Lonely Hearts

by John Harvey

  “Are you drunk, Charlie?”

  “Probably.”

  A boy, fair-haired, no more than three or four, lost his balance playing chase between the tables and fell against Resnick’s chair. Turning, Resnick swept him up from the floor and held him at arm’s length, looking at Rachel past the child’s laughing face.

  No, Charlie, Rachel thought, I’m not falling for that one, either.

  “Charlie, how nice to see you.”

  Resnick set down the boy and got to his feet. Marian was wearing long black gloves with her short-sleeved gown, which was tightly belted at the waist. Doria, alongside her, had on a cream suit with a loose, deeply-pocketed jacket, a white shirt and a midnight-blue bow tie.

  Resnick kissed Marian lightly on the cheek.

  “Charles,” Marian said, “allow me to introduce Professor Doria.”

  “William,” said Doria, shaking Resnick’s hand. “William Doria.” He gave no sign that they had already met.

  Resnick stood back, gesturing towards where Rachel was sitting.

  “Marian Witczak, William Doria, this is Rachel…”

  “Chaplin,” said Doria, making a slight bow and offering her his hand. “Rachel Chaplin, of course.”

  When he straightened again, the academic’s eyes were bright but gave away nothing. “Perhaps we might join you?” he said.

  Resnick glanced quickly towards Rachel before answering. Doria fetched two chairs and he and Marian sat opposite one another.

  “A drink?” Doria said. And, with a smile at Rachel, “Some more wine.”

  “Thank you, no.”

  “But…”

  “Later, perhaps.”

  The muscles of Doria’s face were immobile, but his eyes were never still, never leaving Rachel for more than a second.

  “Charlie,” Rachel said standing, head inclined towards the music. “Let’s dance. It’s a shame to waste Stevie Wonder.”

  “Excuse me,” said Resnick, following her through to where the disco was still playing.

  One dance led to another.

  “You didn’t take to him, then, the professor?” Rachel had realized by now that if she covered twice as much ground as Resnick did, and let her arms swing wide, they didn’t look a bad couple.

  “You’ve met him before?”

  “Never.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “I don’t think I’d forget.”

  “He knew your name.”

  Rachel swung away from him through a dipping circle and then back, one hand pressed to his chest. Her skin was glowing.

  “Charlie?”

  “Yes?”

  “Shut up and dance!”

  A shout went up from across the room as the last of the winning numbers was called from the raffle. Resnick crumpled up a crocodile of salmon pink tickets.

  “I had a new student in one of my lectures the other day,” Doria was saying. “A nice boy, Asian, not enrolled in the department, auditing, I suppose you would say. But it’s flattering when people know who you are, your reputation. He seemed to want to stay behind at the end, some clarification he was seeking, I don’t know. He was too shy, finally.” Doria hooked one leg over the other at the ankle. “The reverse side of reputation, I suppose, it can place others in awe of one. But, then, you must find the same yourself, Inspector?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “Come now. I would have thought your function depended upon it, to a certain extent at least. Dealing as you must with the public, subordinates, even.”

  “I don’t think my subordinates are in awe of me, Doria.”

  “William.”

  “And I shouldn’t like it if they were.”

  “A Detective Constable Kellogg, is she one of your subordinates?”

  “She is.”

  “She came to, um, to interview me—is that the correct terminology?”

  “It’ll do.”

  “A charming young woman, earnest. Not of the brightest caliber, possibly, but competent.”

  “She’s a good policewoman.”

  “She was there under your jurisdiction, Inspector?”

  “As part of a routine inquiry, yes.”

  “Into the deaths of two women.”

  “Yes.”

  “You must be relieved that it’s over.”

  “Over?”

  “National television, the six o’clock news, a man you previously suspected has confessed.”

  “All manner of men confess, Doria.”

  The academic uncrossed his legs. “A brandy, Inspector? Or are you driving?”

