Take Two

CHAPTER 84

The Porsche pulled up in front of Carolyn’s house. Anita from the VIP room had driven Richards and Jenny from the club. Jenny looked over at the darkened windows. ‘Every time I get here I expect to see her,’ she said. ‘I wonder where the hell she is?’

‘Have you spoken to the police?’ asked Richards.

‘The TV people say not to,’ said Jenny. ‘They don’t want the bad publicity.’ She sighed. ‘Fancy a nightcap?’

‘I’d go for a coffee,’ said Richards.

‘I can do that,’ she said.

‘What about you, Anita? Coffee?’

Anita looked over her shoulder at Richards, trying to work out if it was okay with him. ‘Come on Anita, it’ll perk you up.’ He said.

‘It is four in the morning, boss.’

‘Oh bloody hell,’ said Jenny. ‘I’ve got to be up at half six.’

‘You might as well stay up,’ said Richards. ‘That’s what Seb usually does.’

‘I suppose they can cover the dark patches with make-up,’ said Jenny. She opened the door. ‘Come on, then.’

She walked unsteadily down the path to the front door.

‘Are you sure about this, boss?’ whispered Anita.

‘Sure about what?’

‘I don’t want to queer your pitch,’ said Anita. ‘Don’t want to be a third wheel.’

‘I’m not going to hit on the girl when she’s in that condition,’ said Richards. ‘She’s as high as a kite. And, anyway, I don’t think there’s any pitch to be queered. I think coffee is all she has in mind.’

They got out of the car and followed Jenny along the path. It took her several attempts to get her key in the lock and then she had trouble working out which way to turn it.

‘Let me,’ said Richards. She stepped to the side and he opened the door. He gave her a mock bow and grinned. ‘After you, my lady.’

They followed Jenny down the hallway to the kitchen. Anita closed the front door behind them. ‘I can offer you espresso, cappuccino, or latte,’ said Jenny.

‘I’m impressed,’ said Richards.

‘No need to be,’ laughed Jenny. ‘Carolyn has one of those hi-tech gizmos that uses capsules. You just pop in the right capsule and press a button.’

‘Espresso for me,’ said Richards. ‘Is there a loo I can use?’

‘Down the hall on the left,’ said Jenny, opening a cupboard.

Richards left Jenny and Anita in the kitchen and headed down the hallway. Jenny had left her bag on a table under a large mirror. He stopped and turned. He heard voices in the kitchen but couldn’t tell who was talking. He unzipped the bag and looked inside. He saw a blue passport and pulled it out. He opened it and turned to the page with the photograph. It was Jenny, all right. Jenny Hall. He put the passport on the table, took out his phone and tapped in her date of birth so he wouldn’t forget it. He put the passport back in the bag and took out a Louis Vitton purse. He rifled through it. There were three credit cards, one was American Express and the other two were from Australian banks. There was an Australian driving licence. It had the same date of birth as the driving licence and an address in Brisbane. He tapped the address into his phone then put the driving licence into the purse and the purse into the bag.

‘Are you okay, Warwick?’

Richards jumped and his hands jerked away from the bag as if he’d been stung. He looked around and then relaxed as he saw it was Anita.

‘Just making sure I look good,’ said Richards, tidying his hair in the mirror.

‘Always,’ said Anita. She walked up to him and lowered her voice. ‘Are you sure you don’t want me to push off?’ she whispered. ‘She definitely likes you.’

‘You think?’

‘I can see it in the way she looks at you. I could say there’s a problem back at the club and leave you here.’

Richards chuckled. ‘I’m not a teenager, I don’t need to run scams like that,’ he said. ‘We’re here for coffee, and when we’ve had that you can drive me home. But this time I’ll put myself to bed.’

Anita grinned. ‘Yeah, you were well gone that night,’ she said. ‘We’d never seen you so drunk.’

‘Happens to the best of us. Come on, let’s go get our coffees.’

‘I thought you were using the loo?’

‘The moment passed,’ he said.

‘Well, I need to use it,’ said Anita, and she headed for the toilet as Richards went back to the kitchen.

Jenny had already made three coffees and was sitting at the kitchen table. Richards sat down opposite her, wondering if what Anita had said was true and that Jenny really was attracted to him. ‘You’re serious about working tomorrow?’ he said.

‘Yeah, I have to be in make-up first thing.’ She laughed. ‘I should have followed Terry’s advice and left when he did.’

‘He’s a lightweight,’ laughed Richards.

‘And I’m what? A professional alcoholic?’

