Chapter 4
"Have you got the pictures through yet?" The man said, down the phone.
"Yes." He flipped through them on his monitor. Katy and Tony Stamp. Katy kissing Tony. Katy leading Tony out of the room. Katy and Chris Deakin. Katy hugging Chris. Chris helping Katy in her car.
"What do you think?"
"I think you should get in touch with her. Tell her what's going on."
"But mate, you've seen her. She's moved on. If Tony Stamp doesn't get her, Chris Deakin will, you know that."
"That's why you have to do it now."
"And how do you propose I do this? It's not like I'm anonymous to those who she's hanging around with."
"I don't know. Knock on her door. Wait until she's alone."
"She's not been alone since she's been out of jail, mate."
"Well, wait until she is."
"I've got to get out of here. Someone's bound to clock me soon."
"Tough. This whole situation is your fault. You got me in, now you get me, and Katy, out of it."
"Can't you just find someone else? There's tons of fit birds down there. Just look outside on the beach!"
"No. I don't want one of them. I want Katy."
"She's that important to you?"
"Yes."
"Worth me getting caught for?"
"Yes. Look, don't do this. You owe this to me. Just get on with it, will you?"
"Alright, Jonathan." Don Beech shook his head, and rubbed his temples.
"How's Sun Hill anyway?"
"Rainy. Cold. Shitty. Same as usual. Look, if she knows about Claire she might not even want to be with you. once she finds out you're alive, that is."
"She will do. She loves me. Once she hears the whole story she'll understand. You don't know Katy like I know her."
"Whatever. One girl's as good as another when it all comes down to it, if you ask me."
"Well, I didn't, and you obviously don't know Katy."
"But she's sleeping with Tony Stamp! John, she's moved on!"
"I don't care, Don, will you just quit your bitching and get on with it?" John's voice raised, as he was getting angry and impatient.
"Right. I'll call you in a couple of days." Don hung up and sighed. This was going to be difficult.
* * *
Katy had to see it for herself, even though she didn't want to. She walked up to John's grave, holding a bouquet of irises. She picked off a display of dead roses, that had been there a while and started weeding around the grave.
"John, it's me. I'm here. I got out of prison a few days ago. I wish you could have been there. I wish it could have gone to plan. I hope you're happy wherever you are right now."
Katy laid her irises down by the headstone and sat against it.
"I found out when I was inside. I almost went mad with grief. They had to sedate me for a while because I was so distraught. Why did you do it John? Why didn't you tell me about her? I wouldn't have been angry if you had just been honest with me."
Katy heard someone clear their throat. She stood up and turned around. A thin, horsey-looking blonde haired woman was standing there, with a bouquet of roses.
"Who the hell are you?" she asked.
"I'm Kathryn O'Sullivan. John Boulton's fiancée. And I assume you're Claire."
"That's right, Claire Stanton, and. what do you mean, fiancée? I'm his fiancée."
"John proposed to me on March 9th, 1997. When, may I ask did he propose to you?"
"July 23rd, 2000," Claire said, her voice trailing off. "Kathryn O'Sullivan. Wait a minute. John left you something in his will. You've got power of attorney over his bank accounts. His pension went to you. There's a safety deposit box as well. I didn't know who you were to get it to you."
"I was inside. HMP Holloway."
"You're a convict?"
"Ex-Convict. Long-term snout of John's, also long-term partner and lover. I *made* John Boulton."
Claire eyed her for a moment. Something was falling into place.
"Kathryn. how much do you know of what went on?"
"Not very much. John was coming up to visit me every couple of weeks after I got sent down, up until he died. When I got released we had plans to start our own PI firm."
"When I met John, I was CIB - investigating corruption in the police force. I was sent in to investigate Don Beech and John. Don was suspected of taking bribes and protecting some major players. John was supposedly helping him, but also, had been accused of letting people off and taking bribes for it, apart from what Don was doing. The story about John was that apparently he had some dirt on a high court judge that he used to get a sentence for a highly dangerous burglar reduced to only four years."
"I was that burglar." Katy said, glaring at Claire.
"So he did get your sentence reduced?"
"Yeah, but he told me that he just had a word with the judge and told him about my record of assisting the police with drugs and prostitution matters. I also took a bullet for John on the last operation we did together."
