One Night Only (39 page)

“
T
im
e
out?
”
sai
d
Ruth
,
lettin
g
ou
t
a
dream
y
sigh
.

T
es
s
looke
d
a
t
Rut
h
an
d
realise
d
tha
t
i
f
anyon
e
needed
a
brea
k
–
an
y
o
f
th
e
thre
e
o
f
the
m
–
i
t
wa
s
he
r
wit
h
her snot-staine
d
fac
e
an
d
bloodsho
t
eye
s
an
d
loo
k
o
f
utter despai
r
.
Bu
t
despit
e
wha
t
sh
e
ha
d
jus
t
witnessed
,
T
ess
couldn
’
t
brin
g
hersel
f
t
o
invit
e
he
r
.
Sh
e
jus
t
couldn
’
t
.

An
d
anyho
w
,
sh
e
kne
w
–
sh
e
jus
t
kne
w
tha
t
sh
e
didn
’
t
hav
e
to
.
Sh
e
kne
w
tha
t
tha
t
littl
e
piec
e
o
f
th
e
jigsa
w
would
b
e
lef
t
t
o
he
r
darling
,
carin
g
siste
r
.
Y
es
,
Poll
y
woul
d
take car
e
o
f
it
.
I
n
fact
,
T
es
s
kne
w
sh
e
woul
d
hav
e
aske
d
Ruth alon
g
befor
e
T
es
s
eve
n
reache
d
th
e
fron
t
doo
r
.

Gin
a
didn
’
t
eve
n
notic
e
Ruth
’
s
ca
r
i
n
th
e
drivewa
y
,
such wa
s
he
r
eagernes
s
t
o
tel
l
he
r
dea
r
neighbou
r
he
r
most
excitin
g
news
.
Sh
e
wouldn
’
t
hav
e
care
d
tha
t
Poll
y
ha
d
a
visito
r
,
eve
n
i
f
sh
e
ha
d
noticed
.
Sh
e
wa
s
walkin
g
o
n
ai
r
.
Sh
e
wa
s
gidd
y
wit
h
excitement
.
Sh
e
ha
d
t
o
tel
l
someone.
Sh
e
ha
d
t
o
tel
l
Poll
y
.

“I’v
e
don
e
it!
”
sh
e
said
,
shakin
g
an
d
gigglin
g
i
n
shock whe
n
Poll
y
le
d
he
r
int
o
he
r
kitchen
,
minute
s
afte
r
T
ess
ha
d
left
.

Gin
a
wa
s
cling
y
an
d
gidd
y
an
d
sh
e
kep
t
coverin
g
her mout
h
wit
h
he
r
han
d
lik
e
a
schoolgir
l
wh
o
couldn
’
t
quite
believ
e
he
r
luc
k
whe
n
sh
e
wa
s
announce
d
bes
t
pupi
l
i
n
the
class
.

“
Y
ou’v
e
don
e
what
,
love?
”
aske
d
Poll
y
,
glancin
g
from Gin
a
t
o
th
e
lad
y
sittin
g
a
t
th
e
table
.
Gin
a
ha
d
neve
r
seen
he
r
befor
e
bu
t
sh
e
looke
d
lik
e
sh
e
ha
d
bee
n
throug
h
the w
ars
.
“
Y
ou’v
e
go
t
a
job?
”
Poll
y
kne
w
ho
w
muc
h
sh
e
wanted
t
o
ge
t
bac
k
t
o
work
.

“No
,
no,
”
sai
d
Gina
.
“It
’
s
no
t
abou
t
work
.
Thoug
h
that
migh
t
b
e
m
y
nex
t
move
.
I’v
e
lef
t
T
revor
!
I’v
e
don
e
it
,
Polly!”
“Wha
t
th
e
–
”
Poll
y
couldn
’
t
tak
e
an
y
mor
e
drama
.

Thi
s
wa
s
certainl
y
a
Frida
y
t
o
remembe
r
.

“
W
ell
,
I
didn
’
t
actuall
y
leav
e
hi
m
a
s
such,
”
sai
d
Gina. He
r
eye
s
wer
e
wid
e
an
d
Poll
y
ha
d
neve
r
see
n
someone befor
e
wit
h
pupil
s
s
o
large
.
“
I
tol
d
hi
m
t
o
leav
e
me
.
T
o
leav
e
us
.
He
’
s
gone
.
T
o
he
r
.
H
e
wa
s
gon
e
withi
n
minutes.
I’
m
free
,
Poll
y
.
I’
m
free!
”

Poll
y
le
d
Gin
a
t
o
th
e
kitche
n
tabl
e
an
d
pulle
d
ou
t
a
chai
r
opposit
e
th
e
othe
r
woman
,
wh
o
seeme
d
gla
d
t
o
be ou
t
o
f
th
e
spotlight
,
bu
t
Gin
a
wa
s
a
s
stif
f
a
s
a
corpse
.
She
wouldn
’
t
si
t
down
.