  “I’m not driving,” said Resnick, “but I’ll say no to the brandy, just the same.”

  With a nod of the head, Doria rose and went towards the bar.

  A woman in a purple trouser suit sat in one of the cubicles with the door open and carefully emptied the entire contents of her handbag out on to the floor. Quietly, she was singing to herself.

  Rachel combed through the ends of her hair, twisting her head round so that she could see the back of it in the mirror.

  “How long have you known Charles?” Marian asked, pretending to straighten the folds of her dress.

  “Not very long. A matter of weeks.”

  “He seems very happy.”

  “I think he is.”

  Marian touched Rachel’s shoulder. “You will forgive me, but I have known him for many years, and I know he would not be pleased at my saying this, but for a long time now Charles has needed somebody.”

  Rachel pursed her lips at the glass and turned away. The woman in the cubicle was picking up her belongings and replacing them inside her bag, still singing.

  “Those flowers are lovely,” said Rachel, looking at Marian’s corsage. “Did your friend give them to you?”

  “Yes,” said Marian.

  “He has good taste,” said Rachel. “Shall we go back?”

  “The taxi will be here in a few minutes,” said Resnick.

  “Oh, you are not going already?” Marian protested.

  “Afraid so.”

  “Then,” said Doria, standing with a flourish, “Rachel must have one dance with me before you do.”

  He stood with both arms extended, hands out palms uppermost, eyes shining, daring her to decline.

  “Thank you,” Rachel said, “I’ve danced enough.”

  “I insist,” said Doria.

  “Even so,” said Rachel. “The answer’s the same.”

  “On some future occasion, then?” said Doria, resuming his seat.

  Rachel just looked at him.

  “You don’t want to share our cab, Marian?” Resnick asked.

  “No thank you, Charles. I think we’ll stay a little longer.”

  He took her hands lightly and kissed her forehead. “Safe journey home.”

  “Of course.”

  “I’ll ring you.”

  “What does a nice, intelligent woman like that see in a creep like Doria?”

  Resnick lifted his hand from the switch on the coffee grinder.

  “She thinks he’s charming.”

  “As a snake.”

  “You really didn’t like him, did you?”

  “Neither did you.”

  Resnick poured water into the machine. “Was it that obvious?”

  She put her arms tight around him and rested her head in the small of his back. “Charlie, you’re always obvious.”

  He turned to her and kissed her. “Isn’t that preferable to devious?”

  “Certainly.”

  “In that case,” he said with an expression that was half grin, half smile, “when the coffee’s ready can we take it to bed?”

  “You see,” she said.

  “See what?” Her face was inches away from his, less. “Let it happen once and straightaway you’re taking it for granted.”

  “I’m not.”

  “Oh, Charlie.”

  “I’m not taking it for granted. Or you.”

  “You just naturally
assumed that because I jumped into your bed the last time I was here that I would again. Evening out, dance and a drink, bed. Right?”

  Resnick laughed, squeezing her. “Yes.”

  She kissed him. “One condition.”

  “Of course.”

  “I don’t want to make love.”

  How could he stop the disappointment showing in his eyes?

  “I think I’d like just to lay there with you quietly and cuddle.”

  “Fine.”

  “Then let’s have the coffee down here, before we go up.”

  When Resnick rang, Marian picked up the phone almost immediately.

  “Naturally I am home all right,” she said in answer to his question. “What is the matter with you? Why all of this concern, sweet as it is?”

  Resnick told her he simply wanted to be sure.

  “Sure of what?”

  “Doria, is he…?”

  “He left me after I had turned the key in my front door, Charles. A gentleman.”

  “Good night, Marian,” Resnick said.

  “Charles, you are a strange man.”

  Rachel’s shoulder rested in the crook of Resnick’s arm. Pepper lay against her left hip, Bud had dared to find a space between the pillows and the bedhead. Miles made little snoring sounds from beyond her toes.

  “I feel honored, Charlie.”

