by Gill Mather
“How are you bearing up?” she asked Graham after they sat down. He insisted on buying the snacks and drinks and Ali tucked in.
“I’m not too bad,” said Graham. “I’ve got used to it now. In fact I’m more or less resigned to getting convicted and probably going down.”
“No. You can’t think like that. Hugh’s convinced….” she stopped herself from saying he was convinced Graham hadn't done it. Of course he was. They were best friends for, like, forever. “He’s right behind you. He’ll do the very best he can for you. I mean I keep thinking. Is there anything else we haven’t covered? You know, anyone else who might want to get at you?”
“No-one that I know of.”
“Do you mind talking about it, the case I mean because I’ll shut up if you don’t want me to.”
“No that’s OK. It’s all pretty unreal. But I’ve got to assume I might go down and make plans for the business to be looked after. Lots of people depend on it for jobs you know. I can’t just disappear one day which is what would happen if I get put inside and expect it to all keep ticking over without me. And I’d be worried to death. So I’m making the appropriate arrangements.”
“Well going back to what we were talking about, have you ever….er….double crossed anyone in business?”
“Ali it’s not like that. I’ve certainly not done anything illegal. I’ve taken opportunities others could have taken. I’ve beaten other companies in getting contracts. Of course I have. That’s the essence of business. It’s unthinkable that any business opponents would set me up with the kind of trouble I’ve got now. Unthinkable. It’s the sort of thing only a hardened criminal would do. Or someone with a warped mind.”
“Well if not a business opponent, then what about your personal life.”
“As I told everyone at the police interview, I haven’t got a personal life.”
“No I meant in the past. Have you ever nicked another man’s girlfriend for example? It wouldn’t be the first time in history if you had. It appears to be rife in Colchester anyway from my short experience of matrimonial work.”
“No. That’s not my thing.” He hesitated. “I mean…” He frowned.
“Yes?”
“It’s completely irrelevant. I’m not even going to dignify it with an airing.”
“Well I’m intrigued now. Even if it’s got nothing to do with anything, you’ll have to tell me.”
“Well there was someone once. But it’s ridiculous to associate it with this charge against me.”
“OK then just tell me as a friend. It can't hurt.”
“I hope not.”
“Well then tell me.”
“What it is is that when Hugh went to university, he was engaged to a girl. I suppose he’s told you,” then seeing her face, “oh, perhaps not then. They’d been going out together since they were sixteen for God’s sake and everyone thought it would be a good idea if they got engaged before he went away. I’m not sure Hugh himself did but he buckled under and did it. Anyway, when he was away, I started to see her. She was a girl we’d both been friends with for years and it just happened. Even before the first Christmas holiday. Honestly Ali, he wasn’t bothered at all. He liked Oxford and he wanted to be free to date girls there.”
“So Hugh’s been engaged to someone?” Ali sounded stunned.
“Look Ali I know about you and Hugh. He’s told me. He’s my oldest friend. We’ve known each other since we were babies. We grew up in the same street. I know just about everything there is to know about him and I know you don’t need to bother about the fact that he was once engaged. Either from the point of view of my current predicament or your relationship with him.”
Ali sat silently looking at her drink. Engaged! Sixteen! No wonder he was such a genius in bed. He must’ve had years more practise than her.
“I know Hugh’s rather….I suppose….a private person. And he doesn’t necessarily conform to peoples’ assumptions about the way we should all behave. But it doesn't mean anything. Thing is. His family are just about as different to him as they could be. I mean they’re nice but they’re….not at all intellectual. When he passed the eleven plus, it was something really special. No-one in our street passed the eleven plus. No-one on our estate for that matter. You know he’s really clever. He got the highest marks for the eleven plus that year in the whole of Essex. He could have gone to any of the better grammar schools in Essex like say the Colchester one but they were too far away so he went to one of the Southend ones. And it wasn’t that easy for him. That was when he became….contained. I think he had to. In order to cope. The other boys mostly came from middle class families. Their boys had gone to private schools or received an enormous amount of tutoring. Hugh didn’t have those advantages. His parents were supportive but they couldn't help him fit in. He had to work that out for himself. So he went….I don’t know….he started to be….watchful. He couldn’t relax. His accent changed. And he felt all the time he had to do his very best. I noticed all this but it never affected our friendship.”
