‘This is what I call good timing,’
said Mike as he entered the White Hart, making sure his mobile was switched on
now that he’d finished work. ‘Cheers,
Brian!’
Brian
raised his eyes towards the ceiling and said, ‘We don’t see him for weeks, then
he walks in just as I’m paying.’ He pointed towards the Harvey’s
pump, and called to the landlord: ‘Give him a pint of the real stuff, Ken.’
‘About
the only thing in here that is real,’ said Mike to wind Ken up. ‘I bet that
so-called Victorian mirror comes from Taiwan.’
‘That
mirror cost me an arm and a leg.’
‘In
other words it was cheap. Where’s
Marion.
‘She’s
on holiday. And if I’d known you were
coming in, Mike, I’d have gone with her.’
Mike
laughed, then spotted another customer further down the bar, who scowled as he
caught Mike’s eye.
‘Hello,
Trevor. Didn’t see you lurking
there. But then I never notice insurance
salesmen.’
Trevor
mumbled what he thought was a witty riposte, which was lost in the succession
of comments following Mike’s insult.
Mike downed half of his pint as Ken strolled along the bar to where some
regulars were watching a Premiere League football match.
‘Come on!’ he said. ‘Don’t let the football
slow your drinking.’
Mike
downed half of his pint before he realized his mobile was ringing.
He fumbled in his pocket and clicked it on as
he headed for the door.
‘She’ll
know you’re in the boozer,’ called Brian after him. ‘They can smell it down the
phone.’
As
it happened, Brian was right. Mike
hadn’t managed to make it outside before Claire caught the background noise.
‘Where are you ringing from?’ she demanded.
‘Pub
in Uckfield,’ he lied. This would give
him more drinking time in Rusthall before he went home.
‘I’ve just stopped for a swift half before I
do my last client.’
‘But
it’s gone half-eight.’
A
whine crept into her voice, which irritated him, making him feel less guilty
about lying.
‘You
know some of my clients don’t get home until late.
What’s the problem?’
‘It’s
Andrew.’
A
cold shiver ran through him.
‘Where
is he?’
‘He’s
upstairs. In his room.
Can’t you hear the music blasting out?’
Relieved
his son was safe, Mike relaxed and decided he could return to the bar and have
a few more pints. Face the problem
later.
‘He’s
always playing his music too loud, sweetheart. Why is tonight any different?’
‘Because
tonight he seems really angry. He went
out this morning in a really foul mood and came back this evening in the same
foul mood. I can’t stand it.
And over the past few months I’ve noticed
money missing from my purse. I didn’t
mention it because I wasn’t sure. But
this morning, after he stormed out, I checked my purse.
I know I had two
ten pound notes, and one of them was gone.’
‘But
Andy’s always broke,’ he protested. ‘If
he’s nicking money...’
‘Exactly,’
she replied. ‘Where’s the money going?’
*
‘You smell of smoke,’ said
Marjorie, sniffing distinctly. ‘Have you
been to the pub?’
Ted
wiped his feet diligently on the doormat.
‘I
might have called in for one on the way home.’
There
was a triumphant gleam in Marjorie’s eye.
‘Oh, might you,’ she said ominously.
‘I expect you could still manage a cup of tea.’
She
led the way, and Ted followed, to the kitchen. She switched on the kettle and
turned to face him, dying to see him wriggling from the pain of discovery.
But she was disappointed.
He spotted the book, but his face was a
mask. He put the sports bag containing
his uniform down, eased the book to one side, and sat at the table.
‘What’s
that book,’ she demanded, ‘which I found hidden in your wash bag?’
‘Oh
that.’
‘Oh
that,’ she mimicked. ‘Since when have you taken to reading Shakespeare?’
‘I
like Shakespeare,’ he explained quietly. ‘I always have done.
Ever since I was at school.’
She
snorted contemptuously. ‘Just because you
went to Skinners. A pity you didn’t do
something better with your life then.’
It
had always rankled that her husband had gone to a grammar school, whereas she
had gone to Sandown Court
She picked up the copy of Richard III, sniffed disparagingly, and
dropped it back on the table.
‘Why
you thought you had to hide it, God only knows.’
‘Because
I didn’t think you’d understand.’
‘What
is there to understand? If you want to
skulk about hiding your books from me...but if that’s the best thing you can find
to hide then God help you.
Shakespeare! It’s pathetic.
Thank goodness we’ve got something lively to
look forward to on Friday night.’
His
heart sank. Friday was the night he was
invited to see Macbeth with that chap
Donald he’d met in the pub. And, come
hell or high water, nothing was going to stop him from going.
‘Why?
What’s happening on Friday?’ he asked.
‘Alec
and Freda are coming over. To see the
house. They’ve not been before.
Ted! What’s wrong?
You’re not working Friday, are you?’
‘No.
But...’
‘But
what?’
‘Nothing.’
‘Why
d’you always look so guilty?’ she said, tutting loudly.
‘As if you’d got something to hide.’
IN EPISODE FIVE ON THURSDAY
Claire persuades Mike to tackle
Andrew about the missing money, and Dave puts his plan for revenge into
operation.
