ceiling. He’d come across the stink of putrescine before, many times, so even before he reached the end room he was already bracing himself. Even so, he was unprepared.
Helen Harrison was circled in the full intense beam of the spotlight. For a ludicrous moment he wondered if she had been chosen for his benefit.
Rick Cole said, “Holy shit!”
And given the time of year he was probably right.
“This is well out of order!”
At his side, away from the beam and just another shadow among many, something stirred. And behind him, wrapped in a white sheet, negotiating the passage and still slowed by her drugged sleep, Laura approached. The room opened before her just moments after Cole had entered. She saw what Cole had seen and screamed.
It wasn’t just an ordinary scream for, as with everything else about Luscious Laura, it was outstanding, and woke up a number of residents on the Richmond Park Estate.
Rick Cole turned and took her in and noticed that even in her crumpled style she had definite possibilities. He said, “I’m at a loose end, sweetheart. Play your cards right you could be the next Mrs Cole!”
Chapter 37
The double-glazing salesman might have said that there is a condition where a wound to the chest does not necessarily cause much bleeding, not on the outside. The bleeding takes place in a sac that the heart sits in and eventually it constricts the heart and stops it altogether. It is known in the trade as a pericardial tamponade.
Heathrow was busy with the last rush of Christmas and the security arrangements didn’t help. Paul’s face appeared out of the crowd. A painted face, not unattractive, with cherry-red lips and pencilled eyes and sky-blue eye shadow and cheeks that blushed with the hint of rosehips. He recognized Mr Lawrence.
“Mr Lawrence,” he shouted excitedly and people nearby turned to look.
“Hello Paul. Oops! Paula, I mean.”
“Oh, Mr Lawrence.”
“It’s not Mr Lawrence now, Paula.” And in his best Irish accent that wasn’t very good, he added, “It’s Father or, rather, Father Kerry from Kerry in County Kerry.”
“I didn’t know there was a Kerry in County Kerry.”
“Did you not? Well, there you are then, you learn something every day. I bet you didn’t even know that it was a girl’s name, either? Now, tell me this if you will, is it the time to check in?”
Paul shook his head. “There’s still half an hour before the check-in opens and I needed the loo,” he explained. “Nerves. Never been on a plane before. I used the ladies. Never used the ladies before. They smell different, sweeter, and there’s no piss all over the floor.” His balance on the heels was more confident and as he walked his hips swayed. But there was something else about him. He seemed in pain. Mr Lawrence let it go. The beating he’d taken had been severe. Perhaps he was still troubled by that. Perhaps that was it. Paul looked him up and down. “Mr Lawrence, Father Kerry, you look wonderful. Give us a twirl.”
“Not here, for goodness sake.”
“Only joking, Mr Lawrence.”
“That’s a nice jacket, Paula.”
“I’ve had to clean it up, Mr Lawrence. There was dirt and…blood on it. I’ve had to soak some bits. Does it show?”
“The policeman’s blood? No, Paul, it’s fine.”
“It’s a Paul Smith, Mr Lawrence, says so on the label. My name, innit? And my size.”
“I’ve heard of Paul Smith, but that was many years ago. My goodness, thirty years ago, I’d say. But it looks expensive. Where did you get it? No, don’t tell me. I don’t want to know.”
“Get you, Mr Lawrence. That’s one of your jokes, isn’t it?” “Have you got everything?”
Paul patted his bulging handbag then grimaced again. “Passports, tickets, bottled water, everything. And some other things. Women’s things. You wouldn’t believe the things that women keep in their handbags. No wonder they’re always so heavy. Maybe that’s also why they need so many.”
“Well, dear girl, I’m not going to ask.”
“Good thinking, Mr Lawrence – Father Kerry – you don’t want to know.”
Paul’s rich-blue dress was figure hugging and presented the outline of underwear including suspenders. One or two men nearby offered him admiring glances and a couple of coppers armed with machineguns and Glocks looked him up and down and thought they’d like to give him one.
The coppers reminded Mr Lawrence of another copper. He asked, “What about the policeman?”
“You were right, Mr Lawrence. Absolutely. He was parked just outside the gate. Listening to you both. You were right. They were on to me without a doubt. What about you? Did you finish the painting?” “Yes. But tell me what happened?”
“He had the window down. I could hear you. Jesus, am I lucky.” He paused and said regretfully, “But I made a mistake. A bad one.” “We all make mistakes. What was yours?”
“I didn’t just knock him out, Mr Lawrence, like you said. The hammer went right in, right through the side of his head. I didn’t mean it.”
“Accidents happen.”
“I’m so grateful to you, Mr Lawrence. If it wasn’t for you, I’d be… I’d be check-mated.”
“Good. Come on, brighten up. But do remember it’s Father Kerry and not Mr Lawrence. We’ve got time to grab a cup of airport coffee. I’ve heard it isn’t the best but we’ll see. Have coffee. I don’t want you drinking orange juice anymore.”
“What’s wrong with orange juice, Mr Lawrence?”
“Well, far be it from me to distress you for I know you’re partial toward it, but according to the late colonel orange juice is full of something called E-numbers and they have a strange pull on a young girl’s fancy.”
“Getya, Mr Lawrence – Father Kerry. Bit like the pull of weed, you mean? Understand that. So, coffee it is, then. I’ll have mine with lots of sugar and a Coke on the side.” Paul paused in his step. “But I do have a problem.”
Mr Lawrence hesitated. “Go on?”
“They won’t let us take the water through so we’ll have to drink that as well.”
“You’re right, it is a dilemma.”
“And there’s something else.”
“I hope it’s not as serious.”
“It’s the security check, Mr Lawrence – Father Kerry – the security check. We’ve got to take our jackets off at the security check and I’ve got a tear in my dress.”
Mr Lawrence tut-tutted and continued on his way. “Don’t worry, Paul-a, all of the men and some of the women in uniform, will be looking at your arse. Most people in uniform are obsessed with arses. The older you get the more apparent that will become. They won’t notice a tiny tear like that.”
And Mr Lawrence was right, as was usually the case. They didn’t. All of the men and some of the women in uniform looked at her behind. And her behind was right. Paul no longer existed. She was Paula now. So to hell with him.
They moved unobtrusively forward in a queue toward the counter, a tall slim fairly attractive girl named Paula and her travelling companion, canonical dress in perfect order, cassock freshly pressed and heavy cross swinging gently across his chest.
“Milk or cream, Father?” An assistant asked from behind her steaming silver counter. “Ooooh, you’ve had an accident?”
Mr Lawrence said in Irish that was getting better for he was growing accustomed to squeezing the vowels, “You’re very observant, my dear. Indeed I have, but it’s nothing much, wouldn’t you know, just a septic quick.”
“Such a big bandage. Wouldn’t a plaster have done?”
“It’s turned nasty, as things often do.” He sighed and was about to offer her his best shot at a condescending Church-of-England smile before remembering he was in Catholic garb and changed it to a boozer’s stupid grin with a
