Chapter 33 #2
‘And,’ I interrupted in a low voice, ‘the thing is, I think Joel is still working for them. He was there, down at Queen’s Gardens last night, you know. Left Dean’s bike down there as well – Dean’s going to have a fit once he finds out his precious bike has been arrested.’
‘Oh, you’re joking!’ Robyn pulled a face. ‘Where is he now then?’
‘Upstairs in his room,’ I said. ‘I’m going to have to ring Andy Somerville. I can’t have Joel here any longer. He came up with some cock and bull story that he was only down at Darren’s place watching out for me and Lola.’
‘What a load of rubbish,’ Kamran snapped crossly. ‘What is it with these kids?’
‘He was,’ Fabian said calmly.
‘Was what?’ We all turned to face Fabian.
‘He tried to ring me yesterday afternoon to tell me he’d just found out that Lola had become friendly with Singleton’s daughter.’
‘Ruby,’ I confirmed. ‘New best friend.’
‘Why didn’t you tell me he’d rung you?’ Robyn started. ‘I am his teacher for heaven’s sake. I mean, I’m sort of responsible for him, asking Jess to let him move in here. You tell me nothing, Fabian,’ she went on crossly.
‘I’m telling you now, Robyn,’ Fabian said, still calm. ‘Look, sometimes the less said…’
‘That’s his legal training.’ Mum nodded, always on Fabian’s side.
‘When Joel actually tried to ring me, I was in a couple of meetings with suppliers…’ Fabian went on.
‘Suppliers?’ Mum had obviously changed her tune, narrowing her eyes suspiciously at Fabian. ‘What kind of suppliers?’
‘Yorkshire cheeses for one and then right out past Holmfirth, at a vinery…’
‘They make wine in Holmfirth?’ Kamran squinted across at Fabian. ‘Are you sure?’
‘They do.’ Fabian actually laughed at Kamran’s incredulous face.
‘So, by the time I was out of meetings and had eaten my fill of cheese as well as drunk rather more wine than I should have – God, I love this new job of mine – I had to abandon my car and get an Uber back. Once I got round to checking my messages, Joel had already cycled down to Queen’s Gardens.
It’s a good seven or eight miles from here, you know. ’
‘He walked back,’ I put in. ‘I saw his blisters.’
‘And Fabian finally got round to telling me all this – you know, about what Singleton’s been up to – only last night,’ Robyn said crossly, turning to him. ‘And then only because he was very drunk.’
‘You’d have only got yourself in a state.’ Fabian tutted. ‘It was all over and done with…’
‘He arrived back late, absolutely pissed.’ Robyn wasn’t letting it go.
‘Bit of an exaggeration that, Robyn.’ Fabian frowned, but he did have the grace to look embarrassed.
‘I do hope every time you go out to a new supplier, you’re not going to drink the profits,’ Kamran said primly.
‘Got to keep in with the natives.’ Fabian grinned. ‘You know what these Yorkshire folk are like, especially the farmers round here. If I’d turned down having a drink with them, they’d think I was a posh southerner and not give me the time of day, never mind a good deal on their produce.’
‘So Joel was telling the truth then?’ I felt awful that I’d not listened properly to him. That I hadn’t believed him. Sorrel would be furious with me.
‘I keep telling you, he’s a good kid,’ Robyn said, standing up and heading for the stairs.
‘Hang on, let me go,’ I said. ‘I need to thank him.’
‘And apologise,’ Robyn added as we both set off at once.
* * *
‘So did you really fancy him?’ Robyn whispered as we climbed the stairs together. ‘You know, this Henry/Darren bloke?’
‘Me? Fancy him? Not at all,’ I said prissily. ‘I wasn’t taken in by him at all…’
‘You great big fibber, Jessica Butterworth.’ Robyn started tittering, and I joined in until we were both giggling like a couple of naughty kids on the stairs, as we so often had when we were actually kids. ‘Bloody hell,’ she went on, ‘you could have ended up as a gangster’s moll…’
We started laughing again. ‘Straight face,’ I ordered as I knocked on Joel’s door. ‘Joel?’
When there was no answer, Robyn opened the door and we both peered round. Joel’s bed was neatly made, his books, schoolwork and clothes all gone.
‘Oh hell,’ I said, ‘where’s he gone, Robyn?’
* * *
I ran back down the stairs, leaving Robyn, who needed the bathroom.
‘Joel’s gone,’ I said to the others who, now that the excitement over Darren Singleton appeared to have abated, were starting to make moves to leave. ‘And,’ I said, lowering my voice, looking directly at Kamran, ‘George was down there too last night.’
‘But George was with us last night.’ Mum frowned. ‘We told you that, Jess. We went to the theatre in Leeds with him.’
‘Well, I saw him down there and so did Joel,’ I insisted. ‘According to Joel, George almost knocked him down, speeding out of the gates just before the police arrived. What time did you meet him?’ I asked. ‘In Leeds?’
‘We didn’t. We went to pick him up as arranged. We were a bit late – only just made curtain up – but George was definitely with us.’ Kamran glanced across at Mum for confirmation.
‘How did he seem?’ I asked.
‘Seem?’ Kamran frowned.
