EPISODE ONE-HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SEVEN
After a busy
lunchtime at the wine bar, Craig helped himself to a bottle of Beck’s. As Mandy past him, on the way to the kitchen
with a tray of dirty plates and glasses, he asked her if she wanted a drink. She shook her head and frowned.
‘I’ll just have a soft drink. An orange
JO2.’
Craig nodded thoughtfully. Had he detected a tone of disapproval in her voice,
trying to make him feel guilty about having a beer? There was something self-righteous about the
way she’d given ‘soft drink’ an undeserved emphasis.
When she returned to the bar, he poured out her drink and said, ‘We’ve had a hectic lunchtime, so I think I
deserve this beer.’
Mandy shrugged. ‘I never said you
didn’t.’
‘You didn’t have to.’
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
Craig sighed. ‘It’s just...it’s just the
way you looked at me when I poured myself a beer. It doesn’t run in the family, you know. Just because my sister’s got a problem...’
Mandy broke in: ‘Problem! That’s a
bloody understatement, Craig. That’s
another day she hasn’t managed to come in – to her own bloody wine bar – and we
know why, don’t we? It’s ‘cause she’s
too drunk or hungover.’
‘And it’s getting worse,’ said Craig.
‘She really ought to do something about it. I was hoping her having a boyfriend would
help, but...’
Mandy snorted disapprovingly. ‘They’re
bad for each other. A couple of piss
artists, leading each other on.’
I know, Mandy, but the last couple of nights Mike has come in to help out, and
he’s been comparatively sober.’
Mandy laughed humourlessly. ‘That was
big of him. Doing us a favour like
that. You mean he doesn’t get paid for
working here.’
‘That’s not the point,’ Craig snapped unintentionally. ‘I think he’s trying to make an effort. And I had a word with him about my sister’s
drinking.’
‘When was this?’
‘While you were out in the kitchen. He
agreed that her drinking’s way out of line.
He’s going to see if he can get her to overcome it.’
‘Meanwhile, we’re having to run this place by ourselves.’
Craig gave her a helpless, defeated smile and shrugged. ‘The alternative’s a lot worse. The more time she spends in this place, the
less customers we’ll have.’
A cough from behind alerted Mandy that a customer needed the bill that had been
asked for at least five minutes ago.
*
Ted was smiling to himself as he pushed his key into the front door. ‘I’m home,’ he sang with renewed energy. His voice, usually so lacklustre, now
positively beamed with delight at his deception.
‘I’m in the kitchen,’ Marjorie called out.
Marjorie was in her usual place at the table, drinking tea and devouring a
plate of Jaffa Cakes. Ted would normally
have kept his disapproval suitably blank of expression, but today he found the
image of Marjorie, indolently tucking into her biscuits, funny. He chuckled.
‘What’s so funny?’ Marjorie demanded.
‘You are, dear,’ he said, daringly and with a satirical edge.
Marjorie gave him a look that would have frozen hell. He beamed at her and brought the gift-wrapped
parcel from behind his back. He congratulated
himself on his timing, which he thought was perfect.
‘It’s a surprise present,’ he said, as his grin grew wider.
Marjorie frowned, bemused by this unexpected behaviour from her normally
unimaginative spouse. She accepted the
gift cautiously and began to unwrap it carefully, as if she worked for the bomb
squad.
Ted watched her, a glint in his eye.
‘Where’s Miranda?’ he asked.
‘I told you, her name’s Tracey. She’s
having a nap.’
Marjorie tugged the bright oblong box from the wrapping paper. She frowned as she saw what it was. ‘A mobile phone! What on earth do I want with a mobile phone?’
‘It’s a present. I thought it would come
in useful as you start looking around for hotel properties. Then, when you do eventually find a place,
you’re going to need one. Keep up with
the times, and all that.’
‘Well, I suppose...’ Marjorie accepted grudgingly.
Ted sat down next to her and started to open the box, unable to keep the
excitement out of his tone. ‘I’ll see if
I can sort out how it works. I’ll show
you how to send a text, then when you need to contact me at work – like when
you’ve got some news about the hotel business – I’ll always be contactable.’
Marjorie nodded approvingly. ‘This is
the best idea you’ve ever had, Ted. I
have to admit.’
Ted smiled craftily. All that lovely money
in his very own bank account. And now
the most devilish, cunning plan he’d devised.
Admittedly it wasn’t original – he’d read about it in a discarded
tabloid on the train – but it was going to be the sweetest revenge of all time.
It was almost a shame he wouldn’t be around to see Marjorie’s face when she got
his text.
*
Music pounded loudly as Mike walked up the front path. He wondered if it was Maggie’s children, then
realised it was only three o’clock and they would still be at school. As he opened the
door, the blast of sound hit him like a battering ram, and he realised the
stereo was probably turned up to maximum.
He went into the living room, hurriedly crossed to the stereo and
switched it off. The contrasting silence
was a relief and he let his breath out.
‘Maggie!’ he yelled. ‘Where are you?’
He went into the kitchen, where he discovered an empty Gin bottle and a
shattered glass on the floor. He dashed
back into the hall and took the stairs three at a time. But where was Maggie? He checked the upstairs bedrooms and bathrooms
and she was nowhere to be seen.
Then a thought struck him that filled him with fear. Her car.
He didn’t remember seeing her car outside. Then again it might be in the garage. He rushed outside and opened the garage
door. No car.
The fearful thought struck Mike that Maggie had probably got pissed, realised
she had to get to the school to pick up the children, and had driven in an
inebriated state. The worst that could
happen was being stopped by the police on her way there and being done for
drinking and driving. But what if she
killed someone? Or managed to get to the
school to pick up the children, then drove home in a terrible state.
Panic gripped him as he fumbled for his mobile.
If only he could get a taxi to get to the school to pick up the kids
before Maggie did, he might be in with a chance.
He found the taxi firm in his phone’s address book and clicked the send button.
As soon as they answered, Mike broke in hurriedly. ‘Look, I need a taxi in the next ten
minutes. Urgently.’
‘Sorry, sir, we’ve got nothing for half an hour, at least.’
‘But this is a matter if life and death.’
There was a pause. ‘Hang on a
minute. I’ll see what I can do.’ He heard the man speaking to someone else,
then he came back on, speaking sincerely and apologetically. ‘I’m sosorry,
everyone’s out. It’s the school
run. I just haven’t got anyone. If, as you say, it’s urgent, why not try the
emergency services?’
Mike swore and clicked off the phone.
Now what could he do? The school
was two miles away and he was out of condition.
He glanced at his watch. It was just possible for him to get there
before she met the children.
He set off down the road, jogging at a steady pace.
IN EPISODE 128
Ted has a nasty surprise in store for Marjorie