"It was a little more than that, apparently. John had witnessed that judge having an underage sex romp and turned a blind eye for a favour that he called in for you. The judge was so angry that he got onto us about it."
"I see."
"I never had any proof of it, and I never found out who you were to interview you about it so I figured it never happened and let it drop. But here you are."
"Yeah, and there he is. Dead. Like my dreams. But there was one thing that kept me going. And that was giving you a going over that you'd never forget. But here you are and I can't even bring myself to hate you. You only had half the story as well."
Claire smiled a wry smile at Katy. "Looks like our Mr. Right was a big Mr. Wrong in so many ways."
"Yeah, you can say that again."
Claire put her flowers down on John's grave. She stared at it for a minute and then said, "Come with me. I've got those keys and bank details for you."
* * *
Don had followed her to Canley Cemetery. He had planned on approaching her at John's grave as soon as she had paid her respects. Then a gold Camry pulled up and Don almost choked when Claire Stanton got out. He slunk down low in his seat until he was sure that she had gone inside, then drove off quickly.
* * *
"Ah, Katy, come in." Chris held the door open for her.
"I wasn't sure what you were making, so I brought one of each." Katy held out a bottle of Domicile Romanee Conti 1995 La Tache Grand Cru Burgundy and a bottle of Chateau d'Yquem 1994 Sauternes Bordeaux, chilled.
"Oh, very nice." Chris's eyes grew wide when he read the labels. "These must have cost you a few bob."
"Ah, you know me." She grinned.
"Indeed." Chris knew they were nicked.
"Something smells good," Katy said, using her chef's senses. "I smell king prawn and sea scallops in a lemon cream and paprika sauce served over pasta."
"You've got a chef's nose, Katy."
"Well, I am a chef. I went to cooking school, for that day that I wouldn't be able to fall back on burglary."
"I hope that my efforts reach your standards then."
"I'm sure they will, Chris." She cast her eyes over his flat. It was a tidy, tastefully decorated flat, which was definitely a bachelor's pad. A table was set in the middle of the room with candles lit on it and two place settings laid out. Chopin was playing on the stereo that sat off to one side.
"Please, sit down. Dinner will be a few more minutes." Chris handed Katy a glass of the white wine.
Chris sat next to her on the sofa. She told him about her encounter today with Claire.
".And she seemed, really nice, Chris. Here, I'd spent all this time hating her and she was alright."
"Did she give you the details for the accounts and the safe deposit box?"
"Yes. I think we both realised that we had been deceived."
Chris got up and went in the kitchen. He came back out and held out a chair for her. "Dinner is ready."
Katy smiled as he pushed her chair in for her. He set her plate in front of her, and then his own down. He sat next to her.
Chris raised his glass, "Here's to happy futures."
Katy raised hers, "I'll drink to that."
They sipped their wine and started eating. The food was excellent. She could tell the prawns and scallops were very fresh, probably from Billingsgate.
"So," Katy said, "Where did you become such an expert in the gourmand?"
"A man's got to know these things, when trying to impress a lady," Chris said, with a twinkle in his eye.
"So, you're trying to impress me?" she asked.
"Possibly," he said, smugly. He wasn't giving away anything.
They finished their meal, making small talk, and openly flirting with each other. Katy enjoyed their banter. Chris was definitely what she would call a ladies' man, but she didn't mind it. After being locked up for five years, a little attention from a decent, refined man went a long way.
They poured the red wine after they finished the white. Chris had cracked it already to let it breathe. Getting up from the table they sat next to each other on his sofa.
"So, Katy, what are your plans now?" Chris asked her.
"I don't know really. I might get a job as a professional chef. Cooking is one field where one doesn't need a starch-white record to get employment."
"If you don't mind me asking, do you really need the money?"
"No. I've never needed it. You can imagine that dad set me up well, and mind, I've not done too badly either."
"But you're not going back to nicking?"
"No. I'm too old for that nonsense. I know dad did it for years but it's different for women. Besides, I promised John I would quit and I want to honour that promise."
'Good,' Chris thought to himself. 'If she's not nicking anymore then that means I could start seeing her.'
