Notorious by John Jones (novel books to read txt) 📕

Curio cupped the keys in his hands as though they were holding water, then delicately closed them over and brought them to his forehead. He squeezed his eyes closed and concentrated.

“You need to be careful,” he said. “Things need to be kept under control. Strength and vigour is absolutely essential if you are to gain the peace of mind you need. I see you are an optimistic woman. You take chances somewhat haphazardly and suffer the consequences. Well, do not. No risk is worth taking for the state of mind you find yourself in.

Yet, you still need more confidence within yourself to achieve your goals. This month is going to be more productive. You need the love of somebody who cares for you. Loneliness frightens you, but being sociable also makes you apprehensive. You need to find your balance, and as such means you have become rather indecisive, and this has meant that it has been a factor in the trauma in your life. You need stability of mind and you will get it.

A profound change will occur for you. A man will come into your life, but be careful, he will manipulate your feelings and cause emotional harm if you are not in control”. Kimberly sat there rapt, her eyes wide. Everything Curio had said, she had been nodding to.

“I’m getting...I’m getting Steven. Do you know a Steven?”

“I work with a Steven. Is he attracted to me?”

“Yes. He is soon going to declare his love, yes, love for you with a single red rose, and I see that you are going to accept. Yet vulnerability is a virtue you must halt in its tracks.

Control is key. This will keep your emotions from spiralling out of control. You can be feisty and strong-minded when you want to be, however, that has been lacking of late, and you need to bring such strength of mind back. Your courtship will last seven months. After that, I see white. Snow. No, it’s confetti”. Curio slowly opened his eyes and lowered the keys. He saw Kimberley’s excited, hopeful face.

“I’m getting married!” she said, as a statement. Curio nodded. She stood up and embraced him, kissing his cheek again.

“Thanks,” she said. “You were great”. Curio smiled sheepishly.

“Well, if ever you want another reading, or whatever, just give me a call”. He made his way into the hall, retrieved his coat, slid into it, then opened the door. She saw him to the gate.

“Thanks again,” she said, “I feel great”.

“Remember, I’m only a phone call away”. He walked away, feeling better himself. Not because he was £50 better off, but because his affirmations had been enhanced by more success. He made his way home rather satisfied and content.

He stepped off the bus, and as he did, one of the people who were waiting to get on walked across to him. He was a few years younger, and wore a second or third hand jacket with unkempt jeans.

“Are you Curio?” he asked. Curio stopped. You’re not going to spoil my mood, fucko, he thought. He nodded.

“Yes, that’s right”. The man smiled and grabbed Curio’s hand to shake.

“Wow, five times in a row, Five times, you’ve got something, you’ve got a gift there, seriously”. He looked at the bus driver who was staring at him with a stern expression on his face. He got on and turned and waved at Curio. The doors hissed shut and the bus pulled away. Curio was even happier.

A fan, he thought. Someone actually recognised me. He made his way to his flat with a smile on his face. Closing the door behind him, he hung up his coat and crossed to the telephone. There were eight messages. He pressed play.

“Curio…do us a favour, lad, find our Terry. He’s been missin’ for days. Ta”. Curio shook his head at the contraption.

“Well don’t leave your number then” he said. The second message played.

“Hi, Curio Enchantment. I’m calling on behalf of a group of students..”.

29

Adam Leonard pulled on a cigarette, then dropped it to the floor. He squashed it and looked at the others who were sat waiting. Jane and Melissa were sat on the steps that lead into ‘Medical Imaging’, while Stuart leaned, with his hands in his pockets, against his Rover 416S. They were waiting for Curio. Jane was examining the camcorder.

“I think that button there, switches it to night-vision,” she said to Melissa.

“What?” said Stuart, turning around to look at them. “Night-vision? You must be joking. What do we need that for? There’s no way I’m spending the night there, you can forget it”.

“No, no-one’s sleeping over. It’s just good to have if we need it for any reason”.

“Where is he, anyway?” said Adam.

“It doesn’t matter how late he is,” said Stuart. “Just as long as he gets here, and helps us get good marks. That’s all I’m bothered about”.

“Well can you ring one of them up and tell him to wait?” said Malcolm, on his mobile phone to Anthony. Anthony had rang him to let him know that the students were expecting Curio.

“I can be there in ten minutes,” he added.

“I’m sure they’re expecting him now, this minute. I’ll ring Adam then and tell him to ask him if he’ll wait when he arrives. They’re outside Medical Imaging”.

“Alright, I appreciate it. I’ll be as fast as I can”. Malcolm ended the call. He had been in a queue for a cash machine when he’d received the call. He pocketed the phone and quickly hurried in the direction of the students.

It was good to see the old place again, Curio thought as he walked across campus. Nothing had changed since his days before he’d tried and failed to become a doctor. He was glad he left, but still, there was an old flame that burned for the place, that burned for the enthusiasm he once had. Something about school and university days had crept beneath his skin, as he was sure it did to other students, where once the place is left, then it was looked back on with fondness.

