Chapter 11

Robbie watched the retreating form of James climbing the stairs. He looked back at Jean, "What was that all about?"

She looked at Robbie not sure how much to share. It was enough that James was angry with her, she wasn't sure she could take another man in her life angry. With a heavy sigh she dove in, "He's angry with me for something I did or didn't do dependent on how you look at it."

Robbie turned in the kitchen and opened the cabinet, "My mother always said at times like this tea was a good thing."

Jean laughed at the odd non sequitur, "Funny my mum always says whisky is a good thing at times like this."

He looked back at her and smiled, "I like the way your mum thinks." He closed the first cabinet and opened a different one. Removing a bottle and two glasses he looked back at Jean, "Do you need ice?"

She shook her head, "Neat is fine with me."

He handed her a glass and motioned for her to follow him. He led her to the garden then poured them each a healthy measure. Lightly touching his glass to hers he sat, "Now what is it that you did or didn't do that has James so angry?"

Jean took a sip of the whisky. It wasn't as smooth as the earlier version she'd consumed but it soothed her nerves the same, "I went to see Malcolm Tucker at his hotel."

Robbie almost choked on his drink. Jean Innocent was full of surprises, "To run him out of town or did you have some other reason?"

She relaxed into the chair, the pressure of the last few hours finally getting to her, "At first that was my plan. But when I got there I thought maybe I could coerce the man into telling me why he's really here in Oxford."

"And did you find out?"

Her head fell back in to the chair, "I thought so but now I think James might be right. Malcolm Tucker was probably five steps ahead of me. What I thought was him revealing his hand was probably him sending me chasing down some rabbit hole."

"You're a better detective than that Jean. What does your gut tell you?"

Jean looked up at the unexpected compliment from Robbie, "I think it might have been a bit of both. He was expecting me to come in telling him to get out of my town. When I didn't I think it unsettled him." She stopped for a moment running their conversation over in her head, "No, that's wrong, he was already unsettled when I got there. I think he was hoping someone would pick a fight so that he would have something to hold onto."

Robbie topped off his drink then made to do the same for her. She tried to wave him off, "You can stay here tonight." She nodded and moved her glass closer to him, "If it helps I think you have the truer measure of the man than James does."

"That's unlike you to side with me over James."

He nodded acknowledging her statement, "Sometimes it takes a bit of age to have the wisdom to see the different layers to people. James is good but he still has a basic belief that people are one-dimensional."

"And we're so old we know better?"

"Speak for yourself ma'am, I'm not old, just well-seasoned." They sat in companionable silence for a few moments before Robbie asked, "What's your take on why he's here?"

She shook her head, "Honestly, I don't know. The good news, I don't think he does either."

"Yes, I can see why that would be good news."

Jean smiled at him, "When I saw him with Laura earlier, there was a sense of, I don't know, almost malevolence about him. If you had asked me then I would have said that he wanted to harm her in some way."

"And now?"

"Now, now I think he's confused. Something happened between them, and before you ask I don't know what. But something happened that unsettled him."

Robbie looked into the night for a moment, "You don't think he wants to hurt her anymore?"

"I didn't say that Robbie. I said I think he's conflicted. And something tells me a conflicted Malcolm Tucker might be more dangerous than a committed Malcolm Tucker."

"What do I do Jean?"

"I have no idea. What happened earlier that made you call me?"

"We were in bed, I was kissing her and suddenly she pushed me away screaming not to touch her."

Jean leaned forward shaking her head, "Robbie I wish I didn't have to ask. Was there anything rough going on?"

"God, no Jean." He stood walking away from her, needing the distance.

"I didn't want to ask Robbie, I just got the sense that things were, shall we say, rather tempestuous between them. I thought maybe she had a flashback."

He turned to her, "You aren't implying he hurt her in some way." He walked back to his chair and sat, looking at Jean imploring her, "I asked about that when we first started dating."

She shook her head and took his hand, "No, I don't think he ever hurt her, not physically anyway. At least, she's never led me to believe that. I just meant I think they were a bit…" Jean paused not believing she was having this conversation with Robbie Lewis. She looked around searching for a word that wouldn't set him off again, "I just meant that I think they might have been a bit rambunctious."

Robbie stared at her. At first he'd been mortified at having this conversation now seeing her embarrassment he was amused, "No Jean, nothing rambunctious was happening. Not that I'm not up to it should the need arise."

Jean glared at him, "You spend entirely too much time with James."

"That might actually have been Laura's influence."

She rolled her eyes and took a sip of her drink, "Either way, it's unbecoming."

He laughed as he relaxed into his chair, "What can I say normally it would be James down here trying to calm me down. He's a much better sparring partner."

Jean cast a glance to the upstairs windows, "I've never really thought of James as the comforting type."

Robbie followed her eyes, "No, me either. Do you think they are just verbally jabbing one another?"

"That seems so comforting."

"She's not screaming, I guess that's something."

Jean smiled at him, "What are we supposed to do while he sorts Laura?"

Robbie stood took Jean's glass from her, "Jean, don't take this the wrong way, but I think you need some food."