Catch Me When I Fall by Nicci French Page B

know that's what Meg and Trish think, anyway.'
     'Can I do anything for you? I could be your middle man, no legal fee involved.'

    'No, don't be daft. It's sweet of you but it's my fault and my problem, and if anyone's going to sort it out it's me.'
     'You're the one person who can't, I'd say. Anyway, this is what I do in my job. I sort out personnel problems. Let me do it as a favour.'
'It wouldn't work. You saw what she was like.'
     'Very flew," agreed Stuart. "Let me give it a go at least. What's her phone number?"
'I don't know. Trish would have it."
"Trish?"
     "In the office. You could ask her. Or look her up in the directory -her name's Deborah Trickett and she lives in Kennington, I know that. Willow Lane, I think.'
"Deborah Trickett, Willow Lane,' he repeated. 'I don't think it's a good idea.' 'It's a challenge.'
"Listen, Stuart, I ought to be getting home.'
     'But you're coming to the exhibition. That wasn't a brilliant improvisation. I really am going to a friend's opening, just down the road from here. Come along. It might be fun."
     'That's very kind of you, and on another day maybe, but it's been a busy time and I don't think I'm up to it this evening. I've kind of run out of energy."
'That doesn't sound like you."
"What do you mean?'
     'Running out of energy. That was one of the reasons I wanted to talk to you. That weekend, there was something extraordinary about it. It wasn't what we did. I guess everybody does that stupid raft stuff. But the people in the office, they're really excited. You did that.'
     'Ali right,' I said. Til come for a bit.' I stood up straight and hitched my shoulder-bag higher. My knuckles had started to throb, and I had blisters on my heels. My face was tingling a bit,
    as if it had pins and needles, but I don't think you can get pins and needles in your face. I put up a hand to rub my cheek but missed and jabbed my nose.
'What kind of friend is it?'
     'What kind of friend? Well, he's..."
'No, I mean, what kind of exhibition?'
     "Oh, sort of art. Objects made out of, you know, things. It's a bit difficult to describe. Some of it's beautiful, in a weird kind of way.'
"Great,' I said. 'Let's go, then.'
     I stumbled on the pavement. He put out an arm to steady me and looked at me intently. 'Maybe you are a bit tired."
     "I'm fine. I've decided.' My enthusiasm felt forced, obviously fake.
"It's this way, to the left. The Oryx Gallery."
     'I know the one. It had shoes made of food in it a few weeks ago."
'Do you always walk this fast?'
"Is this fast?"
'We're not in a race, Holly."
     'A race against time. We can win. Here we are, do we need an invitation to get in?'
Ive got one, admits two.'
'Two. So, did someone let you down?
"I let someone down."
     'Ah'
     He pushed open the door, and all at once the crowd and the wind and the rain and the vague, pulsing stars were gone, and we had stepped into a bright cocoon of space, glowing white walls, polished floorboards, lights strung along the ceiling and shining off the puddles of wood below, a soft babble of voices. I took a fluted glass, full to the brim with cool yellow wine, from a tray that was held out to me and edged into the crowd.

    "Cheers,' said Stuart, in an ironic tone that seemed habitual to him.
     "Cheers,' I said. I raised it so it glinted under the spotlights then took a deep swallow. "Let's look at your friend's work, then. Is he here? Which one is he? What's his name?'
     'Laurie. He's probably in the next room, or in the pub down the road, hiding."
     'I like it,' I said. 'I do. I'd like to have that on my mantelpiece. I'm not going to sleep with you, you know."
     Stuart's drink seemed to go down the wrong way and he coughed helplessly so that I had to pat him on his back.
     Im married to someone called Charlie Carter,' I continued, when he'd stopped spluttering. 'I think I told you that before. He's an artist, though I think he should be a plumber. Look, I'm
wearing a ring."
'So I see.'
'Though sometimes I take