Shirley appeared at her side. ‘There’s a cat in the trolley?’ said Beth, feeling uncertain of her own words.
‘Mittens!’ said Shirley, as she huffily took back the trolley. Doris remembered why she hated the trolley so much and started her usual barking onslaught at a retreating Shirley. Beth shook her head and started to drag Doris back to where she’d dropped the beanbag.
‘Bonkers, this village is totally bonkers,’ she said but she was smiling broadly as she said it.
Beth was glad to be back inside the cottage at last with the empty cereal box, a dented bowl, a muddy beanbag and a hyper Doris. She put the kettle on and ran her scratched hand under the cold tap. It was only a minor mark but it stung all the same. At last she sat down with a cup of coffee and checked her text messages.
At the station be with you soon C x
Beth stared at the message, then she checked the date and finally she checked previous texts from Carly.
‘Bugger,’ she said out loud. Today was the day Carly was coming to stay because she had pantomime rehearsals in Gloucester. As if on cue there was a knock at the front door and, although her shoulders sagged, Beth felt a spike of joy as she rushed to open it.
Beth gave Carly a hug and any uncharitable thoughts instantly disappeared. Her friend had come to stay and, even though it had slipped her mind, she knew they would have a good natter and the world would feel better for it. Doris was very interested in Carly’s wheelie case but thankfully quickly assessed that, surprisingly, it did not contain a cat so she returned to her blanket.
A few cups of tea later and they had slipped back into their comfortable chatter and, although the subjects weren’t the most uplifting thanks to Nick, talking things through always helped to put life in perspective.
Beth explained the previous night’s drama, and how she had been sure it was Nick banging on the door, and the subsequent revelation that Jack had signed the Official Secrets Act.
‘Ooh, so he’s yummy and he’s dark and dangerous,’ said Carly, her eyes wide as she peered over her large mug of tea. ‘He’s perfect for you.’
‘No, he’s not. I’ve had enough of dark and dangerous, thank you very much. And anyway he works in IT.’
‘Oh, that’s clearly a cover. I bet that right now he’s climbing up a mountain to infiltrate a villainous gang, or rescuing vital information or shooting a baddie.’
Beth blinked hard. ‘You watch too many films. I bet he’s sat looking at a computer screen and retrieving someone’s boring emails. The real world is a lot less exciting than the movies.’
‘He is yummy, though.’
‘I’m surprised you can remember.’ Beth laughed at the memory of a drunken Carly crashing out on Jack’s sofa.
‘I wasn’t that bad! I liked how he smiled with half his mouth, sort of crooked but quite endearing,’ said Carly, followed by a sigh.
Beth didn’t like where this was heading. She changed the subject quickly. ‘And how is the wonderful and delicious Fergus?’ she asked.
Carly let out an even bigger but far less dreamy sigh. ‘It’s all turning to poo.’
‘What’s happened?’
‘Nothing major. It’s not one big thing, it’s loads of little things. We’re annoying the hell out of each other, basically. I can feel him slipping away and it’s happening really fast. He’s going out more and more so we see each other less. He avoids eye contact which makes it very hard to have a conversation with him without it feeling very deliberate and forced.’
‘Everyone has rough patches, Carls. I’m sure that’s all it is.’
‘I’m not,’ said Carly, her face a picture of sadness.
Carly and Doris bonded while Beth changed her bed, as Carly would have to share a bed with Beth. She came downstairs with the sheets bundled up in her arms, hoping that Carly wouldn’t work out that she’d forgotten she was coming to stay.
‘She’s a total darling, isn’t she?’ said Carly, rubbing Doris’s middle as the dog stretched out on the grubby beanbag. Doris looked like she was in heaven.
‘We’re getting used to each other,’ said Beth, giving Doris an affectionate rub on the head as she went by.
‘I see you’ve not found a hairdresser yet,’ said Carly, joining Beth in the kitchen as Beth rammed the things into the washing machine.
‘Blimey, that’s harsh,’ said Beth, with a half-laugh.
