Blood Storm

39

It was after 9 p.m. when Paula parked in the street where Coral lived. The street lamps at intervals created a pleasant glow in the moonless dark. A few couples strolled slowly, stopping to chat, to engage in an embrace.

On the first floor above the entrance to the flat a window of frosted glass was illuminated by a pink lamp inside. It was almost red and Paula suppressed a shudder. With the key Coral had given her she opened the front door. There was a groan from the hinges which startled her. She went inside the wide hall which was also lit by a ceiling lamp.

She closed the door slowly and avoided it groaning a second time. She was very late and wondered whether Coral was taking a bath behind the frosted-glass window. Her rubber-soled shoes made no sound as she ascended the stairs at the end of the hall.

The door to the living room was open. Paula glanced inside, then entered the bedroom where the door was also wide open. The double bed was a very low affair, only a few inches off the floor. The floor was wooden, covered here and there with rugs.

She moved cautiously, very quietly. In the far wall a glass door was slid half-open. She could now hear the shower going full blast. Under the cover of the noise she walked quickly to the second closet which contained Coral's coats. She didn't think Coral would open this closet unless she was going out. Which seemed unlikely – there was a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket, two glasses on a table.

She opened the closet door slowly. It stuck at first, then gave way with a loud creak. She glanced at the bathroom but the noise of the shower had muffled the noise. Beyond a glazed door she had a glimpse of Coral's figure. She looked away quickly.

She had stepped inside the roomy closet, pushing coats aside, when the shower was turned off. She heard Coral talking on a mobile, her voice soft, excited.

'Hi, there. Great to hear your voice. What was that?'

Presumably the caller had said something, then Coral replied.

'Sure I'll be ready for you then.' She giggled. 'In fact I'm ready for you now.'

Again, presumably, a response from the caller.

'No, I'm not. Don't be naughty…'

Another pause while the caller said something.

'Didn't say I loved you. Liked you a lot, I said.'

Another pause.

'That's all right. Get here when you can.' Another giggle. 'I'm not going anywhere. Bye.'

Paula, behind the coats, tensed. If she came into this closet.. . Unlikely with only three coats for outside wear, but still…

She remembered seeing a neatly folded pile of underwear on a chair in the bedroom. Also a dress had been folded carefully over the back of another chair.

The closet door looked heavy but the next thing she heard distinctly was the clink of a glass. Coral was not dressing for her visitor. Instead she was sitting down to drink champagne. Wearing nothing.

Paula wished she'd taken off her windcheater – it was warm inside the closet. She decided she dare not risk it. She might make a noise, hit one of the coats hanging from the brass rails.

She settled down to wait.