Out of The Blue

by Charlotte Mills

  Frustrated at our falling out, I decided to take a more scenic route back, via the locations Mike had highlighted for my night walk with Jamie. As I looked for the best observation areas, I scoured the floor for hoof or paw prints and any scat or droppings nearby to indicate species present. Searching the long grass, I found small amounts of elongated droppings with pointed ends, typical of roe deer. I was just about to walk away when I spotted a Hawthorn tree with some damage to its bark. With the height of the gnawing and the small amount of stripping at around a metre from the ground it could only be deer responsible. Taking pictures of the evidence for reference, I felt more positive about the night walk.

  I spotted a familiar blonde chatting to her infiltrator ecologist, Pete, as I returned to our base camp. Jamie seemed to be one of those people that looked good in whatever she wore, which on this occasion was a white shirt with a grey pinstripe and a pair of dark grey suit trousers.

  I was still a little freaked by my conversation with Lucy. I couldn’t imagine Jamie had discussed our evening out, which left me with only one possibility, and not something I really wanted to entertain.

  Jamie caught my eye as I entered the tent. I watched as she made her way towards me, that now-familiar, warm smile on her face.

  “Hey, how are you today?” She sounded very cheery. I wondered if this was a genuine visit or an excuse to see that we were still working, or maybe a cheeky catch up with me.

  “Good, thanks,” I replied, dropping my rucksack on the bench before pulling out my water bottle to take a drink. She seemed to stare at me a little too long, before suddenly becoming aware of her actions.

  “I, er … I just dropped by to check up on Pete.” A slight look of embarrassment crept over her face as we stood there, facing each other.

  I smiled in reply to her poor recovery and excuse. “I was going to ring you today actually.”

  “Really? Well, I’ve saved you the bother.”

  I grinned at her bubbliness. “I spoke to Mike about doing that night survey,” I said before taking a quick drink.

  “Is he coming with us?”

  I saw a slight look of worry in her face. I wasn’t sure if it was the thought of being out in the dark with a slightly too fragrant Mike or not being alone with me. Did she say ‘us’? At least she wasn’t planning on wimping out.

  “No, no, he’s just given me a few tips on where to go. It does mean coming out here at a pretty unsociable hour. I hope that’s okay?” I continued as tactfully as I could, considering the time we would have to be here.

  “I had a feeling it might. What are we talking?”

  “Four a.m. start,” I said, hoping it wasn’t just over-enthusiasm and beer talking the other night.

  “Oh I see. That’s not too bad I guess.”

  Again, I couldn’t hide my smile. “Good, I was hoping you’d say that,” I said, relieved she hadn’t tried to back out.

  The arrival of more people in the tent, including a still pissed-looking Lucy, seemed to signal it was time for her to leave. She seemed a little nervous again with the presence of others.

  “So, I’ll see you tomorrow night then … or technically I guess it’s the morning after really … I mean …”

  I grinned at her continued babbling. She seemed to get a little redder the more she went on. Taking pity on her, I put her out of her misery. “Try and get a bit of sleep before I pick you up. I’ll bring the torches and a hot drink just in case it’s cold.”

  “I … I guess I should give you my address.”

  I realised I had failed to ask for that piece of vital information. It was my turn to be embarrassed. “That would be very useful,” I replied.

  I watched her scribble on a Post-it note before handing it to me.

  “Thanks. Dark clothes would be good, too,” I added, realising it was probably her first night walk.

  “Right, okay.”

  The ringing of my phone cut her off. I checked the caller ID – James. “Sorry, I need to take this. I’ll see you at four.” I hoped my wide smile told her how much I was looking forward to spending more time with her.

  I watched her walk back to her car, her trousers showing off her tight butt. I turned away to prevent her from seeing my eyes fixed on her ass as she got in her car. I even pondered if she had worn them on purpose, which put a wry smile on my face as a familiar voice echoed in my ear.

  ***

  Pulling up in front of Jamie’s house, I sat there admiring the three-storey townhouse with its large, black front door. All of the houses looked very well kept; Newton Terrace was obviously an upmarket area of York. Only one side of the street was built on; the other side was occupied with the remnants rebuilt or otherwise of the walled city. Beyond that was high banking containing established London Plane trees, creating a leafy view for all of the residents.

  In my head, I played the conversation I had had with Jamie earlier, checking for any signs of her interest I had felt the night before in the pub. On recollection, it seemed pretty innocent and I wondered if I had read too much into it. If that was the case I felt more than a little disappointed.

  The early morning May air was still and cold as I walked up the short path to Jamie’s house. After two short knocks, the door opened almost immediately. Jamie looked good in black jeans this time with walking boots and more outdoor gear on top.

  “Hey.” Jamie stepped back, letting me in.

  “Hi.” Spotting the cap she had worn the other day hanging on the newel post, I offered my opinion. “You might want to take a hat as there’ll probably be bugs about, plus it’s a bit chilly out.” I glanced around the hallway of Jamie’s house. It had that timeless look about it. The floor tiles had a stylish blue, brown and cream pattern, complemented by grey-blue walls up to waist height with a cream colour above. The staircase had white painted risers with varnished treads and handrail; a grey-blue runner ran from bottom to top. At the bottom of the stairs a delicate watercolour hung above an old-style radiator.

