Chapter 8
EIGHT
As distractions from planning a wedding went, the incident involving Matt, and the car inferno at the top of Beggarman’s, were really going all out for top marks.
Harry was somewhat relieved that the rest of the day was relatively calm.
Jen and Jadyn had done well with collecting what evidence they could from the collision on the road below Burtersett.
Harry, with the help of Ethan and Liz, had searched the site of the burning SUV, not that there was all that much left to search.
They took a few more photographs as well, but that was about it. Even the numberplates were ruined.
By the time the fire had been extinguished, and the ruined skeleton of heat-twisted metal that remained taken away, the afternoon was already growing late.
Popping into the Penny Garth Café, Harry grabbed the three of them sandwiches so heavy with their respective fillings that he felt like he was passing around three fat, exceptionally tame, dachshunds, wrapped in greaseproof paper.
Back in the office, Dave almost jumped on Harry for news of what had been going on.
‘Jim’s been on the phone,’ he said, and showed Harry a list of names that he didn’t have time to read, ‘and he’s not the only one, as you can see.’
Harry was momentarily confused. Jim knew?
‘But he’s not even on duty, Dave. How did he, in fact, how did any of those people, find out about what’s been going on?’
Harry then realised the stupidity of his question as soon as he’d asked it, but allowed Dave the space to answer it anyway.
‘News travels fast, Harry, surely you’ve learned that by now?’ Dave said. ‘Jim heard about Matt’s crash from a mate of his who lives over in Askrigg.’
‘And how did this mate of his find out?’
‘Saw you dropping Matt back to their place.’
‘And then told Jim? Why?’
Dave shook his head.
‘No, it wasn’t him who told Jim as such, but it’s because of him that he found out. It was someone else who told Jim.’
Harry’s confusion thickened like porridge left on the heat too long.
‘But you just said ...’
‘No, you see, what happened was that Jim’s mate told...
oh, who was it? No, can’t remember. Anyway, they told this other person, can’t remember their name either, not sure I was told it, but anyway, it was because they bumped into each other at the butchers in Bainbridge, which you should try, you know, if you get the chance, and—’
Harry held up a hand to stem the flow of words he simply wasn’t listening to.
‘Thanks, Dave, but I reckon the less I know about the Dales’ rumour mill the better.’
Harry had been in the Dales a good while now, but he still wasn’t used to how quickly news could travel from one end of the dale to another. It was not a place where secrets could be kept easily.
‘Sandwiches look good,’ said Dave, eying hungrily what they were all scoffing down.
‘Taste good, too,’ said Ethan, already halfway through his.
‘Considering how slim you are, you haven’t half got an appetite on you,’ noticed Harry.
‘High metabolism,’ smiled Ethan. ‘Oh, and what we chatted about earlier, me being the photographer?’
‘You still happy to do it?’
‘If you’re sure you want me to.’
‘Of course. Wouldn’t have asked otherwise.’
The smile on Ethan’s face was genuine, and Harry knew he’d made the right call.
‘Then, if it’s okay with you,’ Ethan asked, ‘I’ll start grabbing a few snaps in the build-up.’
Harry frowned, immediately unhappy about the idea of being followed around by someone with a camera. He’d carried out surveillance himself, and been on the receiving end of it, too. Wasn’t exactly a prospect that made him happy.
‘How do you mean?’
‘Candid shots, that kind of thing,’ Ethan explained.
‘Not just of you, so don’t go worrying that I’m tailing you and following you around like a rubbish spy.
But I’ll chat to everyone who’s involved, build up a little story about what’s going on, that kind of thing.
Just want to try and make it as memorable for you as possible, that’s all.
Actually, I could also...’ He paused, looked thoughtful, then added, ‘No, I’ll have a think on that. ’
‘A think on what?’
Ethan waved it away.
‘Nothing.’
Harry narrowed his eyes at Ethan, was about to say something about how he wasn’t exactly a fan of surprises, and if that’s what he was going to think on, then if he wanted some advice, then the best that Harry could give right then, was to not think on it at all, especially if he valued his health, when Jen and Jadyn pushed through the office door.
They both glanced at everyone in the room, then at each other, nodding.
‘You’re talking about something,’ said Jadyn. ‘Don’t think we don’t know.’
‘Ethan’s doing the photos for the wedding celebration thing,’ said Harry. ‘He’s also going to think about something, but isn’t telling me what, which isn’t the kind of thing that makes me all soft and cuddly.’
No one laughed.
‘Probably the stag do, at a guess,’ said Jadyn.
‘Could be the hen do as well,’ added Jen, though she was looking at Liz now, and grinning.
Harry’s stomach gave a vomit-inducing twist.
