The Nurse by J. Corrigan (list of ebook readers txt) 📕

were tied, Mr Hazel, and have been for years.’

‘Was Daniel Deane blackmailing you?’

‘Our conversation is over.’

‘Can we talk again?’

Miles dips his head, and Theo takes it for a yes.

33

Theo gets into his car and drives a couple of streets away from Miles and Rose’s home. He parks up, takes out his notebook and pencil from the glove compartment and begins to scribble.

Miles – was he being blackmailed by Deane?

He flips to the back page. Rose’s photographic memory hasn’t faded with her life. She still remembers what was written on a scrap of paper all those years ago in Daniel’s bedroom, and the note saying A’s birthday DO NOT FORGET. A stab of intuition jabs at him, but it’s a ridiculous thought and he sweeps it to one side. Rose and Miles are both hiding something; they are working in some sort of weird harmony to give him information yet not give him anything. It’s as if both want to talk and both dare not.

Ed Madden will know something, he’s sure of it.

He picks up his mobile and presses the contact Bliss. A female voice answers. Young, perky and with a strong Derby accent. ‘Bliss Interior Designs, can I help you?’

‘I wondered if I could speak to the managing director?’ He hears a sigh on the other end of the phone, maybe even the young woman blowing a chewing gum bubble.

‘Can I help? That’s what Hugo employs me for,’ she says.

‘I was under the impression that there was another director?’

‘What’s your enquiry about, Mr…’

‘Theo Hazel. I’m looking for some cutting-edge interior design for my flat in Manchester, and your company came highly recommended, but if I’m blunt, I was told to only have the director do the work for me.’

‘Blunt’s fine, Mr Hazel. It’s Hugo you need to speak to.’ Theo hears the clicking of keys. ‘No free consultation slots for a month.’ A pause. ‘Manchester’s a long journey.’

‘I want the best job done and I was told Bliss would do the best job. It’s not a big project. Okay… what about his business partner? Ed… Madden?’ Theo has really thought about how he will approach this.

The girl on the other end of the line splutters. ‘Ed? He’s not a designer. I think you’d call him a sleeping partner.’

‘Oh, I see.’ There’s an edge of dislike in her voice, as well as a hint of boredom. His call is probably the highlight of her morning, sitting at her desk in a shop in Derby that’s likely often empty. Selling ideas and creative expertise is tough – he should know. Not much through traffic. The girl will talk for as long as he can keep her interest, and he’s getting the distinct feeling that talking about Ed Madden is doing the job. ‘So Mr Madden has no input into the business?’ he asks.

‘Ed comes over on a Saturday. He likes to take Hugo out for lunch. That’s where they are now. Having lunch.’

‘Ah, I see.’ He thinks he does see.

‘Ed is Hugo’s boyfriend.’

‘Lunch out of the office is always good, especially on a Saturday.’

‘That’s what Ed says.’

‘Wise man. Do you work full-time…’

‘Bella. My name’s Bella Bliss. No, just Saturdays. Every fifth one off. I’m here next Saturday.’

Bella Bliss. Rose’s visitor is talking to him on the other end of the phone. The line has gone quiet.

‘You write books?’ she says finally.

‘I do. Are you googling me, Bella?’

‘I am. Sorry. Says here you write non-fiction as well as literary fiction?’

‘I do. And no need to be sorry. At all. I’m flattered.’

‘Mr Hazel…’

‘Please call me Theo.’

‘Theo, Hugo’s at the top of his game in the interior design business. If you’re looking for the best, Hugo’s the one.’

‘I’ll pop over next Saturday to have a look around the shop. Get ideas.’

‘He has an hour just after lunch. He has a long lunch. Like I said, Ed takes him to the bistro.’

‘Local?’

‘There’s only one.’

‘Any good?’

‘Not bad.’

‘Might give it a try before I drive back.’

‘I’ll tell Hugo. So, he’ll be here around two. Have to go, the other line.’

‘Thanks, Bella. Catch you next week.’ A second’s pause. ‘I really look forward to meeting you.’

Since Bella gave him her name, and he’s connected the huge dots, his heart has been sprinting at the speed of Usain Bolt in the last fifty metres. Theo likes to think he’s a man who is up on technology, but a phone call, real contact, always works, and certainly has done in this case. He puts the date in his digital diary with an alert for the day before, although this appointment he won’t be forgetting.

34

23 April 2016

On his drive to Bliss Interior Designs, Theo goes through in his mind what he’s found out about Ed Madden. Born in Doncaster in 1945; his father was a miner, his mother worked as an administration clerk at the local railway station. Ed has one younger sister, but Theo hasn’t been able to find out anything about her after she dropped off the radar in the mid seventies. Maybe she emigrated. Madden was a door-to-door hoover salesman. Before that, and after completing a City & Guilds course in Sheffield, he was a sous chef for a while. Odd career change.

It’s more than clear that Rose never liked him; her hatred when talking about him is visceral.

Theo is keen to meet him. And Bella.

Bliss Interior Designs turns out to be easy to find. It’s on the main shopping drag, although he counts only six shops. He circles the tiny town a couple of times, looking for somewhere to park, and whilst doing so spots the bistro where Ed and Hugo will be having lunch. At last he finds a car park.

He looks at his watch. Nearly one. He takes a walking detour to the bistro. Small and busy. He opens the door and noses inside, wondering if he’ll spot the pair. He counts twelve tables. Four families with kids; five with groups of women, shopping bags littering the floor next to them; two tables of