Chapter Forty-Six
Cristy had always loved Connor and Jodi’s Victorian semi in Southville, one street back from the canal that connected the harbour to the river, and only a few stones’ throw from the office.
With its typical period layout of cosy front parlour with large bay window and ornate wooden fireplace, leading to cosy dining area and equally cosy kitchen, it exuded warmth and welcome like few other places she knew.
They’d done so much to make it special and characterful – and like a second home for their friends, especially her.
She truly couldn’t love them more if she tried, and while she appreciated she was on an unstoppable high right now (thanks to the afternoon she’d spent with David), it didn’t mean her feelings were any the less heartfelt and genuine.
She simply had to rein them in a little or she’d end up embarrassing them all – or, just as likely, turn herself into the target of some merciless teasing.
Nevertheless, watching how thrilled they were to see David, understanding from his mere presence that the relationship was back on, made her want to throw her arms around them in gratitude. They always had her back, no matter what, and she’d always be there for them too in every way possible.
Picking up on how relaxed they seemed – their usual selves, in fact – she dared to hope that her suspicions of a problematic early pregnancy were unfounded, and she was glad to have a few minutes alone with Connor in the kitchen to fill him in on why David hadn’t been in touch.
Clearly appalled, Connor paused in the opening of a bottle. ‘I never thought any of us would hear from Olivia Caldwell again,’ he declared in disgust. ‘Thank God he seems to have it under control. Does he?’
Cristy nodded. ‘I think so. You know how “together” he is, capable, even; he just went a bit off-course with me.’
Continuing with his task, he said dryly, ‘So you get to keep the diamonds?’
Laughing, she said, ‘I guess so, although they’re still in Guernsey, so that probably means I’ll have to go over there to get them.’
He laughed too and said, ‘What was it you said a few days ago, about thinking you read people so well only to find you’ve missed the real story altogether?’
‘I was talking about Meier at the time,’ she reminded him, ‘but OK, point made.’
‘And lesson learned – get all the facts before jumping to conclusions. I wonder who taught me that when I was starting out?’
Knowing it was her, she playfully nudged him then picked up a plate of canapés to take into the sitting room, leaving him to bring in the champagne and four glasses. No one had actually said it was a good time to celebrate; it had simply felt like breaking open a bottle was the right thing to do.
As soon as everyone had a drink in hand, Jodi declared, ‘OK, so we have news!’
At the exact same moment, Cristy said, ‘We have news.’
Jodi’s eyes widened as she beamed. ‘Don’t tell me! You’re pregnant!’
Cristy blinked, and as everyone laughed, she quickly caught up. ‘Not me, you!’ she cried.
It was Jodi’s turn to blink. ‘Not the last time I checked,’ she assured them.
‘How about you, David?’ Connor asked.
‘Not me. You?’
‘I don’t think so.’
‘Enough.’ Cristy laughed. ‘You go first,’ she told Jodi, and settled into the small sofa next to David, who was cradling the sleeping baby on one shoulder. ‘Ours might take a bit longer, and no, we are not getting married.’
David shot her a glance that she deliberately ignored.
‘Shame,’ Jodi and Connor muttered in unison.
‘But don’t rule it out as a future date,’ David advised, pushing back against Cristy’s firm denial. ‘I’ve already got a hat.’
Laughing, Jodi said to Connor, ‘It’s your news really, so you do it.’
Apparently agreeing with that, he took a position in front of the fireplace and said, ‘You’re probably not going to believe this, but I’ve been approached by an Aussie broadcaster to go and front their nightly news.’
Cristy started to freeze.
Jodi said, ‘We’d be based in Sydney with a harbour-view apartment and everything would be taken care of, the move, visas, even Aurora’s day care, provided it all works out.’
‘They’ve put together an amazing package,’ Connor continued. ‘It’s kind of unturndownable, the chance of a great new start Down Under, and Jodi’s mother is OK about coming with.’
Cristy’s mouth was dry; her heart was thudding so hard that it was a moment before she realized David had taken her hand.
She couldn’t be entirely sure this was really happening, and yet it was, because Connor was still talking, Jodi was laughing, and somehow, she had to make herself congratulate them when all she wanted to do was shout, No! You can’t!
How the hell was she going to get through the rest of the evening without making her real feelings known? She simply couldn’t bear the idea of them leaving, couldn’t even begin to imagine running Hindsight without Connor.
Her own news was in pieces now, meant absolutely nothing without him.
‘And now for our really big announcement!’ Jodi cried, encouraging Connor to keep going.
Were they about to ask her to go with them? No, why would they? This was his big chance, not hers.
Was it too late to tell Kinsley that she’d changed her mind? Except, she hadn’t – she really did want to stay with Hindsight.
David’s hand was tightening on hers as Connor said, ‘The really big news is that we’ve turned it down because we’re totally committed to everyone and everything here, and we can’t bear to be parted from you.’
As the words reached her, Cristy’s mouth fell open. She tried to breathe and found she was starting to cry. ‘Oh my God, that was cruel,’ she scolded, too bound up in relief to get up and embrace them. ‘I really thought you were going to leave me.’
Pulling her to her feet, Connor wrapped her in his arms. ‘Never,’ he told her. ‘We’re a team. Nothing – not even big bucks and heady offers – can pull us apart.’
Having no choice now but to confess to her own struggle with a dazzling offer, Cristy watched Connor’s expression turn from surprise to hurt and confusion as she went through it.
‘Why didn’t you tell me right away?’ he wanted to know when she finished. ‘We could have talked it through, tried to work something out.’
Knowing she’d never admit that he hadn’t been included in Kinsley’s plans, she said, ‘Actually, I think I have worked something out, and that’s my big news. Or it could be, if we can pull it off. Much will depend on you and how you feel about it – the others too – but you are the main man.’
