Deadly Motive

by DS Butler

  She met his glance with a smile. It was a trick the three of them used. One of them would sit in the middle of the room so that the speaker would have a friendly face to fix on. It made the speaker seem confident and saved them from looking down at their shoes, mumbling in terror.

  Sipping hot tea during the break, the three of them stood huddled together.

  “Thank God, that’s over,” said Gus. “I don’t mind telling you, I actually started to feel a little nervous up there.”

  Alex’s shoulders slumped. “Yeah, well, I’ve still got mine to do.”

  Ruby put her hand on Alex’s arm and squeezed. “It’ll all be over soon,” she said and glanced at her watch. “Only two more hours, and we’ll all be in the pub.”

  That got a weak smile from Alex, whose pale skin had taken on a greenish tinge. He looked like he might be about to throw up.

  Despite his nerves, Alex’s practice presentation went well and he managed to answer questions without stuttering, which he was prone to when he was nervous. He even had a couple of questions from Dr. O’Connor.

  All in all, Ruby thought, it went well.

  There was a party atmosphere in the group after the talks. The relief made everyone giddy.

  The afternoon would be a double celebration as Donald, a student from the lab next to theirs, had his viva today. Drinks in the pub tonight, she thought, smiling. Her hangover was now a distant memory.

  Someone had left Donald’s Congratulations! card on her desk. She puzzled over what to write as other people had used up all the usual phrases. Ruby tried to think of something original and personal to write in the card. She couldn’t. In the end, she had to settle on: Congratulations, keep in touch.

  She rummaged through her pockets for a few pound coins to put in the collection towards the champagne, which, as usual, they would put in a lab ice-box. Sometimes working in a lab had its benefits.

  Trying to settle back into work mode after the presentations was impossible. For the rest of the afternoon, everyone was restless and concentrating was near impossible.

  When Donald came back from his viva looking extremely cheerful, the card was presented, champagne was opened and everyone was laughing and joking.

  When the last paper cups of champagne were drained a few minutes later, everyone seemed to have an unspoken agreement that further attempts to work would be hopeless and they may as well head to the pub.

  20

  Sean clenched his fists in his lap and fought an almost overwhelming desire to pick up the heavy-duty stapler on the desk and use it to flatten the editor’s nose.

  Max Riverton, editor of the Daily News, was ten years younger than Sean with a full head of thick, curly hair and perfectly spaced white teeth. His teeth were a little too big for his mouth, earning him the nickname “Bugs” from the staff on the paper, although they only used it behind his back.

  Sean stared at the editor, imagining how his smug face would look with a broken nose.

  “Of course, I appreciate that something like this...” Max nodded to Sean’s draft of the John Weston article, sitting on the desk in front of him, “...takes initiative.”

  Patronising sod.

  “I really believe…” Sean began, controlling his voice so that it didn’t waver and betray his stress levels.

  Max held up a hand and interrupted. “Yes, it certainly took initiative.” Max used the condescending tone he used on the new recruits.

  Sean gritted his teeth.

  “But you know I can’t let you run with this. You won’t even tell me, your editor, who your source is.” Max shrugged as if to say, “What can I do? I am trying to be reasonable here.”

  Sean wondered if Max wanted to give the story to someone else. He wouldn’t put it past him.

  “My source needs anonymity,” Sean said.

  “That’s no problem. We won’t disclose their identity. But that doesn’t mean they get anonymity from me, as your editor, or...” Max waved a hand in the direction of the upper floors of the building. “...Or the other senior managers. We don’t have to publish a name, Sean, but I do have to know who your source is. So I can determine if they are reliable.” Max pronounced reliable by sounding out each syllable, as if he were spelling it out for some particularly dimwitted child.

  Sean couldn’t reveal his source, even if he wanted to.

  He didn’t know who had given him the information, just that it was an animal rights activist who used the internet forum. But the story was good and the facts he had found out so far matched up. He just needed little more time to investigate. He might even be able to set up a meeting with this activist.

