Chapter 18.

                                    

                                          
Joan drove home with a smile on her face. In the beginning it felt like the weeks of late nights would be a death sentence. But it was over, quicker than Joan had ever imagined it would be; she had gotten the results she was after very early into her experiment and was quite satisfied. Kate hadn't asked again what it was that she was doing at the prison so late at night, and although Joan wondered if Kate had suspicions about her tactics and intentions, she was glad that the subject had not been breached again. Even when Joan was nursing a sore wrist that she tried so hard to hide, and subsequently failed, still Kate asked nothing after Joan had offered the explanation of slipping over. So many different things were falling into place now she felt like it was finally all coming together.
                          
She couldn't wait to be in Kate's arms, to finally spend the evening together again, talk, eat dinner and sleep in the same bed with her all night. It felt like a dream. A happy dream. Joan allowed herself to simply enjoy the happiness she was feeling as she drove home, knowing she was driving home to Kate.
                          
Pulling into their street Joan's eyes searched for signs of life at Kate's house. 
                          
Nothing stood out to tell her that Kate was home and as she pulled into her own driveway she saw in her rear view mirror that the driveway behind her was empty. 
                          
Her heart fell. Disappointment filled her veins and she questioned herself about their relationship as she sat in the car staring into the mirror at the empty driveway behind her. She caught sight of her own eyes for a moment and despite herself she softened. "Don't be stupid," Joan said to herself in the mirror. "She loves you, she's just running late."
                          
Joan pulled herself together and figured Kate would be home soon. 
                          
*
                          
Kate stopped at the market on her way home, she needed some fresh produce because her fridge looked like that of a bachelor and she knew how shameful that was. She grabbed a basket and began the trek up the street to collect all the freshest produce that was still left from the day of trade.
                          
"Oh hello," came the chirpy feminine voice that rung a hundred warning bells in Kate's head.
                          
Turning to where the voice had come from Kate's eyes fell upon the slight figure of the forensic psychologist whom she had met only a few nights before. The smile was bright but her eyes were roaming for information. "Hi there." Kate smiled politely but wasn't willing to open a dialogue as she continued her slow walk of discovery in the market. She knew that when Joan had said 'discreet,' it had meant she didn't want her work colleagues to know she was in a relationship, let alone with a woman.
                          
The woman fell into step beside Kate, carrying her own basket. "You're the Governor's friend, right?" Her short blonde hair bounced slightly as she walked beside Kate, and her stiletto heels clicked on the pavement only slightly echoing around the marketplace as people still flooded the street collecting their produce for the week.
                          
"Neighbour," Kate corrected with a forced smile.
                          
"Ah yes, the neighbour who brings food. That's very thoughtful of you, are the meals she brings in from home from you too?" 
                          
"Sometimes, I suppose." Kate knew what she was doing and didn't want to let the woman in on anything that wasn't her business. If she wanted private information about Joan she would have to ask Joan herself, it wasn't Kate's place to say anything and she was all too aware of that, not to mention how worried she was about what might happen if something were to leak back to Joan about their impromptu run in. "What is it you want from me?"
                          
The psychologist grabbed Kate's arm and with a simple manoeuvre brought them both face to face in the busy marketplace. "Look, it's not my place to pry-"