by A J Waines
Rick looked confused. ‘The ones that didn’t exist, you mean?’
‘No. There are real ones. Shots of me with theatre people. That woman I sat next to in Soho, to be precise.’
He shook his head. ‘Sophie didn’t mention anything about photos. I stuck up for you, though. I told her you’d grown out of the hanky-panky since you got married. That you’d only got eyes for your wife. I laid it on good and proper. Honestly.’
‘Someone took those shots and made sure she got to see them.’
Rick scrunched up his face and put Ben down on the floor. ‘Who would do a thing like that?’
Daniel pressed his hand into his forehead. ‘Exactly. Deliberately made it look like something was going on between us.’ He leant against the sink. ‘Sophie wants to end our marriage.’
‘Shit…’ Ricks eyes were bulging so wide he looked like a cartoon character.
‘Nothing will happen until there’s confirmation she’s capable of making sensible decisions.’ He turned and watched the frothy water slip down the plughole. ‘It’s the last thing I want, but the problem is I’ve got Ben to think of. I need to make sure he’s always going to be safe when––’
‘You’re absolutely right.’ Rick sounded horror stricken. ‘You’ll never be able to forget what she did. She’ll always be a liability.’
Chapter 33
She was sitting on a bench, her bare legs outstretched and her face tipped up towards the sunshine with her eyes closed. Daniel, holding Ben in his arms, stood in front of her, casting a shadow over her body. Daniel wondered how long it would take before she noticed her private patch of sunlight had been stolen. She opened her eyes.
‘Hi,’ she said, sleepily.
Daniel lowered Ben down in front of her.
‘Thanks for taking the time to see me… us.’
‘No problem. This must be Ben,’ she said, sliding along the seat to make room for them both.
‘Say hello to Jody,’ said Daniel.
Ben uttered a polite greeting, then clambered up onto the bench beside her.
‘This is a bit awkward,’ he said, ‘I wanted to see you… to ask you something.’
‘I’m good with awkward,’ she said, unperturbed. ‘Fire away.’
‘Someone took photos of us when we met after your show.’
She blinked fast, confusion claiming her features.
He went on. ‘You and I. At the tavern near Oxford Street.’
‘Oh. The Thorndike.’
‘Someone took a picture that made it look like you and I were––’ He glanced down at Ben swinging his legs, watching the pigeons on the path. ‘There were shots that could have been misconstrued. You don’t know who took them, do you?’
‘Sorry, no idea. There are always people hanging around the theatre snatching selfies and… well, you know… paparazzi and all that. I don’t pay much attention any more.’
He shrugged. ‘I thought I’d ask.’
She seemed genuinely concerned. ‘Has it caused trouble of some sort?’
‘You could say that. I won’t go into it now.’
‘Oh… I’m sorry.’
Ben prodded the white paper bag on Daniel’s lap. ‘Can we do the secret, Daddy?’ he said, growing impatient.
‘Well now, what have you got there?’ she asked on cue, pretending to peer into the bag.
‘You’ll have to wait and see,’ replied Daniel, taking a flask out of his rucksack. He began pouring coffee into two plastic cups and as he did so, she pointed to the bag and whispered something in Ben’s ear.
‘Muffins!’ Ben said gleefully, clapping his hands.
Daniel rolled his eyes and handed her a steaming cup.
‘Ben! You weren’t supposed to tell!’ He tousled Ben’s hair and nudged his cheek with his knuckle. Ben grabbed the bag and handed it to Jody, watching her every move.
‘Ben don’t snatch.’
His son ignored him, having eyes only for Jody.
She unrolled the top of the bag in slow motion, then handed a muffin to Ben and Daniel, taking the last one for herself. ‘Talking of secrets,’ she said, ‘this place has tons of hidden history. Did you know?’
Daniel looked up. The square, tucked behind St Paul’s Church in Covent Garden, had figures spilling into every corner like a painting by Lowry. He’d only ever known it as a sanctuary for the Londoners who knew it was there.
‘I’m sure you’ll tell me if I ask nicely.’
