We closed up the shop and I went upstairs to Anthony’s flat. He was still at work and the rooms were dark and silent. Switching on the Christmas tree lights, I sat down on the sofa and stared out at the dark sky. I thought about the huge diamond engagement ring that Patrick had given me. It was beautiful, but did I want to keep it? I didn’t need a reminder of how stupid and gullible I was, and if I sold it, then I could use the money to help Bobbi. But was I within my rights to sell it? I’d offered to give it back to Patrick but he’d said no. Besides, Anthony still had it and I wasn’t certain if he needed it for the investigation. He hadn’t mentioned it recently.
‘Hello.’ Anthony smiled as he walked through the door. My heart leapt at the sight of him. Throwing his keys on the side, he slipped off his jacket and hung it on the back of a chair. ‘Good day?’
‘Err, it was a bit strange, to be honest. Can I ask you a question? You know the engagement ring?’
‘Your one from Patrick?’ Anthony hitched up his belt and put his hands on his hips. ‘What about it?’
‘Do you still need it for the investigation?’
Anthony thought for a moment. ‘No, I have it here actually. I meant to give it you back but I didn’t want to upset you with it. I don’t need it. I wondered if it was stolen, but it wasn’t. Well, not that I could find, anyway.’ He sniffed and went through to the kitchen to run himself a glass of water. ‘Probably bought with stolen money, though.’
‘How much do you think it’s worth?’
‘I don’t know. Couple of grand, at least.’
‘Am I allowed to sell it?’
Anthony sniffed and then laughed. ‘I don’t see why not. He never asked for it back?’
I shook my head. ‘I did offer to give it back but he said it was mine. He actually said the words “it’s your ring”.’
‘Well, then. What are you asking me for?’
‘I don’t know. I just… I don’t know. It’s weird, I guess. I don’t want to seem like a heartless bitch or some gold-digger who was just after his money. And I feel like I should be more sentimental about it. I really don’t want it, but that makes me sad because I feel like I should keep it to look back and remember someone loved me once. Does that make sense?’
Anthony shook his head. ‘Do you want it or not?’
‘No.’
‘Well then, sell it. I don’t see why you should have any fond memories of Patrick.’ He passed me the ring box, opened up the lid and looked at it. The large, cushioned-shaped diamond winked up at me and I shut the lid with a snap. Just looking at it made me feel sick.
I stood up. ‘Come on, we’re going out.’
Anthony looked bewildered for a moment but grabbed his jacket and followed me down the stairs and out of the front door. It was late-night shopping again, and people were gathering in the street, ready to watch the Winter Watch Parade, which was happening tonight. Anthony was grumbling about the amount of people out on the streets, but I only had one thing on my mind as I strode purposefully towards the jeweller’s.
‘Wait, you’re doing it now? Don’t you want to think about it?’
‘I need the money, Anthony. I don’t need a ring.’
‘What do you need the money for?’ He took my arm and I was touched by the concern on his face. ‘Are you in trouble? Can I help?’
‘No. No, I’m fine.’
We reached the jeweller’s and I went inside. The elderly man behind the counter looked up with interest as I strode up to the counter and produced the ring. He held it up to the light and then looked at it through an eyeglass.
‘This is a beautiful piece of jewellery. How did you come by it, may I ask?’
‘It was an engagement ring from my ex-fiancé. He said I could keep it, but I don’t want it.’
The man eyed Anthony curiously, as though trying to work out if he was the ex-fiancé in question. He put up a hand and shook his head. ‘I’m just a friend, but I’m also a police officer.’ He showed the man his badge. ‘So, I’d be very interested if you thought this ring was stolen?’
The man shook his head. ‘It’s quite a distinctive item of jewellery. I think I’d recognise it if there had been an alert put out about it.’
I pulled a face. It seemed unlikely that he’d be able to recognise a stolen ring, but then what did I know?
‘It’s a beautiful diamond. One and a half carats. Platinum band. Are you sure you want to part with this?’
I nodded silently.
‘I’d be happy to offer you seven thousand pounds.’
