Page 30 of Read Between The Lines

‘I know that. But I have a feeling that our suspect won’t have paid a huge amount of attention to your pictures. He cares more about the words you write because they give him the clues as to how to target you most effectively.’

‘In any other context, a man who prioritises personality over superficial looks would be the perfect guy,’ I sighed.

‘It’s not just men who are guilty of such behaviour. If you ask me, the reason Beauty fell for the Beast was that she liked the look of his library,’ said Leo with mock seriousness.

‘Sensible woman.’

‘It’s worth a try, though, don’t you think?’ he pressed.

‘I suppose so,’ I said reluctantly. ‘Only, please, no buttoned-up librarian jokes.’

‘I wouldn’t dream of it. Besides, for the purposes of this evening, you’ll be, what, a rocket scientist? A brain surgeon? What do you fancy?’

I considered my options as I wrestled my hair into an approximation of a French twist, and quickly zipped into the bathroom to take out my contacts.

‘I think I’ll be a writer,’ I said on my return, putting on my specs and checking my hair one final time.

Leo nodded.

‘That works. Come on, then, Ms Brontë-in-waiting. I guess we’d better get this evening over and done with.’

And with that less than resounding battle cry, we set off.

ChapterTwelve

Leo went into the bar first to carry out ‘advance reconnaissance’ as he put it. To be honest, I was probably safer going in there at the same time as him rather than loitering around outside, but if me staying back for a few minutes kept his mind at rest, then it was a price I was willing to pay. I lurked at the end of the street watching the other arrivals to try to get a sense of my potential speed dates while trying to remain as inconspicuous as possible, which wasn’t the easiest of tasks given that I was wearing a bright yellow dress. I’d also inadvertently selected a popular smoking corner and kept being distracted from my surveillance attempts by people asking for a light, or blowing clouds of synthetic-scented smoke from their vapes in front of my face.

Everyone arriving at the event looked pretty normal, but I knew I shouldn’t take them at face value. Scammer Brian could actually be the jumpy-looking bloke who’d walked around the block three times before finding enough courage to go in, or perhaps he could be the gym bunny who’d nearly marched into someone because he was too busy checking out his appearance in the windows. Or he could even be the harassed-looking guy in a suit hovering around the entrance with an iPad. Actually, scrap that idea. That had to be the organiser ticking everyone’s names off as they arrived. I wondered if I could get a sight of the guest list. Perhaps, if Leo caused a distraction inside, the man would put down the iPad to see what was happening and I could check it.

I smiled to myself. I was getting carried away. Names on a screen were meaningless without being able to match behaviour to them. I could hear Leo’s voice in my head urging me to be sensible and stick to the plan we’d already discussed. There was no point going off-piste at this early stage and making him back out altogether.

I checked my phone. Still no message from Leo with the all clear. I’d give it another thirty seconds, and then go in anyway. If I stayed out here much longer, I was going to develop some kind of chronic condition from secondary smoke inhalation. Either that, or I was going to lose my courage. The longer I waited, the more my stomach churned. However much I told myself that attending the Single Mingle could be a key part of the investigation, the reality of having to endure an evening of speed-dating where I had to try to strike up a rapport and find out information about a bunch of strangers in just five minutes apiece was starting to hit home.

‘Hey, Kat, what are you doing hanging around here?’

I turned round and saw Gavin walking towards me with Robin trotting happily at his side.

‘Hi, Gavin, I’m just waiting for someone,’ I improvised. ‘Hello, Robin girly, how are you?’ I bent down and stroked her behind the ears, welcoming the distraction. She responded by rolling on her back and baring her tummy for the same treatment. I obediently followed orders and laughed when she started joyfully kicking the air as I found a particularly ticklish spot. Robin always knew how to enjoy the moment and go with the flow. I wished I could do that.

‘She’s utterly shameless,’ said Gavin, a tender expression on his face.

‘She’s a very good girl. And so glossy. She’s definitely living her best life.’

‘I’m glad you think so. Some people give me really dirty looks when we’re out and about. They think it’s cruel that she’s on the street with me when she could be in a proper home. But she’s family.’

‘Of course she is. You only have to look at her to see that she’d choose to be by your side any day.’ I straightened up. ‘Any luck with the latest housing application?’ I asked.

Gavin shrugged. ‘It’s been submitted and it’s a waiting game, as always. But a single bloke with a dog isn’t exactly high up on any of the priority lists. Still, at least the weather isn’t too bad at the moment. We’ve got the tent and I’m doing a few odd jobs for people, so things are looking up. Doris has commissioned me to put some new bookshelves in,’ he said proudly, then his happy expression fell. ‘Only she’s a bit funny about when I can come round and do the work. I suspect she’s worried what her neighbours might think. I don’t mind, though. I appreciate I’m not everyone’s cup of tea.’

‘Oh Gav, it’ll be nothing like that. She told me just the other day that her son says she’s got too many books, and he’s worried he’ll need to get the floor strengthened. She’ll be trying to hide the bookshelf construction from him, rather than anything else.’

Gavin looked relieved.

I jumped as my phone buzzed in my hand, the signal from Leo that it was time for me to join him in the bar.

‘Are you two going to be okay tonight?’ I asked Gavin first. ‘You know the offer is open for Robin to come and stay with me any time you want to get a space at the hostel.’

On a particularly wintery day, I’d once offered for Gavin to sleep at my studio flat while I went to stay with Moira, but he’d turned me down, insisting that he could look after himself. I’d spent the whole night awake worrying about him and Robin freezing in the cruel conditions, and had been relieved to get into the library the next day to discover that the shelter’s rules about no pets had been scrapped for the duration of the cold snap. It was probably a good thing that Leo didn’t know about that incident, because it would have confirmed his prejudices about me being too trusting. But I knew that Gavin was a decent bloke who’d fallen on hard times. I wished there was more I could do for him.

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