Lou set the tea tray down and slid a jar of strawberry jam next to the croissants. Will looked at it, then back at her. “What did I do to deserve this? ”
Lou shrugged.
“If the world worked on who deserved what, it’d be a very different place. ”
His good mood didn’t last. He hadn’t slept well, he admitted. Too much on his mind.
Bertie padded over, and Lou scratched the dog’s ears, watching Will carefully. She knew what was bothering him. He still believed Will’s father had attacked him at the Christmas dinner, and no alibi from the man’s grandmother was going to convince him otherwise. “You saw the way he was that night,” Will said.
“Kicking off at everything. ”
“He has an alibi. ”
“His grandma. How convenient.
”
Lou sighed. “What do you gain from winding yourself up? Just let it go. ”
“When did you get so wise?
”
“When croissants talk, I listen. ”
He managed a small laugh. He suggested a takeaway that night, maybe some wine. Bertie could go to a sleepover.
Lou hesitated and told him she couldn’t, she had too much lesson planning to do. He didn’t push it. At the café, Lou worked the counter while Will handled the till. Benny was supposed to be helping with the rota, but he’d gotten distracted, again.
Lou told him to focus. Benny protested he was innocent. “You’ve been faffing with this rota,” Lou said. “Innocent.
”
“Lawrence is not supposed to be working tonight. Now she is. ”
“Maybe she sorted it with the person she swapped with. ”
Lou gave up and started correcting it herself.
Benny watched her for a moment. “You going to call Will? ”
“Such an old man. ”
“Hi.
You don’t call young people to make sure they’re all right. You text them. And also, why? ”
“To see if he’s okay.
”
“Jess, I’m waiting. Call me back. ”
Lou pressed the phone to her ear, then pulled it away. “Will says he’s fine.
”
Benny shook his head. “Oh gosh, wish I had his drive. I could be a successful businesswoman now, married to some posh lawyer. ”
“Mhm.
”
A man at the bar asked for a whiskey. Lou poured it, then noticed he was watching her too closely. She pretended not to see. A young woman approached the counter with a dead phone and asked if she could borrow a charger.
Lou handed one over. Then the man spoke again. “He’s not going to call. ”
“You what?
”
“Your accomplice. Saw you talking with him. ”
Lou went still. “Jess.
”
“After he came casing the hotel, so we had a little chat. And I’m thinking this silence is you not wanting to ask me what he said in case he’s told you things you don’t want me to know. ”
“Don’t know what you’re on about, mate. ”
The man leaned in, voice dropping.
“I’m sick and tired of you behaving like Debbie owes you a living. She owes you nothing. ”
“You think? ”
“I have no idea why she doesn’t just cut you out of her life.
But if you don’t back off, I’ll do it for her. ”
“Oh yeah? How? ”
“Whatever it takes.
Six ways to Sunday, mate. ”
“She’s my wife. ”
“So you think she’d choose you over me? A husband who wants to make the rest of her life better in any way he can, or a selfish coward of a brother?
”
“A selfish coward of a brother? Yeah, you got one of those things wrong, mate. Trying to rip her off? Not visiting her while she’s going through the worst time of her life.
You are selfish and a coward. ”
“Maybe. But I’m not a brother. Debbie owes me.
Because what she’s not bothered to tell you is that I’m her son. So how well do you really know her, Ronnie? ”
The man’s face went blank. “She chose me over Kev.
She’ll choose me over you. Try it. Dare you. ”
Earlier that day, Will had been at the café too, hunched over a laptop.
Lou brought him a coffee and asked what he was working on. He said he was building on the science project, maybe entering a competition. She could tell he was trying to prove something. “That good mood didn’t last very long,” she said.
“Sorry. Didn’t sleep very well last night, that’s all. ”
The truth was, Will had a lot on his plate. School, his mother’s illness, his father being gone, and the constant low-level war with the people who thought he was trouble.
Lou had seen it before. She knew how to read him. A woman at the counter asked about a crystal ball. Lou pointed to a basket of angel cards instead.
“You choose one for your day. Do you want one? ”
The woman picked a card. Lou read it.
“Grace. ”
“Maybe this one’s yours. The grace to sort out conflict. Apologies given and accepted.