‘Seven thousand pounds?’ I blinked at him incredulously. ‘Really?’
‘Maybe we should check out some other jeweller’s?’ Anthony muttered.
‘I could perhaps go up to eight at a stretch,’ said the man thoughtfully. ‘It is a very precious and beautiful item.’
‘Eight?’ I couldn’t believe this was happening. I’d never imagined the ring could be worth that amount of money.
‘Of course, I don’t have the money on the premises but I could do a bank transfer? I have some forms to sign.’
I was in shock as I signed over the ring and gave him my bank details. The relief of getting rid of it was so great I started to shake. Seeing I was about to question the man further, Anthony took my hand and led me out into the night air.
‘I can’t believe it,’ I said, shaking my head in disbelief. ‘I can’t believe it.’
Anthony shrugged as we walked along the Row. Fat, fluffy flakes of snow were falling from the sky and drumbeats filled the air as the Winter Watch Parade approached. I felt like I was in shock as we paused to watch the dancers dressed as skeletons cavort down the street towards us. They were followed by a massive dragon head, a huge white angel with skirts billowing, and a six-foot unicorn, horn pointing to the sky. A group of chefs dancing with platters of plastic turkeys and Christmas puddings were followed by people holding skeletons on sticks, big, yellow-painted stars, red devils and fire-eaters twirling and dancing.
‘Jesus! What the hell is this?’ Anthony said, looking on in disbelief.
‘The Winter Watch Parade.’ I laughed and tucked my arm through his. ‘Don’t you know about it? Nothing says Christmas to us Cestrians like an eight-foot angel. Shall we go for something to eat?’
We found a little pub that wasn’t too busy and ordered some food. We didn’t speak as we stood at the bar, waiting to be served, and Anthony was still quiet when we sat down. He picked at the label on his bottle of beer, frowning slightly as if deep in thought.
‘I take it you don’t agree with what I just did?’ I said, taking a sip of my wine.
‘No, no, it’s not really that. It’s just…’ He looked at me curiously. ‘Why do you need the money so urgently?’
I shrugged. ‘Well, you know, my house has been flooded.’
‘But your insurance should pay for most of that, surely.’
I shrugged. ‘Still nice to have a bit to fall back on.’
Anthony pulled a face, and shook his head. ‘I still think you should have gone around a few more jewellers. Just to make sure you got the best price.’
‘I was happy to get what I got. I never dreamed it would be so much. A couple of grand, you said, and that was right at the top of what I was expecting.’
‘Don’t look at me. It’s not like I know anything about diamonds, is it?’ He went back to picking at the label of his bottle. ‘Who are you giving it to, Rachel?’
‘Who says I’m giving it to anyone?’
‘I do.’
I shook my head, dismissively. ‘I’m just glad to be rid of it.’
‘Is it Bobbi?’
I didn’t answer, but I knew I’d given it away somehow when Anthony gaped at me. I’d never been good at hiding things. ‘Rachel! Are you sure about this?’
‘Absolutely. She needs money, Anthony, and she’s not coping well. I didn’t want the ring. Why would I keep it? What good is it to me? I d
on’t want to remember Patrick and his lies, nor what a fool I was to believe him. I don’t want anything that reminds me of him. So, I just thought, if I could sell it and give her the money, at least it would be doing some good.’ I shook my head. ‘I can’t believe how awful it must be to have to go to a foodbank because you can’t afford to eat. And now she’s borrowed money from some evil woman and I just can’t stand to see her so desperate and upset.’
‘What woman?’
‘I’m not supposed to tell you.’
‘You have to tell me,’ he said, urgently. ‘Rachel, please.’
I looked at him, feeling bad for betraying Bobbi, but knowing it was the right thing to do. ‘I think she’s some sort of loan shark. All nice and friendly at first then turning nasty when it’s time to pay the money back. She only borrowed a hundred pound for about a week, but when she changed her mind and took it back, they’d added ridiculous amounts of interest, and now she can’t afford the extra.’
Anthony let out a huge breath and rolled his eyes, looking furious. ‘So, that’s where your money’s going to go? To a loan shark?’
