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Julie.
    He unfastened the safety chain and pulled the door open. Then, clutching his chest in a melodramatic gesture, said, ‘Oh my! What have you done to yourself?’ He hardly recognized his voice as his shocked eyes took in Julie’s haggard expression, cropped hair, and supermarket jeans and sweat shirt. This was not the girl he knew. This was some stranger who inhabited her skin and had robbed her of her ebullient nature.
    Julie patted the sleek, short hair clinging to her head like a brown skullcap. ‘I don’t know if Nicole has ever seen a photo of me so I needed to change my appearance.’
    ‘Why?’ Adrian regained control and, removing his hand from his chest, gestured for her to come in.
    A blanket of misery passed across Julie’s face. ‘I don’t intend to let Nicole off with what she’s done to Dave. He didn’t deserve to die, but she does. So I’m going to Dundee for a time. Just long enough to make sure she suffers.’
    Adrian stepped back from the look on Julie’s face, then took hold of her elbow and guided her into the flat. ‘That’s silly. How many Julie Chalmers do you suppose there are? She’ll know who you are by your name.’
    Julie laughed bitterly. ‘I’m not that stupid,’ she said. ‘I’ll go back to my own name. I’ll be Julie Forbes.’
    ‘It’s a pity you hadn’t become Julie Forbes when Dave left you.’
    ‘He was going to come back to me.’
    ‘You wish.’
    ‘He was. I know it. Why else would he phone me to say so?’ A tear rolled down Julie’s cheek. ‘We’d loved each other for such a long time – ever since we were at school together – and love like that just doesn’t die.’
    Adrian sighed. It was obvious to him that Dave had moved on, but Julie had stayed put. And because of that, she was in pain.
    ‘Come in and sit down for a while, love. You’ll feel better after a glass of wine. I’ve got a rather decent Chablis chilling.’
    Julie perched on the edge of the pink brocade sofa twirling the glass between her fingers. She had accepted the glass of wine to please him, but she did little more than wet her lips with it. Much as she liked Adrian, she never felt comfortable in his flat. It was too plush, too ornate, too feminine.
    ‘This is not the best idea you’ve ever had.’ Adrian sat cross-legged in front of her. His silk pyjamas were a shade darker than the carpet.
    ‘Are you listening to me?’
    ‘What?’
    ‘I said – this is not the best idea you’ve ever had.’ Adrian frowned. ‘If you want more time off then by all means take it. Sam can fill in at the gallery. He’s in between shows at the moment.’
    Sam was Adrian’s partner. He had just finished a long run at the Playhouse where he’d had bit parts in several musicals.
    ‘How much time?’
    ‘Take a few months, relax, have a holiday. Whatever. You’ll soon feel better. After all, you can’t be sure Dave was coming back to you, and given a bit of time you’ll get over him.’
    Adrian was just stating a fact, but his words seared into Julie’s brain and she had to take several breaths before she could speak again.
    ‘That’ll give me time to do what I have to.’
    Adrian groaned. ‘Not a good idea.’
    ‘It won’t take long. And if I’m in Dundee it’ll just be like a holiday.’
    The stubbornness in her voice convinced Adrian she would not be deflected from her purpose.
    ‘I doubt that,’ Adrian said drily. ‘I don’t know what you intend to do, but it doesn’t sound good. However, I can see that nothing I say will change your mind.’
    Julie laid her wine glass on the coffee table and stood up. ‘I’ll phone you now and then to let you know what’s happening.’
    Adrian opened the door for her. ‘Take care.’ He stood there for a long time looking down the stairwell before sighing and closing the door. Despite his concern, over what she was planning to do, Julie was a decent person and he hoped she would come to no harm.
    ***
    Julie’s determination did