Games Lovers Play

by June Tate

  ‘That bastard at the suppliers has upped sticks and pissed off out of it!’ Gerry declared angrily. ‘I was good enough to give him the nod about the situation and the next thing he’d buggered off!’

  ‘How do you know that?’

  ‘I rang the place to talk to him this morning and they told me. I went round to his gaff and it was empty.’

  ‘Where does that leave you then?’

  ‘Holding the fucking baby if they find out, that’s where!’

  Jake frowned. ‘So what’s the next move?’

  ‘I’m keeping a low profile at the moment at work. I’m hanging on there for the time being as then if anything’s happening I’ll know about it. If I have to, I’ll scarper.’

  ‘Can they find anything to put you in the frame for this?’

  Gerry looked uncertain. ‘Nothing they could prove now my mate has scarpered. I would just deny all knowledge and throw the ball into his court. After all, I just handed over the order form and took delivery. I’m no builder; I’m just the gofer, so how would I know if anything was wrong?’

  ‘But if they go looking for your pal and find him and he drops you in it, what then?’

  ‘If they find the rotten bugger, you won’t see me for dust! I’ll be off to the smoke; they’ll never find me there.’

  Jake wasn’t convinced. ‘Well, let me tell you, Gerry, if you try to implicate me, you won’t have enough breath in your body to make the journey! Do I make myself clear?’

  The other man nodded. Although he and Jake were cohorts in this scheme, he knew enough about him to know he had a dangerous side, one not to invite.

  ‘It’ll be fine, you’ll see.’ But he was a worried man.

  Connie too was worried but for different reasons of course. Sam had not contacted her, and as the days passed, she grew severely depressed.

  The day after Sam had told her he knew about her affair, she tackled John Baker. She’d seen him across the floor and marched over to him. ‘I want to talk to you!’ she demanded.

  He looked round furtively in case anyone had heard her raised voice and walked her to the stock cupboard, closing the door behind them.

  Connie lifted her hand and smacked him hard around the face.

  He was astonished! His cheek stung, and he put his hand to his face.

  ‘You bastard! You couldn’t let go without being vindictive and trying to ruin my life. I’m sure it gave you great pleasure!’

  Seeing the anger seething in her eyes, he suddenly realized he was on dodgy ground as Connie had threatened to go to his boss and accuse him of sexual harassment.

  ‘I’m really sorry, Connie. I got drunk and your boyfriend came into the bar. I just lost it. I do apologize. I didn’t mean to make trouble for you.’

  Her rage didn’t diminish. ‘You’re a bloody liar, John! They just trip off your tongue like water, but then I must remember you’ve had a lifetime of practice.’

  ‘You’re not going to do anything foolish, are you?’

  She calmed down and glared at him. ‘Believe me I aim to get my own back, but in my own time. So every day you’ll wonder if this is the day the managing director calls you into his office. Because I swear to you – one day he certainly will!’

  Baker looked at the closed door which had been loudly slammed as Connie made her exit. He was shaken. He had no doubt that she meant every word, but there was nothing he could do to stop her. His only hope was that eventually she might change her mind as each day passed, but if she lost her man through him, he knew he was in deep trouble.

  On her way home, Connie stopped at a phone box and, putting her pennies in the slot, dialled the number of the garage.

  ‘Knights Repair Shop.’

  Connie recognized Tom’s voice. ‘Hello, Tom, could I speak to Sam, please?’

  ‘Hello, Connie love.’ He glanced over at Sam, who vigorously shook his head. ‘Just a minute, Connie, I’ll get him,’ he said, and he put down the receiver.

  Walking over to Sam he said, ‘You have to talk to the poor girl, you can’t just ignore her, it isn’t fair!’

  Reluctantly, Sam walked across the garage floor and picked up the receiver. ‘Hello, Connie.’

  Hearing his voice brought a lump in her throat. She had missed him so much. ‘Hello, Sam. I can’t go on like this much longer. Every day is a nightmare wondering if I’ll ever see you again. I love you so much, darling. Please don’t do this to me.’

