The Inspector Lynley Mysteries

The Perfume of the Lady with Red Hair

Note: Lynley, Havers and their sorts don't belong to me. This takes place sometimes around "The Seed of Cunning" episode.

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CHAPTER 2

He was holding her tight, enjoying the moment when revelation hit home. He was kissing Havers. He let go of her immediately. "Get a room!" someone called out at that precise moment. He switched from mortification to anger. He searched the dimmed light for the offender but unable to trace the source, he finally met Havers' eyes. She was staring and immediately looked away. God, that was embarrassing.

So much for sharing personal problems with a friend, he thought, doing his best not to gaze at her. His hand found the glass on the counter and he gulped the rest of his drink gesturing to the barman to get him another round. It has been a bad idea from the start. He should have called Christine; they would have had a few cocktails downtown, a last nightcap at her place or his and some meaningless comfort sex.

Talk about being randy, I'm all wound up, there's no way I can get around this situation and explain myself to Havers.

She probably wondered already why of all London pubs he chose this particular one, and her next move will be to question his ulterior motives. He had to say something right now, anything. He felt sick, on the verge of having a major meltdown. For someone who was supposed to hold his liquor, that was certainly a first. Assaulting a friend, a colleague, and in a pub no less? What possibly did he want to achieve? Make believe was all she ever asked for, it would have been so easy to play along. She requested his help without reservation, she trusted him. She did not deserve a public humiliation.

Lord Asherton downfall… Here he was again, a pathologically pathetic whiner complaining peevishly when his behaviour made him only a sorry excuse for a gentleman.

"He's gone," he said flatly trying to sound detached. It did not ring true even to his ears. "Havers…"

"I'll get my bag," she blushed bashfully, behaving in a very self-conscious way, "I'll be right back… sir."

"I'm not going anywhere," he mumbled. He felt numb. He had to calm down, defuse the situation, apologizing will never be enough, he thought. No need to beat about the bush, when he planned to make her boyfriend jealous he never intended to kiss her twice. He watched her retrieve her bag, parka and tepid beer from her table. She went back as quickly as she could, and flashed him a bright smile.

"At least he paid for the drink," she said, "I bet he ran as soon as he saw us smooching. And he's probably still running. I have to thank you for your very efficient way of getting rid of one annoying bugger, sir."

Now he was the one staring. When he was agonizing about a simple kiss, she simply decided on ignoring what just happened. Strangely, he did no feel relieved. It was odd this way she was having of not addressing the problem right away, so unlike her.

"If you'll excuse me sir, I will get going. It's past my bedtime," she joked. "I have to go and see my mum tomorrow. Have a good night sir."

Before he had time to react, he found himself alone at the bar facing bottles and mirrors. He did not like what he saw. He finished his drink and called a cab.

-o-

She hurried back to her car. She felt whacked. Befuddled, baffled, puzzled… and confused, to say the least. It's been the equivalent of the Berlin wall coming down -again. She had to pull herself together.

The last couple of hours had taken their toll on her. She was in great need of someone to talk to. The problem was that Lynley was usually her person of choice and due to the way they hooked up at the bar, it was no longer an option, at least not right now. She should not have run the way she did. At the end of the day, she will have to work with Lynley and face the problem.

What a mess, she thought; it was supposed to be such a fun evening to begin with. Not only was Russell good-looking, he seemed intelligent and articulate, a welcomed relief after a seemingly endless string of blind dates with self-centred imbeciles. Tonight, totally out of the blue, he put on his best macho act, a hundred percent certain that he was going to bed her and turned into an offensive stupid bastard. It was disparaging for her to blame his attitude on alcohol. His intoxication was a bad excuse and she knew it, she was not fooled by his attitude. She should not feel guilty of showing up late at the pub, either. He had some sort of draw on women, the sort that one couldn't understand, she should have known better. He had picked her out from his final selection, --"You're the last three in my personal line-up," he said. He had made no secret that he had yet to decide on who will win his affection in the end. If he was using the dating agency to increase the list of his conquests, her instinct told her that she should turn him down.

She was glad that Lynley could get rid of him so easily. Despite his bravado, Russell probably could not stand the competition – or he was not interested enough to fight for her. Now, her biggest problem was not that phoney Casanova, it was Lynley. She should never have told him she was trying to socialize in the first place. What was the matter with her? She didn't have to be so specific. Instead she had to brag, give all the details, because… actually she had absolutely no idea why, probably to boost her self-esteem, if she had any. They usually didn't discuss her private life, not as much as his anyway; when it came to discussing her life, it was all about her mum, her nursing home, or her mortgage, nothing personal really.

If he kissed her, it was on the spur of the moment, and she wanted to believe that it was merely a meaningless flash of inspiration. Well, she asked for it, the damsel in distress calling for help. It was not even a real kiss, his lips barely touched hers.

She stopped before her car and began to fetch her keys inside her bag. Probably he needed her for something related to work and did not want to call her on her mobile or disturb her on her date. On the other hand he had been depressed lately and certainly lonely. He could have asked her out for a drink. Just because we're not sleeping together doesn't mean we can't hang out, be friends. She bit her lip. He did ask her out, several times. She simply didn't wise up to the fact that he was calling for her company and a shoulder to cry on because she was so enthralled in her own dating scheme. She sighed and sat down in her car. Throwing her bag on the back seat, she stared absently at the street glistening from recent rain.

Why would he kiss her? He kissed her the second time, she did not imagine it. Was he drunk too? He did not seem drunk at the time. She had been smitten with her boss since week one but she had come to terms with her silly infatuation. He was way out of her league. Suffice to say that the show intended to put off her date was convincing enough since it ended into such a major lapse in judgment; probably nothing to get excited about, she pondered, except that she left. Lynley was only doing her a favour and she let him down. She contemplated going back to the pub and apologizing. She checked her watch. It was already past late but she had to get the whole story out of her chest.

She started her car and pulled away.

-o-

He was home and he was up. She had parked a block away from his place and walked to his house. From across the square, she could spot the lights in the living room and upstairs. Her hands deep inside her parka, she mulled over going directly to his place to confront him. She dialled his number and waited for an answer. His mobile was probably off but he will check his voice mail tomorrow morning before going to work.

"Havers?"

"You remember you gave me a rain check, sir? I know it's awfully late but I might take you up on your offer of a nightcap."

"Where are you? Are you ok?"

"We have to talk."

"I know. I was thinking about going to your place."

She laughed softly. "Great minds…" She walked rapidly to his house and trotted up the stairs her phone pressed to her ear. She could sense relief in his voice.

"Do you want me to come? I can be in Acton in less than twenty minutes."

"I'm at your door."

"What?"

She heard muffled footsteps and the door unlocked. She hung up the phone and grinned. "Sir it's quite chilly, you should cover yourself."

He stepped out in his skivvies and gave a good look around.

"Sorry Havers, I'm only hoping we lost our tails now that the case is closed," he said placing his hand on the small of her back, "come on in. I'll put the kettle on."

-o-

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