Ugly Duckling (17 page)

It was a lovely spring evening and the sea was calm, Just the slightest of breezes blew in bringing with it the smell of the ocean. Liz and John walked along the promenade eating fish and chips from the paper, Liz had made the choice of food after John had offered to take her to several other plush restaurants for an early evening meal, She wasn't averse to having posh meals but for her birthday thought it would be nice just to walk along the prom with fish and chips. She linked arms with John.

'This is really nice John; it’s been a great afternoon. Thank you.'

'Its no problem Liz, I've enjoyed it too. As long as you’re happy.'

John had enjoyed it, it made a change just lately to be with a sensible woman who wasn't trying to hold his crouch at every opportunity, and he liked Liz's company, they weren't together but they weren’t far apart either.  Neither of them had mentioned the kiss in the car, although the memory of it kept coming into John's thoughts, he would have to try it again sometime to see if he had the same feelings, but only when it was appropriate.

'Have you found anything else on Barnett?' He didn't really want to talk about work but it was something they had in common and could discuss with each other.

'Nothing you don't already know John, but won’t the new time scale on his time of death help?' Liz sat on a bench looking out to sea joined by John

'It'll open things up a bit, but we really don't have any leads on Roger Green at the moment, me and Ian are going to pop along to the Straight round the bend club at about 9 tonight, it'll only take about half an hour, then we'll be back to join your party.'

'Don't worry about that John, if you need to work I understand' Liz was sincere in her statement and John couldn't help but draw comparisons between Liz and Jenni.

'No, we'll be back. Its your birthday, wouldn't miss it'

Liz Smiled and held John's hand 'Thanks'

'I had a bit of a dream the other night, it came to me that when this case was over we should all go to Corfu for a holiday, you know the old crowd, Me, You, Ian and of course Jane, Couldn't expect Ian to leave his wife behind while we went on a foreign Jolly, anyway she's pretty much part of the gang now. Would you be up for it?'

Liz looked at John trying to work out the motives behind the suggestion 'I think it sounds like a lovely idea, would you be bringing Jenni?'

Jenni, the thought hadn't even occurred to John that she might want to go, if she was there he wouldn't be spending much time with his friends, probably spend most of it in bed. 'No I don't think I'd ask her, just the old gang. I had a great holiday with Sonia there it'd be nice to go back, bring back some old memories and make some new ones.'

Liz smiled again, pleased with John's answer 'then we'll see what we can do. How are you getting on with Jenni?'

John thought for a moment 'Its OK, the sex is good' he stopped realising that perhaps that wasn't something he should say to another woman, But Liz wasn't just another woman, she was a friend, someone he could talk too about anything. He continued 'the other night she invited me around for a meal, needless to say we ended up in bed, but we had this really fantastic steak that she told me she had cooked, trouble is when I went to the kitchen I found all the take away foils. I don't really know why she had to lie; the food still would have been good.'

Liz laughed 'She's just trying to impress you. If it had been me you would have had beans on toast and for a special treat some bacon over the top washed down with a beer.'

John laughed but the thought of him and Liz sat at a dining table with beans on toast and a beer seemed quite appealing.

Liz stood up 'I suppose we'd better start back towards the pup, its 7:30'.

They slowly walked back through town towards the Laughing Pig chatting happily still arm in arm, as they approach John suddenly said 'Shit, sorry Liz just got to pop to the car, I've left your present in it, you go in I'll be there in a minute.'

Liz went in to the pub to be greeted by Ian, Jane, Phil and Leon plus Gregory Pike who had flown back from Glasgow especially to see Liz on her Birthday.

'Greg! Wow! Thanks for coming, this really has turned into a great Birthday'

They were quickly joined by Jenni who moved across from the other side of the bar.

***

John had left Liz to go in to the Laughing Pig, while he walked to his car to get Liz's present, it was a CD, nothing he'd heard of before but Ian had given him the tip so he was sure it would be the right thing, as he walked he thought about the afternoon, Fred Dunn, the walk along the front, fish and chips, spending time with Liz. He thought how nice and comfortable, even natural, it had all felt. As he approached the car he removed the keys from his pocket and unlocked the car with the familiar “beep” and flashing lights, he opened the passenger door and sat with the door open while he retrieved the present from the glove compartment, as he stood and closed the door he heard a familiar voice.

'Hello D.I Dick, how nice to see you.'

It was Wheeler, the drunk that had caused Sonia's accident and death.

'Gary Wheeler' John snarled 'I wish I could say the same about you!'

'Now, Now Dick, don't be so anti! You wouldn't want the general public seeing you arguing with an invalid would you?' Wheeler had his customary slimy grin.

'Invalid my arse, we both know you're a fake' retorted John.

'I've not been out of this chair since that tragic day, I can’t walk any more' Wheeler feigned a weak, helpless man.

'Don't give me that crap! Maybe not out in public but we both know you can walk, and as soon as I get the proof that'll be good bye benefits!'

'D.I Dick! How could you be so nasty to me after all I was the last one to see your lovely wife alive.'

John could feel the anger building but knew he could do nothing about it, not in such a public place. 'The reason for that, you little bastard, is because you caused the accident that killed her!'

Wheeler gave John a hound dog type of look 'And that accident left me like this, no compensation is ever enough when you've had your legs taken away. And the nightmares of you're wife dying and being unable to move to help her, I wonder how long it took for your unborn child to die?' another slimy grin spread across Wheelers face.

Rage now filled John and he could feel his fist clenching, it was an action Wheeler quickly noticed. Reversing his chair out of Johns reach,

'Anyway, enough of this banter' he said 'I just wanted to mention Jenni to you.'

'What about Jenni?' Johns rage had subsided to just anger now.

