‘It’s not her, you know.’
Todd looked round at Derek. ‘What do you mean?’
‘It’s him.’
‘Who’s “him”?’
‘This man she’s seeing. She’d have said yes to me if it wasn’t for him. He’s turned her head. He’s bad for her.’
‘Are you trying to say that you asked Peggy to marry you and she refused?’
Derek nodded.
‘Aha, now it all becomes clear. She turned you down because she has another boyfriend?’
‘Yes, but she doesn’t love him, I know she doesn’t.’ Derek shook his head adamantly.
Todd was beginning to feel out of his depth. ‘I’ve said it before, mate, when we make it – which we will – women will be queuing up to date you. You’ll forget all about Peggy!’
‘You don’t get it. Nobody gets it. The whole point of the band is to impressher.’ Derek stared at Todd intensely. ‘Without her, I’m nothing.’
Todd shifted about uncomfortably. ‘Well, I wouldn’t say that, Del. You’re a bloody good guitarist for one thing!’ He laughed heartily, but Derek remained stony-faced, his mind a million miles away. ‘Anyway, let’s drop it now. Coming back in for a beer?’
Derek shook his head. ‘No. I’m going home.’
He spun on his heel and sunk his hands into his pockets. As he walked away, Todd could hear him mumbling to himself. ‘It makes no sense. No sense...’
Todd watched his cousin march off into the distance, stubbed out his cigarette on the wall, and went back inside.
Brad picked up the telephone on his desk and dialled Freddy Martin’s number. This was a call he’d enjoy making. The line rang twice before it was answered.
‘Freddy, Brad here.’
‘And where did you get to last night?’
‘As a matter of fact I was there. Apologies for not making contact but I had to rush off early.’
‘No worries. What did you think?’
‘Of The Fishermen?’
‘Yeah.’
‘I thought they have definite potential. Which is why I want to offer them a deal.’
‘I see.’ Even though he was trying to play it cool, Brad detected both relief and joy in Freddy’s voice.
‘They need work, Fred, and time. And a lot of money.’ Brad rocked on his desk chair as he recalled the performance. ‘The thing that sold them to me was that second number, “Can Someone Tell Me Where She’s Gone?”’
‘It’s good, isn’t it?’ Freddy replied.
‘It’s got Christmas Number One written all over it, Fred.’
‘I’m glad you think so.’
Freddy wasn’t giving anything away, as Brad expected. ‘Tell you what, that bass player is something special. What a voice.’
‘Con Daly. He wrote that song with Todd Bradley.’