Chris slid his hand over to her leg and brushed it against her knee, as if it was an accident. After a little while he did it again, when she didn't move away. The third time, he left his hand there.
Katy was feeling drunk from all the wine. It was the first time she had drank alcohol since being released. Was Chris hitting on her or wasn't he? It had been so long that she couldn't tell. She had always found Chris attractive, but never further than that because of John. Now that John wasn't around anymore, she decided, what the hell? Deciding to try her luck, she stood up.
"Where's the loo, Chris?" The alcohol went straight to her head, making her very woozy.
"Top of the steps," Chris stood to help her.
Katy reached out to take hold of Chris's arm. She slightly stumbled forwards into his arms, "I'm sorry, I think I'm a bit drunk."
"That's alright," he said. She looked deep into his blue eyes, and kissed him. Chris was surprised but kissed her back.
"Hello there Inspector," Katy said.
"Mmm, hello, what have we here?" Chris murmured into her hair, as he pulled her closer to her. He raised her face up by placing his finger under her chin, and looked in her eyes.
"You're a very drunk girl, aren't you?" he said, softly, the faintest hint of a smile playing at his lips.
Katy grinned a wicked, boozy grin, "Yes, Inspector."
"And if you were to drive home in this state, I'm afraid I'd have to nick you."
"Oh no, Inspector," Katy said, slurring slightly, "I don't want to be arrested."
"I guess you have no choice then but to come with me."
"O-kay Inspector." Katy grinned Chris kissed her deeply, letting his tongue slip into her silky mouth.
"Come on, my beauty, let me take you to bed," he held out his hand for her and she took it.
At the top of the steps, he opened the bedroom door, and they both slipped inside. Sitting on the bed, Chris turned to her.
"Katy." Chris started.
"Don't say anything, Chris. I don't want to hear it if you don't mean it. Let's just love each other right now."
"No, I want to say this. I fancied you from the moment I saw you. I don't want this to be a one-night stand. I want to be your lover now, and I want to be your lover a month from now. A year from now. Five years from now."
Chris looked in her eyes, "We're perfect for each other. You know this. We're two of a kind." His fingers traced the bullet wound, now a slight scar, on her arm. "I remember when you got this. I was so worried about you. And that plonker hadn't told you the whole story and I knew it. I never would have let that happen to you. I never would have let any of it happen. I would have chucked it in and we could have hidden out somewhere, maybe in a vineyard in the south of France, anywhere."
Chris kissed Katy as she looked in his eyes, unsure of what she felt. She wasn't certain if she was angry, or enthralled by Chris's admission.
"You know me. You know what I am, just like I know what you are. We don't need the pretence. I can be the spark, the fire you need, and you, well, you're intoxicating. If I can be drunk on you every night, I don't need anything else, even your best vintage you've got squirreled away."
"Chris." Katy said, "Shut up and make love to me."
Chris smiled, and gave the lady what she wanted.
* * *
Don Beech sat outside of Chris Deakin's flat. He smoked a cigarette out of the car window. John owed him big time for this. The thought of Chris Deakin in a dating situation was enough to put Don off of sex for life.
Then Don had a thought that almost made him roar with laughter. What would Chris think if he knew that Don was right there, outside his flat, watching him? Don chuckled to himself and waited. It was 11:30 at night. He saw the lights go off in the window to the lounge. Katy's car was still there - she definitely wasn't going anywhere.
Don flicked his fag end out of the car window and drove off. He felt like getting a scorecard for her. Out of prison for four days and already she's shagged two blokes. She didn't wait around. Oh well, who was he to judge? If John wanted her, then so be it. He had a job to do.
Don drove back to Greenwich. He parked up around the corner from Katy's house and unlocked the boot of his car. If he knew one thing, from his years in the police force, it was how to break in a house. Don scaled around the back of Katy's house, and then thought of the broken front window. He got a crowbar out of his sack and pulled away the boards. He used his old ASP to knock the rest of the glass out and squeezed through. His foot knocked against a photo she had on a shelf, breaking the glass. It was one of her and John, smiling, cuddled up at a restaurant somewhere. Don propped it back upright and opened the front door. He nailed the boards back over her window, and went inside. He was going to wait for her even if it meant waiting all night.