Ali just listened, glued to her seat.
“He got the highest points for A` levels in the whole country that year. He’s not just anyone Ali. I’m not saying he’s a genius or anything but he’s much much brighter than most of us. You know he’s got a PhD in forensic science or something. He’s entitled to call himself “Dr Sutherland” but he doesn’t.”
Graham looked at her.
“I don’t know why I’m telling you all this. Hugh wouldn’t thank me. In fact he’d be furious probably. Anyway, him and Debbie wouldn’t have lasted.”
“What’s she doing now?”
“She was a hairdresser for some years. Now I believe she’s married with a number of children.”
“More fool her then,” said Ali and smiled.
“Good. I’m glad you think that way. I wouldn’t want him to be hurt.”
Ali’s eyes widened and she said: “Hugh obviously didn’t tell you much about us. If you think I might hurt, as in leave, Hugh, then you don’t know anything.”
The rest of her food had got cold. And she was supposed to be the professional here, therefore she thanked Graham for lunch and suggested they get back to the office for his interview proper.
“HUGH ABOUT?” ASKED Graham when they got back to the office.
“No. I’m not sure where he is.”
She could hardly keep asking Sheila for updates on his location or go sneaking into his office every five minutes to take surreptitious looks at his diary.
The interview took all afternoon. Petunia wanted the house, the horses (of course), half Graham’s business assets and two thirds of his other assets despite the fact that there was a pre-nup and they’d only been married for three years, that they had no children and despite the fact that she was now shacked up with a rich banker. Ali wasn’t sufficiently qualified to give advice on her prospects but it seemed pretty excessive. But she was able to go through the laborious task of taking Graham through each sordid allegation Petunia had raised and each argument for her needing such an excessive settlement.
Basically the business wasn’t up for grabs. It was a continually evolving expanding entity. Every advance financed another advance and so on. There was no spare capacity. No spare meat that could be pared off for a greedy estranged wife or anyone else. It was so complicated that in fact Ali had to suggest another appointment with Graham to go through all the points.
Petunia alleged that she was coerced into signing the pre-nup going into detail about his aggressive behaviour and the circumstances surrounding the signing of the pre-nup. She alleged she’d had miscarriages during the marriage and forewent lucrative modelling contracts to concentrate on the pregnancies. Graham denied it all and there didn't seem to be any independent evidence. As to Graham’s alleged philandering, it was almost laughable the allegations Petunia made.
“I’m just thankful we didn’t actually have any children,” Graham said. “Poor little buggers would have been drag
ged through all this. How awful!”
Ali saw him out of the office and he said he’d `phone for another appointment.
After seeing and speaking to Graham Ali felt more buoyant for some reason. The possibility that she might be able to hurt Hugh. Unthinkable. But if somebody else thought it, perhaps her stock with Hugh was higher than she'd imagined. Therefore she poked her nose round Sam’s door as she went back to The Privy to get her things to go home.
“Good Easter?”
“Yeah. You?”
“Brilliant.” Sam must have detected something worth knowing because Ali could almost see her antennae re-adjusting to the appropriate frequency and Sam said the words Ali had been hoping for:
“How about a post-oestrous drink at the you know where? Darren’s picked up the kids today so I’m free for….ooh….I don’t know….two hours maybe...three. Tops.”
“Lovely,” said Ali.
“SO THE BIG BAD wolf didn’t eat Little Red Riding Hood all up over Easter then?”
“No,” said Ali, “I’ve survived. It could have been worse. But it wasn’t!”
“So come on then. What did you do?”
