Hershey felt empty inside. Not because Josh had got away with what should have been a sackable offence. No, it was because yet again he’d received a serious bollocking from Culpepper. Hershey was furious; it wasn’t his fucking fault that Josh was an idiot! Not for the first time he felt like a mongrel that had been kicked by its faithful master. Then again, fuck it. Hershey’s plan was well in motion and Culpepper would bloody suffer. But he still hurt.
Then he remembered the picture in Josh’s office of the ugly girl, Claire. He could make himself feel a bit better by fucking up Josh a little more. He scooped up his phone, entered e-mail and scrolled through to locate the note that he wanted. He found the number, dialled it then pressed the phone to his ear. It took only a moment for the call to be answered.
“Claire? Hi, Hershey Valentine here...”
Serena wandered the streets. Not soliciting for business, she’d never done that, never sold her body for money. But she’d been very close to doing so. To Finch. Not that she would be doing that now. Her mind and soul were in two completely different locations. A shrill voice in a tiny, previously ignored corner of her mind screamed, ‘I told you so! You wouldn’t listen to me. I told you so!’ Over and over and over. Serena wanted the voice to shut up but she was so disgusted with herself she let it carry on unchecked.
Her feet began to hurt; heels really weren’t made for a ten-mile hike. She sat down on the nearest bench, slipped her right shoe off then massaged her foot briefly. She did the same with the other, all the time allowing herself to be scolded.
Time to go home, she thought. I may as well beat myself up on the train as on the street.
She checked her watch. If she hurried she could just about make it. Maybe even avoid the rain cloud that was looming.
I told you so. I told you so. I told you so...
It was starting to get a bit overcast so Jack decided it was time to leave, no point in getting wet and then a cold. A quick flick at his watch told Jack he had enough time to get to the station. Provided the bloody thing hadn’t stopped working again. He lifted his watch to his ear. It was definitely ticking, which made a nice change.