The Tooth Tattoo

20

‘What’s the matter with you?’ Ivan asked.

‘My hand, you mean?’ Mel said. ‘It’s not serious.’

‘Your whole performance. You were pathetic. Timing, intonation. And don’t blame the new instrument. You were perfectly good in rehearsal.’

The quartet were using the gothic library in the West Wing at Corsham Court as a base. Their manager Douglas had joined them. Tired and drained from the performance, they were supposed to be unwinding before travelling home. This wasn’t unwinding; it was winding up.

Cat came to Mel’s defence as if she was shaping a passage with her cello, a stabilising counterpoint. ‘Ivan, that’s way over the top. He wasn’t that bad. He was a damn sight better than most of the so-called violists we’ve played with, and I never heard you slag one of them off.’

‘Because we know he can do better.’ Ivan turned on Mel again. ‘Are you a drinker? If you are, we have a right to be told.’

With the musicians almost squaring up to each other, Douglas tried his old-school best to calm the situation. ‘Steady on, old man.’

Mel decided the others deserved an explanation. More than anyone, he knew his playing hadn’t been up to standard. ‘Ivan is right. I was rubbish. I had a fall today. Well, to be honest, I was knocked down by a car.’

Douglas said, ‘Stone the crows!’

‘And it wasn’t due to drink, not on my part, anyway.’

‘Where did this happen?’ Cat asked.

‘In the street outside my lodgings. My landlady spotted this stationary car with someone seated inside staring at the house. He’d been there a long time and she thought we had a stalker. She has a rather attractive daughter. I went over to speak to the guy. When he saw me coming he drove off fast. I don’t think he meant to hit me. He just wanted to be away, but the side of the car brushed against me and sent me flying.’

‘So he was a stalker?’ Cat said.

‘He wasn’t staying to talk about it, whoever he was.’

‘That’s how you did your hand?’

‘It was grazed and bled a bit. My arm is the problem. It’s stiff today and I bashed my head on the road as well.’

‘And still turned up tonight and gave a performance?’

Cat said. ‘Played your solo pieces and the duet as well as the Beethoven and the Sibelius? That’s heroic.’ To Ivan, she said, ‘I hope you’re about to apologise for the snide remarks you made.’

‘I do.’

‘In all humility?’ Cat said with a stare worthy of a headmistress.

Humility was an alien concept to Ivan, but he mumbled something that wasn’t a denial.

‘Your left hand is the one you use for fingering, isn’t it?’ Douglas said to Mel. ‘I don’t know how you got through the evening.’

‘All those vibratos,’ Cat said, her face creasing in sympathy.

‘The fingers weren’t damaged, I’m glad to say. I’d have let you know if I thought I was going to mess up. More than anything, my state of mind was the problem.’

‘Listen, darling, you weren’t pathetic, as Joe Stalin over there so unkindly put it. I don’t suppose any of the audience noticed.’

Douglas said, ‘I certainly didn’t. And from the reception you were given there’s no doubt Cat is right. Nobody was any the wiser.’

‘I wouldn’t count on it,’ Mel said.

‘Get a grip, people,’ Cat said. ‘This was one evening in front of twenty or thirty rich punters who think the only good note is a banknote. The bigger picture is that Mel’s playing has raised our game. We’re better now than at any time since we formed. Isn’t that a fact, Anthony?’

The laconic second violin gave a nod.

‘He says bang on, back of the net, hole in one,’ Cat said.

Douglas shifted the focus back to the accident. ‘Didn’t the driver stop?’

Mel shook his head.

‘Hit and run, the bastard,’ Cat said.

‘Did you get a look at him?’ Douglas asked.

‘My landlady did. She said he was in his forties, going grey and quite good looking. Not much of a description, I know, but she’d probably know him if she saw him again.’

‘Did you call the police?’

Mel shook his head. ‘Didn’t get the number. And I don’t think he meant to knock me over.’

‘It was dangerous driving, whatever you may think.’

‘Aside from the fact that the man’s a menace to women,’ Cat said.

‘We can’t be certain he was a stalker,’ Douglas went on. ‘Has it occurred to you, Mel, that this may have nothing to do with your landlady’s daughter — that he was spying on you?’

