His eyes flew open, then he scowled. But what am I saying here?
This fear, Beede primed him.
Yes. Of course. Fear. This fear
The German rapidly clicked back into gear again. I have a feeling aa suspicion, you might say that this dread, thisthisthis fhar may be linked in some wayconnected in some way he jinked his head towards the pony, conspiratorially to it. To that. To he struggled to find the correct noun, to khor-khor-khorsam
He shook his head, scowling. Khorsam. Horsam. Hors. Horse. Horsey. Horse. Horses.
He glanced over at Beede, breathlessly, for confirmation. Beede nodded, encouragingly.
But you see Im notI cant be entirelyuhcertus, he scowled, then winced, then forged doggedly onward, certānus He paused. Cer-tan. I cant be certain, because its still just anan inkling he shuddered a slight shadow in the back of my mind. A hunch. Nothing more.
While he spoke he distractedly adjusted the wedding band on his finger (twisted it, as if of old habit), then gradually grew aware of what he was doing and glanced down. Whats this? His eyes widened. A ring? A gold ring? On my third finger? He glared at Beede, almost accusingly. Can that be right?
Beede nodded. He seemed calm and unflustered; as if thoroughly accustomed to this kind of scenario.
Mein Gott! The Germans handsome face grew stiff with incredulity.
Youre telling me ImIm
Married? Beede offered. Yes. Yes, you are. Very happily.
Seriously?
Just wait a while, Beede patted his arm, and everything will become clear. I promise.
Youre right. Youre right the German smiled at him, gratefully,
I know that
But he didnt seem entirely convinced by it.
So do you have any thoughts on where the horse mayve came from? Beede enquired, gently stroking the mares flanks. She was exhausted. Her tongue was protruding slightly. There were flecks of foam on her neck and her ribcage. He was concerned that someone inside the restaurant might see them (a member of staff the manager). They were in a childrens play area, after all. The horse was plainly stolen. Did this qualify as trespass?
The German closed his eyes for a moment (as if struggling to remember), and then the tension suddenly lifted from his face and he nodded. I see a field in the middle of two roads, curving he murmured softly, his speech much less harsh, less halting than before, and beyondbeyond I see Romney. I see the marshes.
He opened his eyes again. I was checking over a couple of vacant properties earlier, he explained amiably, in South Willesborough
Then he started
Eh?!
and spun around, as though someone had just whispered something detestable into his ear.
WHO SAID THAT?! he cried.
Who said what?
Beedes voice was tolerant but slightly teachery.
AboutAbout South Willesborough? He continued to look around him agitatedly. Was it you? Did you speak? Were you there earlier?
Hmmn. A field in the middle of two roads curving Beede mused (pointedly ignoring the Germans questions), I think I know the place. And its not too far. Perhaps a mile a little more. Well need to lead her back quickly. Someone might miss her. Do you have a belt?
The German peered down at himself. Yes, he said, and automatically started to unfasten the buckle. Ill take mine off, too, Beede said, unfastening his own.
The German pulled his belt free, passed it over, then tentatively sniffed at the arm of his jacket. Urgh! he croaked. What on earth have I been doing? I smell disgusting, and looklookI have horse hair simply everywhere
He began frantically patting and slapping at the fabric, but after a couple of seconds he froze mid-slap as something terrible dawned on him. Oh Christ, he gasped. Oh Jesus Christthe car. Wheres the car? What on earth have I done with it?
Beede had buckled the two belts together. He whispered soothingly into the mares ear and then looped them around her neck. She was a sweet filly. She nodded a couple of times as he pulled the leather tighter.
On the second nod and completely without warning the German sprang back with a loud yell. The horse took fright and reared up. Beede clung on, resolutely.
Hey, hey he hissed (managing rather miraculously to rein in both the horse and his temper), just calm down, Dory. She wont hurt anybody. Shes worn out. Lets try and hold this situation together, shall we?
But I hate horses, the German whimpered, hugging himself, tightly (the way a frightened girl might), and gazing up at the horse with a look of sheer, unadulterated terror. I absolutelyII loathe them
But I hate horses, the German whimpered, hugging himself, tightly (the way a frightened girl might), and gazing up at the horse with a look of sheer, unadulterated terror. I absolutelyII loathe them
Thats fine, Beede interrupted, Ill lead the horse, see? Beede led the horse two steps forward. The horse is fine. Everythings fine. Theres no need to panic. Everythings just fine here.
But the German was still panicking. Oh God, he wailed, if Ive lost the car theyll sack me for sure. Then where will we be?
You wont have lost it, Beede said determinedly.
Why? He grew instantly suspicious. How do you know? How can you be sure? Were you there?