The work may have been hard and boring, but still, there was something about it that made students reflect on it in appreciation. As Curio walked through, it was like a trip along memory lane. There was the guild of students. There was the student and examinations division. There was veterinary pathology. For this learning experience, for the potential knowledge, Curio had decided to give his services for free.

He turned the corner of a sports centre. The students were across the road, Melissa and Jane now leaning against the fence outside the building. He waited for a Mazda to drive past, then crossed the road. Stuart walked across to him. They shook hands, the other students introducing themselves and smiling as though they were meeting an icon. Malcolm had reached them a few minutes earlier and explained to them that he needed to speak with Curio before they left. He was the last to introduce himself. He shook his hand, nodding an acknowledgement.

“Curio,” he said. “I’m not part of this project. I just needed to ask if you could give me a reading”.

“I’ll have to book you in. I can’t do it today”.

“Well…you were the one that found my mother. Bridget. You discovered her whereabouts”. Curio thought for a few moments.

“Oh, right”.

“I need you to get in contact with my mum or dad, because there’s no way on earth that my Dad would have murdered my mother. Something had to have caused him to do what he did. And when I spoke to him afterwards, it was like talking to a different person who just looked like my Dad. I need answers Curio. I can’t concentrate on my studies. I can barely do anything with this weight bearing down on me. I’ll admit, I’m not a believer in this kind of thing, but I’m willing to accept that I might be wrong. I want to believe that I can still get answers from my parents. Can you help me? Contact them, and ask them to give me answers. I can’t be satisfied until I understand why”.

Curio nodded.

“A reading is a reading, and it will still cost the same. I cannot give you favouritism”.

“Yes, alright. When can you do it?”

“Excuse me,” said Melissa. “You’re giving him a reading,” she said to Curio as a statement. Malcolm and Curio simply looked at her for a few seconds.

“It’s just that it may help our project if you allow us to film it. Would that be possible?” Curio and Malcolm looked at each other, suddenly feeling pressurised into saying yes. “Well…I suppose I don’t mind,” said Malcolm. Curio contemplated it. Filming it, he thought. Maybe that would be beneficial. Who knows who might see it? It would be more publicity and make my name known further, especially if the reading is a complete success. This could prove to be rather positive. He nodded.

“Yes, alright. How about tomorrow afternoon?”

“Yes, that’d be great,” said Melissa. “I can get our tutor to open one of the classrooms that won’t be being used. We can do it there”.

“Good, I’ll need you to bring along a personal item of your father’s, something he was close to,” Curio said to Malcolm.

“Okay, that’s fine. See you tomorrow,” said Malcolm. He shook Curio’s hand again, then turned and walked away.

Three of the students squashed themselves into the backseat, while Curio sat in the front.

Stuart drove, pulling away from the kerb.

“You mentioned on the phone that you were going to tell me about this farmer,” said Curio.

30

Anthony and Tom manoeuvred their way through parked cars outside the lecture theatre until they reached Anthony’s Alfa Romeo. They had just come from a lecture on economics and information systems, and neither had found any inspiration or stimulation from it. They spent most of the time trying to stay awake, so it was a relief to be out in the fresh air, even though it did bring with it a chill. “I can’t be doing with much more of that,” said Tom.

“What are you doing it for? You don’t need to work,” said Anthony. “Nor do I,” he continued, “So I suppose it’s for the same reason as me”.

“Achievement,” said Tom. “What’s the point in climbing Everest? It’s the achievement of the goal. The fact you can say, I did it. I passed. I got this certificate. Anyway, if something happens to our source of income, but we don’t get caught, then that means we’ll have to get a proper job then, doesn’t it?”

“I suppose,” Anthony said. “Are you sure you want to go to wired world?” he asked. “Absolutely. I need a new sound system. I want one with bluetooth. Should get one yourself. Kit out your car a bit better. Anyway, you haven’t got anywhere better to go, have you? My car’s in for its MOT, so I need a lift. It’s good of you to offer,” Tom said, smiling.

Anthony entered the vehicle. He immediately saw the letter on the passenger seat and made to snatch it up, but Tom entered, and picked it up first. He made no reference to it as he put it on the dashboard, then fastened his seat belt. Anthony did likewise, looking out of his side window as he felt his face redden. He slowly breathed out a nervous sigh, then started the engine.

As the car headed towards the retail park, Anthony’s eyes sometimes couldn’t help but glance at the letter. He tried to keep Tom’s attention from it.

“Do you think any animals will have been brought into Ryvak yet? I wonder if they’re ready to bring them in. Your intervention will probably have halted it, won’t it?”.

“I don’t know about halted, but look at this”. He put his hand into his inside jacket pocket. “I hacked back into their server and had a nose at their internal emails. They must have set up the system after I