‘Well, didyou find anything useful out?’
She needed toconvince herself that Mark was on the same wavelength. He had spentthe best part of six years locked up and, irrespective of whetheror not it was possible to measure rehabilitation, that might havebeen enough to put anyone off risking going back again. Any suchconcern was soon allayed: if anything, he appeared to have assumedthey had already started. He had clearly got over any compulsion hemight have felt for avoiding spelling things outexplicitly.
‘Oh youguessed, did you? Yes, it was interesting I suppose, but reallythere’s been little change since I sorted out Gordon and Jean. Idid pick up a couple of ideas but not sure they’d be any betterthan the old castor beans made into ricin, along with a bit ofthallium. Funny thing was, the only poisoning case I could findmuch of a report on was mine; it’s strange, but I never really readthe newspaper reports on it after I’d got sentenced. Actually Ifelt a bit of a celebrity and a bit weird too, reading about mewithout the people sitting around me knowing it was me, if you knowwhat I mean.’
So there wasno need to worry, he was big-headed enough to believe he could doit all again. Maybe that was a little unkind; she was glad he hadenough self-confidence left. Even at this stage Gemma realised thatwhile she would have to help Mark with some of the planning itwould be better to keep as much distance as possible from anyphysical involvement, just in case things went wrong. She wouldhave to make sure there was no hard evidence tying her in – noreceipts, no finger prints – and she’d need that to make sure Markhad nothing he could hold over her if it ever came to it. At mostshe would have to ensure that any evidence was hearsay; and that itwould just be Mark’s word against hers. That was only if thingswent badly wrong of course, but there was no harm in imaginingworst-case scenarios.
‘Yes it mustbe strange, but you know, Mark, you’re the expert, you can do thisand you know I’ll help as much as I can. We’re in this together,remember that. So what do you reckon is the best approach, whatworked best last time, and would it work again?’
This was morelike it. Mark warmed to the task.
‘Well, it’s amatter of gradually wearing someone down, then upping the amountswhen they’re weakening. And it’s important to get her doctor, orany doctor really, on side; get them to see that there is a gradualdeterioration. What’s on the death certificate is the key, really:that can avoid any detailed post-mortem or autopsy.’
She wasn’t sure whatit was, but it made her really quite aroused listening to him talkabout her mother as some kind of subject. Mark was keen to explainhis strategy.
‘The firstthing is to spend more time with her, to take her out and get herto drink more, to have meals with her when I can mix in this andthat; to win her confidence, too.’
They’d finished eatingand Gemma wanted to get him home while she felt in the mood. Itmade her feel better if she was treating him and letting him dowhat he looked as if he wanted to more than anything else. Itoffered a sort of equilibrium too, to balance her feeling that shewas just using him.
‘Okay, we’llinvite her over to ours more often, and as you suggested you cantake her up to London sometime and also help arrange a drinksevening or something at hers. You’ve got to charm her too; andanother thing is to get that bloody Terry from the golf club out ofher mind. He’s been coaching her apparently and she sounded likeshe was enjoying it. I only picked up on it when I spoke to her theother day and she went on and on about him and her golf. I did askher about that other chap, the one you said she’d met up with inGuildford, the one with the car, but like you said I think she’s sofull of herself that she’s after someone younger. That should makethings easier for you, I guess.’
She brought abottle of red wine from the Arun View’s fairly limited stock andsuggested they get back home as quickly as they could. It was nevertoo difficult to get the message across to Mark. It might seem alittle calculating, mercenary even, but in her defence she had nointention of going with anyone else while they were workingtogether, whatever might happen in the future. Anyway, she alwaysenjoyed sex with him too.
As theyreached home, their row of cottages looked as inviting as ever,nestled on the outskirts of Petworth and with a lovely view offarmland and the gently undulating Downs beyond. As Mark parked inthe makeshift driveway at the side of their house, Gemma felt awave of affection; he may not be her long-term plan, but why notenjoy things for the moment? It wasn’t just about keeping him ontrack, it was about having a good time at the same time.
‘Why don’t you roll ajoint while I get the glasses out?’
Mark didn’t smoke muchnowadays but he kept a little stash of Moroccan in case. Gemma hadnever been much into dope herself, but they liked an occasionaljoint and now seemed like a good time for one.
Mark didn’t need muchencouragement. They sat outside the back door. Old Mrs Mortimer inthe middle terrace next door had no idea about pot and the Brays atthe end were generally away at the weekends anyway, so there was noneed to worry about the smell wafting across the backgardens.
Gemma poured them bothsecond glasses and led Mark upstairs.
‘Come on,we’ve got the rest of the weekend ahead of us and I think we shouldget down to some serious planning, this week has just about done itfor me with probation. It really is becoming a shambles at themoment. Like I said, I’ll keep it going for a few months but that’sit. Let’s arrange a do at my mother’s for the end of the monthwhile it’s still fairly light in the evenings. Meanwhile, I’ve gotmy needs, you know.’
She
