Weekend in Weighton Final Amazon version 12-12-12 (39 page)

‘That’s for the prosecution to put forward. I’m not sure the jury will see it that way. They’ll keep coming back to the fact they were twins. It’ll be hard for them to get past that. They’ll conclude it could only have been done if her mind was disturbed.’

I swirled the last of my drink. ‘All I know is, when I talked to her at the nursing home, before there was any question she’d done it, she kept emphasising how much she’d planned it all. Like she was proud of how well she’d held it together to fool Jimmy, fool the police, fool everyone.’

‘Except you.’

‘You can’t fool a fool, hey. Or something like that.’

Kate looked at me and smiled. I pretended to hit an imaginary baseball out of an imaginary baseball park using an imaginary bat. Ding! I watched it fly.

We sat there and finished our drinks in silence.

Finally, Kate said, ‘Only Helen Porson will know the truth of it. My bet is she’ll get off lightly.’

‘I’m not sure that’s what she wants. Once she realised the game was up, I think she copped the confession to stay out of Jimmy’s reach. Well, that and Hobbs threatening to charge her son with perverting the course of Her Majesty’s justice.’

Kate pushed her empty cocktail glass to one side. ‘What about Clegg and the Nkongos?’

‘Hobbs reckons they’ll plead self-defence and cut a deal.’

She nodded. ‘They might well get out before Helen Porson.’

‘Yup, could be a close run thing.’ I tapped the table top. ‘Right. I think I need a proper drink. How about you?’

‘I ought to be going, Ed. Busy day tomorrow.’

‘I’ll get you a gin and tonic.’

‘Another time, maybe.’

‘Tomorrow?’

‘Ed, come on, you know the score.’

‘You’re saying Mondays are awkward – I hear you. Tuesday then?’

She shifted in her seat, her gaze directed down at first but then coming up to meet mine. ‘I think it’s probably best we stick to a professional relationship.’

‘Really?’

‘Yes, don’t you?’

As I looked into her eyes I could feel my head doing a diagonal tilt between yes and no. I wanted to hold her hands and tell her everything. About seeing her again and how much it all meant. How I hadn’t stopped thinking about her since she’d left Weighton all those years ago. How, now I’d found her again, I felt complete. Well, almost. But I knew it would all sound bollocks.

‘I don’t know what to say, Kate.’

‘Reverting to type, I see.’

‘Seriously. There are things I
want
to say.’

‘So sayeth.’ She kept her tone neutral.

I leaned forward, trying to hold her eye. ‘I’m not good with all the cheesy stuff. You know that. All I end up doing is making tongue typos.’

‘That’s a shame,’ she said, smiling, ‘I was looking forward to you saying, “I complete you
”
.’

‘What? Like I’m from Cliché Town, population one? Give me some credit.’

‘For the record, you didn’t have me at “what
”
.’

I sat back and let out a sigh, this time pushing very close to Hobbs’ record-breaker.

Kate stroked my hand. ‘It’s difficult, Ed, you know that. I’m spoken for. I’m happy.’

‘Yeah, but what happened to us putting the band back together?’

‘Maybe someday.’ She stood up. ‘We better go. Come on, I’ll race you.’

I didn’t move. ‘I still love you.’

‘Don’t say that, Ed. We don’t know each other anymore.’ I didn’t like the look in her eye. Like she meant it.

‘Some things don’t change.’

‘Yes, they do.’

 I shook my head. ‘It makes no difference where I turn. I can’t get over you. The flame still burns. It makes no difference, night or day, the shadows never seem to go away. The sun won’t shine, and the rains fall at my door.’

‘That’s from a song, Ed.’

‘It still counts.’ I put my hands together. ‘I know I can never give you the things that Judge Dredd can, but here’s the thing: I’d make you laugh, and I’d make you happy, and I’d never lie to you, not once. And when you turned out the lights, you’d know everything was okay. And one day I’d get us a house in the Vale, and I’d buy us a little boat, and we’d have an orchard and I’d try to light candles every day. Thing is … when I’m with you, it’s the only time I feel any grace.’

She bit her lip and held out her hand. ‘Come on.’

I sat looking at the hand in front of me, but it slipped out of focus. I tried looking around the bar ... but everything seemed to be spinning out of reach. I didn’t know if it was the tiredness or the sadness or the
Voodoo Magic
.

What I did know was it was the story of my life.

