by Robert Innes
“Well, it explains why you bit my head off yesterday for what I can only presume you took for homophobia. For what it’s worth, it wasn’t. I have gay friends.”
Blake nodded politely. It didn’t seem the time to point out how clichéd that reasoning was.
“So, what about you?” Blake asked. “What’s gone on?”
Gardiner sighed. “It turns out that my brother is far too much of a catch for my wife to resist. She told me she was leaving me over dinner one night. Cooked me my favourite, as if that would make it any easier.”
This filled Blake with genuine sympathy. “Your brother?”
“My own brother. As it happens, today is also my wedding anniversary. Would have been twenty five years.”
Blake exhaled. “Explains why you didn’t fancy celebrating in the pub.”
“No, I’d rather be here and distract myself from it all. So, there you are. That’s my problems. It’s been awful, it’s been tough and, as you say, mentally exhausting. And I still have a long way to go.”
A few moments of silence passed. It felt very strange to Blake that the one person who he apparently had the most common with in this new station was Michael Gardiner.
“I’d better get on with this now.” He said, picking up his pen again. “Thanks for the pint.”
Blake smiled warmly. “First of many, I hope.” He picked up his own glass and they clinked them together.
Gardiner gave him a tight smile back and then carried on writing. Blake stood up, draining the last dregs of beer from his glass. Then, he pulled his ecig out of his pocket and walked out of the room, leaving the man who he now had a newfound respect for alone in the dimly lit meeting room.
Sally Ann leant against the pub wall drunkenly, putting her cigarette into her mouth the wrong way.
“I cannot believe that this is your local now.” She slurred.
“Why?” Grinned Blake, pulling the cigarette out of her mouth and turning it round. “What’s wrong with it?”
“Well, it’s just, I mean it’s quite quiet round here isn’t it?”
“Well it was.” Blake replied dryly.
After he had been in Harmschapel for nearly three quarters of a year, Sally and Blake had finally managed to coincide their time off together so that she could come and visit him. She had arrived that morning and had insisted that he took her round all the local hotspots. She had been quite disappointed when The Dog’s Tail had been the only one. She had, however, more than made up for it in terms of how many drinks she had ordered for the pair of them.
“Don’t worry, we’ll go into town when we’ve finished these.” Blake said, indicating his drink.
“Good.” Sally replied, wobbling slightly on her high heels. “It’s my mission tonight to find you a man and I don’t think we’re going to find anybody here. Unless that old bar man takes your fancy.”
“Robin? Please, I’ve not had as many as you. Anyway.” Blake laughed. “I don’t need a man. I’m perfectly happy.”
“Blake?”
Blake turned around to see where the voice had come from. Harrison stood in front of him, a cautious but friendly smile on his face.
“Harrison! How have you been?”
Blake had a fairly good idea how Harrison had been. Over the past few months, anything he hadn’t already heard via the station had been told matter-of-factly to him by Robin. Seth and Sandra Baxter had been found guilty of murder and conspiracy to murder respectively and both had received lengthy prison sentences as a result. Blake had only been required to appear in court once during the trial, but the one time he had seen Harrison had almost broken his heart. He had seemed scared, depressed and vulnerable.
Now though, the man in front of him looked quite different. Happy, optimistic and seemed to have a newfound sense of freedom about him.
“I’m doing well.” Harrison replied cheerfully. “I’ve managed to sell the farm. Dad gave me the names for some of his contacts to get a quick and easy sale through. I’ve managed to find a place to live here in the village. It’s got a decent sized garden for Betty.”
“Betty?” Blake then laughed. “Oh, you mean the goat.”
“And I’ve got myself a job. Nothing too exciting, just working at Jai Sinnah’s shop, but I’m enjoying it.”
“Good! I’m so pleased to hear that, I really am.” Blake replied.
Harrison grinned. “Thank you.”
Sally poked her head over Blake’s shoulder. “Hello! I’m Sally. Best friend of this gorgeous man here. And you are?”
“Harrison.” He replied, shaking Sally’s proffered hand.
“Well, aren’t you a stunner?” Sally exclaimed looking him up and down. “Is he one of yours Blake?”
Blake closed his eyes in embarrassment. “Sally-Ann.”
“Oh, ignore him.” Sally said, waving her hand dismissively. “Harrison. Sorry, hope you don’t mind me asking, but are you, well, you know?”
“What?”
“You know. Gay?”
“Sally, for God’s sake.” Blake said, putting his hands over his face.
Harrison laughed in surprise. “Erm, yeah. Yeah I am.”
Sally appeared delighted. “Are you? Well, I don’t know how well you know Blake, but don’t you think he’s rather good looking and fabulous?”
Blake groaned in shame. He was going to kill her by the time the night was over. “You don’t have to answer that Harrison.”
“Yes he does.” Sally replied, putting her arm around Blake and waving her hand around as if she was displaying the grand prize on a gameshow. “What do you think Harrison?”
Harrison laughed again, blushing slightly. “Well…Yeah, I do as a matter of fact.”
“Excellent!” Sally grinned. “Blake? Don’t you think Harrison is a very handsome man?”
Now it was Blake’s turn to blush. Sally was getting absolutely no sympathy tomorrow for her inevitable hangover. He looked at Harrison and was mortified to see he seemed to be waiting for an answer. “Alright!” He exclaimed loudly. “Yes, Harrison is very handsome.”
“Good.” Sally replied. “I’ll just leave you two alone.” And she tottered back inside the pub, an air of triumph about her.
“I’m so sorry about her.” Blake said to Harrison, once she was out of earshot.
“It’s alright.” Harrison replied, a twinkle in his eye. “I just didn’t know you were gay that’s all.”
Blake fortunately hadn’t drank enough to point out that he hadn’t mentioned it because he had been investigating the murder of Harrison’s ex- boyfriend, so settled for a nonchalant shrug.
Harrison glanced at the pub. “Do you remember the last time me and you were here? I offered to buy you a drink, but you said no, because of the case.”
“I do remember that, yes.” Smiled Blake.
“Well, can I buy you that drink now?”
Blake chuckled and thought for a moment. “Yeah. Go on then. Seeing as we’re practically neighbours now.”
Harrison grinned again and walked into the pub. Blake followed him in, a slight spring in his step. As he followed Harrison into the pub, he gave him a firm squeeze on the shoulder. Sometimes, just sometimes, he thought to himself, Sally-Ann really was the best friend in the world.
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