Thirteen
A minute or two before the paramedics arrived, the power came back on.
‘It happens here sometimes,’ one of them told me. ‘It normally only lasts for ten minutes or so.’
I’d intended to tell them exactly what had happened, but before I got a chance, Jasper had explained. Although he’d been liberal with the truth. For my sake no doubt.
‘I’d come to close the window. Marcus, the owner thought his fiancée had left a key, but it wasn’t there. Erin’s staying in the cottage at the other end of the row and heard me arrive. She’d come to see if she could help. I’d climbed a few rungs up the ladder when it must’ve slipped on the wet grass, and I’d fallen, knocking into her on my way down. You can check the texts on my phone to see I’m telling the truth, but Erin’s a police officer, so she would’ve arrested me if anything untoward was going on.’
They both knew Marcus. He was clearly a popular guy. They didn’t seem that concerned about why the accident had happened, just about how Jasper had landed, but one of them did check the text from Marcus that had asked Jasper to come and close the window.
‘Not the brightest thing to do during a power cut,’ the man said. ‘And, without a key how were you planning to lock the front door on your way out?’
‘It’s self-locking.’
‘We’ll take you to the hospital in case of a concussion, and they’ll reset your nose,’ the other paramedic said.
They then asked Jasper some questions and carried out a brief examination to check for other injuries, asking if he needed pain relief, but he said he’d wait until his nose was reset.
‘Could you take a look at Erin’s shoulder too, please?’ Jasper asked, to my surprise.
After examining it and asking if and where I felt pain, the paramedic said, ‘Seems fine to me. Nothing appears to be broken. But if the pain returns or you experience any other problems, go to your doctor, or call us if necessary.’
‘Thanks. I’ll be fine.’
I didn’t mention I hadn’t got a phone. I was too concerned about Jasper. I’d considered asking if I could go with him, but I was still in my pyjamas, and besides, after I’d broken his nose, I wasn’t sure he’d want me there.
‘Put your number in my phone,’ he said, handing it back to me. ‘I’ll call you later to let you know I’m okay. Try to get some sleep.’
Sleep was the last thing I could think about, especially as I had to reset the time on several electrical appliances after the power cut, some of which, like the space-age coffee machine, took ages, although things like the oven and the microwave were simple.
When I finally went to bed I kept going over and over what had happened, wondering if I could’ve dealt with the situation differently, so that kept me awake for a while. I definitely could’ve handled it better, there was no doubt about that.
Then, when I was finally drifting off, I remembered that, thanks to me, the window at End Cottage was still wide open. I’d seen Jasper briefly glance up at it before he’d left with the paramedics, but he hadn’t said anything else about it.
As soon as it was light, I dressed, and went to End Cottage to see if I could lift the ladder and steady it somehow. There were some bricks around the flower border beneath the front window so I took a couple of those and once I’d stood the ladder, which was surprisingly light, upright, and got it at the correct angle, I placed the bricks around its feet. Then I wobbled it about a bit to check it wouldn’t slip, before carefully and slowly climbing it rung by rung. It wasn’t as difficult as I’d thought.
The hard part was getting from the ladder into the window and I did worry that the ladder might slide sideways when I did so. Thankfully it didn’t and I managed to clamber inside, although none too gracefully. Nil points for style, I’d imagine. I’m sure Jasper would’ve made it all look easy.
Nevertheless, with a feeling of pride that at least I’d done something right, I closed the window, went downstairs, and shut the front door behind me, checking it several times to make sure it was locked. Then I put the bricks back in place, and managed to carry the ladder back to Far Cottage. I laid it on its side along the hall. I didn’t want to leave it outside, just in case.
After that, I went back to bed and slept for a couple of hours, getting up and showering around seven-thirty. I had breakfast, and then made my way to Sam’s house, arriving around eight-thirty, partly to tell them what I’d done, and partly to see if Lucy had got my phone.
‘You did what?’ Lucy shrieked when I told them all about last night and this morning.
Sam was clearly trying not to laugh. ‘And this is the man you said you fancied? The one you threw hot coffee over in the doorway of the café? Do you always try to injure men you’re attracted to?’
‘It was hot tea, not hot coffee.’ I corrected. ‘And how was I to know he wasn’t trying to break in? Anyone could’ve made the same mistake.’
‘Most people would’ve called the police.’
‘I am the police. And besides, Lucy took my phone.’ I waved it in the air, having retrieved it from her a few minutes earlier.
‘Point taken. Is the poor guy okay?’
I screwed up my eyes. ‘I hope so. As I said, the paramedics said it was just his nose that was broken. And it should heal in a few weeks. But they took him to the hospital just in case due to the fact he’d fallen from a ladder and landed on his face.’
Lucy shook her head. ‘But you said he asked the paramedics to take a look at your shoulder. Is that okay? Did you break anything? Other than Jasper’s nose.’
‘Funny. No. I’m fine. Wasn’t it sweet of Jasper to notice that I was in pain? Especially when he must’ve been in so much pain himself.’
‘It was. He’s obviously a nice guy.’
‘He is. Which is why I climbed the ladder myself this morning and got inside End Cottage so that I could close the window.’
‘I still can’t believe you did that,’ Lucy said. ‘Why do you keep glancing at your phone?’
‘Erm. Jasper said he’d call me.’
Sam raised his brows. ‘He’s either a masochist, or he’s mad.’
I tutted. ‘To let me know that he’s okay. Not to ask me out or anything. He’d hardly do that now, would he?’
