more.’

‘Yeah, it must be hard. Were you like a proper couple, together?’

‘No, not in that way. Although…’ I sighed, my gaze shifting to the window. Although what? We were just building up to it? We would have been together if he hadn’t gone and got himself killed? I could hardly tell that to Donna.

‘Ah, that’s a shame.’ Her face shone with sincerity. ‘I think you would have made a really lovely couple.’

‘Thanks.’ I poured us another cup of coffee, feeling a flush of heat to my cheeks. Hurriedly, I changed the subject. ‘So what did Tony say when you finally told him?’

‘Well, I didn’t, that was the thing. He read about it in the papers and he was furious, absolutely furious. Wanted to go round there and then and knock Jimmy’s lights out, but obviously it was too late for that. Oh, I’m sorry,’ she said, quickly realising what she’d said.

‘No, don’t worry, it’s OK.’

She combed her hands through her hair. Her every move was accentuated with weariness.

‘It was awful, really bad. I had to convince Tony that I hadn’t slept with Jimmy and we had lots of rows and sleepless nights over it all, but I think,’ she held her crossed fingers up in the air, ‘that we’ve sorted things out now.’

‘That’s good,’ I said. ‘So you’re going to make a go of it then?’

‘Yeah. Funny thing is, Tony’s made up about the baby, really thrilled. I’ve told him we can have a DNA test done once the baby’s born if he wants to, but I know for certain he’s the father, there just hasn’t been anyone else.’

‘I’m pleased,’ I said, meaning it, although it didn’t get over the small matter of the whole of the nation still believing Jimmy Mack to be the father of Donna’s unborn child. Her confession might go some way to making me feel better, but I didn’t think it would make any difference to Jimmy, knowing his reputation had been sullied.

‘I can’t wait to be a mum,’ beamed Donna. ‘It’s what I’ve always wanted and it means a brand new start for us.’ She flashed the biggest diamond I’d ever seen on her left hand. ‘Tony’s asked me to marry him.’

‘Really! That’s great news. Congratulations, Donna.’ I was thrilled for them both, but why had she gone to all the effort of coming to see me and telling me?

‘The exciting thing is that Rex Stafford has negotiated a deal with Ciao magazine for us. They’re going to do a huge twelve-page spread on us, with photos of Tony and me at home, explaining the whole story. You know, why we split up, how I fell pregnant, the reason I made up the story about Jimmy. It’s going to be a huge exclusive. There’s even talk about a follow-up television series. Wheee!’ she cried, rubbing her hands together gleefully, ‘we could be the new Katie and Peter.’

And look what happened to them, I thought, electing to keep that to myself, not wanting to spoil Donna’s moment.

‘That’s fantastic,’ I gushed, the revelation that Jimmy’s name would be cleared after all was uppermost in my mind. ‘So you’re really going to admit that you made up the story about Jimmy?’

‘I have to. For Tony’s sake and for the sake of our future together. I want to wipe the slate clean and start all over again.’

Jimmy’s name would be cleared after all. His reputation wouldn’t be sullied. This was what we’d been working so hard to achieve. What we’d both wanted. Now there would be nothing stopping Jimmy from passing over. I should have felt elated, but a cold pang of dread enveloped me.

I looked across at Donna, marvelling at her bravery. There was no way I would want to be in her shoes.

‘Well, I think that’s brilliant news, Donna, and I’m so pleased you’ve told me. I know all of Jimmy’s family will be relieved to know the truth. I’ll definitely look out for your story in the magazine.’ I glanced at my watch, desperate now to tell Lexie and Jimmy the news, but I was also conscious of the fact that I needed to get back to my desk and do some work.

‘Thanks for everything, Alice, for being so understanding.’ She zipped up her hoodie and picked up her bag from the floor. ‘There was just one other thing. Something I’m hoping you can help me with.’

‘OK,’ I said tentatively. ‘What is it?’

She screwed up her mouth, biting on her lip, her eyes flickering uneasily.

‘Your sister, Lexie is it?’

I nodded.

‘She mentioned that you had psychic powers, that you could get in touch with the other side?’

