What Happened to Us?
Page 31
‘Well, now, that’s very convenient,’ the detective had murmured.
‘I think Valentina plans to leave the country,’ Kevin said into the phone. On this occasion, he was going to make sure she got what was coming to her. He gave the detective all the information he had about the bands plans to tour, or as much as he could.
‘Well, that lady is going nowhere,’ the grumpy old police officer said with a wheeze. ‘We’ll be taking her in right away.’ Kevin put down the phone with a degree of satisfaction he hadn’t known before. Valentina, Simo and Reda would spend years in prison, and in Kevin’s opinion, if they threw away the key, the world would probably be a better place without any of them.
*
‘They saw you coming, mate,’ Jim said when he told him about Simo and Reda.
‘What do you mean by that?’ They hadn’t met for a pint since the wedding. Jim just hadn’t shown up and, in the end, Kevin rang to see if they were okay. So, Jim turned up a week later, his same disgruntled, philosophical self.
‘Sure, there you are, sitting on a nice business, falling for the questionable charms of Valentina for a start.’
‘That hardly makes me a target for burglary?’ Kevin said, wondering for a moment if this friendship would have gone south had he not rung up Jim.
‘You said yourself they were always looking to do “security” for the restaurant. They bullied their way into your home.’
‘Ah, now, hang on a minute; they were only staying as a favour to Valentina…’ It turned out they weren’t even related to her. Rather, like rats, they had banded together, but now, in custody, they were each happily blaming one another in an effort to get off more lightly themselves.
‘Exactly, but, can’t you see what a tyrant Valentina was? We all saw it at the wedding, mate. A few of us had a bit of a book going that you’d probably be a victim of domestic violence. She is a very angry woman.’
‘She was.’ Kevin had to concede on that, but of course, he’d never tell his friend that she threw things at him and had hit him twice. He couldn’t face telling anyone that, especially not when he’d crowed so loud about how lucky he was to have such a beautiful woman on his arm.
‘All kinds of beautiful, mate, and it’s only skin deep, but that kind of ugliness goes to the bone,’ Jim said as though he’d read his mind. ‘So, you’ve kicked her out.’ It was a statement of fact, rather than a question.
‘Well, she’s gone now, yes.’
‘And you finished it?’ Jim hadn’t liked her even before he heard about Simo and Reda. ‘Tell me you had enough backbone to finish it.’
‘Yes, I finished it. But she didn’t leave until she was ready to go,’ Kevin said. There was no point lying. ‘She waited until she found…’
‘Another mug? Someone else to go to, you mean?’
‘Remember the boy band? Well, she planned on moving on with them when they went on tour.’ Then a sliver of a smile made its way onto Kevin’s lips, ‘Only, I contacted the police and now she’s locked up safe and sound.’
‘Good, I’d hate to think of her moving on to some other sap, where would be the justice in that.’
‘To tell you the truth, by the time she left, I didn’t think it mattered where she went, still it’s nice to think she’s behind bars and she’s not under my roof anymore.’ Technically, it wouldn’t be his roof for much longer. He knew he had to tell Jim about his house-moving plans. ‘She cleaned me out Jim, weeks ago. It’s all gone. She even flogged the engagement ring.’
‘You can press charges?’
‘Oh, yes, I think that will be just an afternoon in court, she will plead guilty and…’ It had all backfired on Valentina, the police had only played a little of the recording he’d made, and in the words of Detective Coleman, she’d sung like a canary. Kevin didn’t want to go to court over it, but now it would be a case of a guilty plea and a verdict handed down. It would hardly make the papers; still, his mother would probably have a conniption, if she didn’t have a heart attack with the shame of it.
‘Seems like she was a bad lot from the start, mate,’ Jim sighed, sank his pint in one long swallow. ‘Another?’ he pointed towards Kevin’s glass, his eyebrows rose slightly.
‘Why not? I deserve a night off,’ he said. He knew he would end up sliding off this bar stool after three pints and slinking home to face the mother of all hangovers tomorrow. Truth was, he needed to suffer and he needed to forget. It’d be his last hangover for a while. He would be moving in with his mother next month, or sooner if he could get a new tenant to sub-lease the apartment. There was time enough to tell Jim that. After all, there was only so much humiliation a man could face in one day.
Epilogue
Six Months Later
Carrie stood in the centre of The Marchant Inn. There was a lingering smell of new paint and polished brasses, they managed to save the best of what had been here for years and match it with a modern, elegant finish. Gone were the built-in brocade seating, Formica-topped tables and heavy bar stools. Carrie had retained and restored the bar counter, the ornate ceiling and what had survived of the stained glass, but everything else had an upstate New York cool sophistication to it. It was almost hard to believe that it could have turned out so well. She had mixed simplicity with antiquity and managed to come up with a chic style that fitted well with who she was and what she wanted to project to customers. Each table was set, generously, but simply, a theme of white with a simple chrome ring, mirrored in the graceful centrepiece – a single camellia on each.
‘Opening night,’ Luke said and he handed her a glass of champagne. They would have a full house soon, surrounded by well-wishers. She had even invited Kevin, although she doubted he’d show up. Her own mother was making up for him, Pamela rang earlier to say she was bringing along that nice detective who was taking care of the case against Valentina. Carrie smiled, thinking of the gruff Coleman, and wondered if perhaps he could remain so stony-faced with her mother at his side. She hadn’t extended an invitation to Maureen Mulvey, maybe she’d invite her over at some stage, but not tonight. This evening was about friends and family and Carrie had enough of both to fill this place ten times over.