  “Right.” Jamie grabbed her cap and keys before moving towards me, still stood in the doorway. “Ready?” she asked, turning to me as I continued to scope out her hallway. I was a little embarrassed at being caught.

  “Sure.” I moved off down the path while Jamie locked up. “Did you get any sleep?” I asked as Jamie got in the passenger side.

  “No.”

  “Just to confirm, it’s not an official survey night. We just want to see what if anything is around, right?”

  “Right.”

  Arriving at Bonnington Hall, I drove slowly across the gravel, parking up on the nearest section of grass just inside the entrance to reduce the noise as much as possible. I leant across, opening the glove box; pulling out a pair of binoculars and two head torches, I handed one to Jamie. Turning my cap around to put the torch on, Jamie took the hint and did the same. We must have looked like something off Doctor Who. I pulled a small rucksack from behind the passenger seat before getting out.

  Moving from the car the back end of the campervan appeared around the side of the house, I could see lights on inside. Checking the clock on the dash, it was almost 4.00 a.m. I wondered when Mike actually slept. Looking across to Jamie, I could see she was a little tired, no doubt regretting not taking my advice of having a nap earlier.

  “Looks like Mike’s still up.”

  “Umm, is it me or does he whiff a little?”

  “Ahh, you noticed. Well, as I said before, he’s a little … untamed.”

  Exiting the car, we both looked at each other when we heard faint grunts and moans coming from the direction of the campervan. On closer inspection it seemed to wobble a little on its wheels. I covered my mouth to prevent any noise from my laugh escaping, while Jamie just stood there frozen to the spot, mouth agape.

  “Oh my God! Who’s he got in there?” Jamie whispered over the top of my car.

  “I don’t know.”

  The grunts became slightly higher in pitch.

  “But they see
m to be enjoying it.”

  As we walked away from the driveway and house, another vehicle came into view. It wasn’t one that I recognised, although I made a mental note of it as we walked away for future reference. I realised Jamie had stopped behind me. I turned to see her scrutinising the car next to the camper. The almost full moon and relatively clear night reduced the need for our head torches at this stage. She looked back at me, quickly walking towards me.

  “I know whose car that is,” she whispered.

  “You do? Who?” I asked, barely able to keep my voice at a whisper.

  “He offered to drive me out here the other day. It’s Pete … Pete Nicholls. I guess he really hit it off with Mike?”

  The penny finally dropped. “Your Pete? The guy you dropped off yesterday?”

  “Well he’s not mine, but yes that one.”

  She looked a little offended at my suggestion.

  “Did you know Pete was gay?”

  “No. Did you know about Mike?”

  “We’ve never talked about that stuff. I’ve worked with him quite a few times now and, well, he generally stays on-site so we don’t really socialise, but, well, good luck to him I say.”

  “God, I’ve got to try and wipe those sounds and mental images from my mind. I’ll have to avoid him for ages or I’m bound to blurt out a double entendre or something.”

  “We can’t say we were here.” I though back to my conversation with Mike earlier. “Actually, Mike knew we were coming out here so maybe he doesn’t care who knows. But just to be sure we shouldn’t say anything. I don’t want to make him uncomfortable. He’s great at his job. I don’t want to lose him.”

  “Okay, I’ll do my best. Don’t blame me if something slips out! See, it’s started already.” Jamie turned to me, already giggling as we walked towards the trees.

  “So are we allowed to talk during this walkabout?”

  “Yes, if we’re quiet. Just try and hold back on the cabaret numbers till we get back to the car.”

  “A wise decision, if you’ve heard me sing.”

  I smiled to myself as we slowly walked through the woods. She really was pretty funny. “Try not to use your light unless you have to.”

  “Okay. Do you watch The Sopranos?” Jamie inquired in the same breath.

  I wondered where this was going, immediately thinking of the mob dumping dead bodies in the woods, cutting off hands and knocking out teeth. “Um, yeah,” I tentatively replied. “I think I’ve seen it. Why?”

  “I saw on the news earlier that James Gandolfini who played the main guy has died of a heart attack.”

  “Really? Shit! He wasn’t that old was he?”

  “Only fifty-one. He was on holiday in Italy apparently.”

  A movement in the distance caught my eye. I stopped, holding out my arm, and Jamie halted next to me. I felt her creep closer to me before she whispered, “What is it?”

  “I’m not sure. I thought I saw something over there through the trees.”

  We both stood like statues staring into the distance through the trees into the meadow beyond. Using my binoculars, I quickly scanned the area ahead.

  “Maybe not. Let’s keep going to the top of the hill. Mike said he thought he saw a small group of female red deer on the other side a few nights ago.”

  “Really? Are they common?”

  “Not round here. He didn’t get a good look, so they could have been roe deer, which is probably more likely.”

  We continued up the hill, relying on the moon to provide enough light.

  “Celebrities always seem to die in threes don’t they? Or is that electricals?”