‘No, Mum and I gave her the money for the loan shark. It was only seventy. This is so she doesn’t have to struggle any more. Anthony, she’s not been attending college so she can go to the foodbank. Don’t they open any other days?’
Anthony shrugged. ‘We can check, but they rely on volunteer help, so they can only open for an hour or so once or twice a week. I think the one she goes to might open twice, but I’d need to check.’ He rubbed his face with his hand. ‘Can you get me the name of the loan shark? There’s a department that deals with that, so it’s not really my area, but if I could pass it on they could investigate.’
‘I’ll try. She doesn’t want to get involved with that, though. She’s scared.’
He nodded. ‘I can understand that. They’re not nice people to be dealing with. If she won’t say, tell her she can report her anonymously online. Let’s hope this woman accepts her money and doesn’t try to get any more out of her.’
‘Do you think she would?’
‘I don’t know. See what Bobbi says tomorrow. How are you going to give her the money, though? She probably won’t expect it.’
‘I was going to put it in the account we pay her wages in and tell her it’s a Christmas bonus.’
‘You’re not going to give her all of it, are you?’
‘I don’t know. I still haven’t got over how much it was worth.’
‘Well, don’t. She could blow it all at once and be back to square one.’
I frowned and shook my head. ‘It’s only a short-term fix, anyway, isn’t it? Her mother needs help and Bobbi’s life isn’t really going to improve until her mum’s health improves. The money’s just intended to give her space to breathe and lift the burden of Christmas a little.’
Our meals arrived and I unwrapped the serviette from my cutlery, ready to eat. The waitress gave Anthony a lingering glance before walking away, but he didn’t seem to notice. He thanked her politely, but he was still looking at me. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone like you before, Rachel,’ he said, quietly.
I laughed. ‘Is that good or bad?’
He picked up his knife and fork. ‘Both,’ he said quietly.
I stared at him, uncertain what he meant, and he gave me such a searing look that a whole army of butterflies took flight in my stomach. Clearing my throat, I looked quickly down at my food and started to eat.
We ate dinner in near silence, our arms touching every so often. We seemed to get closer as we sat together. A little wiggle here, a shuffle there. Just a little lean to the right. I wasn’t even aware of what we were doing until the occasional contact became a constant, warm presence. We sat huddled together until the waitress came and took our plates away.
‘Well, I suppose we’d better go home,’ I said, making no attempt to move.
‘Hmm…’ He looked down at me and smiled. ‘Back to the non-dating zone?’
‘Yep.’
He shifted down slightly so his face was closer to mine. ‘How far does this non-dating policy of yours go?’
‘What do you mean?’ I felt myself grow hot.
‘Does it only preclude sex? Or is kissing allowed?’
I smiled shyly. ‘I think kissing might be allowed outside the walls of the apartment.’
‘Outside only?’ He raised his eyebrows and blinked thoughtfully around at our surroundings.
‘But only when there’s mistletoe involved.’
‘Gaaah, really?’ He pulled a face but made no attempt to pull away from me. ‘Have you got some in your bag?’
‘I’m afraid not.’ I laughed, mischievously, enjoying teasing him, even though I really did want him to kiss me.
‘What would happen if I kissed you without mistletoe?’
‘You’d get arrested by the Christmas police.’
‘The Christmas police?’ He shook his head slowly. ‘I’m sorry, Miss Jones, but you’re going to have to come up with something better than that.’ Leaning forward, he pressed his lips to mine and I closed my eyes, letting the sensations flow through me. I felt like I was falling through space as his tongue slowly explored my mouth, his hand gently cupping my chin. I was melting inside and aching with desire. I wanted this kiss to go on for ever and ever.
Someone cleared their throat next to our table. ‘Excuse me, Sir, Madam. I’m sorry to interrupt, but if you’ve finished eating, we really need this table.’
Breaking apart, we looked at her in surprise. The bar had been almost empty when we walked in, but now it was full of people. How had that happened? Anthony opened his mouth to say something but I was already pulling my coat on and grabbing my bag. Taking his hand, I pulled him up with me, giving the waitress an apologetic smile as I passed by. She eyed me jealously as I passed and I couldn’t help but feel a bit smug as I walked out onto the street.