  He could hear the anguish in her voice, and it tore at him. He did love Connie, but he was still hurting from what he saw as her betrayal. Even so, he did miss her and now, listening to her, he didn’t know what to say.

  ‘Can’t we meet and talk about this and see if we can’t find a way out? Please, Sam, don’t say no. If you do meet me, I won’t ask anything else of you, ever again. I promise. If you decide after it’s over between us, I’ll keep out of your life.’

  How could he say no? ‘I’ll meet you outside Timothy Whites the chemist at seven thirty tonight, then we’ll talk.’

  He heard her sigh of relief. ‘I’ll be there, Sam,’ she said.

  As he walked back to the car, Tom took him by the arm. ‘That girl worships the ground you walk on; don’t let your pride get in the way tonight when you meet. She’s a little diamond.’

  Sam didn’t reply.

  Connie arrived early. To relieve the tension which stiffened every bone in her body, she studied the contents of the display in the window, stamped her feet against the cold. Walked up and down, wondering what this meeting would achieve. She dreaded being told that Sam no longer wanted to be with her. If only he would give her a second chance, she would never let him down, ever. He was her life, and she couldn’t bear the thought of being without him.

  ‘Hello, Connie!’

  Sam had walked up behind her. She turned and looked into his eyes, trying to gauge his expression, but failed.

  ‘Hello, Sam, it’s lovely to see you, thank you for coming.’

  His heart went out to her as he heard the uncertainty in her voice, saw the sadness in her eyes and he wanted to reach out and hold her, but he didn’t.

  ‘Come on, its bloody freezing out here; let’s find a quiet corner in a pub where we can talk.’

  She walked beside him, not touching him. Not walking too close. Feeling like a stranger beside him.

  They soon found a bar and a table. Sam bought the drinks and sat down.

  Connie waited for him to speak.

  ‘You look tired,’ he said.

  ‘It’s been a busy day.’ She studied the face that was so dear to her. ‘How are you, Sam?’

  ‘Miserable, Connie, if I’m truthful. Yes, that just about sums me up at the moment.’

  She went to reach across the table to take his hand, then changed her mind. ‘I’m sorry you feel like that, but I am just the same. Oh, Sam darling, I miss you so much and I could tear my heart out for being the cause of your unhappiness. If I could turn the clock back I would.’

  ‘But you can’t, Connie, sadly.’

  ‘No, I can’t. What can I say but I’m sorry? I was stupid, I was flattered and it went to my head.’ She stared into his eyes. ‘Have you never ever made a mistake and wished you could turn clock the back too?’

  He had to smile. He was an honest man if nothing else and he recalled many a misdemeanour in his youth which he had regretted later.

  ‘Oh yes, Connie. I’m not perfect you know. We all make mistakes and should learn from them, but it’s the fallout we have to cope with sometimes and that can be painful for all concerned.’

  ‘Can you truthfully tell me you no longer love me, Sam?’ She held her breath. If he said no, all was lost.

  As he looked at her, Connie anxiously awaiting his answer, in his mind he heard Tom’s voice: ‘Don’t let your pride get in the way.’ He reached across the table and took her hand. ‘No, Connie. I can’t say that.’

  She felt the tears of relief brim her eyes. ‘Oh, Sam,’ was all she could say.
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  ‘But no more lies, Connie. Not ever!’

  She was too overcome to speak but just shook her head rapidly.

  Seeing that she was about to burst into tears he said, ‘Come on, drink up. We’ll buy some fish and chips and take them home.’

  She happily did as she was told, and this time he held her hand as they walked out into the cold.

  As they sat in Sam’s flat eating, the conversation was stilted. They talked around safe subjects. His hopes for the next race, the car he would drive. The atmosphere was strained, and Connie was on edge the whole time. When it was time to leave, she was relieved. She realized that she would have to be patient, tread carefully and keep her fingers crossed that in time things would get better.

