Taste of Blood

Chapter Twenty-Four

Jane pasted her new information onto her board, and then sat back to see if she had missed anything out. Satisfied, she carefully rolled it up into a long cardboard tube, then put a packet of Blu-Tack, Sellotape and drawing pins into a box. The photographs she put into a hard-backed envelope. She placed everything on the small hall table, along with her briefcase, ready for when she left in the morning.

After taking a shower she put her clothes into a laundry basket, realising she had been perspiring a lot during her meeting with the McGregors.

Pam arrived just before four o’clock, carrying a pastry box and a bottle of wine. She had put on weight since Jane had last seen her, and after removing her coat, quickly wagged her finger at her.

‘Don’t say it! I know, I’ve put on about six pounds, so the pastries are for you, but I’ll have a glass of wine. You look as if you’ve lost weight though. My God, has your hair grown! I think we should get cracking on the tint and cut — I don’t want to have to leave midway to collect the boys. Good — you’re in your dressing gown so we can get started right away.’

As usual, Pam hardly drew breath, but Jane knew it was partly embarrassment because she’d asked herself round. She continued talking non-stop while she looked around the kitchen and then followed Jane up the stairs, loudly admiring the wallpaper even though she’d been given a tour months before.

They went into the bathroom and Pam took out all her equipment from a large plastic bag, while Jane sat on a stool with a plastic cape around her shoulders. Mixing up the tint in a tin bowl, Pam peered at the colour on the box and swore. ‘Shit, I’ve brought the wrong one. It’ll be slightly blonder, but you know, your hair looks as if it could do with a bit of a lift. How much will you want off?’

‘Not a lot... you cut it quite recently... maybe just an inch and a half.’

Pam focused on brushing in the tint, separating the strands with bright pink hair grips, but it didn’t take her long to ask what had happened with Eddie.

‘Mum told me you’d parted company. That’s so sad, he seemed a really nice bloke. And after the brilliant job he did on the house. It must be worth a packet.’

‘Yes, he was special, but you know, we sort of just grew out of each other.’

‘So, it was all amicable, was it?’

‘Yes. I miss him, obviously.’

‘So how did he feel about the pregnancy?’

‘To be honest, Pam, we’d already separated, and I didn’t even know I was pregnant. I thought it was my appendix. I was lucky to get to the hospital in time as it could have been really serious if it had been left any longer.’

‘So can you still get pregnant?’

‘Yes. Are you sure this tint is not going to make it too blonde? It’s a bit Diana Dors on the box.’

‘No, it’ll be fine, it’s not that much lighter. So how are you coping with it at work?’

‘I’ve just had a few days off; it’s not as if it was major surgery, and I’ve said it was a grumbling appendix so I don’t get asked too many questions. I’m going back tomorrow. Ow, this is stinging a bit, Pam.’

‘OK, I’ll not leave it on too long, then after a wash I’ll cut it — you’ve got lots of split ends, you know.’

‘OK. So how is everything with you?’

‘Same as usual. Could do with more work on the carpentry side, but the salon is doing very well. I’ve actually hired a new colourist as it’s never been my forte. He’s very camp, always has me in stitches, and the clients love him.’

‘How are the boys?’

Pam rolled her eyes. ‘Teenagers, so a nightmare. I’m living with two massive hoarders. I never even clean their bedrooms now, just let the junk pile up, and you know, their ruddy sneakers cost a fortune as their feet seem to grow so fast.’

Pam kept up a running commentary about her two sons as she washed Jane’s hair over the bathtub using the attached shower spray. She used a lot of perfumed conditioner, then two rinses before wrapping her hair in a white bath towel. Pam stood behind her as Jane sat on the stool facing the mirror in front of the wash basin rubbing her wet hair dry, ready to begin the cut.

‘We have a lot of clients wanting to go red like Fergie now, you know.’

‘Who?’

‘Sarah Ferguson, the girl marrying Prince Andrew. She’s got lovely natural curly auburn hair.’ Pam removed the towels.

‘Good God, Pam, it’s very blonde! Maybe I should just have had highlights.’

‘Rubbish! But if you like, next time come into the salon and I’ll get Clive to do highlights and maybe take it down a tone or two.’

Pam combed out the wet hair, and then parted it down the centre to begin cutting. It was more than Jane wanted, but she worked so fast it was all over before Jane could stop her.

‘It’ll just have a light curl, and I’ll blow-dry it so it’ll get some body. I think the colour is really nice.’

They went into the bedroom and Pam plugged in her hairdryer while Jane sat at her dressing table. Five minutes later, Pam stood back to admire her work.

‘There! You look fantastic, Jane. I don’t care what you say, going that bit blonder really suits you.’

Jane smiled and nodded. She knew she would have to flatten the bouffant and it was too blonde, but she wasn’t going to say anything.

They went into the kitchen, had a glass of wine and, despite saying she wouldn’t, Pam managed to eat two chocolate eclairs, her excuse being she didn’t want to drink and drive and it would soak up the alcohol.

After making sure she’d collected all her equipment, Pam pulled Jane into a hug. ‘You know, we should do this more often. I’ve not even asked about how you are doing at work. I mean, are you investigating any big murders or serious crimes?’

‘No, it’s mostly a bit boring, nothing very serious.’

‘Well, they will be very impressed with your glamorous new hairstyle. Anybody there fanciable?’

Jane laughed. ‘No, nobody. Give everyone my love.’

She opened the door. Pam turned on the doorstep, suddenly serious. ‘I was really worried about you, you know. But I wanted to tell you I know someone who had an ectopic pregnancy, and that she went on to have two kids, just in case you were worried.’

Jane smiled. ‘Well, let’s hope I can find someone else to have them with. As Mum would say, sooner rather than later!’ Watching her sister hurry off towards her ancient Volvo estate, Jane suddenly felt quite emotional. They did care about each other, but they were so different. She hadn’t told Pam about her disappointment being at Bromley station, her sadness about the way she had split from Eddie or what she really felt about the non-pregnancy, let alone her session with Vera James. She felt very alone.

Locking the front door and turning to head up the stairs, she paused to check everything she had put out for the following morning. She laid a hand on the envelope of photographs and then caught her reflection in the mirror above the table.

‘Bloody hell, Pam, it really is too blonde.’