‘Have you seen what time it is?’ Anthony said, shivering as a cold blast of wind sent a flurry of snow into his face. Pulling his jacket closer around him, he wrapped an arm around my shoulders. ‘We’ve been kissing for almost an hour.’
‘We have not!’
‘We have. See for yourself. I feel like a seventeen-year-old.’
I laughed and kissed his cheek. ‘At least we’re going home to the no-dating zone now, so you can feel thirty-five again.’
‘Great!’
We chatted as we walked along the street. It was bitterly cold, but Anthony’s arm around my shoulders made me feel warm. I missed it when he withdrew it to let us into his flat. Stepping inside, he pushed me up against the door and kissed me. ‘Err, what do you think you’re doing?’ I said as his mouth moved down my throat. ‘No-dating zone, remember.’
‘We can kiss now. You said so.’
‘Only with mistletoe.’
‘Oh, come on! We’ve already broken that rule.’ His hand moved from my waist up to my breast and I pushed it away.
‘Don’t be naughty.’
‘Don’t be a tease.’
I gaped at him and pushed him away. ‘Detective Inspector Bascombe! Behave yourself.’ I stomped past him and up the stairs.
‘What?’ he said, following me up, laughing.
‘We have to live together.’
‘And don’t I know it. I’ve got a Christmas tree in my lounge and a permanent boner thanks to you.’
‘I cannot believe you just said that!’
‘What?’
‘Boner! Everyone’s like “oh, Anthony’s such a gentleman! He’s so charming and lovely”, and I’m, like, “no, he’s not, he’s like a dirty schoolboy”.’
‘Don’t tell everybody my secrets, Jones,’ he said, laughing. ‘I like people thinking I’m charming and lovely.’
Opening the door to the lounge, I switched on the lights and filled the kettle. Anthony leaned on the breakfast bar behind me. I could see him watching me in the reflection of
the microwave.
‘Stop it!’ I said, without turning around.
‘Stop what?’
‘Stop watching me.’
‘Why?’
‘You’re making me uncomfortable.’
‘Uncomfortable? Or hot?’ He wiggled his eyebrows.
I blushed. ‘Stop it.’
‘Miss Jones!’ he said in a mock-shocked voice. ‘I do believe I’m making you hot!’
‘Anthony!’
He jumped up on the breakfast bar and slid across to land beside me. I turned to him, surprised he was suddenly so close.
‘So, where were we?’ He put his hands on my waist and looked down into my eyes. I hesitated for just a moment before stretching up and kissing him. He didn’t bend down, but let me reach up, holding me against him so I could feel him hard against my groin. My breathing was ragged as I grazed his lips with my teeth, growing more and more aroused by the second until…
Ding-dong.
Anthony blinked as I pulled away and looked towards the door.
‘Just ignore it. They’ll get the message and go away.’ He pulled me to him again. ‘You’re not expecting anyone, are you?’
I shook my head but the doorbell rang again and then again.
‘Bloody hell,’ Anthony breathed, letting me go and going downstairs to answer it. A moment later, I heard my mum’s voice floating up the stairs. ‘I just thought I’d bring the Christmas plates and serving bowls round, to get them out of the way. We’ve got someone coming to look at the kitchen tomorrow.’
I heard the clink of crockery as Anthony came back into the room, carrying a box of plates. He shot me a long-suffering look as Mum bustled in behind, carrying a fold-up chair and a large roasting pan for the turkey. She produced a gold tablecloth from her bag and laid it over the back of a chair while Anthony went back down to help my dad.
‘Hello, love,’ she said, brightly. ‘Stick the kettle on.’
‘It’s just boiled, actually,’ I said, pasting on a smile to mask my frustration.
‘Oh, lovely. It’s very quiet in here,’ she said, looking around at the blank television screen and darkened lounge in confusion. ‘You haven’t even got your Christmas tree lights on! What’s going on?’
Meet Me Under the Mistletoe Page 18