‘I shouldn’t really,’ she said, smiling. It wasn’t nerves that made her insides flip when she caught the light aroma of bubbles, but she’d only figured out today what made her feel as if she was just a little more of everything she’d been before.
‘Everything is perfect, you can afford a sip or two before we kick off.’
‘Yes, Luke,’ Carrie said, feeling a new-found weightlessness bubble up inside her, ‘everything is perfect.’ And it was, they had settled into a new life together. It turned out that the upstairs flat, like the bar – a warren of darkened closed-up rooms – was far bigger when they opened it up than Carrie’s little house. So, they’d moved in and made a home of it, leaving Jane in the cosy house she adored. Luke had fallen into a job he loved. The university was just a stone’s throw away and life had taken on a new but contented rhythm. It turned out they wanted the same things – but then, doesn’t everyone? To be loved, to be cherished and to belong – they had found that in each other. The worst events may have thrown them together, but the future looked brighter than either of them could have ever dared to dream.
Against her leg, Teddy looked up, his expression filled with curiosity; she bent down and patted him gently on his silky head. Carrie knew that The Marchant Inn would be a huge success, already they had bookings taken into the following year and they hadn’t even opened their doors yet. ‘It’s more perfect than I could have hoped for,’ she clinked his glass, then put down her own. ‘I don’t think that the champagne would put me too much off course for one night, it’s just…’ she smiled then and if he knew what she was going to say next, he waited until she had the chance to tell him. ‘We’re having a baby,’ she said and when he wrapped his arms around her, she knew this happiness was real and she had a feeling that none of them would ever be lonely again.
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Thank you
Thank you, lovely reader,
For picking my story out of the endless sea of books, you might have chosen. When I write a book, I hope it’s a story that touches readers. I love the idea that the time spent within these covers might lift your spirits and, in some way, give you a sense that there is always time for another chance. I believe that life, in its own way, has a habit of putting what you need in your path and, with a little luck, things can turn out well in the end.
There’s nothing nicer than hearing back from readers. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this story, so if you have time, please do post a short review or share it on social media – on Twitter or find me on Facebook there’s something very moving about reading a review that really ‘gets’ the book!
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Faith xx
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Acknowledgements
It seems unreal that I’m at the end of another story, saying goodbye to Carrie, Jane, Luke, and even Kevin – I will miss them all, especially Teddy. This book came to an end at one of those times when it seemed that life had every intention of stepping in the way, but here we are…
Now, all that remains is to thank the people who have helped to bring it out into the world.
I’ve dedicated this book to the Aria Girls, it is my way of saying thank you for so many things that I can’t even begin to put into words. Caroline Ridding, for your loyalty, hard work, kindness and infectious good humour. You have given me the best opportunity and I am still so very grateful to you. Honestly, I’m still pinching myself that I get to call you my publisher. Thank you also to Sarah Ritherdon, Lucy Gilmour, Melanie Price, Nikky Ward, Jade Craddock, Geo Willis, Sue Lamprell, Michelle Jones and new girls – Vicky Joss and Hannah Smith, who between you all will shape and shift this manuscript as only you can on its way into the world! Thank you all so much for your continued support and good humour – it’s a joy to work with you.
With this book, as with all writerly, reading, film watching and publishing questions, I have to give sincere thanks to Judith Murdoch, my wise and witty agent – I am lucky to have you, I do love our chats!
To my early readers – Eilish Munnelly, Anne-Marie McLoughlin, Marcella Hogan, Anne-Marie Gilvarry, Fiona Brady, Teresa Canavan, Mabel Snee, Orla Holmes, Mary Mermet and Mary Devaney-Doherty. Thank you to Silke Kauther-Ginty and Michelle McGovern, for reading and putting up with me – it’s very much appreciated!
Thanks to Bernadine Cafferkey for reading the early drafts – your opinion means everything. Thank you too for stepping in as my glamorous publicist at book signings and generally minding me and encouraging me all the way through xx
To Christine Cafferkey, thank you for keeping us all on the road, for lighting candles and doing far more than your share of the worrying – you know you’re the best xx
To Seán, Roisín, Tomás and Cristín, each year just gets better with you lot, thanks for being just lovely xx
To James, you know that I loved writing this story, but books don’t just happen. I’m not sure if the title of this book is settled yet – but you know, that all those years ago, you were the one that changed everything xx
Finally, thanks to you, the reader, for choosing my book, I hope you’ve enjoyed reading it as much I’ve enjoyed writing it!
About Faith Hogan
FAITH HOGAN lives in the west of Ireland with her husband, four children and two very fussy cats. She has an Honours Degree in English Literature and Psychology, has worked as a fashion model and in the intellectual disability and mental health sector.
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Addictive Fiction
First published in the United Kingdom in 2018 by Aria, an imprint of Head of Zeus Ltd
Copyright © Faith Hogan, 2018
The moral right of Faith Hogan to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act of 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
This is a work of fiction. All characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
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A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN (E) 9781788548588
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