  Eighteen

  As the weeks passed, the police were no nearer to solving Edward Harrington’s problem regarding the exchange of building materials. They had discovered the man at the suppliers who had dealt with the invoices was missing and as yet had been unable to trace him. It was stalemate. The half-built building in question had been demolished and the site cleared once again, at great expense – and the rebuild put on hold. Gerry Cooper and Jake Barton went about their business somewhat nervously but in the clear … for the time being.

  Jake had planned to give up his post as Harrington’s driver in a month’s time, which was when his six-month ban from racing had passed. He couldn’t wait to get back on the circuit and regain his position. He’d hired two new mechanics to help him prepare his car, which had been laid up in the garage, under wraps during his fallow months. Besides, he wanted to distance himself from the architect as soon as possible, and to this end he handed in his notice.

  Edward wasn’t surprised. He knew Jake’s history on the racetrack and had long realized that was the only thing of importance in the man’s life. He wasn’t sorry. Jake had served him well as a driver but he wasn’t a likeable man. He had no conversation or personality. Edward had it in his mind to do his own driving in the future, to cut down the cost. He felt duty bound to try after the debacle of the build and the added expenditure.

  Sam and Connie were slowly rebuilding their relationship. She had the sense to realize she had to take things slowly. Sam was still a little distant at times, which cut her to the quick, but she knew she had to continue to be patient to win back his trust. This was helped by the imminence of the first touring car race of the year. The preparations were in hand, and Connie spent her Sundays at the garage, making tea and trying to be useful. Here, she found a staunch ally in Tom.

  ‘Just give him time, love,’ he told her as they washed up the cups after a lunch break. ‘Sam was devastated, you know that. But he loves you, Connie. He’ll get over it.’

  And so it seemed. As the days passed and the race drew nearer, Sam was more relaxed with her, and when she lay in his arms at night, he seemed to lose the slight coolness that had remained for some time – until, after one particular night of passion, it seemed to disappear altogether. Now she really believed they had a chance. Until that point she’d never been sure.

  Connie had decided against causing trouble for John Baker. What was the point? She and Sam were together again, which was the more important thing in her life. Revenge against John was pointless, and it would open up a can of worms she could well do without … and to what end? Apart from which, she’d recently been promoted. She was now in charge of the haberdashery department. The person who’d previously been in charge of the purchasing had retired, and Connie had been asked to take their place after she’d suggested new products to be tried, which had been successful. The management had been impressed with her ideas, and they had borne fruit. Any scandal would certainly have put this new position in jeopardy, so a still tongue was the best answer. She was thrilled with her promotion at such a young age, and Sam was delighted for her.

  ‘Well done, sweetheart. I always knew you were a bright girl!’

  His compliments warmed her heart. John Baker had not been near her to congratulate her, for which she was thankful, but he had realized that now he was probably safe from being exposed by his past lover and had moved on to another new young assistant. At least he was now a free man to do so, thought Connie, who just watched with amusement as he went out of his way to charm his new acquisition. She wondered how long it would take him to get the girl into bed. Well, she mused, at least she’d have a good time, because he was a good lover.

  The repairs and tweaks to Sam’s car were nearly complete, and he and his two mechanics were pleased with the speed they had managed to achieve. But new drivers were coming along now, and there was no way of knowing how good the competition was. He was also aware that Jake Barton would again be racing against him. All he could do was be prepared and drive well. He couldn’t wait to be back on the track, because it was what he enjoyed doing the most. It was his life, and as the day grew nearer, he felt the adrenalin begin to flow through his veins.

  The meeting was to be held at Brands Hatch on a Sunday, following time trials to sort the starting position of the drivers on Saturday.

  Connie travelled to the track on Sunday by train as Sam had a meeting earlier in the day. Sam was to talk to a man about a car he wanted Sam to work on for a different race class, and of course this would be an important step in Sam’s future plans.

  Connie was greeted warmly by Tom and Harry when she did arrive. She enjoyed the banter from the two men of whom she’d grown so fond. The bond between the three men was something special, she always thought. They were really a great team, and apart from being the backbone of Sam’s success, they would also be a major part of the workforce as his dream of building engines for racing cars became a reality.