Kate stepped toward me and caressed the side of my face, cradling my head against her tummy.

‘Time to go, soldier,’ she said quietly.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Monday – 01:03

We left the basement bar and walked up the steps to the street. Outside, in the cool air, I started to feel better. Kate put her arm inside mine and we started walking back towards Bath Street where her car was parked. As we passed the Cathedral I jumped onto a laced metal bench. My balance was a little off, but I still managed a complete three-sixty turn, taking in the view.

‘It’s a beautiful town, isn’t it, Kate?’

‘Compared to Kabul, you mean?’

‘It’s home, anyway.’

‘Are you coming down?’

‘Not until you agree to a date.’

‘It’s late, and I’m getting cold.’

‘Sorry, but I’m staying here all night, or until you change your mind.’

She folded her arms. ‘Okay. When?’

‘Tomorrow night. Dinner at the Hale Bar and Grill.’

‘Done. Now get down.’

I made my dismount onto the pavement, reached over and squeezed her arm. ‘You’re too easy.’

‘Am I now?’

‘Yeah.’ I winked. ‘Held out longer than most though, I’ll give you that.’

‘We’ll see.’

‘Viva la vida, hey, Cupcake.’

She looked at me with a jubilant smile. ‘Someone has to try to fix you.’

‘Nice comeback.’ I grinned and made a pendulum movement with my finger. ‘You’ve been practising your song titles while I’ve been away.’

‘As if,’ she said and dug her hands in her pockets. ‘Anyway, what time tomorrow?’

‘If I can borrow your car, I’ll pick you up. When can you be ready?’

‘I’ll drive,’ she insisted. ‘Be at mine for seven. Don’t be late.

‘Cross my heart.’ I did the sign.

‘And, Ed?’

‘Yeah?’

‘Stay out of trouble.’

I laughed the big laugh. ‘For you, anything.’

‘We better go. It’s late, and I’ve got a case review first thing.’

‘And I’ve got a cat to find.’

‘Good luck with that. I’ll drop you home.’

‘No way.’

‘Not another late bar?’

‘No, not that.’

Kate paused and gave me a seeing eye. ‘You’re not coming back to mine, if that’s what you’re thinking?’

‘Do I look like a sleaze bag?’ As she took breath to reply, I interrupted. ‘Okay, don’t answer that. I just need you to take me somewhere else.’

‘Where on earth do you want to go at this time of night?’

‘Somewhere special.’

‘Loxley Park? Our beech tree?’

‘No. Castle View, at the back of Bob’s. Where I left her.’

‘Her?’

‘My bike. She’ll be wondering where I got to.’

After a brief show of exasperation, Kate took me to Castle View
.
My beautiful mother bike was right where I’d left her. I said goodnight to Kate and wangled a warm hug and a small kiss before she went.

I unhooked my bike and rested a toe on the left pedal, feeling the grip as my sticky sole sank into the pins. I was so sore even my eyebrows hurt. My joints almost seized up as I swung an aching leg over the saddle and climbed aboard. But then I settled and took a deep breath. I was back on my bike and it felt good. Calm and karma came over me. I pushed off and began the cycle home, taking it easy, taking in all the familiar sights. Weighton by night. What a place, what a town. Someone should tell the tourist board.

On the downhill section of Marsh Lane I picked up speed. Just before a row of shops, I switched to the wrong side of the road, flipped onto the walkway and gunned my bike up the disabled ramp outside Greggs. At the end of the ramp, I pumped the Superlight’s front forks with whatever energy I had left. The bike responded as well as I could have dreamed: my Santa Cruz launched into the chilly Weighton air like a sidewinder missile. What can I tell you? Hi Ho Silver.

THE END

Eddie will return soon in “Week in Weighton”.

Acknowledgements

Sincere thanks to Roman (for making me laugh, web admin and laser-like editing), Frank (for making me laugh and editing), Jen (for my fabulous cover and beta reading), Andi (for editing my first draft – the hard yards!), Carle (for making me laugh, encouragement, guidance and trail blazing), Susi (for beta reading and heading up my US Sales Team), Gary & Caroline at Bubblecow (for editing and advice), Genevieve Graham (for editing the paperback version) and Santa Cruz (for making magnificent bikes).

A special mention for my wife, Sue, and my children, Maddison, Warwick, and Evangeline.

And thanks to all the amazing folk at Authonomy who commented on my work – especially those who gave me hard crit (that’s the reason it got better).