She Must Be Someone Special

‘I didn’t cry,’ she said into the phone. ‘You must have heard wrong.’ Austyn was busy. She shouldn’t bother him with her trivial family drama. Austyn heard the denial in her voice but didn’t want to argue with her over the phone. He would see for himself soon enough. ‘After dinner, go home and wait up for me, okay?’ Deborah’s fork clattered to the plate. It produced a loud clang. ‘Sorry,’ she apologised. ‘What’s that sound?’ Kira asked. ‘Aren’t you at the office?’ Austyn sucked in a deep breath. ‘No.’ ‘Are you outside?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘With a woman?’ Kira couldn’t help raising her voice. She’d heard the woman’s apology. ‘Yes,’ Austyn said. ‘You have time to keep another woman company but not your own wife?’ ‘It’s not what you think.’ ‘Then what is it? Is she a client?’ ‘No.’ Austyn cleared his throat. ‘A friend.’ ‘Have I met this friend before?’ Kira racked her brain. She’d only ever met Austyn’s male friends before, like Captain O’Neill and Doctor Chase. ‘I don’t think so.’ An idea suddenly o