‘What for?’ Ivan said.

‘It crossed my mind, I have to say,’ Mel said. ‘I’ve been over it a few times. I wondered if he was interested in the Amati, waiting for a chance to break in and steal it.’

Cat was frowning. ‘How would he know about the Amati? You’ve only had it a couple of days.’

‘I’ve no idea.’

‘It’s not as if it was written up in lights. Only a handful of people know and most of them are in this room.’

‘Well, it’s news to me,’ Douglas said. ‘An Amati viola? That’s a rare beast, isn’t it? Where did you get it?’

‘He’s not at liberty to say,’ Cat said. ‘A secret millionaire. They never come my way.’

Ivan was still brooding over the mystery. ‘There’s some other explanation. Must be.’

‘Wait a mo,’ Douglas said, raising a finger. ‘Have any of you thought this may be connected to Harry’s disappearance?’

‘Someone targeting violists?’ Cat said. ‘Come off it, Doug. Lightning doesn’t strike twice.’

‘We never discovered the reason.’

‘That was four years ago in Budapest. It’s history now and we’re in England in case you haven’t noticed. We’ve moved on. Don’t put scary ideas into Mel’s head. The poor lad has suffered enough.’

‘Even so, we must take care of him. How are you getting back to Bath?’

‘Taxis as usual,’ Ivan said.

‘I’ll give Mel a lift in the Aston Martin. I’m still thinking we should report this incident to the police. Did you know they were here tonight? I met two of them before the concert.’

‘A big guy called Diamond?’ Cat said.

‘Yes, and a blonde with a foreign-sounding name.’

‘We knew they were coming,’ Cat said. ‘It’s all about this unfortunate Japanese girl.’

‘The police said something about this,’ Douglas said. ‘There’s so much to catch up on.’

‘She was found dead in the river, murdered apparently. They’re saying she was a fan of ours.’

‘Doesn’t mean you’re responsible.’

Ivan said, ‘A point we all made clear. Once the police get a sniff of something they think is suspicious, watch out. They’re well capable of planting evidence. What’s the term?’

‘Stitching us up?’ Cat said.

‘That might be true in your country,’ Douglas said. ‘I can’t believe the British bobby would stoop to anything so low.’

Ivan rolled his eyes. ‘It’s quite possible that the man who knocked Mel down was a plain clothes policeman keeping him under observation. Maybe we’re all being spied on. There was a suspicious-looking car outside the Tippett Centre yesterday and he drove off fast when we spotted him. Mel saw it, too.’

‘I’m totally confused now,’ Douglas said.

‘So am I,’ Mel said. ‘Some of these theories must be wrong. A sex pest, an instrument thief, a kidnapper of violists and a police spy? Let’s try and keep a grip on reality.’

Douglas turned to Mel and smiled. ‘Well said. This seems as good a moment as any to announce some good news.’

‘We could certainly use some,’ Cat said. ‘What is it?’

He rubbed his hands. ‘News travels fast these days, as we all know. There’s a real buzz among concert managers around the world that the Staccati have re-formed. The enquiries are coming in thick and fast and I’m now in a position to offer you a five-week South American tour as soon as you’ve completed your stint here in Bath. You’ll be going to some wonderful places — Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Montevideo, Buenos Aires, Santiago, Lima and Bogotá. Some of these cities have facilities you wouldn’t believe, amazing concert halls that will sell out within hours. Five star hotels all the way.’

‘And fees?’ Ivan said.

‘The best I’ve ever negotiated for you. South Americans adore their music and they’re passionate about the chance of hearing you. I know it’s a lot of travelling, but, believe me, you get well rewarded.’

‘I’m tempted,’ Cat said. ‘As you know, I prefer longer stays, but this will be new territory, new shopping opportunities.’

‘And a new market for your backlist,’ Douglas added. ‘A huge boost to your CD and video sales. Already several of them are talking about press calls and TV appearances.’

‘What do you say, boys? Are we up for it?’ Cat said.

After the build-up, the decision was low-key, a matter of looks, shrugs and nods, but no one disagreed.

‘Super,’ Douglas said. ‘I’ll confirm it all when I get back to London tomorrow.’ At a stroke he’d removed all the negative feelings after the concert. ‘And on that high note, I recommend a well-earned sleep. I’ll bring the car round to the front entrance. I can find room for one more.’

