Deception Love & Murder

by K O'Hanlon

  She would be looking into Sam’s background and find out everything about him. Working closely with art galleries and knowing how much digging and checking was done on some art pieces and sellers meant she had contacts that were good at that sort of thing.

  Toni wasn’t alone in wanting more information about her brother in law. Matthew Sharp, better known by many as Spike was also interested.

  Spike was about to lose his housing benefit because he owed rent to his landlord. Sam had up and left without paying what he owed and now the idiots at the council knew that Spike had been sub-letting after claiming that he lived there. The stupid old bat upstairs had told them that a chap called Sam rented the basement apartment.

  Spike would now be evicted from a property that he hadn’t lived in. He wasn’t very happy. It would cost him dearly and he wanted to get hold of Samuel Fairchild and teach him a lesson. Spike had a reputation on the street. He couldn’t be seen to let anyone take the piss and get away with it.

  Sam meanwhile was looking forward to getting away for a few days. He could relax and not keep scanning faces looking for James. Seeing Toni with his coat was bugging him though. Had she found his phone and seen the photos? If she did she’d kept very calm and composed. Surly she would’ve said something there and then. Well he would delete them all now just in case she told Mike anything.

  Mike’s day in the office was manic. The phone didn’t stop ringing. Projects near completion were simple enough for Pauline to deal with but the Bridge project was fast becoming a major headache. Samples taken from the second drill head were being rushed through a lab to throw some light on what it might be.

  Pauline walked into his office without the usual gesture of knocking first. Mike was still on the phone so she did the fingers across the neck sign meaning end it quick, this is urgent.

  He ended the call with… “I’ll get back to you.”

  “Mike you need to see this.”

  “Have the test results come back?”

  “Yes they’ve come back and it isn’t good.”

  She handed him the report and watched the anger fill his face as he quickly scanned down the page.

  “A meteorite! A fucking meteorite!”

  “Mike, they want it removed in one piece. Now the area has been dug out more they’ve got aerial photos and it looks to be huge. It might be the largest ever found and could date back hundreds of thousands of years.”

  “Ok, that bridge project goes on hold for now. Call Frank Morris and bring him up to date. Let’s try to keep this out of the news until the site is secured. We don’t want the world and their family getting in the way taking selfies when this massive chunk of shit comes out the ground.”

  Pauling stood there waiting to part with more news.

  “Is there something else?”

  “Your wife called. She’ll be back late tonight.”

  “Any reason why.”

  “She has a meeting with some art dealer in London. Didn’t give a name.”

  “Ok, so I’ll be eating out.”

  “I told you countless times at uni you should learn to cook.”

  “I have neither the time nor the inclination to cook. Had it not been for you I would’ve died of starvation before I graduated.”

  “No, you would’ve survived on junk food and lost your teeth and good looks.”

  “Why don’t you join me later for dinner?” He hadn’t intended saying that. The words had just tumbled from his mouth. He knew it wouldn’t go down well with Toni.

  “I’m not sure if that’s wise. You’ve only been married five minutes and Toni probably wouldn’t like it.”

  “I’ll take that as no then.”

  Pauline looked closely at him. He was tired and worn out. What with Ben’s death, keeping Sam away from weed and finding work for the photography business to continue, plus his own problems with the bridge project. It had all taken its toll and Mike was starting to get more than a few grey hairs.

  “Ok, I’ll go with you for dinner but nothing fancy, maybe pub grub or something like that.”

  “Great! Pub grub it is then. Find a nice one and book a table for around 8.30.”

  “It’s not a date, Mike. We’ll go straight from work to the Fox and Hounds and I hope to be home by 8.30.”

  At 5.50 Mike called out from his office. “We’ll leave in about ten minutes. First I need to get changed.” He came out and went over to the cupboard where he kept a toiletries bag, a few spare shirts, and a couple of pairs of trousers.

  “Don’t bother with all that, we’re only going for a quick meal.”

  “I can’t take you to dinner in clothes I’ve had on all day.”

  “Mike, we’re only going for pub bar food. Then I’m going home.”

  “Well at least let me smell nice in case I throw you over my shoulder and have my wicked way with you.” He winked at her as he said it.

  “Oh God, what century are you living in?”

  “A few hundred years ago nobody would’ve batted an eyelid.”

  Pauline had to laugh. “But in the 21st century you’re likely to get a knee in the nuts, Mr Fairchild.”

  Pauline went to the ladies washroom to tidy her hair and check her makeup. When she came out Mike was ready and waiting in a clean shirt and trousers. She could smell his aftershave. It was one she had bought him for his birthday. “Well that sure fell on deaf ears.”

  “You can’t take a lady to dinner if you stink.”

  “Mike, you never stink, and we’re not going to dinner we’re just having pub grub.”

  “Yes, I know. Then you’re going home.”

  The Fox and Hounds was packed with office workers having drinks after work with their colleagues. The only available seating was a small bench seat not quite long enough for two people but it had a small table so they sat there squashed together.