  Connie felt the tightening of every nerve in her body as they started to prepare for the race. Sam had kissed her briefly when she arrived, but then got down to business on the car. This was her cue to stand back. She wandered around the other areas, looking to see if she recognized any of the other drivers from previous meetings. In the distance she saw Jake Barton with two men, tuning the engine of his Jaguar. Her heart seemed to miss a beat when she recognized him. There was something evil about this man, she felt, and it worried her when he was in a race with Sam. She prayed that today he would not cause any problems – and walked back to her own team.

  Jake Barton was in his element on the racetrack and could hardly wait to begin, but he had the sense to know he’d have to be careful. The authorities would be watching him like a hawk after his ban, just waiting for him to make a mistake, and then he’d be out of the race-game for good. Well, no way was that going to happen. He’d toe the line … for a while, anyway. He’d seen Sam arrive and his crew. The same old feelings of jealousy arose – that would never go away. He still felt he was the better driver, but he knew that for once he had to think sensibly to be able to continue, so he shut his mind to his rival. Today he’d be a model driver, but he’d still push to be as near to the front as possible.

  The race was about to begin, and the cars were in their positions, engines revving, nerves taut, then the flag went down and the cars took off, heading for the first bend. Connie held her breath as several vehicles moved in a block and she wondered who was going to collide, but they all rounded the bend safely.

  Connie’s body was stiff with tension, and she tried to relax her aching shoulders as she watched the cars pass her vantage point time and time again. Sam was moving up the field steadily with each circuit, closely followed by two new drivers and Jake Barton. The new drivers showed their skill as they weaved in and out, overtaking other vehicles who were either slower or had been shunted out in collisions. But as she stood watching the cars approaching in the distance, Connie held her breath. Three cars were in a line, moving at speed. There was Sam, a new driver and Jake Barton. Someone was going to have to give way to prevent a collision, but as they drew nearer, it seemed that no one was going to do so. She grabbed hold of Tom’s arm and held on, scarcely breathing.

  They stood rooted
to the spot as they watched the cars get nearer and nearer. Connie closed her eyes, unable to watch, quietly praying. ‘Please don’t let Sam crash!’

  She heard the sound of an engine change and opened her eyes to see Sam suddenly forge ahead of the other two, leaving them to make the corner as best they could. All three made it safely, but it was a very close thing. Barton’s wing scraped the other car as they both rounded the bend, but the other driver managed to keep control of his vehicle, and they soon were out of sight.

  Connie let go of Tom’s arm. ‘Bloody hell!’ she muttered. ‘I’ll be a basket case before this race is over.’

  He rubbed his arm. ‘Do me a favour, girl; hang on to something else next time, will you?’

  She immediately apologized.

  ‘Here,’ he said, handing her a cigarette, ‘I think we both need one of these.’

  The race wasn’t without incident, and several cars came to grief. One driver was taken away by ambulance and some cars were badly damaged, but Sam came second, with Jake Barton in third place.

  As they stood on the rostrum, Sam turned to Jake and held out his hand. ‘Congratulations,’ he said. ‘That was a great race.’

  Jake looked at the outstretched hand and then looked at Sam with an insolent grin. ‘You were lucky this time, Knight. But next time I’ll beat you, see if I don’t!’ He then walked away.

  Sam just shook his head. Well, at least he’d tried, he thought, but it was a complete waste of time trying to appeal to Jake’s good nature – because the man didn’t have one!

  That evening, the four of them went out to dinner to celebrate, before driving home. Sam was tired but elated. He’d done well in the race, and he now had a contract to build an engine for another racing driver in a higher class. His first commission – and he was thrilled.

  ‘This is the start I needed, Connie love. Once this engine has been built, and raced, it will prove my skills and should be the start of a lucrative business. Word of mouth is the best recommendation, and this chap had been told about me by another driver, whose engine I’d tuned.’ He kissed her. ‘We’re on our way, sweetheart!’