It was agreed Ivan would travel with Douglas and Mel, leaving Cat to share a taxi with Anthony.

Mel and Ivan walked together to the main entrance, an opportunity for Mel to raise a point that had caused him some concern. ‘I didn’t say anything back there because everyone seemed to be getting paranoid, but there’s something I should tell you about the car you and I saw out at the Tippett Centre.’

‘What’s that?’ Ivan’s tone was as friendly as a January night in Riga.

‘I’m almost certain it followed my taxi home. It was the same car that knocked me down.’

‘Unlikely,’ he said. ‘Talk about paranoid. You’re sounding paranoid yourself.’

‘You saw it. What make do you think it was?’

‘A Megane.’

‘That’s the car that hit me.’

Ivan was silent a moment. Then he said, ‘They’re a common make. They’re everywhere.’

‘I’m telling you this because it seemed to me at the time you were visibly shaken just by the sight of that car. You went silent. You scarcely said a word all the way back to Bath.’

‘I was tired from the rehearsal.’

Mel said no more. In this sour mood, Ivan was giving nothing away.

Shortly after midnight he let himself into the house. In darkness he removed his shoes and left them by the door. Clutching the Amati to his chest he crept up the stairs fearing each creak of the boards might waken the household. The last thing he wanted was a late night meeting with Mrs. Carlyle in her night-clothes. On tiptoe he moved along the landing to his room and let himself in, closing the door with stealth. He didn’t risk turning on the light. In this small house the click of a switch was audible everywhere.

He slid the Amati safely under the bed next to his other viola. Then he stripped to his Calvin Kleins, leaving the clothes heaped on the floor. No bathroom visit tonight. He’d give his teeth an extra go in the morning.

Relieved to have made it and more than ready for sleep, he eased himself under the quilt, turned on his side and found he wasn’t alone. His chest was in contact with a warm, bare back. His pelvic area had come to rest against the divide of a chunky pair of buttocks, also bare.

She made a not unwelcoming murmuring sound. She was nine-tenths out to the world.

For the next few seconds Mel stayed still and silent, considering his options. From the shape and smell of her, this was unmistakably Tippi. She’d sneaked into his bed naked and ready for his return. Warmed by the quilt, she’d fallen asleep. Normally he’d not think twice what to do next. Tonight he had a sore left arm and his head was aching. He’d psyched himself up for the concert and now fatigue had caught up with him.

The bed was pleasantly warm. Would it be any use easing back from her and hoping she would drift off again?

He made the attempt.

Without success.

‘Mel?’

He tried breathing evenly.

She turned right over and reached unerringly for his Calvin Kleins. ‘You’re late, but not too late.’

‘It over-ran,’ he said.

‘Never mind,’ Tippi said, giving the elastic a tug. ‘Get ’em off.’

‘Can I have a raincheck?’

‘What?’

‘It’s an American expression. Means: could we make it another time?’

‘You’re joking.’ She explored the front of his pants and then said with less certainty, ‘Aren’t you?’

‘I’ve had a rough day, Tippi. Got knocked down by a car.’

‘Mummy told me.’

‘Yes. She saw it all.’

‘She says you were like Superman charging across the street. She’s got it into her head that the driver was a stalker, stalking me. To be honest I haven’t noticed him myself.’

‘It was the first I’d seen of him.’

‘But as you did it for me I decided to give you this nice surprise.’

‘I’m touched,’ Mel said.

‘I wouldn’t know it yet,’ Tippi said, checking again.

‘The thing is, I hurt my arm and it’s still quite sore.’

‘Your arm?’

‘Yes.’

‘Nothing further down?’

‘Oh, no. I’m fine in that department.’

‘Prove it, then.’

‘I can’t, because of the arm.’

‘Come again.’

‘The arm. That’s why I suggested a raincheck.’ Just in case that hadn’t settled the matter, he tried giving her something else to think about. ‘The man in the car may not be stalking you. He may be interested in a new viola I’ve been given to play. It’s a valuable item, extremely valuable actually.’

‘He shouldn’t have driven the car at you, whoever he is.’

