Paparazzi by Jo Fenton (best free e reader .txt) 📕

I try to find Joanna on the screen, but the picture is hazy, and I soon give up. I settle for surveying the few people left eating pizza near me. A group of four – older adults in their forties or thereabouts – are making a lot of noise and clearly enjoying themselves. They show no desire to move, and I suspect they’re waiting for one of the later bands to come on – perhaps even Troy.

I’m more curious about a young man sitting alone near the window. He’s alternating between checking his phone and looking compulsively out into the street. He looks at his watch a few times, and appears to be getting ready to leave when a stunningly pretty girl walks in. They kiss, a long and intimate embrace. I glance away, feeling as though I’m intruding. A moment later, they head in to the main area, and I lose interest.

Time passes. I switch to drinking diet coke. I need to keep alert, and preferably awake, as it’s unlikely that we’ll be home much before midnight tonight. For someone who’s usually asleep by ten, that’s late.

Joanna comes out to get me when the first band finishes, and I cautiously follow her in to the main band area. It’s not as awful as I expected. The area near the stage is busy, but at the back, near the bar, there’s plenty of space to stand and watch without getting trampled or feeling squashed. A set of stairs up to a VIP area is blocked off, so I fold my heavy winter coat and place it on the bottom stair so I don’t have to keep carrying it. No one challenges me, and I relax a bit.

On stage, there’s minimal action, with instruments being moved. A stage hand replaces one drum kit with another and strategically arranges the microphones.

“Is Troy on next?” I ask Joanna.

“No. It’s some band I’ve never heard of. It’s interesting sussing out the place though.” She turns and raises an eyebrow as Penny approaches. “Not great for keeping low key if you want us to dig out some information for you.”

“Sor-ry,” says Penny in sarcastic tones. “I was going to introduce my colleague, Nigel. He’s a fellow-photographer for the same paper as me. Is that a problem?”

A young man at her side grins awkwardly. “Hi. Hope I’m not intruding.”

“It’s fine. Nice to meet you, Nigel.” I hold out my hand, and he shakes it in a surprisingly firm grip. I cast him a second glance. “Do you want a drink?”

“Thanks, that would be great.” He names a beer that I’ve never heard of.

“You’d better come to the bar with me. Joanna, Penny, what can I get you?” With a round of drinks orders vaguely in my head, I lead the way to the bar at the back of the main area, but Nigel puts a hand on my arm.

“You’re better off at the main bar outside. They don’t do my beer in here. It’s really limited. Come on. I’ll give you a hand, anyway.”

There’s a small queue at the main bar, and I make small talk with Penny’s colleague until we get served.

“Why don’t you take these to a table? We’ll stay out here and have a chat. I’ll just run in with the drinks for Penny and your friend. Back in a sec.”

He arouses my curiosity. Why would this young chap want to talk to an old fogey like me when he’s got Penny in tow? And a fair number of attractive young women are dotted around inside the club. I take his beer and my coke to the table I left a short while ago, and resume my seat facing the door. Old habits die hard.

A minute later, Nigel is sitting opposite me, taking a gulp of beer.

“Thanks,” he says. “So it sounds like a helluva cliché, but what’s a girl like you doing in a place like this?”

I laugh. “Sussing it out. My fifteen-year-old daughter wants to come here one night. I’d heard that her favourite band were on tonight, so I said I’d come along and check it out and see if it’s safe.”

“You don’t look old enough to have a fifteen-year-old daughter. How do you know Penny?”

“Friend of a friend. I believe you work together?” I’m keen to get the conversation on to a more suitable track. I’m the one that should ask the questions. Also, I’m a bit freaked out by the idea of this spotty youth flirting with me. He looks about the same age as Alison.

“I’ve been a photographer in this industry for about ten years,” he says, answering my unspoken question. He must be older than I thought. Still too young to be flirting with me though. “I’m Penny’s boss, but we work on similar projects. I heard she was worried about getting home safely after being here, so I came with her tonight. Her usual transport is playing up.”

“That’s nice of you. Are you into the band that’s coming on?”

“Yeah, I love music. It’s great getting to photograph the musicians. We try to get a lot of natural shots, particularly when they’re performing. Then you can portray the atmosphere to the fans that couldn’t make it this time.” He grins, enthusiasm shining from his face. “What do you do? Sorry, it’s awful. I didn’t catch your name.”

“Rebecca.” I’d already agreed with Joanna, that I would be as incognito as possible tonight. Obviously I couldn’t stop Penny calling me Becky earlier, but if people I meet now think I’m Rebecca mostly, it will reduce any chances of my past coming back to bite me. As for his first question… I really don’t want to answer that. “Hey, look. The next band’s on. Shall we go back in?”

“I’m not in a rush. Penny can sort out their photos. They’re no big deal. I’d rather wait out here chatting to you until Troy and his lot come on. So,