James has cabin fever. Apart from a quick walk in St James’s Park, which his mother had coerced him into doing, he has been cooped up in the house all day, and the sombre atmosphere is beginning to oppress him. Burroughs had called him last night to tell him that they had arrested Alex Worthington and would continue to question him today. James desperately wants a proper drink, and one whisky and soda before supper isn’t going to cut it. He stands in front of the mirror in his bedroom and assesses what he sees. He could easily be mistaken for a tramp – unshaven, dishevelled and dirty – and is surprised that his mother hasn’t said anything. It is time to pull himself together and, like it or not, face up to the new version of his life.
Once he has had a bath and a shave, James feels much better. He puts on his last change of clothes, gathers up his dirty laundry and takes it downstairs. He can hear his mother and uncle talking in the kitchen and stands quietly outside the door listening. He is slightly disappointed to hear that they aren’t discussing him, but rather the problem his mother is having with squirrels in her garden. James puts his head round the door.
‘Jack, is it okay if I do some washing? I’m running out of clothes.’
‘Absolutely,’ Jack says with false jollity, ‘bring it through here.’
‘You look good, dear,’ Pat says, as James passes her. ‘Much better.’
‘Yup, I’ve scrubbed up a bit. I was starting to offend myself.’
Pat smiles, probably happy to see her son back to some semblance of his normal self.
‘Put your stuff here,’ Jack says, pointing to a basket in the laundry room. ‘Mrs House will deal with it in the morning.’
‘Mrs House? Is that seriously her name?’
‘Yes. Priceless, isn’t it? A wonderful old bird. She’s been with me for years.’
‘Would you like a cup of tea? We’ve had one already but I can easily put the kettle on,’ Pat asks when he walks back into the kitchen.
‘Bit late for tea, isn’t it?’ He says. ‘Actually, Mum, I was thinking of giving Rob a ring to see if he’s around. I think it would do me good to get out for a bit.’
‘Oh, that’s a marvellous idea, dear, why don’t you do that? I’m sure Jack won’t mind if you use the phone.’
‘Of course not, go ahead. Use the one in the sitting room.’
‘It’s fine, thanks, I’ve got my mobile.’
James shuts the door to the sitting room and sits down heavily in an armchair. He scrolls through his numbers feeling slightly nervous about making the call. It will be awkward for Rob, he knows, but they go back a long way and he can’t think of anyone else he feels like talking to.
James chews the side of his nail while he listens to the phone ring and is just about to hang up when a breathless voice answers.
‘Yes, hello.’
‘Rob, it’s James.’
‘Good God, James, how are you, mate? Sorry, I’ve just walked in the door. I tried to call you yesterday, but there was no answer from your house and your office didn’t want to give out your number. Fair enough, I suppose. Where are you?’
‘Actually, I’m in London. I came up from Bournemouth on Friday. I’m going to be here for a while in case something comes up and the police need to talk to me.’
‘No, yes, well, of course, that makes sense,’ Rob sounds flustered.
‘The thing is, Rob, I’m stuck in a house with my mother and uncle and I could really do with getting out for a bit. Would you be on for a quick drink, if Bella doesn’t mind, that is?’
‘You know I’m always on for a drink, mate, but I can’t tonight because Bella’s going to a hen night and I’ve got to babysit. You could always come round here, or I could meet you tomorrow for a quick lunch?’
James thinks quickly. Somehow, an evening at Rob’s house isn’t quite what he had in mind. Rob would be holding back so as not to get into trouble with Bella, which meant that James wouldn’t be able to drink much either.
‘Tomorrow lunch would be great. How’s things otherwise?’
Rob starts wittering away about something that has happened at work and James can sense that he doesn’t know how to start the inevitable conversation. When Rob has finished, there is a short, painful silence and James realises that he must bring up the subject or it will never happen.
‘Listen, you mustn’t feel you can’t speak to me about Nicky. I know it’s uncomfortable for you, but I’ve got to face up to what happened and apparently the best way to do that is to talk about it.’
‘I’m here to help in any way I can, mate,’ Rob says. ‘As I said, I wanted to get hold of you after I saw it in the papers yesterday morning, but I didn’t know where you were. How’s it going with the investigation? I saw you on the TV last night.’
‘Well, they’ve arrested someone. In fact, it’s someone we all know.’
‘What? Who?’
James wants to play this one out slowly. ‘I need your word that you won’t pass this on, not even to Bella. It’s early days and may not mean anything.’
‘No, of course not.’ Rob says.
‘It’s Alex Worthington.’
James sits back and waits for his words to take effect.
Rob whistles. ‘Shit, no! Alex Worthington? You’ve got to be bloody joking. How the hell is he involved?’
James explains the sequence of events, from Nicky’s strange behaviour after Lisa’s party to the moment when Burroughs told him about Nicky’s telephone calls to Alex’s office and how James had later identified Alex on the CCTV.
‘I was at that party,’ Rob says, ‘and I didn’t notice anything. In fact, I was sitting next to Nicky at supper. She was on great form.’
‘And I wonder why,’ James says dryly.
‘Hmm. Yes. Maybe I’m not good at picking up these things. But Alex Worthington? I mean, he’s got a terrible reputation – what was she thinking of?’
‘Who knows?’ James says. ‘I’ve been asking myself that ever since I found out. Nicky and I used to laugh about his antics with women.’
‘But seriously, though,’ Rob counters, ‘Alex may be a prick sometimes, but I just don’t see him as a violent type.’
‘Maybe he’s not,’ says James. ‘As I said, it’s early days and it’s possible that someone else got to her after she had been with Alex.’
‘Well, that seems pretty improbable. This is beginning to sound like Prime Suspect,’ Rob says.
‘I only wish it was.’
‘Oh God, I’m sorry. That sounded callous. It wasn’t meant to be.’
‘Don’t worry. The whole thing seems unreal anyway. I have this weird feeling that it’s not really happening to me, like I’m acting a part in a play.’
‘I expect it hasn’t really sunk in yet. I’m so sorry, this must be hell for you,’ Rob says.
‘I’ll manage. My family’s being amazing, but I just wish my brother was around. He’s gone AWOL in India.’
‘Ah, Mikey. How is he these days?’
‘He’s great. Still wandering around the world looking for the meaning of life.’
‘Do you remember those crazy evenings we used to have with him when we came back from Germany?’ Rob says. ‘That man could certainly party.’
James thinks about his brother and pushes aside the feeling of melancholy that is threatening to wash over him.
‘Yes, sadly those days are gone. Listen, I’ll call you in the morning to make a plan.’
After hanging up, James sits back in the chair and looks out of the window. Two pigeons are sitting side by side on the branch of a plane tree and, as he watches, one of them seems to gently caress the other with its head. For some strange reason, this intimate gesture makes James think of Nicky and he feels a pricking behind his eyes. Then, just as swiftly, his emotion changes and the depth of her betrayal hits him with brutal force. He imagines himself wringing the neck of the pigeon while its partner looks on in horror. Christ, what’s happening to me? he thinks. I really do need to get out.
He picks up the phone again and dials another number.