He took out a carton for Ben and pricked the top with a straw. Ben crawled onto his thighs slurping the chocolate milk.
‘The first ever Punch and Judy show was performed here. Pepys wrote about it in his diary.’ She waved vaguely towards the red-brick façade of the church. ‘It’s called The Actor’s Church because of all the memorials… Vivien Leigh, Charlie Chaplin, Noel Coward.’
‘You’re wasted on such a small audience,’ he said.
‘Small, but appreciative.’ She narrowed her eyes. ‘These are fabulous.’ Her cheeks puffed out with cake.
She carried on with her patter, her voice soothing, making him feel safe. She was wearing an amber-coloured silk dress and as she spoke, one thin strap slipped off her shoulder. Daniel noticed freckles of different sizes, like a night sky crowded with stars, scattered over her chest and upper back. He wasn’t sure whether he found it attractive or not.
‘Good week?’ he asked, when she drew to a close.
‘Actually, it’s been a bit rough.’ She finished the mouthful and set the broken muffin down on her lap. She spoke by his ear so Ben couldn’t hear. ‘One of the backstage crew was killed. Hit by a guy on a motorbike.’ She stared at the ground.
‘Oh, God. How awful. Did you know him well?’
‘Only for drinks after shows. It still shakes you up.’
‘We take things for granted, don’t we?’ said Daniel. ‘We’re used to building on yesterday to make today. We think everything is set in stone.’
‘You’re right,’ she said. ‘Even the most obvious, everyday, rock-solid certainties can simply fall apart.’
You can say that again, thought Daniel.
Ben spoke, suddenly pointing upwards. ‘Blue sky, Daddy,’ he said.
‘Yes, that’s right. It’s blue. Very good.’ He turned to Jody. ‘They must be doing colours at nursery. Although, he did say the sky was green the other day.’
She laughed.
Daniel looked up and watched the cherry blossom from the overhanging tree cascade to the ground in the breeze. It gathered on the flagstones like tumbles of confetti. As the petals were crushed beneath people’s feet, he found himself thinking about his wedding. How different everything could have been, if Sophie’s obsession had never taken hold.
Ben was pulling at his sleeve and Daniel realised Jody was saying something.
‘… when I found out about Corinne, it nearly killed me.’
‘Sorry, Jody. Miles away.’
‘I was saying, you know, about things coming at you out of left field.’
‘Corinne?’
‘My younger sister. Yeah, Corinne wasn’t my dad’s daughter. She was really my half-sister.’
As she spoke, a hard-boiled egg slipped out of Daniel’s fingers onto the ground. It rolled into a dip between the flagstones and before he could retrieve it, it disappeared under the sole of someone’s trainer.
‘You had no idea?’
‘Mother spent the night with the vet – can you believe it?’ Jody guided the loose strap back onto her shoulder and absently stroked her neck. ‘Suddenly a foreign element crept into my relationship with my sister whether I liked it or not – half of someone I thought I knew became a complete stranger to me. I only found out a few years ago.’
‘How did you deal with it?’ He brushed the crumbs from the muffin to the ground and two pigeons instantly appeared, challenging each other for the pickings.
‘I believe in moving on, I suppose. I can’t bear wallowing. I had a massive showdown with both Mum a
nd Corinne, and we had a cooling off period. I hated the fact that they’d kept a spectacular secret from me for so many years.’ She screwed up the paper bag and tossed it into the bin by the seat. ‘We’re fine now.’
Jody sighed, indicating that she had closed that chapter.
‘Listen, I’ve got to go in a minute and I haven’t asked about you,’ she said.
‘Don’t worry. I’m glad to talk about something else… for a change.’
‘That bad, huh?’
He didn’t reply.
She patted his knee, then checked her watch. ‘This has been lovely.’ She slipped her sandals back on and picked up her handbag. ‘Don’t forget, if you need to talk and there’s no one else around, don’t hesitate.’ She did a little curtsy in front of Ben. ‘Very pleased to meet you, little man.’
They parted at the corner of Henrietta Street, the three of them waving until her floating shape melted into the crowds.