‘I agree, but I reckon he was trying to drive past me.’

‘Mummy doesn’t think so. She told the cops he meant to hit you.’

‘What did you say?’ he said in alarm. ‘The cops?’

‘Keep your voice down,’ Tippi said. ‘You’ll wake her up. She called in at the police station in Manvers Street tonight and told them what happened. She said it’s her public duty to report him.’

‘For Christ’s sake why?’

‘Well, he was stalking me and he almost killed you.’

‘I wish she hadn’t,’ Mel said.

‘Too late now. I expect they’ll want to hear from you.’

‘I was never in any danger.’

‘Your arm’s hurt. You just said.’

‘Aches a bit. I wouldn’t want to put any weight on it. That’s the problem.’

‘No problem at all.’ Tippi grabbed his pants and yanked them down his thighs. ‘Move into the middle. This’ll be fun. Me on top.’

Tired as he was, he felt himself responding.

At breakfast, he waited for Mrs. Carlyle to raise the matter of the police. He was keen to hear what they’d said, but he couldn’t turn back the clock. What was done was done. And this morning he was done. It had taken a superhuman effort to get downstairs.

‘You were late coming in last night,’ she said while she was cracking the eggs.

‘I hope I didn’t disturb you,’ he said, meaning every word.

‘Not really. I may have heard something. If you disturbed anyone, it was my Tippi. I heard her moving around in the small hours. I’m not expecting her down for breakfast.’

‘I took my shoes off.’

‘Very considerate.’

‘I mean when I first came in.’

‘I believe you. I saw them when I came down this morning.

So was it a good concert?’

‘Not really. I was a bit off.’

‘Played some wrong notes, did you?’

‘It was more a matter of rhythm and tempo. You need to be on top of your form to respond to the other players, and I wasn’t and it showed — not all the time, but enough to shake my confidence and theirs.’

‘Maybe you should have cancelled after all you went through. You’re still looking pale.’

‘It has to be something drastic to call off a concert. People were going to turn up. It was too late to let them know.’

‘If they were told what happened to you and why, they’d be sympathetic. How’s your arm today?’

‘Improving.’

‘They say exercise is the best remedy. Are you up for it?’

For a moment, he was unsure what she meant. Then the plate of bacon and eggs arrived in front of him.

‘Get your knife and fork working on that,’ Mrs. Carlyle said. ‘I told the police you’re a superhero. It’s all on tape. They took me into a special interview room. This was yesterday evening. I decided it was my duty as a mother to report what happened, so I went down to Manvers Street and saw this nice young man in plain clothes called Paul. Far too young to be a copper, in my opinion, but he knew how to treat a lady. Tea and a biscuit, I got. He told me to take as long as I wanted and I had a wicked thought that I can’t repeat to a gentleman like yourself. Anyway, I said what happened, how brave you were and everything, having a go like that.’

‘I wouldn’t call it having a go,’ Mel said. ‘I only went over to speak to the guy.’

‘You got knocked over and injured for your trouble. He’s a danger to the public and I told them so. I don’t want him across the street ogling my Tippi. I know she dresses to attract the men but that’s no reason to have them sitting outside the house like tom cats. You don’t know what they’re thinking. Well, you do, and you don’t want it. He wasn’t her age. He was out of the ark compared to her. I gave them a description, as much as I could.’

‘Are they going to do anything about it?’

‘I don’t expect so, but they’d like a statement from you and I think you ought to go along and volunteer like I did.’

‘They’ll have got as much as they need from you. I didn’t get a proper look at the guy.’

‘But you saw his black Renault Megane, rather too much of it, in fact.’

‘It’s a common make. They’ll never trace it.’

‘That’s not the point. He could be back today. Show them your injuries and they’ll get him for dangerous driving and attempted murder.’

‘I don’t think so. They’re minor injuries.’

‘He needs to be locked up, Mel. If he doesn’t come after my Tippi you can be sure he’ll pick on some other young girl and it could be far worse next time. You don’t want that on your conscience. Besides, they know your name and where you live and what you do for a living. I told them.’

‘Oh, thanks.’

She missed the sarcasm. ‘A mother’s instinct, caring for her young. Under all that make-up is an innocent child.’