Verbatim

by Andrew Hill

  Carol’s music lesson was interrupted when the scales finished and proper music began to fill the air once more. There was forty to forty-five minutes of bliss before the music stopped altogether and Josh packed away his horn and returned to his mother and Susan.

  * * *

  At around five thirty in the afternoon on that same Saturday, Grant unlocked the front door of his apartment and entered the hall after finishing work shortly before. Traffic had been denser being a Saturday and he had delivered a number of heavy items which meant he was a little more tired than usual. He took off his outdoor clothes, placed them on the hook, a place for everything and everything in its place, was one of his mantras, he flopped down on the two-seater and within a few minutes he was asleep.

  His slumber didn’t last long and at six thirty he woke, sat up, stood and paced about his flat at a loose end. What could he do this Saturday? Sometimes he would get ready to go out then think, “what’s the point I’m probably not going to meet the love of my life,” and so he would stay in. He’s been known to go out to the cinema or theatre, buy a ticket then go home wasting the ticket money because a negative feeling has overcome him for no apparent reason.

  Grant does not suffer from depression but can have bouts of negativity though he has learned not to make important decisions when he feels that way. These negative feelings can turn into positive ones just as suddenly, giving Grant an idea of how to spend the evening. He quickly stripped off and stepped under the shower to get ready for an evening out.

  It was now around seven thirty, Carol, Josh and Susan had already arrived at the concert hall and were looking for the best seats in the house, you’d hardly expect anything else from Josh. The trio occupied their seats and awaited the start of the concert.

  * * *

  At seven thirty-five Grant entered the foyer from the street and walked up to the box office looking forward to the concert but soon discovered to his disappointment that no seats were available, it was a complete sell-out. However, he could wait to see if there were any returns. The box office clerk placed his name at the top of the returns list. This was the crucial time, if a negative feeling came along he may just get up and go home but this did not happen and about five minutes later she called him over saying there was a ticket available though not in an especially good seat. Grant accepted it and paid over his money in cash. Grant usually paid for things in cash especially when they weren’t very expensive items such as a concert ticket, this was because he had a large stash of cash in various safe deposit boxes. He doesn’t want to be left with paper money that he can’t spend because the Bank of England have changed the notes so he uses cash as often as is reasonable. In the past when the Bank of England has changed a note he’s had to go around bank after bank changing small amounts so’s not to arouse suspicion.

  Grant made his way to his seat in the back row of the concert hall, I call it a concert hall though it wasn’t a regular one, originally built as a banqueting hall and seats around two hundred, strangely enough a pillar right in the middle was in the way of his view of the quartet but that wouldn’t affect the music.

  Grant, who was unable to see Carol from his seat as the pillar was exactly in between the two of them, listened to the first half of the concert without knowing of her presence.

  When the interval came Grant left his seat to stretch his legs and then went to the bar which, like the auditorium itself, was also improvised, it had no draft beer selling only bottles and cans along with coffee and tea. He looked around idly not looking for anyone in particular. As per usual he did not take an alcoholic drink. After a few minutes a young woman in her early twenties brushed past him, an attractive woman with brown eyes, long brown hair, a light blue top and dark blue trousers, this was of course Susan, who was the only one of the three that Grant had never seen. Apart from a note to himself how attractive she was Grant played little attention to her and had found a place by the door from which he could command a view of the bar, this was purely habitual there was nothing sinister about it but it did mean that when Josh and Carol came through he saw them without them seeing him. They made their way up towards the counter, by the time they reached it Susan had purchased their drinks.

  Now Grant took an interest in the new young woman and wondered whether or not to approach but decided not to preferring instead to focus his attention on the new woman, wondering who she was. Grant speculated the obvious that she is some sort of friend of Josh’s this was confirmed by the attention they were paying to each other. Of course Grant was unable to tell that Susan was pregnant as there was no outward indication of the fact. He spent the remainder of the interval staring at her, he found her very attractive and his imagination began to take a hold.

  The bell rang indicating the second half would be starting in a few minutes. Grant made his way back to his seat, he didn’t want Carol and the others to see him as he left the bar but would introduce himself at the first opportunity when the concert was over, which for Grant seemed a long time not because the music wasn’t good but because there was now much more on his mind than Borodin and Kismet. The new woman was of great interest and Grant found her more and more attractive but he is old enough to be her father and she, almost certainly, would not want anything to do with Grant. At least I hope for her sake that she has nothing to do with him and that he won’t pursue her.

  * * *

  A brief encore concluded the evening’s concert and there was much applause especially from Josh and Susan. From Carol the applause was not quite so enthusiastic although she quite enjoyed the concert it wasn’t a Beethoven, Brahms or Tchaikovsky symphony. Grant was closer to the exit than Carol and made his way towards it but on reaching it he stopped and turned to wait for them.