”
“Well, I didn’t take a card, so it won’t be mine, will it? ”
Lou smiled and tucked the card into her apron pocket. Later, Lou stopped by the café to sort training for the country competition. A man she hadn’t seen in a while sat at the bar.
He looked familiar, but she couldn’t place him. “You flying solo? No Mr. Kick Off.
”
“Actually, um, hi. ”
“Hi. ”
He explained he’d come to sort out training for the competition, and he’d told Daniel he could come too if he wanted. He wanted to put things behind them, not avoid each other.
“I think you might be missing something there,” Lou said. “Something beginning with an S. ”
“Shake hands? ”
He held out his hand.
Lou took it. “All right, son. I’d be upset if someone attacked me too. Although, be careful who you go accusing, though.
”
“That’s very grown-up of you. ”
“I’m grown-up. ”
A little later, Will came in carrying his training kit. He said he was staying at a mate’s house that night, then added, “Not that it’s any of your business.
”
“Right. Just talking to Miss Walsh first about a race next weekend. ”
He pulled out his phone and made a show of calling her. “Hi, Miss Walsh.
It’s Will. I just wanted to talk to you about the race next week. I know I said earlier that I’m at a mate’s tonight, so I can’t really stay too long. ”
Lou watched him.
“You want a bit of advice? Don’t wear them shoes like that. ”
Will looked down at his trainers. “Why not?
”
“Because you’re not setting a fire till this place is evacuated. It will be as soon as the fire is detected. ”
“Nah. Mate, neither is a murderer.
I’ll supervise the evacuation. I’ll make sure I’m the last out. ”
“I’ll find somewhere else then. ”
“No, I’ll do it.
Just let me figure it out. ”
Lou frowned. “What are you talking about? ”
Will looked up, his face unreadable.
“Nothing. Forget it. ”
He turned and walked out, leaving Lou standing at the counter with a strange feeling in her chest. At home, Lou’s mother, Debbie, sat at the kitchen table.
She looked tired, and Lou knew why. Her brother Ronnie had been at the café again, demanding money, claiming he was owed compensation for being fired. He’d been doing it for weeks now, circling the family like a shark. Lou had told him to stop, but he never listened.
“You’re off gallivanting with your mates,” Debbie said. “Yeah,” Lou said, “if you’d actually transferred me some money or read my texts. ”
“I forgot. I’ll do it now.
”
Lou watched her mother for a moment. “I’m just picking up a package, Brian. It’s for Harper. She’s out in the bedroom now.
”
Brian frowned. “£15, please. ”
“Ten. Late payment fees and interest.
”
“Going to be an accountant, this one. ”
Lou’s daughter Harper came out of the bedroom. “I wish everybody would stop telling me that she’s going to have some high-flying job, mugging me off. ”
“Cheers.
”
Harper looked at her mother. “I’ll get a job. I want a job. Paper girl.
”
“Yeah, I’d love that. ”
Brian sighed. “How old are you? ”
“Everyone blocks me.
”
Lou touched Harper’s shoulder. “Come on, let her, Brian. Please. ”
“But I’ll start tomorrow.
”
“It gets her out of my head when it’s on a morning,” Lou said. “Then I can focus on Harper and Shona. Please. ”
Brian gave in.
He handed Lou the package and the change. Lou tucked the money away and thanked him. The next morning, Lou was at the café early when Benny came in, looking uncomfortable. “Hey, you know that thing you told me earlier about your diagnosis?
”
“Oh, yeah. Keep schtum. ”
“Yeah. It don’t take a lot to be singled out in here, and then you want to blend in.
Some in here use violence as a sport. ”
Lou went quiet. “Speaking of which, you know a Paula? ”
“No.
Why? ”
“Just keeping you right down. Can’t see you. ”
“I knew that I knew you from somewhere,” a voice said from behind her.
Lou turned. A man was leaning against the counter, arms crossed. He was familiar, but she still couldn’t place him. “You don’t remember me, do you?
”
“Yeah, of course I do. ”
“Oh, you do. Start with an apology. ”
“All right.
What for? ”
He stepped closer. “You binned me out of your hotel for no reason whatsoever. ”
“Did I?
”
“For no reason whatsoever. It’s a bar. You make money from people drinking. So, the more drunk, the more money.
