Take Two

CHAPTER 90

Jenny ended up staying at the supermarket for three hours. Richards remained on the edge of the crowd, watching as she performed the opening, paused for photographs and signed autographs for well over a hundred housewives, most of whom were wearing tracksuits, had their dyed hair pulled back into tight ponytails and were pushing toddlers in McLaren pushchairs. He was amazed at her patience and the way she kept smiling and listening patiently to whatever they had to say to her.

The area manager stayed at her shoulder throughout, trying to maintain order. He made a determined effort to get people to line up but, at times, there was a sea of housewives around her like sharks around a wounded fish.

Every now and again she would look over at Richards, pen poised, and either smile or wink. Richards had to struggle to remember it was Jenny signing the autographs and not Carolyn. The housewives seemed to love her and would hang on her every word. Most wanted to touch her, on the arm or the shoulder, as if trying to reassure themselves that she was real.

Gradually the crowd got smaller and eventually Richards saw her say something to the area manager and he raised his hands and announced that Miss Castle had to leave. He brought her over to Richards, his two female assistants in tow.

‘I can’t thank you enough, Miss Castle,’ he said. ‘That really went well. You’re an absolute star, literally and metaphorically.’

‘It was a pleasure,’ said Jenny. Richards unlocked the Porsche.

‘Miss Castle, I’m sorry to be a bother, but could you sign this for my mum?’ asked one of the girls. ‘She’s a huge fan.’ She held out a DVD cover and a pen.

‘Now then, Kelly, we shouldn’t be taking up any more of Miss Castle’s time,’ admonished the area manager.

‘No, that’s okay,’ said Jenny. She took the DVD cover and the pen.

‘Can you make it “To Pat” please?’ said the girl.

Jenny signed the DVD cover with a flourish and handed it and the pen back to the girl.

The supermarket team walked off as Jenny and Richards climbed into the Porsche. ‘I could do with a cigarette,’ she sighed.

‘I thought you didn’t smoke?’

Jenny laughed. ‘I don’t. But playing at being Carolyn always makes me feel like having a cigarette.’ She put a hand on his arm. ‘Does that sound crazy?’

‘I guess not,’ said Richards. ‘I don’t have any cigarettes, but I do have cigars.’

She laughed again and squeezed his arm. ‘Now that would be crazy.’ She took her mobile phone out of her handbag. ‘I suppose I’d better see who that was.’

‘Somebody called you?’

‘I had the phone on vibrate,’ she said. ‘They called three times. Almost gave me an orgasm the third time.’ She laughed at the look of astonishment on his face. ‘Joke,’ she said. ‘But chance would be a fine thing.’ She tapped on the screen and then held the phone to her ear. ‘At least they left a message,’ she said. She frowned as she listened, then her mouth opened wide and she waved at Richards. ‘It was Carolyn,’ she mouthed.

Richards stared at her, his mind whirling. Carolyn? That was impossible. He forced himself to stay calm as he watched her listen intently to the message.

‘I can’t believe I missed her,’ she said eventually.

‘Call her back,’ said Richards.

Jenny shook her head. ‘She withheld the number.’

‘Can I hear her what she said?’

‘Sure,’ said Jenny. She tapped on the screen and held out the phone.

Richards put it to his ear and listened. ‘Hi, Jenny, this is Carolyn. Yeah, I’m sorry I wasn’t at the airport to pick you up. I’ve had a pretty rough few weeks and I just need some me time. I’ve booked myself into a clinic — they don’t want to say which one — and I’ll be incognito for another week. I’m already feeling a lot better. Anyway, I’ve got to go. You be good, okay?’ There was a beep and the message ended.

‘Well at least we know that she’s okay,’ said Jenny, taking back the phone and slipping it into her handbag.

‘Absolutely,’ said Richards. He took a deep breath and tried to fight the panic that was threatening to overwhelm him. Carolyn wasn’t okay. She was in a trunk at the bottom of the North Sea. So how the hell had she made the phone call.

‘Are you okay, Warwick?’ asked Jenny. ‘You look as white as a sheet.’

Richards grimaced and rubbed his stomach. ‘Feeling a bit queasy,’ he said. ‘Too much Cristal last night.’

‘You need to watch that,’ she said. ‘Too much bubbly can be bad for you.’ She smiled brightly. ‘Right, are you going to run me home? I feel like I need a shower after mingling with the great unwashed.’