‘What made Alex crash into Derek?’
‘I don’t know. Oil on the track? A lapse in concentration? Any number of things could have caused it. We’ll never know.’
‘So Derek’s threat was just a threat after all.’
‘Yes. I’m sorry. I was totally wrong. I shouldn’t have made you think otherwise.’
Alison was silent for a long moment. ‘It’s OK. You didn’t convince me. You only echoed what I believed.’
It was kind of her to say so.
‘Are you still racing in the Festival?’
‘Yes. Steve and I will be working on the car tomorrow. We’re testing the car Wednesday and qualifying is Friday.’
‘Do you need help?’
‘I’d love it.’
‘Eric and Laura came over yesterday to see me. We talked and we’d like to make the Festival Alex’s official goodbye to motor racing. So, we’d like to help out.’
‘That sounds great. If you don’t mind getting your hands dirty, come over tomorrow.’
‘We will.’
I stayed late at work the following day. It was my attempt to make up for my no-show the day before. I couldn’t really explain myself either. Brennan’s orders. Relations between my bosses and me had become strained over recent weeks on account of my absenteeism. This wasn’t helped by the fact that I’d be out the rest of the week for the Formula Ford Festival. I’d pushed them to the limit and felt my career was on life support.
After a difficult day at the office, I drove myself to Archway. There was no need for a personal escort anymore. The war with Derek was over. I could return to my normal life, despite the dishevelled mess I’d made of it.
I arrived at Archway to find a packed house and team briefing in progress without me. Steve had Dylan, the Fannings, Alison and her father clustered around the Mygale. He was going over individual duties with them from wheel checks to pre-race inspections. Steve was in his element. A life spent in the pit lane meant he hadn’t lost his professionalism or discipline. The Festival was a big deal and there wasn’t room for error. It was fun seeing him marshalling his lieutenants, although a tad disappointing that no one had bothered to invite me to my own party. I was the driver after all.
My arrival ruined Steve’s disciplined control. The second Alison saw me, she rushed over and crushed me in a hug. After all that had happened, it felt good to be held. I couldn’t fall or come to harm if someone held me. Even though the Fannings and Mr Baker were there in front of me, I couldn’t help myself and I hugged her back.
‘I’m so happy you’re safe,’ she said.
‘Me too,’ I said.
She took me in for a second, examining my cuts and bruises. ‘You look terrible.’
It wasn’t the homecoming I wanted to hear, but it made me smile. ‘Thanks. That makes me feel a whole lot better.’
‘Shut up. Promise me that you three won’t do anything as stupid as that again.’
‘We’ll try not to.’
She pulled away from me. ‘You need to do more than try.’
‘OK, we won’t. I guarantee it.’
The Fannings came over and Mr Fanning shook my hand. ‘I don’t know what to say. You three did something very brave.’
It looked as if Steve and Dylan had divulged some details of our activities from two nights ago. It was probably hard not to considering their battered state. It was bound to raise questions.
‘And more than a little stupid,’ I said.
‘Bravery and stupidity go hand in hand,’ Mrs Fanning added.
I didn’t have an answer for that.
‘It’s just so hard to believe,’ Mr Baker said, slipping an arm around his daughter’s shoulders. ‘These were people we knew and trusted. Just unbelievable.’
It was, but it wasn’t as unbelievable as the dumb ideas I’d built up about Alex’s murder. I felt self-conscious in front of Alex’s parents and Alison.
‘Can we get back to the job at hand?’ Steve asked.
I raised my hands in surrender and ushered everyone back to the car.
Steve resumed the team briefing. I stood off to one side while he talked everyone through their tasks and demonstrated how to do anything anyone didn’t understand. He stopped when the thump-thump of the music from the Jumping Bean next door became too much for him.
‘Let’s get some dinner,’ Mr Fanning said. ‘It’s on me.’
We went next door and were seated immediately. There was a nice vibe around our table. A weight had been lifted from everyone’s shoulders. Nobody wanted to be serious and we could have kept it going all night, but we all needed an early start. Tomorrow kicked off a series of long days until the end of the Festival.
Mr Fanning settled the bill and we all walked out into the night. The Fannings had driven to Archway, while Alison and her father had taken the train. We walked the Fannings to their car and saw them off. Steve and Dylan went back to Archway to finish up for the night while I walked Alison and her dad to the railway station. I saw them all the way to the ticket barriers. I thanked them and shook hands with Mr Baker. He inserted his ticket and passed through the barrier. Alison hung back.
‘I’ll be with you in a minute, Dad.’
He looked a little put out at being segregated, but he nodded. ‘Don’t be too long, OK?’
She smiled. ‘I won’t.’
She waited until her dad disappeared from sight in the direction of the platforms before speaking, ‘I hope you don’t mind that I involved Alex’s parents in this race.’
‘Of course not. This race is important to a lot of people.’
‘You’ve become important to a lot of people,’ she corrected, then blushed.
‘Have I become important to you?’
Her hesitation was slight, but it was there. ‘Yes.’
‘But?’ I said.
‘I’m not ready for someone new. I care for you, Aidy. I didn’t think I could so soon after Alex, but there’s a big difference between caring for someone and finding someone. Does that make sense?’
‘Yes.’
‘I suppose what I’m trying to say is that I feel a connection between us, but I’m not ready for more right now and I’m hoping you understand and that you can wait.’
There’d been girls, but they’d all been short term flings. Alison was different. I felt we had something potentially far more serious developing between us. For once, I was willing to be smart about this. ‘I’m not going anywhere,’ I said.
Her nervous expression turned into a grin. ‘Thank you. You’re a special guy.’
‘It comes easy for some.’
She pulled me to her and kissed me. ‘See you tomorrow.’
I waited until she’d slipped through the barriers and disappeared from sight before heading down the slope to Archway.
Steve and Dylan met me with smiles when I let myself back into the workshop. They were pulling out the tools and equipment we’d need for tomorrow and setting them out so they could be loaded straight into the van in the morning. They stopped what they were doing to look me over.
Dylan tapped his watch. ‘Someone took their time saying goodbye. Is that the reason for the big smile?
‘Leave the lad alone,’ Steve said. ‘She’s a great girl, Aidy. Be good to her. Just keep your hands where we can all see them.’
‘I’ll try. Thanks.’
They grinned like idiots before Steve tugged on Dylan’s sleeve and they went to the bathroom. While they washed up, I admired the Mygale. It looked great sitting on its stands, despite Hancock’s name on the side. This was my car. My chance to prove myself. Not to show the racing world that I was as good as my dad, but that I was just good. I wasn’t going to be an also-ran at the Festival. I was going to do my best to make an impact.