‘No, you still look lovely. It’s just not how you used to look with your salon-perfect hair and manicures and stuff.’ Carly inspected her own flawless nails.
‘I don’t need it, it’s not who I am. It was like this costume I used to wear.’ She paused and Carly was now watching her closely. ‘I like this costume better,’ she said, pointing at her dungarees and giving a cheesy grin for emphasis.
Carly didn’t look convinced. ‘The cottage is looking a million times better.’
‘You’ve not seen the bathroom yet. That’s still a horror.’
‘But this is fabulous,’ said Carly, spreading out her arms in the small kitchen.
‘Yeah, it’s great. Jack and Simon did a great job …’
‘You’ve had the lovely Jack getting all hot and sweaty in here?’
‘Yes,’ said Beth, refusing to rise to the innuendo. ‘He and another local guy fitted it for me in exchange for custard creams and dog-sitting.’
‘Oh,’ said Carly, ‘they’re not a couple are they? Jack and Simon?’
‘No!’
‘Good. That would be a terrible shame,’ said Carly, her expression quite serious. ‘So Jack’s handsome, mysterious and handy. He gets better and better.’ Carly clapped her hands together.
‘Don’t go getting ideas. I’m off men for a while and not only for my sake but for Leo’s as well.’
‘I do get it,’ said Carly. ‘But I want you to be happy.’
‘I don’t need a man for that to happen,’ said Beth. ‘Can you watch Doris while I go and get her some dog food from Jack’s?’
‘No, I’m coming too. I’m not missing a chance to have a nose around a spy’s house. Ooh, do you think he has a gun?’
Beth rolled her eyes good-humouredly. ‘Come on, then,’ she said as she directed Carly towards the door.
Chapter Nineteen
At Jack’s, Beth had quickly refilled the cereal box with dry dog food and was waiting by the door ready to leave.
‘Carly, what are you doing? He might have spy cameras all over this place, you know?’ Beth chuckled to herself.
‘Bloody hell, do you think so?’ Carly peered down the stairs.
‘Carls, you can’t go snooping about. If he notices something’s been touched he’ll think it’s me!’ There was no answer. ‘Carly!’ Still no response. Beth put down the cereal box and reluctantly went upstairs.
The cool minimalism continued to the next floor but it somehow still felt homely; perhaps that was the nature of cottages with their low ceilings and traditional fittings. She peeked into the bathroom as she passed. It was long and thin and he’d managed to get a separate shower cubicle in as well as a bath, and she found herself nodding her approval.
Beth found Carly in the master bedroom. ‘Look. No photographs,’ said Carly, her voice barely a whisper.
‘So?’
‘It’s weird, isn’t it? There’s nothing personal here. Nothing to tell you anything about the man that lives here.’
‘Come on, Miss Marple,’ said Beth, shaking her head as she nudged Carly towards the door.
‘Look at this.’ Carly took Beth’s arm and walked her into the spare bedroom. It had a simple table-like desk with a large computer screen, a keyboard and two laptops on it. There was a cross trainer, a state-of-the-art exercise bike and weights bench. Carly pointed to them each in turn.
‘He works in IT and he likes to keep fit. So what?’
Carly silently pointed across the room. A large built-in cupboard dominated the end wall.
‘No,’ said Beth, guessing Carly’s next exploration.
<
br /> ‘Just a sneaky look.’
‘I’m leaving,’ said Beth, who was feeling increasingly uncomfortable. Carly crept over to the cupboard and tentatively gripped the handle.
‘Argh!’ yelled Beth for a joke and Carly almost fell over with the shock.
‘You bloody idiot!’ Carly spluttered through a nervous laugh. Once she was a little calmer she opened the cupboard. It was completely empty. A series of shelves were all clear. ‘Now that is odd,’ said Carly, pointing at the empty cupboard. A quick look in the other side revealed a lot of box files and that was Beth’s cue to be a little more forceful with Carly and hustle her out of the room and out of the cottage before she took her amateur detecting too far.
