Free-Falling Read Free Page B

nails. Neatly set, short, auburn hair (not a hint of grey showing). Gorgeous pearl earrings.
    She was perfectly in control.
    Composed.
    Even-headed.
    Reckless.
    She tucked the tags of the new clothes out of sight, picked up her handbag and, leaving her old pants and blouse in a heap on the floor, strode from the change rooms and out of the shop. The security tag set off the beeper but she happened to be leaving at the same time as a mother and her two daughters and they immediately turned back towards the shop assistant – big, exasperated smiles as they opened their bags wide for inspection.
    Evelyn didn’t stop until she’d reached a coffee shop on the other side of the shopping centre and sat herself down at a table in the corner. Her heart was beating furiously; she felt both exhilarated and completely ridiculous. Why on earth had she done that? No one in the store had even looked at her twice as she’d marched out of there, head held high. In hindsight, she realised how lucky she was to have escaped unnoticed in a completely different outfit from the one she had walked in wearing. She hadn’t even thought about what she was going to do about the security tags until now. The adrenalin of the whole crazy incident started to drain away as she ordered herself a latte and let her mind drift.
    I should pick up some bread at the supermarket on the way out. Really should have got a load of washing on the line today – the sun is simply gorgeous. I should catch up with Vi sometime soon – we haven’t got together in weeks. I really should call my son and tell him that his twin brother is dead.
    She reached into her handbag for her purse. She wanted to get out of there before anymore jarring thoughts jumped into her head. She frowned when she couldn’t place her hand on the purse straight away. She pulled the bag up onto the table and started fishing through its contents. She froze. It had been in the pocket of her other pants. The ones she had left on the change room floor in Noni-B.
    She would have to be the absolute worst thief ever.

    â€˜Boys, what the hell were you thinking? Were you even thinking at all? I mean, I really thought you two had at least half a brain between you. Maybe I was wrong. Well, was I?
Boys
?’
    â€˜He made me do it.’
    â€˜Oh, James, I will
not
accept such a clichéd excuse from my creative son. Come on, give me something better than that.’
    â€˜Mum, please, it’s true – it was all my fault . . . I really wanted a skateboard. I made him help me steal it.’
    â€˜See, I
told
you, he
made
me do it.’
    â€˜You two must have rocks in your heads. Andrew, you haven’t been near a skateboard since you fell off bloody what’s-his-name’s one from down the street. I’m having a very hard time believing you would so badly want one of your own. You, James, are a different story. Either way, you are
both
in big trouble.’

    She stood up and headed to the café counter, ready to explain her situation – to an extent, anyway. The manager behind the till was too busy reprimanding a teenage waitress to even noticeEvelyn. She glanced around and saw that the only other visible staff member, a waiter about her sons’ age, was leaning on a chair and flirting with a pretty girl, while her shy boyfriend flushed with embarrassment across the table.
    Well really, why bother trying to explain?
    Once a thief . . .
    She marched out of the coffee shop and made a beeline for Noni-B. She had just reached the entrance of the store when she heard a familiar voice behind her.
    â€˜Yoo-hoo! Fancy seeing you here!’
    For goodness sake, are we really that old that we need to say things like ‘yoo-hoo’?
    â€˜Hello there, Marge, how are you?’ she asked briskly, as she turned to see her well-rounded, well-meaning neighbour bustling towards her, pushing a stroller with a likewise rather