  “Mmm?”

  “Your cats, the way they accept me.”

  “They sense that you like them.”

  “They’re right.” She snuggled closer against him. “Where’s the fourth one?”

  “Dizzy? Out prowling.”

  “I saw Vera Barnett the other day, did I tell you?”

  “No, I don’t think so.”

  “She’s coping okay, except that she keeps scraping the bathroom paintwork with her chair and complaining when we won’t come and redecorate it for her. The kids seem fine, not a lot of bounce yet, but fine.”

  Resnick was stroking her breast. “Doesn’t it bother you more than you’ll admit, not having any of your own?”

  For several moments Rachel said nothing. Then she shrugged off his hand and pushed herself up in the bed until the cats had scattered and she was on her knees, facing him.

  “You know what I am to you, Charlie, I mean, really? A vacant womb. A womb with a view to marriage.”

  The garden was dark and in shadow. Slow and insinuating, Dizzy wound himself around the man’s legs, pressing his fur against them, in and out. The man paid the animal no heed: he allowed nothing to deflect his attention from the upstairs window, behind which a shaded light still burned.

  Thirty-Four

  It was the first time Resnick had ever caught the superintendent at it, but there he was, running, head up, even swing of the arms, straight as a die back to the station. Resnick leaned against the post near the foot of the steps and waited. The superintendent’s running suit was light gray, loose-fitting, with fluorescent strips along the arms and down the legs for use at night. A small wallet was velcroed to the tongue of one shoe for his key and some small change. Not one to be caught short, the Super.

  He eased his pace down with twenty yards to go, raising a hand in greeting.

  “Lovely morning, Charlie.”

  “Brisk, sir.”

  “Just been round the lake. Moorhens, deer standing out in the water with the last mist still round them—beautiful.”

  Resnick knew that round the lake meant a run of some mile and a half or more down to the park, along a straight avenue of trees past the golf club, another mile from there and then the same distance back, the last section of that up a hill steep enough to make casual cyclists get off and push. And Skelton was barely short of breath.

  “Sorry about the other day, Charlie. That business over the university.” He was limbering down, jogging gently on the spot, stretching his calf muscles and his thighs. “Tell the truth, I’d had a bit of an argument at home that morning. That daughter of mine.” He shook his head a trace self-consciously: it wasn’t usual for him to admit to colleagues that he had a private life. “Happens in the best-regulated of families.”

  “Yes, sir. Of course it does. Everything okay now, I hope?”

  “Oh, yes. Storm in a teacup.”

  Resnick nodded understandingly. “Good.”

  “Better have a session later, Charlie. Now that things will be getting back to normal.”

  “Yes, sir.” Resnick followed him into the station. “Normal it is.”

  Divine was still filtering information into the files, messages and movements; he glanced up and said good morning to Resnick with his usual hearty belligerence. Typical, Resnick thought, going on into his own office: the files aren’t sorted, but the kettle’s simmering ready for a top-up and the tea’s been brewed these five minutes. Maybe he should try having a word with Divine about priorities, about his future. Though he doubted if the future for Divine stretched far beyond opening time or closing time, whichever was the nearer.

  He sat behind his desk, wondering if Kevin Naylor and his Debbie had come any closer to making a decision about moving. He supposed he’d be sad enough to lose the lad, although to be truthful Naylor needed a bit of shaking-up before he’d ever get to make a good detective. Though getting out from under Divine’s guidance wouldn’t come amiss. Maybe he should send Lynn Kellogg out with Divine? Resnick allowed himself a smile: he wouldn’t be surprised to discover that Divine was terrified of her.

  “Sir?”

  Millington came round the door with a freshly trimmed mustache and a couple of extra-strong mints underneath his tongue.

  “Good weekend, Graham?”

  “Not bad, sir. Wife got me doing a bit of grouting.”

  “Sounds fun.”

