‘You talking about Jilly?’ Kara pushed the door open and immediately sat down her hand to her back.
‘Yes.’ Linda stressed. ‘She had us all fooled.’
‘Well… maybe just some of us.’ Charlie winked.
‘You knew and didn’t say anything?’ Linda’s eyes were alive with disbelief. Charlie nudged Kara. ‘Erm. Yes, I knew too, Mrs H.’
‘Anyway, funny that’s the lead story in theEchoand not our livelihoods going down the pan.’ Charlie sighed. ‘Big Frank’s started the petition so if you could put your energies into getting as many signatures as possible, rather than sullying everyone’s good name, that would be most useful, Linda. Have a good day.’
Kara placed her order from her seat. ‘It just can’t happen.’
Nigel had joined her at the counter. ‘Yes. It will be a sad day if the outdoor market is shut, it really will but we are not going to let thishappen. It must be stopped. It will be stopped.’
Gideon appeared behind him. ‘Well, it’s Victorian Market Day tomorrow and we shall embrace the opportunity. Glanna’s made some banners up and we are all going to be protesting. The locals are behind us, and Alicia has got theEchoandSouth West Todayradio and TV involved too.’
‘Ooh that should cause quite a stir, I best put my best blouse on.’ Linda Harris pushed her hands under her ample bosoms and waddled back over to the coffee machine.
Kara went back out to her market stall with a bag full of pastries, one of which she shoved into her mouth immediately. Star came and joined her. ‘Anyone would think you are eating for three.’
‘I just want them out now, Star.’
‘Not long now, sis. Was just reading about Jilly. I knew there was something about her. Good on her, I say. Wanting to escape the madness.’
Conor was walking up the hill, his body language showing a man who really didn’t care about anything much anymore. ‘Hey. Conor.’ Star waved him over. ‘Look at you, sharing your space with a famous actress. It must be quiet in that flat without her. She was good fun.’
She then clocked his face. ‘Oh, God, I know that look… I didn’t realise that…’
She put her hand on his, then pulled it away in a strange, exaggerated movement. ‘She’ll be back. I know she will. She will.’
‘Steren, don’t come your hocus-pocus with me.’ Star was slightly taken aback; it was usually only her mother and her dear aunt who called her by her christened name. ‘I’m not stupid. It’s been nearly a month now and not a word.’
‘Oh, Conor.’
‘And I don’t want your sympathy either.’
He stormed over to talk to Charlie, leaving Kara and Star making a sympathetic face towards each other.
‘Shit, poor bloke.’ Kara started to shove her second pastry in.
Star looked to her sister. ‘After what happened with me and him, he deserves happiness. He truly does.’
‘Conor! You got a sec.’ The voice came from behind the Tinsel Town market stall.
‘Biff lad, what’s up? You got all you need float wise, etcetera for the day?’
‘Yeah, but something odd just happened. A woman came in. She was wearing huge dark glasses and one of the beanie hats that we sell in here. She questioned me as to what I was doing here. I just said I was helping you out. She took a box a crackers off the shelf, pulled one out, disappeared for a sec, then gave me this one cracker. I was like, shit, she’s nicking the crackers but before I could say anything, and I will repeat her exact words, she said. “When you see Conor Brady, tell him to pull this.” Sorry mate, the box can’t be sold now.’
With a look of delight on his face, Conor waggled the cracker in the bemused boy’s face. ‘Pull it, Biff. Quick, pull it.’
A red hat, aFickle Fishand a handwritten note fell to the floor. Conor picked everything up and read the note hungrily.
“I hope I haven’t been too long”, Conor’s smile lit up his whole face. ‘She bloody read the text I sent her. Good old Oscar Wilde and his musings.’
‘What you going on about?’ Biff was looking even more bemused as Conor turned the note over and read aloud.
‘Meet me at the flat rocks at ten a.m. And bring the fish.’
‘The fish?’