‘Oh well, I’m not really…’

‘The thing is, I know I shouldn’t have done it, but ever since I made up that story about Jimmy funny things have been going on at home. Really funny things.’ She shivered and I saw a fear in her eyes. ‘My house is haunted, Alice. No, really, it is,’ she added, seeing my startled expression. ‘It’s dead creepy. It’s almost got to the stage where I dread going home at night and I don’t know what to do about it. How to get rid of it. I feel like I’m being punished for my lies. Is that something you can do, Alice? Get rid of ghosts?’

I took a sharp intake of breath. ‘Well, I’ve had a little experience of that sort of thing,’ I muttered, wondering if I should put an ad in the Yellow Pages, advertising my skills. Clearly there was a call for this type of service, although my success rate to date had hovered around the zero mark. In this case though, I had a sneaky suspicion I might have more success.

‘What sort of stuff has been going on, then?’ I asked, warily.

‘All sorts. You wouldn’t believe it. The photos on my mantelpiece get changed around on a daily basis, the contents of my knicker drawer were swapped with the tea-towel drawer, the lights flicker on and off of their own accord, but the worse thing of all is the weird sensations that go on around me.’

‘Really?’ I said, believing every single word of it.

‘Yeah, it’s seriously freaky, like someone blowing in my ear or tickling me with a feather duster. It drives me crazy. Tony thinks it’s all in my mind because it never seems to happen when he’s around, but I know I’m not imagining it, Alice, and I just want it all to stop. I can’t live like this any more. I feel like I’m going mad. Do you think you’ll be able to help?’

‘Hmmm, I’m not sure, it sounds like you’ve got a particularly mischievous type of ghoul there. Some ghosts are more difficult to get rid of than others, but I could give it a try.’

‘Oh would you!’ Donna jumped up, surprising me by throwing her arms around me. ‘I’d be ever so grateful. What would you need to do? Come round and perform a leaving ceremony or something? I’ve got a whole cupboard full of candles if you need them.’

‘Um, well, I don’t think that will be necessary, not in the first place anyway. Leave it with me and I’ll consult my special book at home and er, um, I’ll put together a magic spell. A special one. That should do the trick.’

‘A spell? Isn’t that what witches do?’

‘Er, yes, obviously, but we sometimes use them in our line of work too. In those particularly tricky cases. Like this one.’

‘I see,’ said Donna, looking at me doubtfully. ‘Well, if you could do whatever it is you need to do, I’d be ever so grateful.’

‘Don’t worry,’ I said, standing up and reaching for the door handle, ‘I’m extremely confident that I’ll be able to sort out your unwelcome visitor once and for all.’

Chapter Nineteen

Sitting on the train on the way home from work that day, I did something I’d never done before.

‘JIMMY!’ I cried very loudly in my head, banging my fist down on the seat next to me.

Even I was impressed when seconds later the man himself slipped into the seat next to me and gave me the benefit of his broad grin.

‘Hi, Babe, receiving you loud and clear.’

Ignoring the fact that he was looking as louche and obscenely sexy as one ghost was possible to look, I turned on him.

‘Don’t you “Babe” me, you despicable low-life, you! How you could do something like that is beyond me. It’s despicable, completely despicable.’

‘Uh-oh,’ he said, sitting up in the seat and leaning his face into mine, ‘what have I done now?’

‘As if you don’t know!’ I shook my head, barely able to find the words. Interfering in my life was one thing, but taking advantage of a poor defenceless pregnant woman was something else entirely.

He held up his hands in the air sheepishly.

‘No, I’m sorry, you’ll have to give it to me straight.’

‘Don’t you play the innocent with me.’ I glared at him through narrowed eyes. ‘I had a visit today from a certain Donna Diamond.’

‘Oh,’ said Jimmy, grimacing. He shifted uneasily in his seat, screwing his mouth up on one side. ‘I see.’

‘So what was all that stuff you were spouting about not abusing your position? Not taking advantage of your ghostly powers? How you would never do that sort of thing. Had a change of mind, did you?’