‘Exactly what I keep telling him,’ Jodi put in. ‘Not.’
Clearly intrigued, Connor sank cross-legged to the floor next to Jodi’s chair. ‘Go for it,’ he told Cristy.
‘OK. So, when Kinsley first approached me, he said he was going to make me an offer I couldn’t refuse.
Now we’re going to do the same to him, but if he doesn’t go for it, David is pretty sure he can find some investors.
’ She glanced at him and received a nod.
‘I’ve prepared a proposal that you can look over later,’ she told Connor, ‘but essentially, I’ve been thinking, why don’t we create our own small podcasting empire – OK, oxymoron there – based right here in Bristol?
That way, we get to stay put, which seems to be what we all want, and we can do a couple of things to build on what we already have.
‘First – I know you’re going to love this – we look into posting the pods on YouTube, something you’ve long been wanting to get stuck into.
We could also take a look at other quality crime-casts from around the South West and consider bringing them into the fold.
There are quite a few out there that might do much better with the right backing, and it would put us in a position to help develop new talent and new ideas.
We could make them a part of Hindsight Plus or Extra – to be discussed – and hopefully Iz will spin her magic on the branding. ’
Connor was clearly trying to take it all in. ‘So our main focus stays as is,’ he said, ‘but we introduce video, expand to include “quality crime-casts” from around the region … To be fronted by us, or them?’
‘By the contributors, with input from us if needed, but they would mostly run their own shows and submit to us for final sign-off before uploading under the Hindsight Extra banner.’
Connor was nodding his approval. ‘OK. Seeing it so far, but what about us as a core team? Still you, me, Clove and Jacks?’
‘Absolutely.’
‘What about Harry and Meena – where would they fit in?’
Cristy turned to David. She’d spent the last couple of hours discussing this with him, so was keen for him to take this next point.
‘At the moment,’ he said ‘we’re seeing the Quinns in much the same roles as they play now: kind of senior management, oversight gurus, legal protectors, just with a bigger organization to run.
To be discussed with them, obviously, but shaping things that way would continue to allow you guys to focus on content, while they and a slightly bigger back-up team would deal with all the business stuff. ’
‘I think they’ll go for it,’ Cristy declared.
‘They’ll have their own thoughts and ideas, obviously, as will you once it’s all sunk in, but they’ve long been talking about expansion, and as much as we love our old Georgian house studios, the place just isn’t big enough if we do start implementing these changes.
So we’d also be looking for new premises, hopefully still on the waterfront, but somewhere that will give us room to grow. ’
‘So exactly how many series in a year are you thinking we’d take on?’ Connor asked curiously.
‘That will depend on the potential investigations, and what the new players bring to the table. For us guys, we’d continue much the same as we are now, with two or three series focused on trying to solve cold cases or at least open up further police investigations.
What really matters where the new crime-casters are concerned is that they deliver high-value series, none of your kitchen sink stuff or let’s get pissed and talk about some unresolved case.
We’ll be looking for serious investigators, so journalists like ourselves, maybe lawyers, or ex-detectives such as Andee Lawrence, who we both know would be brilliant, if she’s interested in taking it on for her area. ’
Connor was shaking his head incredulously as his smile widened and turned into a laugh. ‘You do realize,’ he said, ‘that Kinsley’s likely to see us as a threat, albeit small time from his perspective, rather than a potential investment?’
‘Which is why David is going to devise a back-up plan,’ Cristy responded, ‘but my guess is Kinsley will get involved, probably with an eye to buying us out further down the line, but we’ll cross that when – if – we come to it.
Who knows? We might end up buying him out or even running his global construct from Bristol instead of London or New York. ’
Punching the air, Connor said, ‘I need to see this proposal, but you can already take it that I’m in.’ And raising his glass, he added, ‘Here’s to Hindsight ruling the world.’
‘Wouldn’t we all benefit from that,’ David commented, with no small irony.
Laughing, Cristy got up to go and hug Connor again. ‘To you,’ she said, ‘my other brother, my eldest son.’ She grimaced at that, making them all laugh. ‘My wonderful partner and very best friend.’
‘This is going straight to my head,’ Connor warned, ‘and I’m not talking about the champagne.’
‘Actually,’ Cristy said, bracing herself for what had to come next, ‘before we get too deep into cheering ourselves on, there’s something else I have to fess up to that you’re probably not going to like quite as much.’
Connor eyed her carefully, although she could see that he was so excited by the growth plans that her confession probably wasn’t going to knock him off-course now – at least not as much as it might have if delivered at any other time.
Bracing herself, she said, ‘I’ve agreed to give the Terrier an exclusive on how we pulled this latest series together. Obviously not until it’s finished, but you need to know now.’
Connor stared at her in disbelief. ‘You’ve done a deal with … Wait a minute … Why the hell would you do that? You can’t stand the woman – none of us can – and we sure as hell can’t trust her. So make this make sense.’
‘She basically blackmailed me into it,’ Cristy admitted. ‘She knew about Kinsley’s offer – how she knew is another story – and she threatened to tell you about it at a time when we really didn’t need the distraction. So, I stalled her with the offer of a behind-the-scenes—’
‘I take it you got copy approval,’ he cut in forcefully.
‘We don’t have anything in writing yet; I’ve just given her my word. Obviously when it comes to it, we’ll definitely want that.’
He nodded thoughtfully, clearly still not thrilled by the prospect of sharing anything with a journalist he had zero respect for. However, just as Cristy had hoped, his enthusiasm for the new-look Hindsight kicked in again.
‘Hell, we’ve still got the final episode to go yet,’ he declared, ‘and who knows what’s coming down the line with that, or where we’ll all be by the time we find out.’