Page 115 of Tears of Glass

“Because she left me, too.”

“Don’t make this about you. You’re the one who failed, you failed me.” I hate the sob rising to the surface and I swallow it down. I hang up, barely managing to control the phone before it falls to the pavement next to my keys.

I jump when a hand lands on my shoulder. “You okay, Faith?” I turn to find Sienna standing behind me.

I brush at my hair and try to calm the fuck down. “Yeah, family issues.” I don’t want to cry in front of her. She nods understandably. “You should meet mine, they make Eli’s look like the perfect family.”

I shoot her a wan smile. “Even Connie?”

Sienna scrunches her pretty little face. “Well. Maybe not her.”

I can’t even bring myself to laugh. I can’t believe that man called me. Where the hell is Dan? Why did Al leave me his shop? Why didn’t Dan tell me? Because he hates me? My head spins with too many questions.

“Sorry, Sienna, do you need something?” I try to focus on her.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” She leans in, placing a hand on my arm. It’s beautifully manicured and smooth.

“I’m fine.” My smile tightens.

“I was just bringing this file to leave for Eli.” Fuck, I hate it when she calls him that, but I know I’ve got to let it go. “I think you were right. I looked through the records for a financial pay out that coincided with a woman leaving the company three months earlier. She got three payments.”

“She was being paid to stay quiet.” I meet her gaze. This is the break the Melanie Duncan case needs. This could be the truth.

Sienna shrugs. “If we can find her.” She flicks open the folder and rifles through the papers, lines of financial records are highlighted. “She moved around and then I think she changed her name. The woman who received the money no longer exists.”

“Shit.” I pull at the papers, shuffling them. “I want this case over. I think Eli will start following his dreams once Melanie has justice.”

Sienna’s eyebrows dip into a frown but she shrugs. “I hope so.”

My gaze falls onto a black and white picture. “What’s this?”

“It’s the Human Resource record. The staff security image.”

“I know her.” I pick up the paper and stare at it, turning it a little bit. “It can’t be. It’s just too much of a coincidence.”

“What do you mean?”

I stare harder. Seriously? The chances are just too far-fetched. “She lives in the flat below mine. I’ve only met her once when I flooded her bathroom.”

“Was she by herself?”

My head shakes from side to side as I try to remember that throwaway conversation months back. “No, she had a baby, and mentioned her husband.”

Sienna puts her hand into her handbag and goes to dial, but I put my hand on her arm and shake my head. “Let me check first? I might be wrong.”

Sienna watches me carefully and then nods. “Okay. But we need to tell Eli soon. We need to announce to the court if we have a new witness to bring to the stand.”

I nod. Looks like I’m not going to uni after all. After a swift goodbye to Sienna, I head back in the direction of the flat I no longer live in. Although what I’m going to say to her, if it is her, I have no idea.

On my way I call Dan, but it goes to his answerphone. Then I ring Abi and she confirms what the unsettled sensation in my stomach is telling me. Dan has hardly been seen.

This is a mess.

I tell her about my dad and what he said about Al, but Abi promises she didn’t know anything about it.

I believe her. She’d never lie.

I call Dan one more time as I stand outside the flat and drag on a smoke. Not quite how I thought my day would go, but at least I’ve spoken to Abi and can now check on Tabitha, too—so my to do list is slowly decreasing.