When Jack got back to the squad room, Laura was putting on her coat. Jack launched into his handover. ‘There’s a connection to Ireland. I need you to trace the movements of Avril Jenkins between—’
‘Whoa! It’s six thirty. I’m going home.’ Jack looked at Laura as though he thought she was slacking ‘I’m happy to help you tomorrow,’ Laura said, picking up her handbag. ‘But just as a reminder, Jack, I’m a DS too. So, try asking me, not telling me.’ She headed for the door. ‘I’m glad Hove was productive. See you bright and early, when I’ll be raring to go... Night, sir.’ Jack spun to see Ridley standing right behind him.
Ridley started the conversation by pointing out that Jack had already got the team running around making enquiries in Amsterdam and Germany... and now Ireland? ‘We’re thin enough on the ground as it is, so you’ll need to convince me it’s a good use of resources.’ Ridley slid his hands into his pockets and perched on the edge of the nearest desk. ‘You’re off for the rest of the week now, right? Step away, Jack. Take the time to enjoy your stag night and your wedding.’
‘Actually, sir, Ireland is this new lead which I—’
‘No,’ Ridley said firmly. ‘Hand it over to Laura tomorrow, as she suggested. You think every new lead will end with Adam Border. Maybe this time it will. Maybe it won’t. But you’re getting married, Jack. The job isn’t that important in the big scheme of things, believe me. Take some leave. A week. Take Maggie on honeymoon.’
Jack didn’t understand where all of this was coming from, but suspected Steve-sodding-Lewis was throwing his weight around again. Something was happening higher up than Ridley and now Jack was being kept out of the loop.
Chapter 25
By the time Jack reached his car in the police station car park, he was no longer so pissed off by the conversation he’d just had.
Perhaps Laura and Ridley had the right idea — she’d decided to actually have a life outside of the job and Ridley wasn’t sacrificing his current health for it. Jack was days away from getting married, for God’s sake, yet he was more excited by the prospect of heading to Ireland and tracking down the elusive Adam Border than spending time with his wife-to-be.
Jack called Maggie on FaceTime. When she appeared on his screen, she was in scrubs with her face mask pulled down and tucked beneath her chin. ‘You OK? I got one minute for you. Or can it wait till I come out of surgery?’
‘One minute is all I need.’ Jack couldn’t wait to see how surprised and happy Maggie would be when he told her his news. ‘I’ve got a week’s leave. So, we can get married, spend the day being sociable then, as soon as everyone’s gone home, we can disappear off on honeymoon for a few days. I’ll sort it with Mum. Where would you like to go?’
The smile that appeared on Maggie’s face wasn’t the sort he was hoping for. He’d amused her rather than delighted her. She said that, firstly, they had a suite booked for the wedding night, so they couldn’t take off straightaway. And secondly, why did he take a week off without first making sure that she could do the same? She ended by saying, ‘I love you,’ and then hung up.
Fuck, Jack thought to himself. He could cope with a week off work if it meant spending time with Maggie, but if it meant spending time alone, stewing in his own juices... that would be carnage.
As Jack pulled up outside the house, Penny was on the pavement trying to lift an Amazon parcel over the doorstep, whilst shouting into the house telling Hannah not to crawl out of sight. ‘Come back, darling. Hannah! Grandma can’t see you.’ Her voice was light and sing-song, so as not to make Hannah think she was being told off, but Jack could hear the stress in it. Jack swept up behind Penny and took the weight of the parcel from her, leaving her free to run inside and catch up with Hannah.
As Jack put the parcel onto the kitchen table, Penny felt the need to launch into an explanation. ‘I wanted to get it indoors because it was in full view of the street, and you never know who’s walking past. Some people just take parcels off the doorstep. And Hannah’s so fast now! And strong-willed. Maybe we should get one of those doorbell cameras.’
Jack glanced into the dining room, where Hannah had pulled herself to her feet using a pile of unopened packages. She was slapping her hand down on a small piece of face up sellotape and scream-laughing at the feel of it. Jack asked what on earth Penny had been buying.
‘They’re wedding presents, darling. You and Maggie need to open them one evening soon, when you’re together. I’ve bought you some thank-you cards. And I’ve bought wrapping paper for the gifts you need to buy.’
‘Who am I buying gifts for?’
‘The bridesmaids and the best man.’ The way Penny looked at Jack reminded him of when he was a boy and he’d asked a stupid question like why he had to wear shoes to school. ‘It’s traditional to thank them with a gift. An item of jewellery for the bridesmaids and perhaps a good bottle of single malt for Simon. I can buy them for you if you don’t have time.’
‘No, no. I’ve got plenty of time on my hands.’ Jack ventured into the dining room and picked up Hannah. As soon as she was in his arms, she strained to be down again, so he stood her on the tallest box, held her by the hands and let her bounce up and down on it.
Penny shook her head. ‘Let’s hope that’s not a crystal decanter!’ Her sarcasm went unheard. ‘Hannah and I were about to go to the park,’ she went on. ‘Would you like to come? Some fresh air?’ As soon as Hannah heard the word ‘park’, she reached for Penny. Jack winced: Hannah was now the third person in a row to blatantly reject him. Jack knew that he wasn’t good company right now, so said that he needed to shower. Penny squeezed his arm and gave him one of those pitying smiles that only a mother could get away with. Then she gave him the space he wanted.
Jack stood in the shower, allowing the water to pound his scalp and reinvigorate his mood. By the time Penny got home, he was feeling far more sociable. Hannah had fallen asleep in her pushchair, so she was parked in the dining room amongst the parcels whilst Penny put the kettle on. Jack sat at the kitchen table.
‘So, what still needs doing?’ Penny looked at him as if she didn’t understand the question. ‘For the wedding. What still needs doing? I’ve got a week off, so I can...’ Before Jack could finish, Penny started to giggle. She pressed her fingers against her lips and apologised, then quickly tried to think of jobs she could give Jack, to make him feel useful but also to keep him out of her way. Jack picked up on what she was doing. ‘Great!’ Jack said. ‘Is there anyone who does need me around?’
‘Oh, stop that,’ Penny said. ‘You caught me unawares, that’s all. There’s still plenty to do, and I’d be very grateful of your help, darling. Oh Jack, you should see everything Maggie’s managed to pull together. She’s worked so hard. I’ll make a list of what’s left and give you some jobs. There might be a lot of fetching and carrying, if you don’t mind. Things I can’t do.’ Penny chattered on as she started preparing the organic vegetables for dinner. ‘The menus are all done. Maggie’s been extremely clever with them because two of her nurse friends are vegetarians, two are vegan and one is on the paleo diet, whatever that is when it’s at home! Something to do with cavemen. But she didn’t want them to feel singled out by having something on their plate that looked different. So, she’s been very careful to choose a menu that means everyone’s dinner looks the same. The flowers are arriving first thing on Saturday morning, and the car taking us all to the registry office is booked for an hour beforehand. It’s a Mercedes S-Class.’ Penny paused meaningfully, and Jack pretended to be suitably agog at how well she and Maggie had done to choose such a beautiful vehicle. ‘Everyone else is getting there under their own steam. Maggie did toy with the idea of a double-decker bus to take everyone, including us.’