‘He was a bit quiet, darling,’ Mum now said. ‘D’you remember? To say he’d been so looking forward to the production, he wasn’t quite as up for it as you might have expected him to be. Actually, said he was a bit tired.’
‘I bet he knows Darren Singleton,’ I said. ‘Because Rob Traynor was arrested as well.’
‘Rob Traynor?’ Mum and Kamran shook their heads.
‘Married to Miss Moorhouse, our games mistress when Robyn and I were at school.’
‘Your old games mistress was there as well?’ Mum sat down again. ‘How come she was there? I always rather liked her…’
‘No, Mum, she wasn’t there, but Rob, her husband, was.
He was arrested – I saw the police take him, manhandled him into the van in cuffs.
Rob and George certainly know each other – both from the hockey club and down at the gym.
So, putting two and two together, George probably knows Darren as well. ’
‘What are you trying to say, Jess?’ Kamran was cross. ‘There’s no way George would be mixed up with this drug lot. I’ve met Rob Traynor and, to be honest, his being there doesn’t surprise me. Bit shady…’
‘But he’s married to that nice Carole Moorhouse,’ Mum protested. ‘She was lovely with you, Jess, really encouraged you at hockey…’
‘Mum, I’m sure Ghenghis Khan’s wife was a nice woman. Doesn’t stop you being married to a drug dealer.’ I was feeling tense, needed to get out in the car and look for Joel.
‘Ghenghis Khan was a drug dealer?’
‘Mum!’ I reached for my jacket. ‘I’m going to look for Joel. He can’t have got very far, particularly with those blisters on his feet.’
‘I thought the police said you were under house arrest,’ Mum warned.
‘Oh, God, yes! Look, Mum, can you stay here? In case they come?’
‘But what am I going to say to them?’ Then she nodded, glancing out of the window. ‘My daffs need tying back,’ she said, zipping up her gilet. ‘I knew Dean wouldn’t get round to it. What do I say to them if they do come? The police I mean?’
‘Tell them it was an emergency and I’ll contact them. Robyn,’ I called, ‘we need your car. Vera’s still down at Queen’s Gardens.’
‘I’m here,’ she called back from upstairs. ‘I’m coming. Let’s see if we can find him.’
* * *
‘Gosh,’ Robyn breathed as she fastened herself into her seatbelt. ‘D’you reckon Miss Moorhouse is involved?’
‘Who knows?’ I said. ‘But I knew there was something shady about Rob Traynor. At the gym, when he and George met, they sort of avoided each other. You know, pretended they weren’t friends.’
‘Partners in crime by the sound of it.’ Robyn nodded. ‘I can’t believe what you’re telling me about George,’ she went on. ‘I’d got to really like him. You know, at school? He’s always popping down to the drama studio to watch rehearsals and chat… And always asking about you.’
‘Me?’
‘He took you round to look at his new barn, didn’t he?’
‘Only wanted my opinion as to the kitchen.’
‘Right. OK.’ Robyn appeared lost in thought. ‘Well, that’s a shame if it turns out that George is shady…’
‘He’s got no scruples about knocking down St Mede’s,’ I put in.
‘Property developing doesn’t lead to organised crime, Jess.
Hey,’ she went on, ‘maybe that’s how the Sattars have made all their money.
Hell, d’you think we should be rescuing Mum from them?
From the Sattars?’ Robyn was lost in thought.
‘And I thought George really liked you, Jess. As in like…’ Robyn leered suggestively and, despite my worry over Joel, I laughed.
‘Get out of it…’ I paused, considering. ‘D’you think so?’
‘Definitely.’
‘Yes, but he’s got the fabulous Mina…’
‘Not convinced about that. Mum says it’s been on and off for years and she reckons he’s much, much happier when Mina’s not around. And Mum was saying, too, how George actually talks more about you than Mina.’
‘Mum never said. You’ve not said…’
‘I’m saying now. Although’ – she sniffed – ‘not much point if he’s going to be carted off along with this Singleton and Rob Traynor.
Anyway, we knew you weren’t keen on him.
Actively disliked George, we got the impression.
D’you think Kamran will be on the phone to him this minute?
Warning him…? Anyway, you appeared to have other men on your mind… ’
‘What other men?’
Robyn took her eyes from the road for a second, narrowly missing a scruffy-looking ginger tom that was recklessly making a bid through the traffic for the opposite pavement.
‘Well, Dean obviously…’
I gave a snort of derision.
‘And then with Serena Wotshername persuading you on to Tinder…’
‘Never swiped once,’ I said.
‘And then, of course, this Henry bloke…’
‘Well, that turned out to be a damp squib. Although, to be honest, his fingers did almost reach my, you know…’
‘Your pants?’ Robyn turned, staring in delight across at me.
‘You’re beginning to sound like Serena.’ I tutted. ‘My hemline.’
‘Never heard of a hemline being an erogenous zone.’
‘Don’t laugh,’ I said, starting to laugh myself.
‘I’m totally and utterly out of practice.
I don’t know how to go about it any more.
And I don’t think my hemline was turned on.
I just felt a bit sick to be honest. A bit terrified.
Didn’t really want it going anywhere. Just wanted something to tell Serena down at The Dog and…
’ I never finished the sentence. ‘Stop!’ I ordered. ‘Pull over!’