Ahead of his Time by Adrian Cousins (children's books read aloud .txt) 📕

“I don’t think that makes me feel any better.”

“No, agreed.”

“He’ll be up at Coreys Mill Motors next. I don’t think Mr Thacker is the sort to tell him anything. But as we have just seen, Paul Colney can be quite persuasive!”

Don took a large gulp of his drink, grimaced and topped up his glass. I thought he looked older tonight. He was eighty, and the thought of what Paul Colney would have done to him if he’d shuffled across to Martin’s a minute earlier sent another shiver through me.

“If he causes a scene at Coreys Mill Motors tomorrow, and the police get called, then the circumstances of David’s death will all come to light. I’ve only just stopped looking over my bloody shoulder, expecting to be arrested. Now it’s all starting again!”

“Son, calm down. Come on, take a seat,” he gestured to the chairs around the kitchen table, then pulled out the nearest chair and gingerly sat whilst still wearing his thick overcoat. “Right, as I see it, someone has mouthed off to Paul that they’ve seen a man get into that Cortina after David fell from the roof. So that means he doesn’t know who. Also, I suggest he doesn't definitely know the driver was responsible for David’s death.”

With my head in my hands, I racked my brain to work out our next move. I felt we were nearly facing checkmate. Paul Colney was the Black Queen systematically scything through my defences, and now we’d reached the point of Check. I had nowhere to go and was only a hand full of moves away from Checkmate.

“That may be. But in the next couple of days he’s going to get the information he wants, and then he’ll know it was me.” I blew out my cheeks and huffed. Whatever I did, I had to keep him away from Jenny and the kids.

I leant back in the chair and took a sip of my whisky. “Did he see you today? I’m just thinking he knows the connection we have. He may then start joining all the dots without the need to turn Mr Thacker upside down.”

“No, son, I don’t think he did. As I was crossing the driveway, he came barrelling out of the house. He didn’t turn and look at me, and by the time he got to the car, I’d probably made it inside.”

“Don, there’s another development that I need to make you aware of.”

“Oh.”

“Yes, oh! I have a daughter from a relationship a long time ago. She surfaced for the first-time last week. To cut a long story short, we met a week last Wednesday. And you won’t believe this, but she’s now living in Carol’s old flat.”

“Good grief! You two kept that one well under wraps. I take it she’s not a child then? And living on the Broxworth … oh dear.”

“She’s twenty. What did you mean you two kept it under wraps?”

“You and Jenny.”

I rubbed the back of my head and looked away from Don, embarrassed at what I was about to say. “Err well … Jenny doesn’t know … yet.”

“Son—”

I didn’t look at him.

“Son?” I slowly turned my head. As always, my close friend was there for me. Not judgemental, but there as support. I could see it in his eyes, and I knew I needed to explain.

“I’m just getting used to the idea that I have a daughter. I keep wanting to tell Jenny about her … but … it’s been difficult with the situation with you-know-who.” I nodded in the direction of Martin’s house.

“Okay, son. And what is that situation with him next door? Are you ready to tell me?”

I shook my head. I hated not being able to tell him the truth – but the truth just wasn’t possible. As always, Don respected my non-disclosure without judgement or disappointment that I couldn’t confide in him.

“Alright, son, that’s okay. As I said before; when you’re ready. But you said you are only just getting used to the idea of your daughter. Are you saying you didn’t know you had a daughter until last week?”

“No, no. I knew but never met her before.”

“And she’s definitely yours?”

“Oh yes, she’s mine.” But she wasn’t, and only I and George knew that. Jesus, why was everything so bloody complicated.

“Not sure what that’s got to do with our current situation?” Don peered over the top of his glasses. He knew there was more to this, so he waited for me to continue the story.

“Right, well, listen to this, because unbelievably it gets worse. Jess, that’s her name, had a spot of bother with Paul Colney. Last week after the bombing, he stashed some drugs in her flat for fear of police raids.”

“Oh, bloody hell. She’s your daughter and in league with him!”

“It gets even worse … far, far worse. She’s pregnant … and … the father is Patrick Colney!”

Don held his whisky glass just short of his mouth, shaking his head. “Stone-the-crows! What a mess!”

Don offered me the bottle of whisky. I shook my head, and he knew not to push it.

“Hang on, son, let me get this straight. Paul Colney doesn’t know you’re her father?”

“No. well, I don’t think so. I get the impression Jess absolutely detests him.”

“Right. And does Paul know this daughter of yours is pregnant?”

“No, not that either. She’s not showing, and I’m reasonably sure she’s only told her mother and me.”

“And Patrick, I would presume?”

“Possibly.”

“So have you seen her mother recently then?” I shook my head. “Son, if you have, and not told Jenny that ain’t good. Mark my words, my boy, it’ll all end in tears.”

“Don, no. I’ve had no contact with her for over twenty years.” The truth is we’d never had contact. Pretty impressive to produce a child in that scenario – the immaculate conception. Shove that up your arse, Lisa’s mum! “I’ll give you Jaffa, huh!”

“Sorry, son? Don looked at me with that same confused look that he’d shot Martin