Take Two

CHAPTER 76

Billy was outside Carolyn Castle’s house at six o’clock on Tuesday morning and this time when he rang the bell, Jenny opened the door bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. She grinned when she saw him. ‘Before we go any further, none of this Mrs Hall nonsense,’ she said. ‘Every time I hear that I think about my soon-to-be-ex husband and it gives me the heebie-jeebies.’

‘It’s company policy,’ said Billy.

‘The drivers wouldn’t stand for it in Oz.’

‘I understand that, Mrs Hall. But I have to do what the company says. If I don’t, I could lose my job.’

‘What does the union say?’

‘I’m not in a union,’ said Billy.

‘I tell you what, we’ll keep it as our little secret, shall we?’ said Jenny, closing the door. ‘Either that or I could tell them you tried to put your hand up my skirt. I’m sure that’s against company policy, too.’

Billy groaned. ‘Please, Mrs Hall…’

She walked past him to the Mercedes. She was wearing a Gucci suit that Billy had seen Carolyn wear several times, and carrying a Gucci shoulder bag. If it wasn’t for the hair and the accent, Billy would have sworn it was Carolyn getting into the front seat of his car. He hurried over and grabbed the handle before she could close the door.

‘You can’t sit in the front, Mrs Hall,’ he said. ‘We’re not insured for passengers in the front. You have to travel in the back.’

‘This is a joke,’ said Jenny.

‘It’s the way it is,’ said Billy. ‘I can’t drive you anywhere unless you’re in the back and strapped in.’

Jenny sighed. ‘This is like a fascist state, you realise that.’

‘I don’t make the rules, Mrs Hall.’ He held open the door.

‘Did my sister put up with this crap?’

‘She understood I had to follow the company’s rules, yes.’

‘And what did you call her?’

‘Miss Castle.’

‘Never Carolyn?’

‘Never.’

Jenny’s eyes sparkled with amusement. ‘I tell you what, Billy. How about this? When there’s no one else around, you call me Jenny. If there’s anyone else around you can call me …’ She shrugged. ‘I tell you what, you can call me Miss Castle. If I’m taking her place then we might as well go the whole hog.’

Billy nodded. ‘Okay,’ he said. ‘Now, please, if you would get into the back, we can head off. I’ll be well bollocked if you’re late on your first day.’

Jenny smiled sweetly and did as she was asked. Billy closed the door, climbed into the front and started the car.

‘Actually there’s more room in the back,’ she said as Billy drove through Notting Hill.

‘It’s designed around the passenger,’ said Billy. ‘It’s a car for being driven around in.’

Jenny looked around. ‘I could get used to this,’ she said. ‘So how long have you been driving Carolyn?’

‘Three years, give or take.’

‘And what’s she like?’

Billy looked at her in the driving mirror. ‘You sound like you don’t know her.’

‘We’re not that close, to be honest,’ she said. ‘We both left home when we were teenagers, she came to London to seek fame and fortune. I went backpacking in India and traveled through Southeast Asia and, after a very long story, I ended up in Brisbane with a drug-taking husband who thought knocking me around was a great way to spend a Saturday night.’

‘Sorry to hear that,’ said Billy.

‘You make your own bed in this life, Billy, no one forces you to lie in it. Anyway, it’s behind me now. He left five years ago and if I could only find the bastard I’d divorce him.’ She grinned. ‘Or have him shot. I’m easy either way.’

‘Never understood anyone who’d want to hit a woman,’ said Billy.

‘That’s because you’re a gentleman, Billy. But believe me, there’s plenty of men out there happy to take a swing at a member of the fairer sex.’

‘You know, Carolyn never mentioned you, not once,’ said Billy, looking at her in the rear-view mirror.

‘As I said, we weren’t that close. I don’t think anyone in Oz would know she was my sister.’

‘Do they see the show down there?’

‘Not really. It’s on one of the cable channels, but it’s not like I ever got stopped in the street or anything.’

‘Well, that’s going to happen here, that’s for sure,’ he said. ‘Especially with you dressing like her. Your hair’s a bit different, but the resemblance is…’ He laughed. ‘Stupid thing to say,’ he said. ‘You’re twins. Of course you look the same.’