As soon as I got into my room I called Jacob. My mobile didn’t seem to be able to pick up a signal, which I wasn’t sure was down to just being in a dodgy cell area, or whether it wouldn’t work in Ireland at all. I made a mental note to ask.
I used the hotel phone instead, aware that they were probably charging me through the nose for the privilege. I caught Jacob at home and gave him a brief run-down of the trip so far. He gave me the latest news on Sam’s condition, which was remarkably good, all things considered. I asked how Clare was. Her temperature was up, he told me. My father was concerned about possible infection.
“I know I’m probably biased, but she’s in very good hands,” I said.
“I know that, too,” he said, still sounding anxious. “But even so . . .”
***
I showered and changed and met the others downstairs afterwards in the bar. By the time I arrived, everyone was there apart from Tess. I assumed she was still primping. They stopped talking when I appeared, which I tried not to let annoy me.
The boys had made an effort, wearing shirts or T-shirts with designer logos on the breast and, appropriately enough, a range of Nike pub shoes. Even Paxo’s hairstyle was looking spruce again.
Instinctively, I’d dressed to blend in, putting on the one pair of jeans I’d brought with me plus a rugby shirt. There was still enough residual heat left in the day to make it a bit too warm for long sleeves and a high collar, but at least they hid the new bruises on my arms and the old scars around my neck.
Eighteen months previously I’d been unlucky enough to get my throat half cut and I now had a long ragged scar round the base of my neck that was my constant reminder of the incident. It was fading all the time but to me it was as obvious as a flashing neon necklace. I didn’t want to have to explain to the Devil’s Bridge Club how it had got there, or what I’d had to do in order to survive the experience.
“So, Charlie,” Daz said as soon as I’d perched on a bar stool and ordered a beer, “tell us all about Sean Meyer.”
I eyed the barman, who worked on without any indication that he was listening in on the conversation, then shrugged cautiously. “What’s to tell?”
“Well, what’s the story with the two of you?”
“I work for him,” I said, deliberately obtuse.
Daz made a gesture of frustration and William took over.
“What Daz means is,” he asked solemnly, “are you shagging him?”
That brought a burst of laughter that sounded raucous to my ears, set my nerves on edge. I smiled because it was the best defence but inside I went cold and solid. I was overwhelmed by the urge to break things. Bones, mainly.
“I think that’s a question you should ask Sean,” I said, sweetly. “Only, I’d do it over the phone if I were you. It might hurt less.”
***
Tess appeared about twenty minutes later, in full make-up and her usual array of jangling silver jewellery. She was also wearing heels and a very short skirt that revealed a pair of eye-catchingly good legs. Just about every male eye in the room swivelled in their direction. The barman even attempted to casually lean over the bar to keep them in view as she approached.
She sinuously elbowed her way into the group between me and Daz. I had to take a step back to avoid having my insteps punctured by those stilettos.
“Right, where are we going then?” she demanded.
Considering the boys had already had a couple of pints each by that time, I viewed her question with alarm, but Jamie mentioned a pub that he reckoned was within walking distance and had a pool table, bar food and some decent music.
“We can walk up and maybe get a cab back, yeah?” he suggested.
“Why not?” Daz said, eyeing Tess’s heels with a flicker of amusement.
He was still smiling when we all stepped out of the hotel entrance into the still-bright evening sunshine, then his face snapped shut like he’d had a smack in the mouth.
Waiting in the car park on the other side of the road was a dark grey Vauxhall Vectra with four men inside. They were uniformly big men, and would have fitted any of the categories Sean had suggested when we’d spotted them earlier.
They’d been pulled up near our bikes and just for a moment after we appeared, they looked as shocked by the unexpected encounter as we must have done. Then the driver stamped on the gas and the car shot off, scattering gravel and snaking slightly as it hit the road again.
Shaken out of our temporary immobility, we sprinted across the road, not to give chase but to check on the bikes. We’d chained them all together like convicts and couldn’t see any sign that they’d been tampered with. None of the alarm systems registered a trigger.
“Well I s’pose that answers my question,” Tess said ruefully as she joined the rest of us at a pace her footwear would allow.
I nodded. But if the Vectra was shadowing us, where the hell was Sean?
***
We still made the mile walk to the pub Jamie had mentioned, even though I got the impression nobody’s heart was really in it any more. The pub was bright and lively and only got livelier as Friday night hotted up. Tess’s attire ensured she was the centre of attention and she flirted shamelessly with anyone who had a pulse. And with one or two for whom the matter looked pretty debatable.
After we’d eaten, I stayed round the pool table playing a team game with William against Paxo and Jamie, and making a bottle of Grolsch last the evening. It didn’t take long before I understood Daz’s previous reluctance to take on Paxo at pool. He was a demon player. If Jamie hadn’t been bad enough to handicap him, they’d have walked all over us.
“She’s asking for trouble, that one,” William murmured as I straightened from a difficult pot into the centre pocket, having managed to screw the cue ball back up the table for the next shot.
I followed his gaze and saw that two local lads were sizing each other up over Tess. Their body language had taken on the aggressive posturing of two dogs circling with their hackles up before the fight starts. Tess sat on a bar stool in the middle, her legs crossed to reveal a large amount of tanned thigh. She was sipping her drink and smirking. Daz, I saw, was watching proceedings like a spectator rather than a participant. I wondered if she was trying to make him jealous.
“Do you think we ought to do anything?” Jamie murmured, frowning.
“Mm, put myself between two randy young devils and a bitch in heat?” William said, shaking his head. “I don’t think so.”
“Well don’t look at me,” Jamie said, grinning. “Charlie’s the kung fu expert. Why can’t she break them up?”
“What do you suggest?” Paxo asked. “A bucket of cold water?”
“Oh for heaven’s sake,” I muttered, handing Jamie my cue and my bottle of beer. “Here – don’t do anything with either of these until I get back.”
I walked over to the bar and leaned on it casually near where Tess’s admirers were just starting to curl their lips at each other. I pulled out a fiver and waited as though to catch the eye of one of the busy bar staff.
“By the way, Tess,” I said, speaking clearly and leaning back a little so she was in line of sight. “You didn’t tell me who was babysitting your little girl while you’re away?”