  Mike picked up the wet bar menu in front of him. “Well, this is cosy. Nice touch with the free beer on the table.” The beer wasn’t in a glass or even a bottle, it was a puddle on the wonky table that dripped down onto the stained carpet.

  “It’s probably been quite some time since you was in a place like this, Oh great one.”

  “Yes, but we went to worse places than this when we were at university. We had some good times though didn’t we?”

  Pauline remembered those times and smiled. “We sure did.”

  “Then we’d go back to our tiny apartment and …”

  “Yes, I know the rest, Mike.”

  “If I wasn’t married what chance would I have with you now?”

  “How the bloody hell am I supposed to answer that.”

  “I think you just did sweetheart.”

  Mike went over to the bar to order their food. He returned with two glasses and a bottle of cheap wine the same as the one they always drank before she left and he graduated.

  The wine choice wasn’t lost on Pauline, she recognised the bottle.

  “Is there a method to your madness?”

  “Let’s just drink this cheap plonk and remember the good old days.”

  He poured two glasses. They talked about their days at university when they each had their whole lives ahead of them.

  “Oh my God, Mike. Do you remember when we finished our first year exams?”

  “I can remember parts of it, I think. I know we went out on a drunken binge.”

  “I thought you were going to die of alcohol poisoning.”

  “I’m surprised we both didn’t.”

  “You were so ill, Mike. I wanted to take you to A & E to get your stomach pumped.”

  “I remember you got in a panic because you couldn’t find my trainers.”

  “I found them the next morning though.”

  “Yeah, in the fridge.”

  They talked and laughed until the barman shouted last orders at 11 o’clock. Pauling had drunk more than her fair share of wine and was feeling rather merry. When they got outside the air hit her and made her head spin.


  “I feel slightly sick.”

  “You never could hold your drink. Come on I’ll get you home.” They walked arm in arm to Mike’s car. “If you’re going to throw up do it before you get in.”

  “I’m fine …”

  Pauline put her head in the bushes and threw up while Mike stood there with the car door open trying not to laugh.

  “If you’re finished get in. There’s some wet wipes in the glove box.”

  She flopped into the seat. Mike reached across to fasten her belt before closing the door.

  “I’ll take you home. Your car will be ok for one night outside the office.”

  “But it’s my new one. I don’t want to leave it there all night.”

  “Well you’re not driving it tonight so forget it.”

  Within fifteen minutes they were outside her house. “I would ask you in for a coffee but you’re married and I’m ever so slightly pissed.”

  “I’ll see you inside then I’ll go.”

  “No need, I’ll be fine.”

  He got out and walked with her to the front door. Then followed inside and closed it. Pauline kicked off her shoes and dropped onto the sofa. Mike switched on a few lights then picked up the post by the front door.

  “Brush your teeth and get to bed then I’ll go.”

  She didn’t answer, she was already asleep.

  “Ok, come on sleeping beauty let’s get you into bed.” Mike picked her up and carried her upstairs. Once she was under the covers he let himself out and drove home.

  Toni’s Merc was in the drive and the downstairs house lights were still on which meant she was still up. He hadn’t yet figured out a good reason for being so late home.

  “Hi, how did your meeting in London go?”

  “It was ok. Why are you so late?”

  Rather than lie he’ll just tell her. “I invited Pauline to dinner after I got your message.”

  “You took your assistant to dinner?”

  “Yes, just pub grub and a drink. Do you have a problem with that?”

  “Should I have?”

  “I took her home because she was ill then I came straight here.”

  “So you’re late because she was ill?”

  ”No, I’m late because we had a bloody good time talking and laughing about our uni days when we were 19. She had one too many glasses of wine then threw up.”

  “That sounds gross.”

  “Well, gross or not I’ll have to give her a lift tomorrow because her car is still at the office.”

  “I sometimes think she plans it so you have to pick her up.”

  “Oh for Christ sake. I lived with her for two years when we were studying together. I asked her to marry me when I was 20. She said no. She’s my personal assistant, a good friend, and I totally trust her. You knew all that before we got married so don’t get the arsehole whenever her name is mentioned.”

  Mike was very quiet in the car when he picked Pauline up the following morning. She had a thumping headache from drinking too much wine.

  “You don’t look too good today.”

  “I feel like shit, Mike.”

  “Toni was in when I got home.”

  “I’m guessing she didn’t like the reason you were so late.”

  “You’re guessing right.”

  “I can’t say that I blame her.”

  “She’s jealous of you.”

  “Oh, Mike. You have to tell her nothing happened.”

  “I told her what happened.”

  “I’ll apologise next time she calls.”

  “You have nothing to apologise for, and quite frankly neither do I.”

  “Let’s not let a couple of drinks cause you both problems.”

  “A couple of drinks? Bloody hell woman, you had a skinful.”

  “Sorry about that. I remember throwing up. What happened when I got home?”

  “You crashed out on the sofa so I carried you upstairs and dumped you on the bed.”

