Forty - One

‘There you go. Tina, isn’t it?’

Pran’s attractive visitor nodded as he handed her a mug of coffee. She noticed how shaky his hands were, and wondered if he was nervous; but while he’d been out in the kitchen brewing coffee, she had noticed the two empty wine bottles on the coffee table and decided he probably had a hangover.

Pran sat in a chair opposite her, and gave her a shy smile. ‘You said you wanted to talk about my experiences in the organisation.’

She blew on her coffee and nodded. ‘That’s right. I’ve brought an industrial action against them on grounds of racial discrimination.’

Pran frowned, and his eyes took on a determined steely look. ‘It’s about time someone did. You know I walked out of the job.’

‘Yes, I heard rumours. Then a colleague of yours confirmed it for me.’

‘It was stupid of me. Walking out like that. I should have done what you’re doing.’

‘Maybe you still can.’

Pran shook his head. ‘It’s probably too late now, but any help I can give you... I mean, I can’t tell you how much I regret walking out. The times I’ve fantasised about getting my own back on them. Revenge would be so sweet. So any help I can give you...’

‘Thanks. So what went on must have been pretty extreme, if you just walked out like that.’

‘It had been building up from week one. I hated every day I spent in that office. Then all it took was one more remark and I flipped. Lost it completely.’

‘Well, I suppose if you’d been subjected to racist comments for six months...’

Pran shook his head emphatically and cut in. ‘No, there was only one racist comment. That was when I walked out. That bitch of a manager accused me of having a chip on my shoulder, said it was typical of...’ Pran broke off, gestured both palms upwards, offering it to his visitor to guess the rest.

‘Of what?’ said Tina. ‘Ethnic minority people.’

‘She didn’t actually say it. She stopped herself in time.’

Tina banged her coffee mug onto the table. ‘Oh damn! I wonder if a tribunal would interpret the first part of her comment as a racist one she was about to make. I doubt it. She’d just deny that’s what she was going to say.’ She looked at Pran with a puzzled frown. ‘So what was the build up to this incident. What was going on?’

There was a pause while Pran thought about this. ‘I’m gay,’ he said, watching carefully her reaction. Her expression remained blank.

‘And they discriminated against you for it?’ she said.

‘They didn’t know. They thought I was straight. It was the banter and homophobic remarks that got to me. My partner at the time, Alan, was furious I hadn’t outed myself. We broke up because of it.’

‘So it cost you your job and relationship?’

Pran nodded sombrely. ‘At least now I’ve got the chance to do something positive. Help with your case.’

‘But if you’re going to tell the tribunal about all the inappropriate remarks and behaviour, you might have to admit...’ She stopped herself, and let Pran pick up the cue.

‘That I’m gay. Yes, I’d thought about that.’

‘But if you couldn’t say so at the time...’

Pran shrugged. ‘Why now, you mean? I suppose it’s because I’ve no more pride left. I’ve nothing to lose.’

‘But these things can sometimes snowball, you know. Make headlines.’

Pran stared down into his coffee cup and muttered: ‘That’s the one part that bothers me. If it becomes public, my parents...’

Tina leaned forward, looking concerned. ‘Don’t they know?’

‘I think it would destroy my father, if he knew.’

‘Oh my God! Nothing’s worth that risk.’

Pran looked up, staring across at her, fire in his eyes.

‘Yes, it is. I’ll do it. I’m not going to end up like my sister, denying my true feelings. If my father has a problem with my sexuality - then tough! I’m not going to hide. Not anymore.’

***

When Craig arrived back at the wine bar in the early evening, Maggie couldn’t help but notice how relaxed and happy he looked, even though he seemed remote, lost in his secret thoughts. He didn’t even nag her about the large white wine she was drinking.

‘It’s amazing,’ she said, ‘what difference a few hours break and a nice long soak in the bath can make.’

He grinned, poured himself a red wine, and clinked glasses with her. ‘Cheers! If you can’t beat ‘em.’

Maggie frowned thoughtfully and stared at her brother. Never had she seen such a rapid change in him before. He had gone off after the afternoon session looking moody and irritable, and now he was like another person.

‘Did you meet anyone while you were out?’ she asked lightly.

‘I think I’ve sorted out our staff problems.’

‘How d’you mean?’

‘Remember Mandy, used to work for me at the chippie?’

‘Vaguely.’

‘I bumped into her on the way home. She’s still there, working for the new owner. You know, that little toe-rag you couldn’t stand.’

‘At least he made us an offer we didn’t refuse.’

‘Yeah, well, Mandy ain’t too happy working for him.’

Maggie slammed her glass onto the bar. Several customers looked round. Maggie leaned close to Craig and spoke through gritted teeth. ‘You haven’t offered her a job, have you?’

Craig was startled by her sudden vehemence. ‘What’s wrong with that?’

‘Oh, Craig!’

‘So what’s wrong with Mandy? It saves us having to advertise.’

‘I just wish you’d consulted me first.’

‘I thought you’d be pleased.’

Maggie pulled a face. ‘Oh, I’m delighted.’

Craig’s jaw tightened. ‘D’you mind telling me what you’ve got against Mandy?’

‘I’ve got nothing against her personally; I hardly know her. I just don’t think she’s right for this type of wine bar, that’s all.’

‘I don’t believe I’m hearing this.’

‘I just think we ought to keep our options open, Craig. You can’t just go around offering jobs to anyone you happen to bump into in the street. It’s unprofessional.’

‘I haven’t offered it to her. I just said there was a good chance of a job. And she’s coming to see us on Monday morning.’

‘Well that’s something, I suppose. I only hope she doesn’t think it’s a foregone conclusion. I think we ought to see a few more applicants first.’

Craig shook his head with irritation. ‘We haven’t got any.’

‘We were planning to advertise. I still think we ought to.’

Craig’s voice rose a trace. ‘Why waste the money? Mandy’s a good little worker.’

Maggie looked long and hard into her brother’s eyes. ‘Are you and this Mandy ... have you got a thing going for her.’

Craig shrugged and looked down into his glass. ‘Well...’

Maggie sighed loudly. ‘Oh, Craig! That is definitely not a good idea to employ someone who...’ She left the sentence pointedly incomplete.

Craig could feel tears of disappointment pricking the back of his eyes. ‘Well at least give her a chance.’

Maggie suddenly felt guilty, and squeezed his hand. ‘OK. We’ll see her Monday. And who knows? It might work out.

Let’s wait and see.’

***

Mary had just tucked Simon and Thomas in for the night, and was coming out onto the landing, when she heard the letter box opening and something landing on the doormat. She frowned. It was a bit late for one of the free papers to be delivered.

From the top of the stairs she saw the A4 brown envelope lying on the mat, and right away she had a bad feeling about it. She hurried downstairs and picked it up. There was nothing written on the envelope. She went into the kitchen and tore it open. Inside was a photograph of her in the bedroom wearing nothing but bra and panties. Something screamed inside her brain as panic seized her. She dropped the photograph onto the table and rushed upstairs to the bedroom. She looked on top of the wardrobe, tried to find anywhere there might be a hidden camera, as she thought about the angle of the picture, but she found nothing.

In the street outside, several hundred yards away from the house, Ronnie sat in his car. So far so good. Everything was going according to plan. He had broken into the house the night before, removed the camera, then left leaving no traces. He loved these sorts of mind games, knowing how much it would unsettle her.

Tomorrow he would activate the next part of his plan. Then soon she would be his again.