"Have you got the pictures through yet?" The man said, down the phone.
"Yes." He flipped through them on his monitor. Katy and Tony Stamp. Katy kissing Tony. Katy leading Tony out of the room. Katy and Chris Deakin. Katy hugging Chris. Chris helping Katy in her car.
"What do you think?"
"I think you should get in touch with her. Tell her what's going on."
"But mate, you've seen her. She's moved on. If Tony Stamp doesn't get her, Chris Deakin will, you know that."
"That's why you have to do it now."
"And how do you propose I do this? It's not like I'm anonymous to those who she's hanging around with."
"I don't know. Knock on her door. Wait until she's alone."
"She's not been alone since she's been out of jail, mate."
"Well, wait until she is."
"I've got to get out of here. Someone's bound to clock me soon."
"Tough. This whole situation is your fault. You got me in, now you get me, and Katy, out of it."
"Can't you just find someone else? There's tons of fit birds down there. Just look outside on the beach!"
"No. I don't want one of them. I want Katy."
"She's that important to you?"
"Yes."
"Worth me getting caught for?"
"Yes. Look, don't do this. You owe this to me. Just get on with it, will you?"
"Alright, Jonathan." Don Beech shook his head, and rubbed his temples.
"How's Sun Hill anyway?"
"Rainy. Cold. Shitty. Same as usual. Look, if she knows about Claire she might not even want to be with you. once she finds out you're alive, that is."
"She will do. She loves me. Once she hears the whole story she'll understand. You don't know Katy like I know her."
"Whatever. One girl's as good as another when it all comes down to it, if you ask me."
"Well, I didn't, and you obviously don't know Katy."
"But she's sleeping with Tony Stamp! John, she's moved on!"
"I don't care, Don, will you just quit your bitching and get on with it?" John's voice raised, as he was getting angry and impatient.
"Right. I'll call you in a couple of days." Don hung up and sighed. This was going to be difficult.
* * *
Katy had to see it for herself, even though she didn't want to. She walked up to John's grave, holding a bouquet of irises. She picked off a display of dead roses, that had been there a while and started weeding around the grave.
"John, it's me. I'm here. I got out of prison a few days ago. I wish you could have been there. I wish it could have gone to plan. I hope you're happy wherever you are right now."
Katy laid her irises down by the headstone and sat against it.
"I found out when I was inside. I almost went mad with grief. They had to sedate me for a while because I was so distraught. Why did you do it John? Why didn't you tell me about her? I wouldn't have been angry if you had just been honest with me."
Katy heard someone clear their throat. She stood up and turned around. A thin, horsey-looking blonde haired woman was standing there, with a bouquet of roses.
"Who the hell are you?" she asked.
"I'm Kathryn O'Sullivan. John Boulton's fiancée. And I assume you're Claire."
"That's right, Claire Stanton, and. what do you mean, fiancée? I'm his fiancée."
"John proposed to me on March 9th, 1997. When, may I ask did he propose to you?"
"July 23rd, 2000," Claire said, her voice trailing off. "Kathryn O'Sullivan. Wait a minute. John left you something in his will. You've got power of attorney over his bank accounts. His pension went to you. There's a safety deposit box as well. I didn't know who you were to get it to you."
"I was inside. HMP Holloway."
"You're a convict?"
"Ex-Convict. Long-term snout of John's, also long-term partner and lover. I *made* John Boulton."
Claire eyed her for a moment. Something was falling into place.
"Kathryn. how much do you know of what went on?"
"Not very much. John was coming up to visit me every couple of weeks after I got sent down, up until he died. When I got released we had plans to start our own PI firm."
"When I met John, I was CIB - investigating corruption in the police force. I was sent in to investigate Don Beech and John. Don was suspected of taking bribes and protecting some major players. John was supposedly helping him, but also, had been accused of letting people off and taking bribes for it, apart from what Don was doing. The story about John was that apparently he had some dirt on a high court judge that he used to get a sentence for a highly dangerous burglar reduced to only four years."
"I was that burglar." Katy said, glaring at Claire.
"So he did get your sentence reduced?"
"Yeah, but he told me that he just had a word with the judge and told him about my record of assisting the police with drugs and prostitution matters. I also took a bullet for John on the last operation we did together."