  A few moments later Carol, Josh and Susan appeared. Grant’s attention was immediately focused upon the mysterious Susan who of course paid no attention to him as he was merely one of the crowd. Carol naturally recognised him immediately. Josh thought he was familiar; he had seen him when Grant delivered the bookcase. All four of them stepped aside as Carol spoke to Grant.

  “Why didn’t you say you were coming we could have sat together?”

  Grant replied that he hadn’t decided to come until the very last moment, one of the few truths we’ve ever heard him say.

  “…there didn’t seem any point you couldn’t have got ready in time and got here,” said Grant, “shall we go for a drink?” he continued.

  Carol introduced Josh and Susan. Josh’s said, “I think we’ve met before.”

  Grant said that Josh too was a familiar but he couldn’t think from where. Carol and Susan readily agreed to go for a drink in a nearby pub, although Josh also agreed his agreement seemed to Carol to be a little reluctant, it seemed that way to Grant also but neither said anything and they left the concert hall making their way the short distance to the pub.

  Unlike Carol and Grant’s previous visit to a local bar after Oliver! this pub was quite busy with exited concertgoers. Grant managed to find a way to the bar and bought a round of drinks for everyone, Josh, who was driving, had an orange juice. They all looked around the bar for seats although there were a few there was no more than one at any particular table so the quartet found a corner and stood. Naturally they discussed the concert but Josh and Susan were the only ones who really fully enjoyed it. Then it occurred to Josh where he had seen Grant before but kept his thoughts about the bookcase deliverer to himself.

  They didn’t stay at the pub for very long as they had been unable to get a seat. Grant said his goodbyes and was about to leave when he said to Carol, “You know I don’t have your phone number or your e-mail address.”

  Carol opened her handbag and quickly found one of her cards, she handed it to Grant who now officially knew three pieces of information that he had unofficially known for some time, however, the card did not contain Carol’s address but Grant now had the means of fi
nding it legitimately by remembering Josh as the person who answered the door when delivering the bookcase.

  On the way home Josh mentioned to his mother that he had remembered where he had seen Grant previously.

  “That’s not entirely surprising,” said Carol, adding, “I knew he worked there.”

  “How come you know a delivery driver?” enquired Josh.

  “You talk as though being a delivery driver is an inferior occupation.”

  “It’s just that there’s something about him.”

  Josh’s mother asked him what he meant by that. Josh went on to explain, “I’m not sure, I think his charm is artificial, he’s not genuine.”

  There was silence between the three of them for just a few moments while Carol was reminded of her initial response on first meeting Grant in the park. Josh breaks the silence, “So how did you get to know him?”

  Carol related how they had met one Thursday afternoon on his day off and how they’d met again in a café.

  “He fancies you,” said Josh.

  “I should be flattered.”

  “I’m being serious, he’s a delivery driver and he wants to get to know you because you’re well known and by his standards rich,” remarked Josh.

  Susan joined in the conversation with, “He does fancy you, you know.”

  “He’s just trying to impress me that’s all. It may seem as though he’s putting it on and to some extent that may be true but I did meet him at his flat the other day he was very different.” Carol told them about his past as a business man and that he gave all that up because of the strain of responsibility which he felt he could no longer maintain. Josh enquired as to whether or not he had ever been married.

  “Have you?” said his mother.

  “That’s different, I have a partner. Has he ever had one?” asked Josh.

  “I don’t know, he didn’t speak about one. I don’t think he’s gay if that’s what you’re thinking.”

  “I certainly don’t think that, if I’d have thought that I would have liked him more.”

  “So that’s it, you don’t like the idea of your mother taking up with another man because he could never be your father. I understand that, believe me I do but I have the same right as any other person to have a close relationship with someone of the opposite sex. I’m not saying that Gordon is or ever could be that man, nevertheless, if such a man ever does come along it would be my choice. You’ve chosen your partner and if the time comes I will choose mine. So let’s leave it at that shall we?”

  There was another brief silence which on this occasion was broken by Susan, who by now was feeling just a little uncomfortable, it was the first time she had witnessed any apparent disagreement between Josh and his mother. They had seemed to Susan to always have had a very close relationship. Perhaps that’s the problem; Josh has been without a father since the age of seven. Susan knows only too well from her own experiences as a child after her parents’ divorce she felt uncomfortable when her mother remarried and could never quite accept the new husband as a new father even though her natural father had left the country and she never saw him, in fact she hasn’t seen him or spoken to him or even seen a photograph of him since she was nine years old.

  What then is Josh’s problem? He can’t possibly know anything about Grant. If Susan is right it’s just a personal problem that Josh will have to deal with as She had to.

  4

  Sunday morning came and went as did Sunday lunchtime. Carol and Josh said no more about Grant. Shortly after teatime Josh and Susan started getting their things together for the homeward journey. Josh found himself alone with his mother for a few moments, he was still concerned about his mother’s relationship with Grant but wasn’t sure whether he should broach the subject or not, he plucked up the courage and decided to speak once more about him, “I didn’t mean to upset you yesterday evening after the concert when I spoke about this Grant character you seem to think a great deal of,” said Josh.

