Michael Sloane threw the last of his things into the leather holdall on the bed. That would have to do, he thought. It was only stuff he was leaving behind. He could always buy more stuff to replace it later. He could buy more of anything.
Dee was in the bathroom making herself beautiful. He looked at her bag next to his on the bed. Matching. His and hers. Two parts of the same being. Completing each other. That was how he had always felt with her. But he had felt like that before.
His thoughts were interrupted. His phone was ringing.
He took it out, checked the display. Recognised the number. He knew he shouldn’t answer. But knew he also had no choice. He put it to his ear.
‘Yes.’
‘Hello, Michael.’
The voice was ruined and ravaged, but still unmistakable.
Dee came out of the bathroom, looked at him, raised an eyebrow. Wanting to know who was on the phone. She saw the look in his eyes. Knew.
‘What d’you want?’
‘Is that any way to talk? To me?’
A laugh. Harsh. Bitter. ‘Then you’ve changed, Michael. You always used to have time for games. Didn’t you?’
‘What d’you want.’ Not even a question, just a flat sentence.
She detected the change in his tone. Knew better than to toy with him any further. ‘You,’ she said.
‘Goodbye.’
‘No. Wait. I want to talk. Please. We … we have to talk.’
‘Why does it have to be now?’
‘You know why … ’ She paused, seemed to be gathering herself up, stopping herself from unravelling further. ‘It has to be now. After everything that’s happened. We have to talk.’
Michael looked at Dee. Mouthed the words: she wants to talk. A smile crept on to Dee’s features. Her fingers clasped and unclasped. She nodded.
‘OK, then,’ said Michael. ‘We can talk.’
A sigh from the end of the line. ‘Good.’
‘Where are you?’
‘Guess.’
Irritation entered Michael’s tone. ‘I told you, no more games.’
‘Not a game, Michael. Guess.’
He knew. ‘The house.’
‘The house. I’m there now.’
‘See you soon.’ He hung up. Turned to Dee. ‘As I said. She wants to talk.’
Dee gave another smile. ‘That’s the last thing she’ll want to do when I’ve finished with her.’
Michael smiled. ‘I knew I could rely on you.’
‘I’ll go straight away.’
‘Take the Golem. He should be finished making our unwelcome guests disappear by now. Get her dealt with once and for all. I’ll finish up here. You know where to meet.’
She crossed to him, kissed him on the lips, biting down in the process. He pulled away. Smiled.
‘Later,’ he said. ‘Go.’
She went.
He watched her leave, then looked back at the bags on the bed. Side by side. Identical. Completing each other. But he had felt like that before. He thought of where he was going. Thought: it’s just stuff.
He could always buy more stuff to replace it later.