  Discreetly, Sean looked down at his mobile phone, but he had no messages.

  “It is a good story, Max. I just need a little more time to work on it.”

  But Max didn’t agree. He gave a tight smile and Sean knew he was losing this argument. He’d seen that look on Max’s face plenty of times in the past.

  “No, Sean. I have made my decision. The paper’s reputation could be at stake. You need to hand this information over to the police.”

  Sean shook his head. How did Max get so far in this business being so naive? “I am quite sure the police already know about it, they’re just sitting on it. I know for a fact…”

  Max looked at his watch as Sean spoke and then cut him off. “This conversation is over. I’ve made my decision perfectly clear. If you’re not going to take it to the police, I could get someone else from features to do it, and then see if they could turn it into a story.” Max turned back to his computer, Sean and his story forgotten, as he attended to his emails.

  “I could take this to another paper,” Sean said.

  It was a hollow threat.

  Max didn’t even bother to turn and face him. “No, you couldn’t. Check your contract.”

  He should have gone freelance. As Sean stood to leave, he felt a stab of something sharp against his palm. He uncurled his fingers and saw the HB pencil he had been holding had snapped in two, and the splinters were digging into his skin.

  21

  The King’s Arms, rendered in a pale pink, sat on the corner of Hollywell Street and Parks Road. Originally an Augustan priory, it now served beer to academics, locals and tourists alike.

  Passing through the haze produced by the group of smokers standing outside, Ruby entered the front bar. The smell of beer and the warmth of the room wrapped around her like a cocoon.

  The bar was busy as usual during term-time. She had come here throughout her undergrad days, and though post-graduates were permitted to drink at the far cheaper University Club, she found it hard to break her King’s Arms habit.

  She saw Donald standing near the bar with a couple of other students from his year group. Then she spotted Alex and his friend, Ted, in a dim corner of the pub, slumped into chairs that had seen better days. She was pleased to see they had secured a table, which were in scarce supply during Hilary term at Oxford.

  “Can I get anyone a drink?” Ruby asked, resting her bag on a chair opposite Alex and fumbling inside for her wallet.

  “Gus beat you to it,” Alex said, nodding in the direction of the bar.

  Ruby turned to see Gus waiting at the bar, surrounded by people waggling notes to attract the attention of the beleaguered barmaid. Her best chance of getting a drink would be to tag it onto Gus’ order. After picking her way through the mob at the bar, she touched Gus on the arm. “Gus?”

  Gus turned and smiled. “Glass of red?”

  “Perfect.”

  Ruby stayed close to Gus’ side as he added to his order, ready to help carry the drinks across to the table. She watched the barmaid give Gus a flirtatious smile.

  Ruby narrowed her eyes. If she had been the one changing the drinks order, she was willing to bet the barmaid would not have rewarded her with a smile.

  The barmaid handed Gus a tray. “We don’t have many left, only my favourite customers get one.”

  Gus was oblivious to her
feminine charms. “Cheers, mate,” he said, trying to manoeuvre the tray away from the bar and avoid the crowd.

  Ruby grinned and looked up at Gus. “I think she was hoping to be more than your mate.”

  Gus was having trouble keeping the tray horizontal and his left arm trembled. Beer and wine sloshed from side to side in the glasses, some of it ending up in a pool at the bottom of the tray.

  “Here, let me,” Ruby said as she reached for the tray.

  His mouth tightened and he hesitated. Ruby thought he might refuse her help, but in the next instant, he appeared to change his mind.

  “Thanks, don’t want to waste good beer,” he said and passed her the tray.

  As Gus and Ruby made their way toward the table, it was clear Alex and Ted were in the middle of a heated discussion. Ted had his left hand closed into a fist on the table. Their conversation stopped as soon as they saw Ruby and Gus approaching.

  Settling in a seat, Ruby stuffed her purse back into her bag. She felt a sense of unease seep through her. “What were you two talking about so animatedly?”

  Alex looked uncomfortable; his skin was red and blotchy. A natural red-head, he had the palest skin Ruby had ever seen. “Nothing,” he said, keeping his gaze fixed on the table.