"It was a little more than that, apparently. John had witnessed that judge having an underage sex romp and turned a blind eye for a favour that he called in for you. The judge was so angry that he got onto us about it."
"I see."
"I never had any proof of it, and I never found out who you were to interview you about it so I figured it never happened and let it drop. But here you are."
"Yeah, and there he is. Dead. Like my dreams. But there was one thing that kept me going. And that was giving you a going over that you'd never forget. But here you are and I can't even bring myself to hate you. You only had half the story as well."
Claire smiled a wry smile at Katy. "Looks like our Mr. Right was a big Mr. Wrong in so many ways."
"Yeah, you can say that again."
Claire put her flowers down on John's grave. She stared at it for a minute and then said, "Come with me. I've got those keys and bank details for you."
* * *
Don had followed her to Canley Cemetery. He had planned on approaching her at John's grave as soon as she had paid her respects. Then a gold Camry pulled up and Don almost choked when Claire Stanton got out. He slunk down low in his seat until he was sure that she had gone inside, then drove off quickly.
* * *
"Ah, Katy, come in." Chris held the door open for her.
"I wasn't sure what you were making, so I brought one of each." Katy held out a bottle of Domicile Romanee Conti 1995 La Tache Grand Cru Burgundy and a bottle of Chateau d'Yquem 1994 Sauternes Bordeaux, chilled.
"Oh, very nice." Chris's eyes grew wide when he read the labels. "These must have cost you a few bob."
"Ah, you know me." She grinned.
"Indeed." Chris knew they were nicked.
"Something smells good," Katy said, using her chef's senses. "I smell king prawn and sea scallops in a lemon cream and paprika sauce served over pasta."
"You've got a chef's nose, Katy."
"Well, I am a chef. I went to cooking school, for that day that I wouldn't be able to fall back on burglary."
"I hope that my efforts reach your standards then."
"I'm sure they will, Chris." She cast her eyes over his flat. It was a tidy, tastefully decorated flat, which was definitely a bachelor's pad. A table was set in the middle of the room with candles lit on it and two place settings laid out. Chopin was playing on the stereo that sat off to one side.
"Please, sit down. Dinner will be a few more minutes." Chris handed Katy a glass of the white wine.
Chris sat next to her on the sofa. She told him about her encounter today with Claire.
".And she seemed, really nice, Chris. Here, I'd spent all this time hating her and she was alright."
"Did she give you the details for the accounts and the safe deposit box?"
"Yes. I think we both realised that we had been deceived."
Chris got up and went in the kitchen. He came back out and held out a chair for her. "Dinner is ready."
Katy smiled as he pushed her chair in for her. He set her plate in front of her, and then his own down. He sat next to her.
Chris raised his glass, "Here's to happy futures."
Katy raised hers, "I'll drink to that."
They sipped their wine and started eating. The food was excellent. She could tell the prawns and scallops were very fresh, probably from Billingsgate.
"So," Katy said, "Where did you become such an expert in the gourmand?"
"A man's got to know these things, when trying to impress a lady," Chris said, with a twinkle in his eye.
"So, you're trying to impress me?" she asked.
"Possibly," he said, smugly. He wasn't giving away anything.
They finished their meal, making small talk, and openly flirting with each other. Katy enjoyed their banter. Chris was definitely what she would call a ladies' man, but she didn't mind it. After being locked up for five years, a little attention from a decent, refined man went a long way.
They poured the red wine after they finished the white. Chris had cracked it already to let it breathe. Getting up from the table they sat next to each other on his sofa.
"So, Katy, what are your plans now?" Chris asked her.
"I don't know really. I might get a job as a professional chef. Cooking is one field where one doesn't need a starch-white record to get employment."
"If you don't mind me asking, do you really need the money?"
"No. I've never needed it. You can imagine that dad set me up well, and mind, I've not done too badly either."
"But you're not going back to nicking?"
"No. I'm too old for that nonsense. I know dad did it for years but it's different for women. Besides, I promised John I would quit and I want to honour that promise."
'Good,' Chris thought to himself. 'If she's not nicking anymore then that means I could start seeing her.'
