‘Blimey, Jess.’ Sorrel tutted. ‘I thought Robyn was the drama queen round here.’
I moved to let the dog out of the van, soothing him, petting him and allowing him full vent of his bladder against a handy tree at the side of the road. As I pulled myself and Arthur into the backseat of Robyn’s little red Honda, I suddenly remembered the black car.
‘The driver that Blane crashed into? The low down little sporty car? Who was it? A member of staff? The car came out of the school entrance just after Mason?’
‘Oh, I thought you realised.’ Robyn turned round to speak as she set off towards Beddingfield village and The Green Dragon.
‘Realised what?’ I looked up from stroking Arthur.
‘It was George,’ Sorrel got in first. ‘George Sattar, Kamran’s brother. He went off in the second ambulance.’
‘Is he OK?’ I asked. ‘We can’t just drive off?—’
‘I asked.’ Robyn cut me off mid-sentence. ‘He’s gone off to be checked over.’
‘Shouldn’t we tell someone?’ I went on.
‘Does he have anyone?’ Robyn sniffed. ‘He’s not a lot of people’s favourite person.’
‘Shirl, his mother, loves him.’
‘OK,’ Robyn conceded. ‘Once we’re at the pub I’ll text Mum and ask her to let Kamran know what’s happened. Although, knowing George, he’ll be out of A&E as soon as he can. But’ – Robyn dashed away a tear – ‘there’s no going back for that poor kid.’
* * *
‘Off to the loo,’ I said, handing Arthur to Robyn. I felt so sick, I was terrified I was actually going to throw up in the bar. ‘Got an upset stomach. Feel sick. Still feel all trembly…’
By the time Robyn and Sorrel came looking for me, I was standing in the snug next to the toilets, hands on hips, all the pent-up anger and sadness of the evening’s events descending on Dean’s black curls like an unstoppable volcano. I’d found him sat there – predictably not on his lonesome – as I’d made my way to the loo.
‘What do you mean you’re throwing meout?’ Dean appeared nonplussed. ‘I’ve only just moved backin.’
‘Mistake, big mistake.’
‘What about Lola?Shewants me at home.’
‘I’m sure she does. And once you have your own place again, you can have access to her as much asshewants.Youcan shop for her, cook for her, clothe her, be there for her when she wants picking up from her various friends and school clubs, tuck her up in bed and stay with her when you want to be down here in the pub…’ I turned to the blonde sitting with my husband, the very same woman who’d been George Sattar’s date at Kamran’s supper do. ‘Well, well, if it isn’t one of Charlie’s Angels. No, no,’ I interrupted as Farrah attempted to explain that she and Dean were just good friends, that he’d needed someone to talk to now that I’d obviously seen fit to throw the poor man out onto the street once more. ‘Listen up, Ms Angel, my husband had no idea I’d packed up his things this afternoon, so I’m afraid that argument is falling on stony ground. You’re welcome to him. Now,’ I went on, getting into my stride, ‘he does snore somewhat, still hasn’t learned how to hold his knife correctly and isn’t averse to spooning up the lake of gravy left on his plate with his pudding spoon. Oh, and every morning he’ll check his boxers for… you know…? Yep, I’m afraid so…’ I added, as a little moue of distaste appeared on Farrah’s face.
I broke off, turning back to Dean when the landlord, Tom Rogers, leaned across the bar. ‘Hey, hey, enough of that. Take your argument outside; take it home with you!’
‘Not to my home, he doesn’t.’ I went right up to Dean. ‘And you try to turn Lola against me with your sorry tales of what a bitch her mother is, and there’ll be a jolly big, six-foot-deep nineteenth hole waiting for you at the end of your game of golf. Now, if you don’t mind, it’s been something of an eventful evening and I’d like to sit with my two sisters and have a drink with them knowing your things will be out of my house and you, Dean, will be out of my hair – and my life – for good.’
‘But what about Scargill?’ Dean said, standing up from the table as he spotted the collie behind Robyn and Sorrel. ‘What aboutmy dog?’
‘He’s called Arthur, Dean, and he’smydog now.’ And with that, I turned on my heel and headed back to my sisters and my dog.
10
ROBYN
‘I’ve been ringing you all evening, Fabian.’ After seeing Jess, Sorrel and Arthur safely into an Uber, Robyn had left the Honda in The Green Dragon car park, walking the ten minutes around the village duck pond, across the village green and cricket pitch to the Dower House cottage she and Fabian had been renting for the last few months. While she certainly didn’t have any concerns about walking across the village in the dark on her own, the awful events of the evening had left her utterly distressed and she just wanted to be home with Fabian. ‘You didn’t pick up,’ she went on as she collapsed on the sofa next to him.
‘Sorry, sorry, didn’t hear the phone.’ Fabian reached over, kissing the top of her head.
‘What?’ Robyn sat up, staring. ‘You’ve never not got your phone attached to your ear. You’re actually worse than Sorrel…’
‘I turned it off.’
‘You never turn it off. Where’ve you been?’
