The McDead

‘The only actress on the planet who can play a woman whose child has been killed by wild Australian dogs and can actually have you rooting for the dingoes.’ (Joe Queenan on Meryl Streep)

Falls smiled as she recalled Ryan’s reaction to A Cry In The Dark when she put on the video.

They’d planned an evening at home, her home, where they’d:

Make love

Eat

Make love

Watch a video.

He cried, ‘Oh Jesus, no, not Streep again. C’mon darlin’, I watched Out Of Africa with you, but I swear, I can’t go another session with her.’

They watched The Untouchables instead.

She’d been seeing Ryan for two weeks, twice he’d stayed over. On the video nights. Little did he realise, she’d planned on the whole Streep catalogue. Most days she felt:

Queasy

Exhilarated

Nervous

Giddy

Had no appetite

Phone fixated.

And realising, said, ‘Oh shit, I love him.’

She was acting like a schoolgirl, trying out his name, projecting babies, wanting to talk about him incessantly. Tried to burst her own balloon with:

He’s married,

Kids,

Said he won’t leave.

But no, that balloon of hope just climbed on up there.

He’d said, ‘You look good in red.’ Changed her whole wardrobe. Oh yeah.

She turned on the telly, got local news, London Tonight.

The top story was:

RETURN OF THE CLAPHAM RAPIST

She felt dizzy. Another attack had taken place, the details were the same: a black woman, a knife, an alleyway.

‘It can’t be!’ she cried.

A local councillor followed demanding an inquiry into police methods. And then he asked, ‘Who was the man killed in a police decoy operation?’

The phone rang. She picked it up, heard, ‘You and McDonald in the Super’s office at nine sharp.’

‘Yes, sir.’

She rang Brant. He sounded groggy and she told him the news. He didn’t reply for a moment, then, ‘It’s a copycat.’

‘But what about the guy who attacked me?’

Deep intake of breath and he snarled back, ‘When a guy jumps you in a dark alley, and puts a knife to yer throat, he’s up to no good, believe me.’

‘But maybe he wasn’t the Clapham Rapist.’

‘Well he was some bloody area’s rapist and good friggin’ riddance.’

He slammed down the phone. She started to cry … wanted to drink, then rang Ryan.

He answered, ‘Yeah?’

‘Help me.’

‘I’m on my way.’

She tried to compose herself. Decided she’d only tell him a little.

When he arrived, he put his arms round her and she told him the lot. He’d made her a cup of sweet tea and held it while she drank. When she’d finished her story, he said, ‘I’d never have took you for a copper.’

‘Because I’m black.’

‘Cos you’re beautiful.’