  I giggled. “I think that’s electricals.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Pretty much.”

  “But didn’t Richard Griffiths die a few months ago?”

  “Who?” I asked.

  “Uncle Monty from Withnail and I. Haven’t you seen it?”

  She sounded like it should have been compulsory viewing. “No, I don’t think so.”

  “He was in the Barry Trotter films. Played his mean uncle.”

  “The what films?”

  “Sorry, I mean Harry Potter. He’s known as Barry Trotter in our house. My parents’ house I mean.”

  Oh my God! She’s as mad as a box of frogs. We came out here to do a night walk to see if there is any nocturnal life and she hasn’t stopped talking since we got here. I checked my watch, wondering how long it would be till she conked out from sleep deprivation.

  “Sorry, I don’t get to see a lot of TV,” I said.

  “Don’t worry, it’s nothing that can’t be rectified … with a little time and effort.”

  I turned to her, taking on board her last statement. “I see … and you’re willing to take the time to educate me on these things.”

  I must have surprised her. Even in the shadowy light, the expression on her face at my remark brought to life the rabbit in the headlights look. If no other wildlife reared its head I could at least cross rabbit off my I-spy wildlife list.

  “Maybe. We should probably start before any more actors pop their clogs. Who’s going to be next?”

  It warmed my heart that despite the look on her face, the words that came out were confident. I smiled in reply, enjoying the repartee. The thought of Jamie trying to educate me on anything sounded pretty exciting to me.

  I slowed down as we made it to the edge of the woods. Crouching down in the long grass, out of the corner of my eye, I could see Jamie do the same next to me. Using the binoculars again, I scanned the edge of the smaller stand of woodland set higher up the hill. Nothing.

  Turning towards her, even with the shadow of her cap, I could see the glint in her eye. “You’re totally crackers, you know that don’t you? Should I be worried that I’m out here in the middle of nowhere at silly o’clock with you?”

  “No, no, I’m a very reliable individual … honest.”

  How did she make it sound so dishonest?

  “You do realise, in the short time I’ve known you, that’s the second time you’ve had to say that to me.”

  “It is? Well, it must be true then,” she said with a grin.

  “I’ll believe you.” I held her gaze for several seconds before turning away. Using the binoculars again, I scanned the lower woods that bordered the boot-sucking bog area. Bingo! There were a small group of roe deer munching on the brambles.

  “Here.” I handed her the binoculars, pointing with my other hand towards the target. With my hands free, I pulled a small spiral-bound notebook and pencil from the side pocket of my trousers.

  “Wow!” were the only words that escaped her parted lips as she watched our neighbours on the edge of the woods. Even in profile, I could see the smile stretched across her face.

  “What type are they?”

  “They’re roe deer: Capreolus capreolus,” I replied. “How many are there?” I asked as I made notes on the date and location on a clean page.

  “Umm.” She pulled the binoculars away, offering them back to me.

  I waved her off. “I trust you. Do any of them have horns?”

  She turned to look at me, a little confused. I dreaded to think what was going through her mind right now. Using my forefinger, I made a little horn shape on top of my hat. I knew the answer to my question already; I had scanned them when I first spotted them but I wanted Jamie to know I trusted her to do it. She giggled slightly before returning to her observations.

  “There’s two, no three of them … No, I don’t think any of them have horns.”

  “Do they have any markings?” I questioned.

  “Er … No, I don’t think so. They’re a, er … browny-red colour. I thought they’d look a bit like Bambi, white dots on their backs.”

  I smiled as I made more notes. “They’re older females. Only fawns have those markings. They’re one of our most common native deer, but it’s always nice to see them.” Sometimes the unobtrusive sighting of wild animals in their natura
l habitat could lighten a bad mood, change your perspective or generally make you feel good about yourself. On this occasion, I didn’t need the help. Being out here alone with Jamie was plenty. I liked the way she made me feel a little nervous and quiet at the same time. It had been a long time since a woman had had that effect on me. She made me want to make her happy and keep her that way just to see that smile plastered on her face. Of course now it was time for that inevitable question. “Why on earth are you single?”

  She slowly turned to face me as I realised I had said it out loud and not just in my head.

  “I mean …” I stumbled over my words. “You’re out here at this time of day watching deer breakfasting on brambles when you could be …” I didn’t have to finish my sentence.

  “Maybe I have a very understanding partner.”

  Her slight smile told me everything I needed to know. I focused on her eyes in the shadow of her cap. “Do you?” I asked, just to play along.

  “No.”

  We both grinned at her reply then a noise in the distance drew our attention to the woods below. The deer had been spooked; they were barking and dashing back into the woods. I was a little sad to see them go, but I was pleased that Jamie’s effort had been rewarded.

  “Aw, what scared them off?”

  “Not sure. Could be nothing. Let’s go and take a closer look.”

  “So, am I a surveyor’s assistant now?” she asked.

  “Uh … maybe with a little more training,” I said with a suitable amount of enthusiasm.

  “What kind of training?” She barely got the words out before stumbling on the ground next to me.

  “Well, not wanting to sound too obvious, but maybe a little less talking and a bit more observation.”