”
“Yeah, until it spills over into cleaning carpets. ”
He laughed, but there was no warmth in it. “I don’t like jobsworths. Makes me want to show them where they stand.
”
Lou stared at him. “See you later, Webster. ”
He smiled, slow and cold. “Look at his little face.
Look at his little face while you’re walking him. ”
Lou’s jaw tightened. “You doing my head in, you today. ”
“Likewise.
”
He left, and Lou stood at the counter, heart beating too fast. She knew now. Carl Webster. The one who’d attacked Will.
The one who’d been casing the hotel. And now he was here, in her café, threatening her. She picked up her phone and texted Will. No reply.
At home, Lou’s mother was in the kitchen, looking through a book the librarian had recommended. Lou glanced at the title. “For thy great pain, have mercy on thy little pain. ”
“Sounds a hoot.
”
Debbie smiled weakly. “It’s about a woman who gets herself locked up in a church side room for 20 odd years by choice. ”
“An anchoress. Apparently, it was a thing back then in medieval times.
”
“All right. ”
Lou sat down across from her. “Should I give her my best? ”
“Goodness.
Yes. ”
Lou watched her mother for a long moment. Then she said, “Bernie apologized to me, you know. ”
“Did you have a word?
”
“Well, maybe a hint. Not sure she was best pleased. ”
“Oh, well. She keeps her cards close to her chest, that one.
Been hurt a lot, some I guess. But you know, when you left, she said she was really touched that you cared. ”
Lou’s voice caught. “She said that?
”
“She lights up around you. Honestly. As bright as she gets. I mean, it’s not exactly blinding, is it Bernie?
But yeah, I reckon you definitely had a few watts to her LED, if you know what I mean. ”
Lou laughed, a small broken sound. She looked down at the table. “See you.
”
“See you. ”
Later that evening, Lou sat on the couch in her flat, phone in her hand. She’d texted Will three times with no reply. It was Tuesday night.
He should have been home studying. She typed another message, then deleted it. Her mother came in, holding a tray. “Feel like a takeaway?
Get dressed. ”
“What? ”
“It’s too stressful. I’m not going home.
I just feel like Daniel’s going to buzz any minute and say he’s got a bottle of wine. ”
“Well, I thought you told him you got work to do. ”
“Oh yeah. And fellas never think they’ve had a better idea.
Look, I’ve booked a Travelodge in town. Get dressed quickly. ”
“Can we get room service again? ”
“1800 hours.
”
Lou picked up her coat and followed her mother out the door. She checked her phone one last time before stepping into the lift. Still nothing from Will. Down in the lobby, she ran into Benny.
He was holding a cold beer and looking guilty. “Hey, I’ve been texting you. Thought you must be at the flat. What are you doing out here?
”
“Been for a walk, like you said. ”
“Right, okay. Well, Yusef’s made too many specials, so we’re having tea at the bistro. He’s dishing it up now.
Sam, come on. ”
“Is he on? ”
“Who? ”
“Sam.
He’s everywhere. ”
“Sam is not as smart as he thinks he is. ”
“All right, come on. ”
Lou hesitated.
“Oi, bug lugs. You’ve been faffing with this rota. ”
“Innocent. ”
“Well, Lawrence is not supposed to be working tonight.
Now she is. ”
“Maybe she sorted it with the person she swapped with. ”
“You going to call Will? ”
“Such an old man.
”
Lou pulled out her phone and pressed call. It went to voicemail. She left a message: “Hi. You don’t call young people to make sure they’re all right.
You text them. And also, why? To see if he’s okay. Jess, I’m waiting.
Call me back. ”
She hung up and looked at the screen. The call log showed a number she didn’t recognize from earlier that day. She tapped it, and the name came up.
Ronnie. Her mother’s brother. The one who’d been demanding money from Debbie. The one who’d been hanging around the café, watching her.
And who had he been talking to? The man at the bar had called him an accomplice. The man who said he was Debbie’s son. Lou’s blood went cold.
She looked up, but the street was empty. The rain was starting to fall, heavy and cold. In the distance, a police siren wailed. She walked out into the rain, phone still in her hand, and dialed Will’s number again.
It rang once. Twice. Then it went to voicemail.