  “Then what did you …?”

  “I went home.”

  “Thank heavens for that.”

  “I still have this great big lump of shit in the ground to deal with before I can worry about Toni and how she feels about you.”

  The bridge project had been in the media and on national television. Mike had tried to keep a lid on it but he knew that someone would eventually talk.

  News of the massive meteorite travelled fast, probably faster than the actual object had travelled through space before hitting the Earth thousands of years ago. People were coming from far and wide to be part of this historic moment in time when the huge lump would be lifted from the ground and welcomed by some into the 21st century.

  Hotels and guest houses in the area were at their busiest. The local post office was selling cheap keyrings designed to look like space rock made from grey plastic. Tee shirts appeared with large grey objects printed on the front. Nobody yet knew the specific shape of the meteorite but everyone suddenly thought of themselves as being an expert in this particular field of science. Word was spreading that it was thousands of years old, then hundreds of thousands, even several million or billion.

  Mike screeched to a halt behind the shiny black Audi TT. Pauline’s car was still outside the office where she’d left it. After giving it a quick look over she followed Mike into the building. The phones were already ringing as they hung up their coats.

  “Mike. Frank Morris is on line one.”

  “Frank. What’s happening?”

  “There are people all over the site taking photos. We’ve put up a fence to keep them out but some climbed over it.”

  “Sam will be there this weekend to get official shots for the media. If we flood the news channels with our pictures it might stop a lot of people from turning up to get their own. He should be with you Friday morning. Make sure he wears a hard hat when he’s on site, Frank. I don’t want any accidents.”

  “Will do.”

  “If I get any spare time I might drop by myself just to see what else can be done.

  “Well if you plan on staying over you best book something quick, Mike. This town has never seen so many people.”

  “I’ll keep you posted.”

  Mike cut off from line one and picked up on line two. By midday he’d sorted most of his workload.

  “Pauline, how do you fancy a little trip this weekend?”

  “Depends where it is. I’ve only got three months left on my passport.”

  “You won’t need a passport.”

  “Then I’ll say thanks but no thanks.” She knew exactly what he was about to say.

  “Come with me. I need to see the bridge project for myself. I can’t leave everything to Frank he’s up to his eyes in it already.”

  “You want to take me to see a hole in the ground?”

  “I’ll admit it doesn’t sound so good when you say it like that but this is history in the making.”

  “I think your wife will blow a fuse if I go then your marriage might also be history in the making.”

  “If she blows a fuse she’ll have to fix it herself because I need you with me.”

  “Mike. Your marriage could turn to shit if I go with you.”

  “I think it might already be halfway there.”

  “In that case I’m definitely not going.”

  “Fine! I’ll go without you. When I get back you can read through all my scribbled notes and try to make sense of it all.”

  “Why not just use your Dictaphone?”

  “I lost it.”

  “It’s in your desk.”

  “It’s broken.”

  “You’re telling porkies now. I know it’s not broken.”

  Mike reached into his desk drawer and took out the Dictaphone. He placed it on the floor and put his heel through it. “Believe me. It’s broken.”

  They both burst out laughing.

  Pauline searched online for two hotel rooms but nothing was available for the weekend. Everywhere within a ten mil
e radius was fully booked.

  “Mike, the hotels are all fully booked this weekend.”

  “Leave it with me, I’ll get something.”

  “I want my own room or I’m not going.”

  “I know!”

  Being wealthy has its advantages. Mike paid extra to get accommodation for the two of them.

  Chapter Fifteen

  T here were several people interested in the meteorite though not for its scientific value. The name Fairchild was the magnet that drew each of them, not to see the wealthiest of the two but the one with the camera, Samuel Fairchild. He was sure to be there in a prime spot ready to get the first ever pictures as the dirt was removed.

  News channels worldwide were all geared up to broadcast pictures live from the site as the giant clump of space rock showed its face to the world for the first time. It was predicted to happen this weekend and the highways agency was warning motorists to avoid the area. The small towns and villages nearest to the site were gridlocked with cars and satellite communication trucks. The area had never seen so many people in its entire history.

  Camping sites with mobile washroom facilities were quickly set up in vacant fields for those brave enough to sleep in their cars, tents, and camper vans. Tourists from all over Europe were arriving with backpacks and sleeping bags looking for shelter of any kind. Hot dog and burger sellers would make a small fortune tempting many with the smell of burnt onions and undercooked meat.

  The local police force had no way of handling such large crowds of people. Their only saving grace was that most would be here because of their interest in science so shouldn’t cause too many problems. No doubt there would be some who overindulged on the local beer and of course there was bound to be pickpockets mixing in with the crowd. All in all it would most likely be utter chaos.

  James had been keeping up to date with news of the meteorite and how the dig was progressing. He strongly suspected that Sam Fairchild would be allowed total access to the site for the best photos. The rest of the worlds press would be kept back but within zooming distance. For health and safety reasons people would be restricted from getting too close to the massive hole in the ground.