“Well I spent most of the time decorating.”
“What? That’s not what I came to hear!”
“Well there was the odd interlude of….you know….unbridled passion. Oh Sam. It was….heavenly. I don’t have the vocabulary to describe it. Sorry. But it’s beyond ordinary words. I’d have to….”
“OK. Cut the crap. I do know what rampant sex is like. What I want to know is: Has he declared undying love yet or what?”
“Sadly no,” sighed Ali.
“Oh. How disappointing.”
“Yes. I’ve had adoration. We were meant to be together. I’m everything. But no actual declaration of love. No.”
“Oh. How disappointing!” Sam said again. “But it’s a jolly good start though. So er….Has your previous problem got any better? Your….you know….obsession with it?”
“Not really. It’s just as bad. Even thinking about it now,” she sighed. “But I’ll have to wait until tomorrow.”
“You could always go and have therapy for sex addiction you know. Both of you if necessary.”
“Don't you start. He’s always teasing me about it. That’s quite enough.”
“Sounds sweet.”
“Maybe. But I have found out a lot more about him. You mustn’t tell a soul but….” and she related Graham’s account of Hugh’s background regarding romantic matters.
“Oh. Engaged! Who would have thought it!”
“You know. I’ve been having some dark thoughts that are ….a bit disturbing.”
“That doesn’t sound very nice.”
“No it isn’t but….well….Hugh is so….secretive and closed. It’s difficult not to think all sorts of things. It’s fine when I’m with him. But other times when he’s just ignoring me in the office, it’s really horrible and my imagination just goes off the scale.”
“Such as?”
“Well what about this? It’ll seem ridiculous but hear me out.” Ali was a little tipsy by this time.
Sam nodded seriously in an equally half-cut fashion.
“Well what it is is that on the day of Angela’s assault at Graham’s place….You know….Hugh had been there that day. Earlier on in that day. Then he only goes and produces to me some forensic suits he had about his house of a sort that must have been used by Angela’s attacker to avoid fibres, DNA etc being left all over her bed.” She explained why Hugh said he had them and that yes she had actually worn them to decorate and yes they had worked but….
And, aha, this was the thing….Graham had taken Hugh’s teenage fiancée away from him after he’d gone off to Uni!
“I’m sorry,” said Sam, “I’m not sure what I’m supposed to be concluding from all this.”
“Well the theory is, and it’s just a theory,” said Ali in a slightly slurred voice, “that Hugh was so cut up about the fiancée thing that he staged the attempted rape!” Ali sat back triumphantly.
“Sorry. Er have I heard you right? You think Hugh set up what looked like an attempted rape of a girl because his friend took away his fiancée ten years previously? Is that it?”
“Pretty much. It’s just a theory mind.”
“Ali. You’re barking. Hugh wouldn’t do such a thing in a million years.”
“Yes but he’s so secretive. He doesn’t tell me anything about himself or what he’s thinking. Last year he gave me….sort of….pointed looks….when we discussed Graham’s case. He took me to the pub one lunchtime and….I don't know….it just seemed….the way he looked at me so intently. Like he wanted to know what I thought about Graham’s case because he wondered if I thought it was him. Which of course I didn't….at that time.”
“So you don't think a more obvious explanation for his interest in you was….his interest in you?”
“It didn’t seem like it. Oh and he put on an Essex accent once, and do you know what, he sounded just like Graham. It was unbelievable.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. If you got Darren to do it, he’d probably sound just the same. In fact that’s what he does sound like.”
“Do you really think so?”
“I’m positive.”
“Oh.”
“And apart from that he adores you apparently, you were meant to be together. For a bloke, those are declarations of undying love. Don’t push him. It’ll come.”
“Maybe.”
“Ali. Don’t let your imagination run away with you because he’s a bit remote at times. Not others apparently.” And she nudged Ali in that way that made everything make sense.
Then misery set in again.
“At least you’re going home to Darren tonight. I’ve no idea where Hugh is at the moment.”