The afternoon whizzed by in a flurry of natter. Carly caught up with Leo over a game of Top Trumps before they headed to the Bleeding Bear. They had dinner at the pub because Beth still only had the two chairs, and then went on to choosing budget furniture from the Internet via Beth’s phone whilst sipping wine. Sadly, the solid wood half-circle coffee table was well out of Beth’s price range so it would have to wait until the next property she renovated. Her plan was to reuse the furniture to dress each place for sale so she needed statement items. It was all about selling people the lifestyle; a little slice of a lifestyle she used to live back in London.
When Beth was still awake in the early hours she mulled over whether Doris was a better bed partner than Carly. At least Doris had stuck to her side, even if the snoring and doggy breath had been a bit much. Carly seemed to roll up against Beth regardless of how many times she rolled her back.
The next morning Carly was up quite early and was full of excitement at meeting the cast and minor celebrities of the panto. By nine o’clock she had been whisked away in a taxi. There was still no contact from Jack. Nevertheless, Beth had his business card and wondered about calling him but didn’t know where he was or what he was doing or even if he was allowed calls. She’d got used to seeing him each morning when he dropped Doris off; he had become part of her new routine and so it felt odd that he was suddenly not about. Surely she wasn’t missing his playful teasing and general usefulness? Despite her best efforts to keep her imaginings in check, Beth was starting to wonder about Jack. He had been helpful to her, kind even, but she actually knew very little about him. Could he be a spy? And, if so, where was he right now?
With Doris tired out after a brisk walk and now safely in her dog cage at Jack’s for a couple of hours, Beth did a lunchtime shift at the pub which she enjoyed. It was more about taking food orders than it was about the drinks and everyone was friendly. Over the course of a few shifts, she had added names to some faces she had seen around the village and now, when she left the cottage, more and more people called her by name.
Beth borrowed a chair from the pub so that the three of them could at least eat together and decided to make her sweet potato and coconut curry while Leo and Carly took it in turns to update her on their day. Doris was sitting next to Beth and leaning into her leg as she prepared the sweet potatoes.
‘… and the Romans ruled our country for nearly four hundred years! The Romans lived here in the Cotswolds too. Me and Denis are learning partners and we’re going to build a Roman fort!’
‘Wow, the Romans were cool!’ enthused Carly.
‘They had battle plans and their army was the best,’ added Leo, nodding sagely as he did so. ‘They brought new plants with them, too, that still grow in this country.’
Beth turned round. ‘Which ones?’
‘There was one with yellow flowers and one that was just green leaves. I’ll go and see if we have any in the garden.’
‘Coat!’ instructed Beth, making Leo do a pirouette in the kitchen. He dashed past seconds later with his coat half on and Doris at his heels carrying the latest of a series of destroyed footballs in her mouth.
‘He likes it here,’ observed Carly.
‘He’s definitely more enthusiastic about school. The small class really seems to help bring things alive for him.’
‘That’s really good. By the way, the panto is hilarious. You must come.’
‘Tell me all about it, then.’
‘It’s the usual Snow White story: pretty girl, handsome prince, cute little people, singing and dancing with some modern gags for the grown-ups.’
‘Does the prince still kiss Snow White when he thinks she’s dead? That bit creeps me out now I’m an adult …’ but Beth noticed Carly wasn’t listening. ‘What’s up?’ she asked as she checked the rice.
‘I’ve not heard from Fergus. I’ve been texting him on and off all day but he’s not replied.’
‘Are you worried?’
‘Nope, I think he’s sulking.’
Beth looked at Carly’s pouting lips and long face. ‘What are you going to do about your relationship?’
Carly stared at the kitchen floor. Beth liked looking at the newly oiled floor too. She saw something different in it each time she studied it but she doubted that was what was holding Carly’s attention. ‘I don’t know,’ said Carly eventually, and when she looked up tears were already escaping.
After two bottles of wine, another night sharing a bed with Carly didn’t seem so bad but for some reason Doris was uneasy. She had stayed close to Beth all day and, although Beth didn’t credit her with a great amount of intelligence, she did feel that Doris was missing Jack. When she scratched at the door for the fifth time, Beth relented and let her in. Doris dived onto the bed and settled down with her glum face resting on her paws. Beth attempted to shove her a bit further down the bed and then tried to curl up in the remaining quarter of it. It was going to be a long night.
