is the only way to describe his expression. “Oh yes, so why did you ring me, chase me here dressed like that and chat me up? I don’t buy that book crap.”
I made to go, and his arm came out, hand flat on the wall to stop me.
“There’s just one thing you were after, sweetheart.”
“You don’t really like women, do you?” That made his smile vanish. I had nothing to lose now. A sudden revelation struck me, and I voiced it without thinking. I said, “You fancied Ric Kealey.”
I’d hit the bull’s-eye, I was certain of it. His face became venomous, murderous. He looked like a man capable of sticking a knife in another human being. I was glad we were not alone. He lowered his arm, turned away from me to Grant Atherton and raised his voice.
“Grant, this woman is pissing me off. She says she’s from La Vista , and she’s not. She’s a ligger.”
Chapter
13
*
I was still upset when I got home. I’ve never been escorted from a building before between two security men, with everyone staring at me wondering what I’d done. It was humiliating. Grant Atherton, in front of a roomful of people, told me he didn’t ever want to see me there again, and the fact that I had no desire to return was small consolation.
Back at Fox Hollow Yard I took off my high heels and stomped up the stairs to the flat. Ric was on his mobile, striding to and fro. Dog sat behind the sofa. He looked at me, then his head went back to following Ric’s movements.
“Phil, get used to it. I am not going to fucking Scotland.”
……………..
“So pay them what they want to do it fast.”
……………..
“No! I don’t give a shit. I’ve had it with your excuses.”
……………..
I sat on a kitchen stool, flushed and fuming, dumped my shoes on the floor and my bag on the counter. They’d taken back my catalogue and badge. Ric gave me a distracted glance.
“No, you listen to me. Get that account sorted out this week, if you don’t want me coming round to see you. I’m not discussing it.”
He hung up, breathed deeply, swore, turned to me, and registered my state.
“What’s the matter?”
“Jeff Pike. He’s loathsome. I feel I need a shower.”
“Jesus, what happened? You’re shaking.”
“He knew I wasn’t Vikki Wilson. He played along for a bit, because he thought I was coming on to him, then he got really nasty. He had me thrown out.”
“Shit. Did he say anything useful?”
“Not that I noticed. Maybe you’ll spot something.” I got out the recorder and shoved it at him. “Jeff doesn’t like women.”
“You could have fooled me.”
“I’m not saying he doesn’t fancy them; just that he doesn’t like them. If you ask me, he’s bisexual. But in denial. I think he was keen on you. When you were alive, if you see what I mean.”
“Me?” Ric’s laugh was uneasy. “Why d’you say that?”
“Because he didn’t like your being close to Bryan. Because Dave said he was devastated when you died. Because of his face when I said he fancied you. And I’m wondering whether he might have killed Bryan in a jealous rage because he was your best friend.”
Ric stared. “It’s all those detective stories, Caz, they’ve got to you. That sort of thing doesn’t happen in real life. Jeff’s not bi. He’s married with children.”
“You said yourself that hadn’t affected the way he behaved.”
“With women, yes. I’d have known if…if he had…” Ric frowned. He paced across the room and gazed absently into the twilight outside the windows, then came back. “He wouldn’t have kept quiet about it all those years, surely… Now I think about it, it did just cross my mind once or twice in the early days. While we were touring, living on top of one another. But right from the start there were hordes of girls hanging around. Stand still and they’d climb all over you. We were both getting laid every night, and Jeff never made a move on me, or said anything. He’s never had a
I made to go, and his arm came out, hand flat on the wall to stop me.
“There’s just one thing you were after, sweetheart.”
“You don’t really like women, do you?” That made his smile vanish. I had nothing to lose now. A sudden revelation struck me, and I voiced it without thinking. I said, “You fancied Ric Kealey.”
I’d hit the bull’s-eye, I was certain of it. His face became venomous, murderous. He looked like a man capable of sticking a knife in another human being. I was glad we were not alone. He lowered his arm, turned away from me to Grant Atherton and raised his voice.
“Grant, this woman is pissing me off. She says she’s from La Vista , and she’s not. She’s a ligger.”
Chapter
13
*
I was still upset when I got home. I’ve never been escorted from a building before between two security men, with everyone staring at me wondering what I’d done. It was humiliating. Grant Atherton, in front of a roomful of people, told me he didn’t ever want to see me there again, and the fact that I had no desire to return was small consolation.
Back at Fox Hollow Yard I took off my high heels and stomped up the stairs to the flat. Ric was on his mobile, striding to and fro. Dog sat behind the sofa. He looked at me, then his head went back to following Ric’s movements.
“Phil, get used to it. I am not going to fucking Scotland.”
……………..
“So pay them what they want to do it fast.”
……………..
“No! I don’t give a shit. I’ve had it with your excuses.”
……………..
I sat on a kitchen stool, flushed and fuming, dumped my shoes on the floor and my bag on the counter. They’d taken back my catalogue and badge. Ric gave me a distracted glance.
“No, you listen to me. Get that account sorted out this week, if you don’t want me coming round to see you. I’m not discussing it.”
He hung up, breathed deeply, swore, turned to me, and registered my state.
“What’s the matter?”
“Jeff Pike. He’s loathsome. I feel I need a shower.”
“Jesus, what happened? You’re shaking.”
“He knew I wasn’t Vikki Wilson. He played along for a bit, because he thought I was coming on to him, then he got really nasty. He had me thrown out.”
“Shit. Did he say anything useful?”
“Not that I noticed. Maybe you’ll spot something.” I got out the recorder and shoved it at him. “Jeff doesn’t like women.”
“You could have fooled me.”
“I’m not saying he doesn’t fancy them; just that he doesn’t like them. If you ask me, he’s bisexual. But in denial. I think he was keen on you. When you were alive, if you see what I mean.”
“Me?” Ric’s laugh was uneasy. “Why d’you say that?”
“Because he didn’t like your being close to Bryan. Because Dave said he was devastated when you died. Because of his face when I said he fancied you. And I’m wondering whether he might have killed Bryan in a jealous rage because he was your best friend.”
Ric stared. “It’s all those detective stories, Caz, they’ve got to you. That sort of thing doesn’t happen in real life. Jeff’s not bi. He’s married with children.”
“You said yourself that hadn’t affected the way he behaved.”
“With women, yes. I’d have known if…if he had…” Ric frowned. He paced across the room and gazed absently into the twilight outside the windows, then came back. “He wouldn’t have kept quiet about it all those years, surely… Now I think about it, it did just cross my mind once or twice in the early days. While we were touring, living on top of one another. But right from the start there were hordes of girls hanging around. Stand still and they’d climb all over you. We were both getting laid every night, and Jeff never made a move on me, or said anything. He’s never had a
Similar Books
