Five Years Ago - Jenny
The cafe is busy, humming with the work-day crowd. Customers call by, paying small fortunes for tiny espressos and huge lattes-to-go.
The red-headed waitress serves the clientele. For the most part, they are decent enough types; office workers, suits, maintenance men on the move, students….
She moves through the tables, smoothly performing her job, taking orders. To the front of the cafe is a small area of informal seating; overstuffed settees that look out onto the City through plate glass windows. As she sees the blue-uniformed officer with his back to her, she retreats to the rear of the cafe.
“I’ll do that if you like,” she offers. She knows Daphne detests cleaning the coffee machines, clearing away old grinds and wiping the chrome surfaces until they shine again.
Daphne gives her a grateful look. “You sure?”
“No problem. You take my tables at the front and I’ll do this.”
The red-haired waitress unplugs then dismantles the coffee machine, brushing away used grinds, polishing down the sleek chrome surface, all the while watching the reflection of the police officer’s back, and the man he is talking to, his face obscured by the crowd….
…. “So, what the fuck’s happened to her, Bech?” hisses Klempner. “Where the hell is she?” He is barely recognizable. His hair is much darkened, matching the beard which has changed the line of his jaw. He blinks constantly against the contact lenses which have made his eyes a dark brown that matches the hair. The irritation is doing nothing to improve his mood.
I could slit his fucking throat for this….
…. But I can't afford to lose anyone else right now.
“Find her, Bech.”
“Sir, I will find her. I’m sure.” Bech keeps his voice low, making random jottings on a pad, as though he is interviewing. “I have a good lead through her on-going divorce….”
“Yes…” hisses Klempner. “And how did she come to be married without you informing me of it? You should have pulled her out long ago.”
his feet. “Sir,” he repeats, “I will find her. But with everything that is happening, is
And Klempner’s captain cannot fail to hear the threat in
*****
Richard
Elizabeth and I arrive, the ward sister wears a face that
Is James behaving himself?
patient giving you
disdain of curtain-twitchers everywhere. “Oh, it’s you, Mr Haswell. It’s not the patient, no. He isn’t
Sister,” interrupts the
glowers but retreats. “What was that all about?”
to heaven. “How to put this? Your three friends were…. quite
out to meet my eye
man’s had a bullet in
*****
better. He’s losing the circles under his eyes and that gaunt heaviness he had about him while James’ survival was doubtful. And she has
everything you need?”
something in my wife’s body language
looks up to
stands
But he backs away.
either of them
the magic wand it needs to provide
Sounds like James….
the mend