  In contrast, Ted looked pleased with himself. “Funny you should ask that, Ruby.” A satisfied smile stretched across his mouth.

  Alex put a hand on Ted’s arm, but Ted shook it off. “Alex has just been telling me his good news, haven’t you, Alex?”

  Ruby looked from Alex to Ted and back again. “What good news?” she said, trying to keep her tone light.

  Ted laughed, as if she had just delivered the punchline of a tremendously funny joke. He turned to Alex. “Come on, Alex. It’s not fair of you to keep her in the dark.”

  Ruby had never hit it off with Ted. As he was one of Alex’s closest friends, she tried to tolerate him, but at times like this, it was difficult.

  Alex looked at her across the table, blinking. “I thought Professor Clarkson or Dr. O’Connor would have said something by now.”

  Ruby sat back in her chair and crossed her arms. “Alex, can you just spit it out, please? What should they have told me?”

  Alex glanced at Ted, who was still grinning, and then turned his attention back to Ruby.

  “Dr. O’Connor has decided to employ me on the aconite project next year, instead of you.” He paused and waited for her to respond. When she didn’t, he continued. “Dr. O’Connor called me into Professor Clarkson’s office after the talks and told me. I don’t like the way it happened, but it’s a good thing for me,” Alex said, his words spilling over themselves in the rush to leave his mouth.

  A hush descended on the table and extended into an awkward silence. Ruby knew they were all waiting for her reaction. They probably expected her to shout, or maybe as she was female, they expected her to cry?

  “Right, well, I appreciate you letting me know,” Ruby said, trying to make eye contact with Alex, but he stared down into his drink.

  Gus put his arm around her shoulder. “That is pretty lousy. O’Connor should have told Ruby before anyone else did. And you,” Gus said, nodding at Alex, “you should have told Ruby before you told Ted. That was out of order.”

  Ruby felt Gus squeeze her shoulder and she bit down on the inside of her mouth.

  She told herself it didn’t matter. Science was full of other opportunities and she had always known there would be setbacks along the way. This was just healthy competition. Besides, perhaps Alex was the best person for the job. She hadn’t even been able to replicate O’Connor’s experiments with the cells.

  She took a sip of her wine and thought back to how competitive she and Alex had been over the last few years, comparing exam scores, competing over who spent more hours in the lab.

  It was stupid. It wasn’t important, and she still had time to secure other funding for next year. She looked over at Ted, who still wore a broad smile, and her temper flared and logic dissipated.

  She got to her feet and grabbed her bag and wine glass. “I’m going through to the back bar to speak to Lucy.”

  In the back bar, she flopped down into an armchair. It was much quieter back here, just a couple of locals who looked up with interest as she entered. Lucy wasn’t even in the pub tonight, but it was the first excuse that came to her. She just wanted to get away. If she hadn’t left the table, it would have been worse. Her fingers had been itching to pour Ted’s pint over his head.

  She should have just gone to the ladies’. That wouldn’t have looked quite as pathetic as flouncing off to talk to someone who wasn’t even in the pub tonight.

  Maybe no one would notice Lucy wasn’t here; perhaps she could just sneak out the back door without them noticing.

  Alex appeared through the archway and walked into the back bar.

  No chance of slipping out unnoticed now.

  Alex sank into the seat opposite her and picked up a menu. He kept his gaze fixed on the cocktail offers on the back, unwilling to look at her directly. He played with the frayed corner of the paper menu and sighed.

  Too angry to speak and, if she were honest, enjoying his discomfort, Ruby waited so that he had no choice but to speak first.

  “You would’ve done the same in my shoes,” he said. “I haven’t done anything wrong.”

  “Really?” Ruby raised an eyebrow.

  “Oh, I can’t be bothered with this,” he said, loudly, and a lone drinker at the next table turned to look at them with interest.

  Alex got to his feet and walked back towards the main bar, shaking his head. Ruby followed quickly, scraping a stool along the floor in her haste, and reached him at the door.