No. No, I was here, Beede pointed towards the French Connection, I was in the restaurant. I was having a coffee with my son. My son is called Kane. Hes still inside, actually.
As he pointed, Beede glanced over towards the window where Kane had stood previously. The window was empty. Coffee? The German peered over towards the window, scowlingCoffee?but then something powerful suddenly seemed to strike him a revelationBut of course! he gasped. KaffeekaffkaffKoffee. Coffee. I remember that. I know that. I know kaffee
He put a tentative almost fearful hand up to his own chin and gently explored it with the tips of his fingers. Then he smiled (it was a brilliant smile), then he gazed at Beede, almost in wonder.
Beede, he said, rolling the name around in his mouth like a boiled toffee. Then he clutched at his stomach (as if the memory had just jabbed him there), leaned sharply forward and took a quick, rasping gulp of air
Oh God
Oh God
Just to beto beto be
He stared around him, quite amazed
Where?
Of course, Beede smiled back, clearly relieved by this sudden show of progress (tastes and smells, he found, were often the key), of course you remember
He placed a reassuring hand on to the Germans broad shoulder. Now deep breath, deep breath are you ready? Shall we get the hell out of here?
Kelly Broad was sitting on a high wall, chewing ferociously on a piece of celery. She was passably pretty and alarmingly thin with artificially tinted burgundy hair
Because Im worth it
Her face was hard (but with an enviable bone-structure), her look was urban hooded top (hood worn up), combat mini-skirt and a pair of modern, slightly scuffed, silver trainers (the kind astronauts wore devoutly whenever they went jogging above the atmosphere). No socks (not even the ones you could buy which made it look like you werent wearing any the half-socks you got at JD Sports or Marks & Spencer).
Her legs were bare and white and goose-bumping prodigiously. But she didnt feel the cold. She had bad circulation, weak bones (fractured both her wrists when she was nine in a bouncy-castle misadventure. Earned herself a tidy £3,000 in compensation, and the whole family got to spend three weeks in Newquay; her gran lived there), a penchant for laxatives and an Eating Disorder
Might as well bring that straight up, eh?
Un,
Deux,
Trois
Bleeeaa-urghhh!
Although her eating habits (if you wanted to get pedantic about it and Kelly did, because she was) were ridiculously orderly (the Weight Watchers manual was her bible; she drew up a special weekly menu and stuck to it religiously, counted every calorie, took tiny mouthfuls, ate with tiny cutlery just like Liz Hurley), so it wasnt actually a problem, as such; more of aa preference, really. She simply preferred her food fat-free. It was a Life-Style decision (the kind of thing they were always banging on about in magazines and on the telly), and so all perfectly legitimate (especially when your own mother was too big to cram herself into an average-size car-seat used the disability section on the bus belly arrived home seven seconds before her arse hadnt seen her toes since 1983Feet? They had their own fucking passports down there).
Kelly came from a bad family.
No. No. That was just too easy. They werent bad as such (no, not bad) so much asas knownas familiar asas
Notorious
That was it
And only locally. Only in Ashford
Well
and maybe in Canterbury. And Gillingham (where her older sister Linda supported The Gills I mean really supported them with a fist-guard, business cards, a retractable-blade). And in parts of Folkestone. And Woodchurch. And some of those smaller places which didnt really matter (except to the people living there).
In the local vicinity, basically. It wasnt national or anything (no special reports on Crimewatch UKaside from a small, pointless item on Network South EastNovember 2001. And that didnt really count. It was probably just a quiet day a craft fair had been rained off in Sheppey or something and they had to fill up the time somehow, didnt they? Yeah. So the Broads copped it again Uncle Harvey; Dads oldest brother; the worlds shonkiest builder
Blah blah).
Notorious.
Like the Notorious B.I.G. The rapper. That fat American dude who got shot
Bang
dead. And then they made a documentary about him. And shed watched it. And theyd said that he was actually a really nice guy (underneath. But fat. Very fat. That was partly what he was famous for. Thats essentially what the BIG stood for). And his mamma loved him (which had to count for something). And when he died they made a tribute song for him. With Sting. And Puff DaDiDaddy.
Notorious.
Isnt that what Ashford people
Gossips
Wankers
liked to call the Broads? Wasnt that the word they preferred?
Kelly sniffed.
Did it have to be a negative?
Notorious?
As in train robber?
As in sex offender?
She pinched some pearlescent pink lipstick from the corners of her mouth.
I mean, wasnt Mother Theresa notorious? A notorious saint? (Remember that thing Kane told her about Mother Theresa not being a saint at all. About how Catholics always wanted to keep the poor people poor by making them have lots of kiddies. Contraception murders love. Thats what he said shed said