'I just wanted to tell you that she isn't what she seems, however, you don't need to worry about it, you probably won’t see her again after tonight' Wheeler started to drive off in his buggy.

'What do you mean? Why won’t I see her after tonight? Wheeler!'

Wheeler continued on his way waving one hand in the air 'Bye, Bye D.I Dick.'

John wanted to go after him, but thought better of it, if he had caught him he was likely to tip him out of the bloody chair just to prove he could walk, but that wouldn't have looked very good on the front page of the newspapers. He took a few deep breaths and started back to the Laughing pig and Liz.

***

Jenni was joining in the conversation with the others while they waited for John to arrive. She knew Ian, and Liz introduced Jane, Leon and Greg,

'So you used to work with Liz' Jenni was saying to Greg

'Yes, we had some great times together over the years' he replied

'Oh?' Jenni's imagination was working overtime 'Where you lovers?'

They all laughed and Jenni felt animosity growing towards them all for it.

'No Jenni' Greg explained 'we were just work colleagues. She's not my type, if you know what I mean, no woman is.'

'Oh, you mean you're gay! Well that might appeal to some women, maybe they see you as a challenge' she turned her gaze to Liz 'Liz, We should do Coffee sometime, give me your number and I'll call you.'

Liz was quite taken aback by this sudden show of affection towards her but handed Jenni her number, not expecting to hear from her.

'John! There you are I was beginning to get worried.' Liz moved on the bench seat allowing John space to sit next to her. Jenni watched.

'Are you ok J.D? You look a bit pissed off.'

'I'm fine Ian, just ran into that slime ball Gary Wheeler that's all.' Phil put a pint down in front of John which he quickly grasped and took a large gulp.

'Don't forget we've got to go out J.D' Ian reminded him

'Yeh I know, its fine. He really pisses me off, going on about how he was the last to see Sonia. He was the bastard that killed her, I'll fucking have him one day!'

Jenni listened to all this with interest, realising who Wheeler was to John, then her concentration was shattered.

'How does he know you?' John was looking straight at Jenni; the others all turned their heads towards her waiting for the answer.

Jenni ignored them and aimed her gaze at John 'John. I need to have a quick word with you in private, then I'll leave you all to get on with Liz's birthday, I don't want to gate crash, But Liz I will call you for that coffee, hope you have a really great Birthday.' she stood and held out her hand for John 'can we just go over to another table'

John took her hand and walked with her to the other side of the bar, well away from prying ears, where they sat at a vacant table. Jenni looked at John and smiled, it was the smile that she had given him the first time they met, the one that reminded him so much of Sonia and like that first time there were tears in her eyes.

'John, I've got to tell you something, I don't want you to interrupt, just listen and I don't want you to Judge me, please just remember who I am now, not who I was.' John nodded his agreement. 'Years ago, when I was at college, before I received my trust fund I was broke. And I mean really broke, I had to get food that had gone out of date from the waste bins of supermarkets, I couldn't afford clothes and my tuition fees were building up. To cut a long story short in order to survive I only had one thing to sell, myself.'

'You went on the game?' John interrupted. Jenni held a finger to his lips and continued.

'Yes. I'm afraid I took to prostitution, I was quite good at it, made quite a lot of money.'

'I bet you did' John meant to think the words to himself but actually said them out loud, much to Jenni's annoyance; she glared at John but continued.

'John it wasn't something I wanted to do, it was survival, but there was a man. Wheeler, he said if I wanted he could get me a better type of client, instead of using my own bedsit it would be hotel rooms and champagne with a much greater income. So I did, for a while, and I did earn some very good money, Wheeler provided the clients and only took 50% of my income, which was good compared to others I was told. But then he kept giving me more and more clients, so many that I didn't have time to study, and I was so tired that I really wanted some time just to sleep, but all Wheeler did was offer me pills to keep me going, which I refused by the way, but then just in time I think, my trust fund came through, I didn't have to work any more, so I told Wheeler I was stopping. He was furious at the time, it meant he was loosing a very good income and he would have to find another girl for his clients, he kept badgering me to carry on but I said No! I didn't need him or his filthy work any more. The only way I could stop him was to leave the area, so I left college and moved as far from the area as I thought I needed. Everything was fine until recently when Wheeler found me, it’s been years since then but he recognised me and followed me home.  Now he keeps pestering me to go back to work, as he puts it. He keeps telling me I was the best and I shouldn't be selfish, it was his income as well and now he doesn't have any money but I could help him, but I'm not going to, I don't want to return to that type of work and I have no need to now, my fund is more than enough for me to live on without being a sex worker. ‘Jenni’s eyes were filling with even more tears now. 'So here's the worst bit' she took a deep breath 'John I can’t see you for a while, I need to go away for a few days, just to get my head straightened out, I don't want you to get involved. Not yet anyway, I want you to respect me and allow me a few days’, that's all. And if I need help then I'll ask you for it, I promise.' she paused and looked at John 'Do you feel badly about me? Will you still want to see me?'

'Of course I will, things that happened in the past are exactly that, they happened in the past. Are you sure you don't want me to sort out Wheeler? I'd really enjoy it.'

Jenni let out a weak tearful laugh 'No John, Give me a few days, that's all. Now you go back to your friends and I'll call you soon. Bye John.' She stood and kissed John gently before leaving. John waited a few moments absorbing what he had been told before returning to Liz and the others.

'Everything OK J.D' Ian asked

'I'll tell you later,' turning to Liz he took from his pocket a CD still in the bag and handed it to Liz 'Here you are Liz. Happy birthday, sorry didn't have time to wrap it' he winked.

'Thanks John, you shouldn't have' Liz took the bag and removed the CD; it was an album by “The Boscombe Downbeats” called “Tonight”. 'Oh' Liz had a look of disappointment on her face 'That's lovely, Thank you.'