‘He’s a braver man than me, if he does.’
‘Erin’s gorgeous,’ Lucy said in my defence. ‘And it was an accident. Both times.’
Sam laughed. ‘I need to get to work. Lovely to see you, Erin. Try not to kill anyone today.’ He kissed Lucy on the lips and they stared into one another’s eyes.
I let out a little sigh and wondered what Jasper was doing right now.
I almost dropped my phone when the trill of the ringtone startled all three of us.
‘Jasper?’ Lucy and Sam asked in unison.
‘Unknown number,’ I said, squealing with excitement. ‘But it could be anyone.’
‘Here’s a tip,’ said Lucy. ‘Why not answer it and find out?’
I stuck out my tongue and then put on my sexiest voice. ‘Erin speaking. Who’s this?’
‘The burglar from last night. How are you today?’
I bounced up and down on the seat and beamed at Lucy and Sam who looked at one another and silently mouthed the name, Jasper.
‘I’m fine thanks,’ I said, as calmly as I could. ‘More importantly, how are you?’
‘I’m good. Although I appear to have two black eyes. But hey. At least my nose has been reset. And they assure me the bruises will disappear and my nose will heal in three weeks. Just in time for my cousin’s wedding. So yay!’
‘Yay!’ I repeated. ‘Do you need anything? Are they letting you out today?’
‘Yeah. They told me I could go home after the doc has done his rounds. And no, thanks. I don’t need anything. Is your shoulder okay this morning?’
‘Yes it’s fine, thanks.’
‘That’s good. Oh, but speaking of letting me out. Am I still under arrest? Only you did caution me last night, and arrest me, I seem to remember. It’s all a bit hazy though so I thought I’d better check.’
I coughed, more with embarrassment than to clear my throat.
‘No. You’re not under arrest. I was clearly mistaken and I sincerely apologise. Erm. There is a complaints procedure should you wish to take the matter further.’
He laughed and then said, ‘Ouch. That hurt. No. I don’t want to take it further. At least, I don’t want to make a complaint. You were just doing your job and what you thought was right. I can understand why you thought what you did. There’s no hard feelings on my part. But I’m sure you’ll understand if I don’t ask you out. Not until I’ve ordered some full body armour and a crash helmet anyway. Oh. I think this lovely young nurse is bringing me a cup of tea and a digestive biscuit, so I’ll say goodbye. Do you know what time they get you up for breakfast in this place? I’m starving again right now.’
A pang of jealously shot through me. Did he just say a lovely young nurse was bringing him tea?
‘You’re a charmer, aren’t you?’ A female voice said. But she didn’t sound young. ‘I’m old enough to be your mother.’ She laughed.
‘Jasper?’
‘Yes?’
‘Erm. This may not be the time, but did Marcus tell you that he’s asked me to be their wedding planner?’
‘He did. And he’d already told me, when I arrived back in Fairlight Bay on Friday, that a female police officer called Erin, would be arriving that day, and staying in Far Cottage for two weeks on holiday. He’d added that your best friend was trying to get you to move down to Fairlight Bay. I’m not sure why he told me all that, because he hadn’t set a wedding date at the time. Anyway. Yes. Why?’
‘Oh! Erm. No reason. Except … well, it means we might be seeing one another again before the wedding because there’re things I need to sort out.’
‘O-k-a-y. And that’s a problem, because…?’
‘It’s not a problem. Not from my perspective. I just wanted you to know.’
‘Thanks. I do. So I suppose I’ll be seeing you around.’
‘I suppose so. Oh wait. I’ve got your ladder.’
‘You’ve got my ladder? Why?’
‘Erm. I didn’t want to leave it on the grass. You never know if a would-be burglar might be passing by.’
‘Ah yes. Of course. Do you mind if I leave it with you for a while? If it’s not in the way. I’m not supposed to lift anything, however light, apparently, for a day or two, or do anything physical.’
‘I don’t mind at all. And it’s not in the way. I closed the window early this morning, you’ll be glad to know.’
‘You did what?’ How?’
‘I climbed up your ladder. I remembered you saying the front door was self-locking. I hope Marcus won’t mind me going into his home.’
‘He won’t. I can’t believe you did that. Thank you. I was going to ask a mate of mine to go and do that today. You’re full of surprises, aren’t you, Erin?’
‘Am I? I just did what seemed right.’
‘Do you always do what you think is right? Do you ever do anything wrong?’
‘Erm. Like spill hot tea over complete strangers, you mean? Or arrest innocent people and nearly kill them in the process? No. Never.’
He laughed at that and then said, ‘Ouch. I keep forgetting laughing hurts.’
‘I’m so sorry, Jasper.’
‘Don’t worry about it, Erin. I’ll live. Bye for now.’
‘Bye, Jasper. Feel better soon.’
‘Bye, Jasper,’ Lucy repeated in a weirdly sexy and awful voice while pulling a stupid face and fluttering her eyelashes. ‘Feel better soon, Jasper. I love you, Jasper.’
I scowled at her and fought back a laugh. ‘Would you like a broken nose? It could be arranged, you know.’
‘I’ll leave you to it,’ Sam said, giving Lucy another kiss, but this time more of a peck. ‘I’d say, keep those streets safe, Erin. But it seems you’re more of a hazard than anyone else in Fairlight Bay.’
He was still laughing when he walked out of the room.
But I didn’t care. At least I now had Jasper’s phone number. All I needed to do, was find a good reason to give him a call. Although, as I had his ladder, I’d see him again when he came for that.