  They were in the kitchen; Carol was just washing up the tea things even though she had a perfectly good dishwasher. Josh joined her and started drying up.

  “Maybe Susan is right; maybe I just can’t quite face having to share you with someone else who isn’t my father.”

  “I’m sure when you get to know him better you’ll change your mind,” said Josh’s mother who continued, “and I’d appreciate it if you didn’t call him ‘that Grant character’ his name is Gordon.”

  Once more there was a brief silence between the two broken by Josh who changed the subject. “They never found out who was driving the car that killed dad, I have decided to look into it myself.” Josh, of course, could not have known of the link between his father’s death and Grant any more than his mother did.

  “Are you sure that’s the right thing to do? You have your life as a musician you have a partner and you’ll soon to be a father yourself. You were very young when your father died, all a long time ago. If the police were unable to detect the driver at the time I don’t see what you can do now. You would probably be just wasting your time and your money and creating a degree of anguish that you could well live without. I have long since come to terms with the fact that I shall never know the full truth about how your father died. I’ll grant that it is not entirely satisfactory but there it is.”

  No more was said on the subject and a few minutes later Josh and Susan were on their way back to Ealing. Susan was driving; Josh was silent which was unusual for him. Susan asked, “Is there anything wrong?” Josh’s negative reply was not convincing. After a few moments Josh said that he was thinking about his father’s death and that, coupled with the fact that his mother seemed to be falling in love with a man that he didn’t really think he could ever properly get along with, had upset him somewhat. A few miles along the road there were some motorway services, Susan pulled in, this was unexpected given Oxford and Ealing’s proximity but Susan wanted to know what was ailing her partner.

  * * *

  It was almost a week since Josh first met Gordon Grant at the concert. Although Josh had no rational explanation for the way he felt about him other than the possibility of a simple personality clash his feelings of doubt about Grant were as strong as they had been on their first meeting, excluding the bookcase delivery, of course.

  Josh had walked past the front door of a certain house in Ealing, which was now offices, on many occasions without taking notice, on this occasion he stopped and thought for a moment before going up to the door to enter. The door would not open he looked at the various doorbell button’s and saw one for Salter & Partners. He pushed that button and was let in. A few moments later he was sitting in the office of Jim Salter a private investigator. Jim Salter was in his mid-forties, a tall man standing at six feet six inches and, although hard to tell under his clothes, looked as though he was quite muscular, his face betrayed a man who had been through the mill, he spoke with a slightly deeper voice than you might imagine and somewhat gravelly, with a watered down east London accent. He was a former Flying Squad police officer.

  “What can I do for you?” said Jim.

  “I want to have a man investigated,” replied Josh, who went on to explain why he wanted this information.

  “While I understand your concern I don’t think you have a great deal of need to worry, people often find that when a parent remarries they don’t get on with the step-parent,” said Jim, who told Josh that investigating someone takes time and costs money. Josh said that within some degree of reason the money wasn’t a problem.

  “Okay then,” said Jim, “tell me what you know about him, and I mean everything.”

  Josh gave Jim as much information about Grant as he knew. Jim Salter pointed out that was not a lot to go on. Josh wanted a full breakdown on the history of Gordon Grant. Jim told Josh that the information he had been given was too little for him to make any meaningful invest
igations beyond contacting the company he currently works for and seeing what, if anything, they know about Mr Grant’s past. Jim said that he would contact a private investigator in Oxford who he’s worked with before and he should be able to gain what information there is available from the employer, in the meantime he suggested to Josh that he should try to obtain as much information as he can about Mr Grant, such as his date of birth, place of birth and any other personal information that he feels might help an investigation.

  Josh left Jim Salter’s office a little disappointed but there is a tendency, due mainly to fiction, to think that private investigators have easy means of finding out absolutely anything they need to with a few clicks on a computer keyboard or a few meetings with a couple of people.

  Josh has set off on his quest to discover what he can about the mysterious Gordon Grant. He has resolved that unless he discovers something untoward about him then he will not tell Susan or his mother about his actions.

  * * *

  Carol normally commences work at around eight in the morning and will take a break around ten thirty to eleven then will continue to lunchtime. Grant, who now knows Carol’s phone number, made a mistake of telephoning her one morning between these times. There was no answer because Carol switches off the ring tone on her land line and switches off her mobile phone altogether during these times. Grant left a message for her and she phoned him in the evening when she knew he would have finished work.

  Grant asked Carol if she would like to go out for a meal one evening in the week. Carol made a decision which, under the circumstances, was perhaps an inevitable one sooner or later; instead of making an arrangement to meet Grant somewhere she gave him her address and invited him to come over for a meal. Grant already knew her address because, he claimed he could remember the road but not the number now he officially knows the full address which he notes in his address book.

  A few nights later at around seven Grant duly arrived in Didcot Road.