Chris slid his hand over to her leg and brushed it against her knee, as if it was an accident. After a little while he did it again, when she didn't move away. The third time, he left his hand there.
Katy was feeling drunk from all the wine. It was the first time she had drank alcohol since being released. Was Chris hitting on her or wasn't he? It had been so long that she couldn't tell. She had always found Chris attractive, but never further than that because of John. Now that John wasn't around anymore, she decided, what the hell? Deciding to try her luck, she stood up.
"Where's the loo, Chris?" The alcohol went straight to her head, making her very woozy.
"Top of the steps," Chris stood to help her.
Katy reached out to take hold of Chris's arm. She slightly stumbled forwards into his arms, "I'm sorry, I think I'm a bit drunk."
"That's alright," he said. She looked deep into his blue eyes, and kissed him. Chris was surprised but kissed her back.
"Hello there Inspector," Katy said.
"Mmm, hello, what have we here?" Chris murmured into her hair, as he pulled her closer to her. He raised her face up by placing his finger under her chin, and looked in her eyes.
"You're a very drunk girl, aren't you?" he said, softly, the faintest hint of a smile playing at his lips.
Katy grinned a wicked, boozy grin, "Yes, Inspector."
"And if you were to drive home in this state, I'm afraid I'd have to nick you."
"Oh no, Inspector," Katy said, slurring slightly, "I don't want to be arrested."
"I guess you have no choice then but to come with me."
"O-kay Inspector." Katy grinned Chris kissed her deeply, letting his tongue slip into her silky mouth.
"Come on, my beauty, let me take you to bed," he held out his hand for her and she took it.
At the top of the steps, he opened the bedroom door, and they both slipped inside. Sitting on the bed, Chris turned to her.
"Katy." Chris started.
"Don't say anything, Chris. I don't want to hear it if you don't mean it. Let's just love each other right now."
"No, I want to say this. I fancied you from the moment I saw you. I don't want this to be a one-night stand. I want to be your lover now, and I want to be your lover a month from now. A year from now. Five years from now."
Chris looked in her eyes, "We're perfect for each other. You know this. We're two of a kind." His fingers traced the bullet wound, now a slight scar, on her arm. "I remember when you got this. I was so worried about you. And that plonker hadn't told you the whole story and I knew it. I never would have let that happen to you. I never would have let any of it happen. I would have chucked it in and we could have hidden out somewhere, maybe in a vineyard in the south of France, anywhere."
Chris kissed Katy as she looked in his eyes, unsure of what she felt. She wasn't certain if she was angry, or enthralled by Chris's admission.
"You know me. You know what I am, just like I know what you are. We don't need the pretence. I can be the spark, the fire you need, and you, well, you're intoxicating. If I can be drunk on you every night, I don't need anything else, even your best vintage you've got squirreled away."
"Chris." Katy said, "Shut up and make love to me."
Chris smiled, and gave the lady what she wanted.
* * *
Don Beech sat outside of Chris Deakin's flat. He smoked a cigarette out of the car window. John owed him big time for this. The thought of Chris Deakin in a dating situation was enough to put Don off of sex for life.
Then Don had a thought that almost made him roar with laughter. What would Chris think if he knew that Don was right there, outside his flat, watching him? Don chuckled to himself and waited. It was 11:30 at night. He saw the lights go off in the window to the lounge. Katy's car was still there - she definitely wasn't going anywhere.
Don flicked his fag end out of the car window and drove off. He felt like getting a scorecard for her. Out of prison for four days and already she's shagged two blokes. She didn't wait around. Oh well, who was he to judge? If John wanted her, then so be it. He had a job to do.
Don drove back to Greenwich. He parked up around the corner from Katy's house and unlocked the boot of his car. If he knew one thing, from his years in the police force, it was how to break in a house. Don scaled around the back of Katy's house, and then thought of the broken front window. He got a crowbar out of his sack and pulled away the boards. He used his old ASP to knock the rest of the glass out and squeezed through. His foot knocked against a photo she had on a shelf, breaking the glass. It was one of her and John, smiling, cuddled up at a restaurant somewhere. Don propped it back upright and opened the front door. He nailed the boards back over her window, and went inside. He was going to wait for her even if it meant waiting all night.