Chapter 34
The phone rang beside Daniel’s pillow. He moaned as he stretched out his hand.
‘I’m so sorry, Daniel,’ cried the voice. Daniel could hear a police siren in the background and the thudding of what sounded like heavy boots on bare floorboards. ‘I know it’s really late. I got back from the theatre tonight and the place has been burgled.’
The red digits on his bedside clock showed, 2.07am. Friday night, or Saturday morning to be precise.
‘Jody?’ he said, pushing himself up onto his elbow. Daniel didn’t recognise her voice until she’d mentioned the theatre. ‘Are the police there?’
He was trying to work out why she was calling him and not one of her plethora of other friends.
‘Yes – they’re here now. I’m so sorry to wake you. I shouldn’t have rung. I tried a few other friends, but––’
‘Don’t be silly. I’d come over, only I’ve got Ben…’
‘Of course. It was stupid to ring. I’m so sorry.’
‘Look, I’ll be over as soon as I can tomorrow. Ben’s going to a birthday party and I’m not at work.’
He rang off and lay for a moment, his arms folded behind his head. He pictured her when they last met, the light filtering through her dress. He shook the picture from his mind. It felt wrong to hold an image of Jody in his head and savour it. He turned over and went back to sleep.
Chapter 35
On Saturday morning, Daniel found the house in Hampstead, but it looked so upmarket that he had to refer to his scrap of paper to check he’d got the right place.
The elegant three-storey property, possibly Regency, was painted with white stucco and looked as if it belonged to a rich banker. The path was chequered with black and white tiles like an elongated chessboard. He climbed the steps that led to the porch, or perhaps it should be ‘portico’, as it was grand enough to have columns either side, with two bay trees in aluminium tubs. The brass doorbell was one of those bell-pushes he’d come across at National Trust properties – the ones that were usually accompanied by a sign pointing to the servants’ entrance round the back.
He took a deep breath and wiped the top of his shoes on the back of his jeans. Jody answered sooner than he expected and nearly caught him at it.
‘Enter if you dare,’ she said, grim-faced.
Daniel went in and began stepping over upturned furniture in the hall. Lying in between three-legged chairs was smashed glass, torn books and broken china. It looked like the place had been completely trashed.
‘What a mess. I’m so sorry,’ he said.
Jody was holding a dustpan and brush and as though realising how ineffectual they were, she propped them carefully against the skirting board and put her hands on her hips. He could tell she’d been crying. Instinctively, he went towards her and briefly wrapped his arms around her.
‘I’m sorry, I didn’t drag you here to weep on your shoulder.’
‘Don’t worry about it,’ he said, drawing away awkwardly.
‘I’m sorry I rang you in the middle of the night. No one else was around.’
‘No problem.’
She picked up the hose of the vacuum and tugged the appliance behind her like a disobedient dog, shifting it out of the way.
They waded through the mess to the kitchen. He couldn’t see one item that wasn’t broken in some way. A lifetime of accumulated belongings deliberately destroyed. It was an exact visual representation of the way his own life felt at that moment.
‘Everything’s been turned over…’
He spotted the kettle, apparently intact. ‘Can I make you a drink or something?’
‘Not sure my stomach could cope with any food, but a coffee would be nice.’
Daniel took in the scene around him – it was like a shipwreck without any water.
‘Do you have an alarm?’ he asked.
‘We do, but it kept going off for no reason, so I had to switch it off.’
He made a mental note to make sure the alarm he got installed was top of the range.
‘What’s weird is I can’t think of anything that’s gone missing,’ she said. ‘It was one of the first questions the police asked me. It seems like nothing’s been taken, they’ve just smashed it all up. Who would do that?’
‘Maybe they were looking for something,’ he suggested.
Jody shrugged. ‘Looking for what? What state secrets have I got hidden in my closet?!’
‘You live here alone?’ he asked.
‘Not usually. My older sister Nikki was staying with a friend last night. Her mobile was switched off. She’s on her way back, now.’ She pointed to the back of the kitchen, her arm shaking. ‘Someone got in through the French windows.’