“Yes you do now,” came a voice from behind.
“Can I offer either of you a lift home. Or anywhere else?” Hugh nodded to Sam and smiled, and bent down and kissed Ali.
CHAPTER 22
ALI WAS WALKING ON air. She was going to spend the whole of the forthcoming weekend with Hugh and was going to her sister’s party with him the next day.
The Friday morning brought a minor surprise. Ali was walking past reception when Baz bustled through importantly and ushered a man back to his room.
“Who was that?” she asked Tammy.
“Dave Wright come to see Baz about a new yard somewhere.”
Interesting. Ali filed it away and when, later that morning, she met Baz in the kitchen she said it didn't look as though the firm had lost his clientele after all.
“No that’s true Ali,” he said.
“So? It wasn't all bad then.”
“Not at all.”
Ali smiled at him nicely and he relented.
“All right. He’s pleased about his daughter and the marriage and….I can't believe this….you won't either….he’s offered the son-in-law a job and a share in the business. They’re going to expand! People never cease to amaze me!” And he walked off with his coffee shaking his head.
Ali spent the Friday lunchtime and early afternoon prowling around the town to find a suitable dress only to settle fairly easily on the dusky pink sparkly strapless number she’d had her eye on for weeks. Shoes were a different matter however and required considerable attention to detail, tryings on and strutting about to make sure the final article was high enough to make her look streamlined but not so high as to reduce her mobility to a shuffle. She eventually chose a pair of slingbacks the same colour as the dress.
It took longer than she’d expected. The narrow pedestrian ways were so picturesque and lovely to amble through slowly and lulled her into forgetting she was in a hurry. She even stopped for a coffee and fancy cake sitting at an outside table, an almost unheard of luxury for a weekday. The atmosphere was continental, say in France where everyone seemed to ignore the weather and sit outside anyway even if it was cold.
At one of the shops she bumped into Tr
ish the avid lady that she and Hugh had met at the Pink Elephant during the lunchtime drink all those months ago. Trish was buying shoes for a golf club do and made a beeline for Ali, re-introducing herself in case Ali had forgotten who she was, which she had rather.
“So how are you and Hugh getting on then? You certainly looked like a couple with possibilities.” Perhaps she wasn't as daft as she seemed thought Ali. She must’ve seen something I didn't at the time. “I’m completely out of touch. I’ve been staying with my friend in Florida since New Years. Honestly I’ve had a wonderful time. My you should see the young men out there. 'Toned' doesn't do it justice. And the parties. Well they certainly know how to enjoy themselves over there.”
Ali tuned out after a few minutes as Trish droned on. She’d had a lot of practice with her mum.
“What do you think of these? You don't think they’re too young for me do you.” Ali gazed at the impossible creation Trish was forcing her left foot into. Before she could say anything useful, Trish was off again.
“Of course,” she was saying, “when I read about it in the papers, I knew Hugh would be the first person Graham would call, so I wasn't surprised.”
“Sorry what was that?”
“Last year. I was on the way to Stansted late in the evening to get an early flight the next day to visit my sister in Newcastle for her birthday for a couple of days. I always fly there now. It’s the only way to travel. Of course I’d set out two hours before but I’d forgotten my contact lenses. Couldn't go anywhere without them so although I’d booked a hotel for the night near the airport I had to come back didn't I. You know I live in Bakers Lane too don't you. Very handy for the golf club. That taxi driver took advantage though. He charged me a small fortune. Of course the weather was awful and he had to put on snow chains so I do understand really but still. I didn't think at the time and Graham wasn’t charged straight away but now I keep thinking it was a bit odd really. If someone’s arrested, they generally call their Solicitor to the police station don't they, not to their house. Or at least they do in films. So what do you think I should do? Do you think I should mention it to the police? That poor man’s awaiting trial. It must be awful for him. Should I? You’re a Solicitor. You’ll know about these things.”