‘No,’ he said. ‘Not happening. The stag do, I mean.’ He looked at Liz. ‘Not sure the hen do is down to me, really. I mean, it’s not, is it? That’s up to you and Grace. But stag do? I’ve not mentioned it, not planned it, and with good reason, that being I don’t want it.’
‘And for why?’ asked Jadyn.
‘It’s got people in it,’ said Harry. ‘Not saying I don’t like people. I do. I’m standing in a room with some of them. But lots of them together, with me as the centre of attention?’ He shook his head. ‘Awful.’
‘You do know that you’ve just described the wedding, don’t you?’ said Jen.
‘That’s different,’ then saw that Liz was staring at him and doing her best not to look sheepish.
‘Actually, about the hen do ...’
Harry felt himself go immediately tense.
‘Liz?’ he said, narrowing his eyes and folding his arms, now waiting for her to explain further.
‘Grace hasn’t mentioned it, then?’
‘Mentioned what, exactly?’
‘Well, it was a bit of a surprise, I suppose,’ said Jen, coming to sit beside Liz. ‘For Grace, anyway... we only told her about it yesterday, didn’t we?’
‘Arthur knew about it, though,’ said Liz, as though that made everything fine and dandy.
‘That way we were able to make sure she would have the time off, you see? Couldn’t have her going off to do a bit of vermin control or whatever, if she’s supposed to dressed up and heading out with us, could we? ’
‘No, I suppose not,’ Harry agreed, trying to catch up. ‘Heading out? Where exactly?’
His mind was suddenly filled with truly terrifying images of Grace and Liz and Jen stumbling from dodgy bar to dodgy bar around Darlington, even though he was pretty damned confident that wasn’t what was planned.
‘Booked us all in at The Burgoyne, over in Reeth,’ said Liz. ‘It’s proper posh, like. We’re all staying over. Slap up food. And we’ve managed to book a mixologist.’
Harry had no idea what the hell that was, and guessed his expression said just as much, because Liz then clarified, with, ‘They do cocktails, and will teaching us all how to make some of the classics, as well as come up with our own signature cocktails, just to start the whole thing off with a bang.’
Harry had driven past The Burgoyne numerous times, but never once been in. He’d heard good things, though, and the location was spectacular, sat as it was at the top of Reeth overlooking the village green, like some watchful, protective sentinel.
‘Sounds lovely,’ he said, and realised then that Dave was staring at him. So, he returned the stare. ‘Yes, Dave? Something the matter?’
Dave folded his arms and turned the stare into something any headteacher would be proud of.
‘No stag do?’
‘Not my thing.’
‘And Ben? Did you run this past him at all?’
‘He’s not mentioned anything.’
‘That would be a no, then.’
Dave shook his head, though Harry caught the faintest of grins on the man’s face. He was about to ask why Dave was smiling, and with a little too much mischief as well he noticed, when Jadyn gave a cough.
‘So, yeah, about the stag do, Harry ...’
‘The one I’m not having? What about it?’
‘Well, it’s like how Liz and Jen have just said about Grace’s hen do being a surprise, isn’t it?’
The twist in Harry’s stomach got tighter. He moved his attention from Dave to Jadyn.
‘How do you mean, isn’t it? Isn’t it what? And how should I know? I don’t want a stag do.’
‘Oh dear,’ said Dave. ‘Oh deary, deary me...’
Harry ignored Dave as Jadyn was speaking again.
‘Well, there’s not much you can do about it now, seeing as we’ve arranged one.
Ben’s idea, by the way, in case you were wondering.
He knew you wouldn’t be up for it, so he had us all promise to keep it from you until, well, until now, I suppose.
Can’t quite remember. It was definitely today you were to find out, though.
Not sure who was supposed to say. Probably not me.
But I have, now, so it’s not really a problem, is it? ’
‘You’re rambling, Jadyn,’ grumbled Harry.
‘I know. Anyway, it’s like with the hen do, so that’s okay, isn’t it?’
‘Is it? How?’
‘What I mean is, we kept it a secret from you, like Ben asked us to, left it to the last minute, because we knew what you’d say. Which you just did, didn’t you?’
Jadyn was repeating himself and Harry was lost. He very much wanted to go home and forget the conversation and especially it’s more than obvious conclusion.
‘What did I just say?’
‘No.’
Harry raised a knowing finger in the air.
‘Ah, yes, that’s right, I did, didn’t I? Now, if there’s nothing else to discuss, then maybe I can finish this?’
Harry held up what was left of his sandwich, which wasn’t much.
‘The stag do’s tomorrow as well,’ said Jadyn, ignoring the sandwich.
‘We arranged it like that so that you’d not feel bad about going out and leaving Grace at home, because we all know that’s what you’d be thinking, even if you didn’t say it.
Or you’d certainly use that as one of your excuses to not go. ’