Glass crunched under their shoes as she led him to the jagged hole alongside the door handle. ‘I’ve got someone coming to board all this up.’
Outside, old steps edged with moss led down to an area paved with narrow bricks, with a bird bath at the centre. The courtyard reminded him of a corner in an overgrown cemetery and he felt a chill on his bare arms.
They waited for the kettle to boil.
‘An impressive place you’ve got here,’ he said.
‘Well, it was,’ she said, exasperation in her voice. ‘How about you? Where do you live?’
‘East Sheen. A small terraced house.’
‘Nice area. I have an aunt who lives in Putney.’
They sat at the kitchen table to drink the coffee.
‘I’m going to clear up in shifts,’ she said. ‘Nikki’s bringing a couple of friends and two mates from the theatre will be here at lunchtime.’
‘I’ll give you a hand now,’ he said, getting to his feet. ‘Where do you want to start?’
She flapped a hand at him. ‘I’ve been clearing up since the police left,’ she said. ‘I need a break.’ She propped her bare legs onto the chair beside him.
They both took a sip of coffee.
‘Thanks for coming,’ she said. ‘Might help take my mind off all this.’ She glanced down at the gold band on his wedding finger. ‘I know you’ve got a terrific little boy, so are you married, divorced?’
Her directness was going to take a bit of getting used to. He decided to come clean and gave her an honest résumé of the past few months.
Her mouth fell open with unmitigated horror. ‘Oh my God, how are you coping?’
‘I don’t know, really. To be honest, I think I’m still in shock.’
‘Is that why you were asking me about the photos someone took at the tavern?’
‘Yeah. Someone sent them to my wife in hospital.’
She whipped round to stare at him. ‘Really? That’s disgusting.’
‘They were innocent pictures, as you know, but now she’s even more convinced I’m cheating on her. She wants a divorce.’
Jody looked genuinely aghast. ‘Oh, Daniel. I’m so sorry.’
‘I’m still trying to get my head around it. Between September and February my wife became a different person. She turned into a… a monster. Bitter, cold, aggr
essive – not like my Sophie at all.’
He couldn’t believe how easily the words slipped out in her presence. To a virtual stranger.
‘If you ever want to talk about it, any of it, I’m a good listener.’ She lingered over the words, her eyes trained on his.
‘Thanks,’ he said, scratching his nose even though there was no itch. ‘I think you’ve got enough of your own problems to deal with.’
She sighed.
‘Look,’ he said. ‘you can’t stay here. Have you and your sister got somewhere else to go tonight?’
She shrugged. ‘We can book into a hotel for a couple of nights, until we get this place cleaned up.’
‘Why don’t you both come and spend at least one night at mine. I’ve got plenty of space.’
‘That’s very kind Daniel, but we can’t impose.’
‘It wouldn’t be – seriously.’
‘I don’t want to make things difficult for you… you know, after those snaps that were taken.’
‘It would be both of you, and, to be honest, I’d enjoy the company.’
Chapter 36
A bout of chicken pox had put paid to the party Ben had been invited to that afternoon, so when Rick suggested a few hours of child-centred fun at his place, Daniel was reluctant to turn it down.
‘I’ve got balloons, sausages on sticks and party hats,’ Rick explained. ‘You never know when they’re going to come in handy.’
Knowing Ben had been bursting to make balloon animals and play jolly games, it seemed a shame to waste the chance.
Rick had indeed pulled out all the stops. He started with party tricks and wowed them with his detachable thumb, then magically mended a broken piece of string.
‘You’ve been practising,’ said Daniel, trying to work out how the button he’d had his eyes glued to had ended up under the wrong egg cup. But he wasn’t joining in as much as he wanted to. Pain around his wound, no doubt due to helping Jody clear up that morning, was niggling him. So, he bowed out as they started a game of Twister in the sitting room. It had the pair of them bending and crawling between each other’s arms and legs – too much for him. Ben was in fits of giggles and Rick was in his element, throwing himself into it.