‘An enthusiastic amateur,’ joked Richards. ‘I can’t get over your accent.’

‘I’m not the one who talks funny,’ said Jenny. She sipped her coffee. ‘I might just stay awake,’ she said.

‘A cat nap wouldn’t hurt,’ he said. ‘Just make sure you set your alarm. But, seriously, I’m glad you came to the club tonight.’

‘Yeah, me, too.’

‘You should come one weekend, then you’ll be less worried about an early start the next day.’

‘What time do you normally get up?’

‘Me? I’m a real night owl. Usually mid-day.’

‘I’m the opposite. I love the mornings. I love to watch the sun coming up, if I can.’

‘Yeah, well, you don’t have long to wait,’ he said and laughed. ‘How are you enjoying filling in for Carolyn?’

‘It’s easier than I thought,’ she said. ‘The British accent catches me out sometimes.’

‘But you were born here, right?’

‘Sure. But I’ve lived most of my life in Australia and, trust me, you don’t want to have a British accent in Oz.’

‘The whinging Pom thing?’

Jenny laughed. ‘It’s more than a thing, Warwick, it’s a way of life.’

‘And where do you live?’

‘Brisbane. On the east coast. By the ocean. Two million people, just about. I love it.’

‘And what took you to Australia?’

‘Carolyn didn’t tell you about our childhood?’

Richards shook his head.

‘Yeah, well, there’s a reason neither of us hung around,’ she said. ‘It’s just she ran to London and I kept on running. Ended up in Brisbane and married a guy I thought was the one. Turns out that was a mistake, too.’

Anita returned from the bathroom. ‘I know I’m a pain, but my husband always give me an earful when I get home after the sun rises.’ She grinned. ‘I’d like to say it’s a vampire thing but, really, it’s because he doesn’t trust me.’

‘No problem,’ said Richards. He drained his cup. ‘We’d better let Jenny get ready for her close-ups.’ He stood up. ‘It’s been a great evening, we should do it again.’

‘Definitely’. She stood up and kissed him on both cheeks. ‘I had a great time.’

Richards wrinkled his nose. ‘You and Carolyn wear the same perfume,’ he said.

Jenny laughed. ‘I stole it from her dressing table,’ she said.

‘Coco Mademoiselle,’ said Richards.

‘You know your perfumes.’

Richards grinned and shook his head. ‘Just that one,’ he said. ‘Okay, we’ll be off.’ He noticed a red light flashing on the answer machine next to the fridge. ‘You know you’ve got a message.’

Jenny frowned. ‘Message?’

Richards pointed at the flashing light. ‘It’ll be for Carolyn, no one knows I’m here,’ she said. Then she gasped. ‘Oh my God, maybe it’s her.’ She walked over to it and pressed the play button.

‘Hello, I’m trying to get hold of Jenny Castle,’ said a man’s voice. ‘This is Peter Sessions, I’m Carolyn’s agent. I gather you’ve stepped in for her and I really think we should talk. Please call me back when you get the chance.’ The agent gave his phone number, twice, then ended the call.

‘He smells a commission,’ said Richards.

‘Do you think so?’ asked Jenny.

‘He’s circling like a vulture.’

‘That would make me, what, a dead antelope?’

Richards laughed. ‘He wants his fifteen percent, that’s all. But you should give him a call. You do need somebody representing you. Show business is just that, a business.’

‘I will,’ promised Jenny. She took him and Anita down the hallway and showed them out. ‘Drive carefully,’ she said as she closed the door.

Richards and Anita walked over to the Porsche and climbed in. ‘She’s nice,’ said Anita as she started the engine.

‘Yeah, she is that.’

‘Not like you’d think a TV star would be. Really down to earth.’

‘She not really the star,’ said Richards. ‘She’s the star’s sister. But Carolyn was the same.’

‘She definitely likes you.’

‘So you keep saying.’

‘She’s at the window, boss,’ said Anita.

Richards looked across at the house. A light had gone on in one of the upstairs windows and Jenny was standing there, watching him. As Anita started the engine, Richards waved.

Jenny waved back.

Richards blew her a kiss and she did the same back.

As the Porsche pulled away from the kerb, Richards saw a small red dot move across the window and he frowned. Was that a cigarette? Was Jenny smoking? His frown deepened. Jenny didn’t smoke. Carolyn was the smoker.

‘You okay, boss?’ asked Anita.

‘I’m not sure,’ said Richards quietly. He forced himself to smile. ‘Of course I am,’ he said cheerfully. ‘Home, James, and don’t spare the horses.’