  “She’s been on at me since summer. Wants it right for when her mother comes at Christmas.” He moved the mints into his cheek. “Meant to ask you about that, sir. Any chance of getting on the roster over the holiday? Wouldn’t mind doing quite a bit and there must be lots want it off.”

  “See what I can do,” said Resnick. “Anything before we get started?”

  “One thing, sir. You remember those break-ins?”

  “Videos and so on?”

  “The Boulevard, yes. I had a call from that bloke I know.”

  “The fence, you mean?”

  “That’s him. He reckons there’s something iffy coming in later today. I know he’s said that before and it fell flat, but this time, might be kosher.”

  “He’s calling you?”

  “Yes, sir. I thought, if it’s all right with you, I’d get young Divine to stick around. He’s handy if anything turns nasty.”

  “All right, Graham. Now let’s get that tea in here before it sticks to the cup.”

  He’s in a cheerful mood this morning, thought Millington, going out into the main office. If I didn’t know him better, I’d reckon he’d had his leg over the right side of breakfast.

  “How did it go?”

  Rachel glanced up from the sheaf of messages that had come through from the emergency duty team. A fourteen-year-old lad with a history of solvent abuse found unconscious in an underground car park; an old lady of eighty-seven who was taken into casualty as an emergency and was found to have severe bruising which she claimed to have been caused by her sixty-three-year-old daughter; a ten-year-old boy who phoned through to the local radio talk-in program and said that his uncle and his elder brother were both sexually abusing him.

  “Fine.”

  “I presumed last night was that at least.”

  “What’s that…? Oh, Carole, I’m sorry. It was thoughtless of me. I should have phoned.”

  Carole went to her desk. “It’s only that you said you were popping round for an hour for a chat.”

  Rachel made a face. “That’s what I thought.”

  “It’s stupid of me, I know,” said Carole. “I know you’re free, white, and over twenty-one and all that, but…”

  “Don’t let the anti-raci
st development officer hear you using that expression,” smiled Rachel.

  “Oh, God!”

  “But I didn’t mean to worry you. I know what it’s like when you’re sharing. If it happens again, I’ll make sure and let you know. Then at least you can bolt the door.”

  “To tell the truth, I was going to look up the number and ring there, but that made me feel too much like your mother.” She turned over a page of her diary. “Anyway, if you’re going to start spending weekends there, it’ll be…”

  “Carole!”

  “What?”

  “Hang on a minute!”

  “I was only going to say it will make things clearer.”

  “Carole,” said Rachel, on her feet, “I am not going to start spending weekends at his house. Not. What’s the matter with everybody?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You’re as bad as he is, that’s what I mean. You can’t get me in there fast enough.”

  “Is that what he wants then?”

  “Does a cat have fleas?”

  “Then where’s the harm? You do like him, don’t you?”

  “Of course I like him. I’m not in the habit of going to bed with men I don’t like. But that’s not the same as…Carole, I’ve only just got out of one relationship.”

  “You make it sound like a prison sentence.”

  “Maybe that’s because sometimes it felt like that.”

  Carole looked away towards the window. She was biting down into her lower lip and thinking it was a sentence she wouldn’t mind serving. Three years now since Mike had handed her the envelope because he hadn’t been able to say the words out loud.

  “Look,” Rachel said.

  “What is it?”

  “He slipped this into my bag this morning when I wasn’t looking.”

  Rachel put the two keys on the desk, one mortice, one yale.

  “What are you going to do?” Carole asked.

  “Take them back.”

  Graham Millington was jubilant. Not only had he been proved right about Simms, the dirty little pervert, even though they were having some difficulties getting his stories to tally, now this. Proceeds from ten or more burglaries for certain; Naylor and Patel were round at a lockup in Hucknall now making an inventory of the rest. VCRs, stereos, televisions, Walkmans up the wazoo! Brilliant! Even the dust-up had been fun in its own way.

  “Where’s Divine?” Resnick asked.