‘She’s fucking that bastard?’ I said. ‘She told me she hated him!’
‘That old trick,’ Kayla muttered. She was holding her hand out towards me. She clicked her fingers. ‘Back, please.’
‘And she was doing PR for Ice House,’ I said. ‘Not helping manage Addicta. Fucking useless fucking journalists. Bastards.’
‘Ahem.’ Kayla clicked her fingers again.
‘Have it,’ I said, shoving it into her hand.
‘You’re blushing!’ Kayla said.
‘Who’s blushing?’ Andi said, coming through the door with a tray of coffee and cakes.
‘Ken is; look,’ said Kayla. ‘His old girlfriend’s shagging Brad Baker.’
‘What? The Addicta guy?’
‘Yeah.’
‘Lucky cow!’
‘Yeah. It’s in Q; see?’
‘Oh, yeah.’ Andi tutted, looking at the magazine as she put the tray down. She glanced at me. ‘That’s a shame.’
I looked at Phil. ‘Am I really blushing?’ I felt that I could have been. I certainly felt embarrassed. To still be so affected just because Jo was pictured with somebody else; pathetic.
Phil looked at me carefully. ‘Ta,’ he said absently as Andi handed him his cup and a doughnut. His eyes narrowed behind his glasses and he nodded. ‘Maybe a little.’
‘I think that’s sweet,’ Andi said, looking at me with a rueful, sympathetic smile. In return I managed a mouth-twitch that might, from a distance with the light behind it, have been interpretable as a smile by somebody partially sighted.
‘Reminds me,’ Phil said, clattering at his keyboard. ‘Bit of gossip on the office e-mail.’ He clattered some more. ‘Yeah,’ he said, nodding at the screen. ‘Mouth Corp might be buying Ice House.’
‘Ice Mouth!’ Kayla said.
‘Mouth House,’ Andi suggested.
‘Oh, fuck,’ I said, eloquently.
The Friday show ended. No package. I felt utterly depressed. I was walking along the corridor to the office when my newly switched-on phone vibrated. Yes! I pulled the Motorola from its holster.
Shit; my lawyer, again.
‘Maggie,’ I said, sighing.
‘Good news.’
I perked instantly; lawyers don’t go bandying about phrases like that without very good reason. ‘What? Lawson’s been found in a child abuse ring?’
‘Better. He’s dropped the charges.’
‘You’re kidding!’ I stopped in the corridor.
‘No. He had some backers who were going to bankroll him in any resulting civil action and I think they decided if they saw it through they’d just give you a platform and let you make the point you’re so obviously trying to make. So, they’ve pulled the plug. Mr Brierley has come to the same conclusion.’
That was rich; Lawson and his right-wing pals concerned about giving me a platform. ‘So, is that it?’
‘There’s the matter of costs. We could go after them.’
‘Right, well, you’d better talk to the money or the legal people here about that, but what about any sort of court case? I mean, is that it… for that?’
‘As I say, a civil action appears to have been ruled out, and, given that the police didn’t choose to suggest a prosecution themselves, yes. I think it’s highly unlikely they’ll change their minds now. Looks like you’re in the clear.’
‘Ya fucking beauty!’ I said loudly. ‘So we’ve won!’
‘Well, you could put it that way, but technically we never fought, did we? Let’s say they’ve withdrawn from the field and left it to your good self.’
‘Brilliant. Maggie; thanks for everything you’ve done. I appreciate it. I really do. That’s incredible.’
‘Yes, well, the bill will be in the post, but for what it’s worth, congratulations. It was nice to meet you, Ken.’
‘Likewise, Mags. Superb job. Thanks again.’
‘Okay. Enjoy the champagne.’
‘Damn right! Hey; we’re off soon, here. Do you want to come round for a drink?’
‘Thank you, but I’m very busy. Some other time, maybe. Okay?’
‘Yeah, okay. Thanks again. Cheers now. Bye.’
‘Bye, Ken.’
I walked the last few steps and threw the office door open on a surprised-looking Phil, Kayla and Andi.
I threw my arms wide. ‘Ta-fucking-RA!’
‘Craig! Brilliant! I’ve been trying to get you!’
‘Ken.’
I was standing outside the Bough, looking down the street. Behind me, the pub’s CD box was playing Outkast’s ‘Ms. Jackson’. It was moderately loud in there; we’d persuaded Landlady Clara to turn the volume up to levels commensurate with serious celebration. It was about half six and the sky was as dark as it ever gets in London; the dark of a cloudless night after a clear day. An unseasonal smell of drains wafted in from some grating, briefly faecal before the light breeze flushed it away.
‘I got off!’ I yelled into the mobile. ‘There isn’t going to be a court case! Lawson Fucking Brierley caved in! Isn’t that fucking brilliant?’
‘Yeah. I’m very happy for you.’
His voice chilled me. ‘Craig? What’s wrong?’ I asked, moving further out of the pub’s doorway, further into the street, away from the noise and cheery, beery smell of the pub.
‘Well,’ Craig said. ‘There’s some good news and some bad news, Ken.’
‘What? What is it? Is Nikki okay?’
‘Nikki’s fine. This is not about Nikki.’
That at least, was some sort of relief. ‘Well, what, then?’
‘The good news is that Emma and I are getting back together.’
‘You are?’ I stopped and thought. ‘Well, that is fucking superb! Well done! That’s great. I am so pleased for you. I am really so happy for the two of you. Honestly.’
‘Yeah,’ Craig said, and I could hear him take a deep breath.
‘The bad news is that when we decided we were going to get back together we thought we ought to have a sort of clearing of the decks about other relationships.’
Oh-oh, I thought. ‘Uh-huh,’ I said.
‘I had one or two… episodes to report.’
‘Yeah,’ I said, feeling suddenly cold. ‘Good for you; glad to hear it.’ I leaned back against the stonework by the side of one of the pub’s windows.
‘Emma had one or two little dalliances to put on the table too. And one – just a one-night thing – she didn’t want to tell me about. We were supposed to tell each other everything, but she still didn’t want to name names, or name the name. In fact, she never did tell me directly. But after a bit… well, eventually I just realised who it had to be, Ken.’
There was a long pause. ‘Yes,’ I said.
‘It was you, wasn’t it?’
Oh fuck. Oh fuck, fuck, fuck oh fuck.
‘… You still there, Ken?’
‘I’m still here, man.’
‘So it was you, wasn’t it?’
‘Craig, I-’
‘It was you.’
‘Look, man, I-’
‘It was you.’
‘… Yes, it was me.’
Another long pause. I cleared my throat, shifted my position against the wall, smiled briefly, thinly at a guy walking past who glanced at me and seemed to recognise me.
‘Well, come on, Ken,’ Craig said softly. ‘How do you think that makes me feel?’
I took a deep breath and released it. ‘I love both you guys. I love Nikki, too.’ I had to clear my throat again. ‘It was just something that happened, Craig, not something we planned or, or meant in advance or anything. It was one of those comforting things, just got a bit, ah, just went on a bit beyond, well, you know…?’
‘No, I don’t know, Ken,’ Craig said. ‘The only time I was in a remotely similar situation, like a mug I agreed with Jo that it wasn’t worth jeopardising our relationships with you for a quick shag. I have to say I kind of regret that now. You must have been laughing your head off, inside, when I told you that, mustn’t you?’