It was an odd sound that woke Beth, a sort of snapping noise. She tried to ignore it but its rhythm told her it wasn’t the local wildlife and she had to investigate. She groaned as she extricated herself from the overcrowded bed, slipped into her unicorn onesie and went to investigate. She was scratching her head as she looked out of the living-room window. It was difficult to see but there appeared to be someone doing something to the willow tree. She walked to the hall and let out a huge yawn as she opened the front door.
‘I’m sorry, did I wake you?’ asked a chirpy Jack.
‘Shh,’ said Beth pointing up to her bedroom window. ‘They’re still asleep. What are you doing?’
‘Pruning the willow,’ said Jack, as if it was the most normal thing ever. She must have left the bedroom door open as Doris came hurtling out of the house and cannoned into Jack who, Beth noted, was strong enough to catch her and absorb the impact. Had it been her she would be lying on her back like at her first encounter with Doris a few months ago.
‘She must have heard your voice,’ said Beth, aware she was stating the obvious, but it was early. Jack was fussing Doris and half wrestling with the delighted mutt.
‘Coffee?’ said Beth, as she shuffled back into the cottage emitting another seismic yawn.
Coffee was drunk in virtual silence as Doris sat directly in front of Jack with her chin in his lap gazing up at him with a look of total adoration.
‘It must be nice to be loved that much,’ said Beth, then instantly wondered why she’d said it out loud.
Jack grinned his lopsided grin. ‘Yeah, but does she appreciate it?’
Beth was grateful to him for deflecting her statement with humour.
‘I think we may have solved the mystery of why Doris hates Shirley’s trolley.’ Jack looked intrigued and tilted his head expectantly. ‘Shirley pushes her cat, Mittens, around in it!’
‘Mittens is still alive?’
‘And still quick on the draw,’ said Beth, showing him her scratched knuckles.
Jack snorted a laugh. ‘That explains a lot. No wonder Doris goes nuts every time she sees it.’ Doris pricked up her floppy ears as much as she could at the mention of her name and Jack resumed the ear rub.
‘Is it safe to assume that whatever was so urgent with work is all sorted now?’ She had to ask.
‘Yeah. All sorted,’ he said flatly.
Carly suddenly appeared at the bottom of the stairs and hurried into the kitchen, pulling her jumper down to cover her pyjama shorts. ‘What is it exactly that you do then?’
‘IT consultant,’ said Jack, his voice even as he broke eye contact and continued stroking Doris’s dark floppy ears.
‘We kinda thought that was your cover,’ said Carly, flicking the switch on the kettle. ‘You know, so people don’t think you’re a spy.’
‘We?’ said Beth. ‘Leave me out of this little fantasy.’
Jack chuckled lightly. ‘I’m not a spy.’
Beth sipped her drink. ‘That’s exactly what a spy would say.’
Jack’s smile was rueful. ‘True, but I’m not one. It’s technical surveillance. I have some specialist expertise that gets called on from time to time.’
Beth was nodding but she wasn’t sure why. ‘I have no idea what that means.’
‘Nor me,’ said Carly, making herself a cup of tea.
He stopped fiddling with Doris’s ears and gave the women his full attention. ‘The Ministry of Defence has the single largest computer network in Europe. Their systems log more than one million suspicious incidents every twenty-four hours. There are thousands of cyber-attacks every day and each day they get more complex. Occasionally, they have a close call and I join the GCHQ team to get it resolved quickly. I’m on contract to them.’
Carly had joined in the nodding. ‘GCHQ, that’s in Cheltenham; that’s near here,’ she said. ‘I don’t know how I know that. Is it okay that I know that?’
Jack snorted. ‘Yeah, that’s fine, it’s not a secret.’
‘Do you get to meet real James Bond types?’ asked Carly, as she came to rest on the wall near to Jack, her jumper riding up a little.
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