  “Okay, let’s forget it,” she said. Her anger still simmered away, but she knew she was directing it at the wrong person.

  “I didn’t do it to piss you off, Ruby, you know? I’m sorry.”

  “I know. It’s just...” She shrugged and gave a small smile in surrender.

  After Alex and Ruby rejoined the others in the main bar, Ruby tried to think of another topic of conversation, but Ted wasn’t so keen to let go of the previous one.

  “Isn’t it strange that O’Connor changed his mind so quickly about the post-doc position? Especially as you told Alex last week that O’Connor had practically guaranteed you the job.”

  Ruby bristled, immediately on the defensive, but she didn’t reply. She knew it was because of her failure to repeat the experiments. She didn’t deserve the job and Alex did. It was as simple as that.

  “Who knows? But O’Connor’s in it for money, that’s the only thing you can rely on,” Gus said.

  “He obviously thinks Alex would be better at the job than Ruby,” Ted said, picking up his pint glass.

  Ruby took a deep breath. She should probably just go home. It didn’t look as if this evening was going to get any better.

  “I had some problems with the experiment O’Connor asked me to do,” Ruby said. “I couldn’t do it. I guess I failed his test. I think that’s what made him change his mind.”

  “He changed his mind because he realised Alex was better than you. Deal with it,” Ted said.

  “Why didn’t he give you a chance to do the experiments again? Everyone knows you’re great at lab work,” Gus said to Ruby, ignoring Ted.

  Ted slammed his pint glass on the table and made everyone jump. “I’ve had enough of listening to your ‘poor me’ crap. You think you are so bloody important, far more important than any animals you use in your work.”

  Ruby’s jaw dropped. She knew Ted felt very strongly about animal rights and that there were many animal rights activists milling around Oxford at the moment, campaigning against the construction of a new animal house. She would have to choose her words carefully. “I don’t work on …”

  But Ted didn’t let her finish. “Oxford isn’t like China...we don’t eat dogs here!” The noise level in the pub was high, but Ted spoke loudly, causing a number of people
to look round.

  Ruby felt her cheeks burn. “What are you talking about? I’ve never eaten dog, and we work in a chemistry lab. There are no animals.”

  “You racist...” Gus got to his feet and leaned over the table to point a finger in Ted’s face.

  Alex shot up and yanked Ted up by his arm. “Sorry,” he mouthed over his shoulder and pulled Ted out of the pub.

  Ruby was shaken. She couldn’t help looking around to see if anyone was still looking at her. Most people seemed to have lost interest and had returned to their drinks and their own conversations.

  “That bloke is intolerable. I don’t know why Alex puts up with him.” Gus shook his head. “There’s something not right about him. He shouldn’t go shouting out stuff like that. He could get us lynched. I don’t know what he’s got against you.”

  “We had a bit of a misunderstanding in the past,” Ruby said. “I didn’t realise how strongly he felt about animal rights. The first time I met him, I told Alex some stories about my hometown and I mentioned a restaurant there that serves snakes. The preparation involves skinning them alive. Ted asked if I had eaten there. I told him I had, and he took exception to it.”

  Gus grimaced.

  “Yeah, I know it sounds cruel.”

  “The guy’s an idiot. Just forget about him, he just likes to stir things up,” Gus said and picked up the empty glasses. “Another drink?”

  Ruby shook her head, “I think I’m going to go home; this day is just getting worse.”

  “It is about to get better. We’re going to forget about Ted and your bad day and concentrate on getting pissed!” Gus grinned. “Okay?”

  Ruby managed a smile. “Okay.”

  22

  Charlotte took the stairs two at a time. She had just finished a spinning class, part of her new regime. She was determined to get her blood pumping and get some bloody endorphins from somewhere other than tablets.

  If exercise made you happy, she should be ecstatic tonight.

  By the time she reached the entrance to her sixth floor flat, she was gasping for breath. Payback for spending evenings on the sofa with a big bag of Maltesers, rather than at the gym.