Read The Keeper of Secrets for Free Online Page A

disposed of. I’ll go away and work out the figures, but it looks as though the labour and disposal costs are going to be more than any income I can generate. You’ll have to warn your husband that there will be a charge.’
    â€˜I was going to clear all the clutter myself,’ Elle offered as she led Tony back downstairs. ‘Would that keep the cost down?’
    â€˜Not much to be honest, but every little helps. I’ll quote on the basis that all the bags of rubbish will be gone.’ He saw her wince. ‘And the boxes of smaller items too.’
    As she was about to open the front door for Tony, her mobile began to ring.
    â€˜Is he still there?’ Rick asked.
    â€˜I’m just seeing him out now,’ Elle said. She was looking at Tony, who gave her another sympathetic smile. It was the third call from Rick while the rep had been there.
    Rick waited on the phone long enough to be satisfied that the man had left.
    â€˜Don’t you want to know what he said?’ she asked.
    â€˜Of course, but not now, Elle,’ Rick said impatiently, as if she had been the one disturbing him. ‘I’ll call you later.’
    Elle dropped the phone back into her pocket and sat down on the old sofa with the first couple of bin bags lined up and awaiting inspection. She stared at the threadbare armchair.
    â€˜I know you wanted to keep your secrets, Dad,’ she began. ‘And I wish you had, but it’s not an option any more. I have to know what happened. Those letters have knocked my belief in everything I held sacred. Your marriage to Mum was solid; it was meant to be the blueprint for the rest of my life, for God’s sake.’ She let the last statement echo across the room and gulped back a sob. ‘Wasn’t it?’
    Elle paused, waiting for an answer, but there were no sounds other than the hum from the electric heater glowing ominously in the fireplace.
    â€˜Of course it was,’ she continued for him. ‘But I need to find something, anything, that gives me back that certainty. Where are the love letters between you and Mum? Where’s the proof that my faith in you was deserved?’
    She pulled the first bin bag towards her. It was full of the clutter she had emptied from the writing bureau. She was going to be methodical, she was going to be thorough and she wouldn’t leave until she found what she was looking for, whatever that might be.
    â€˜You’re not still there, are you? Have you seen the time?’ Rick asked. ‘Elle, you’re going to be late for Charlie if you don’t get a move on. Christ, do I have to do everything for you? The whole point of using a clearance company was so you wouldn’t have to bother. Let go and leave it to the professionals. I don’t suppose they’ve uncovered any hidden gems? Did they make an offer?’
    Elle had the phone wedged on her shoulder so she could carry on wading through the paperwork. She had emptied four bags so far, sorting their contents into neat piles. She wasn’t paying attention to Rick, who had shown not even the slightest sign of wanting to hear what she had to say anyway. It was only as the phone went silent that she realized she had missed her cue to reply. ‘Sorry?’
    â€˜What did the clearance company say?’ Rick said, losing patience.
    â€˜Tony’s gone away to work up a quote, but he did warn me that there wouldn’t be enough income to cover the disposal costs.’
    â€˜Oh, it’s Tony now, is it? It’s a shame you couldn’t use your womanly wiles to get a decent quote. I knew I shouldn’t have left it to you. I’ll give him a ring and see what I can do.’
    â€˜I promised I’d have all the clutter cleared out, so that will make it a bit cheaper. That’s what I’ve been doing,’ she said, wincing at the lie. ‘It’ll take a few trips, but it’s not impossible.’
    â€˜The