Alice nodded. “It’s very nice, but I’ll have to talk to Ian. It’s the fourth place we’ve seen so far.”
Flanagan looked disappointed. “Oh. I’ve only shown you this one.”
“I want to look around the area. See what it’s like.”
Kristin butted in. “It’s a great area.”
“Yeah.” Alice let out a sigh. “But it’s not Portobello.”
“I could get you something in Portobello, but with your budget, it won't be like this.” Flanagan waved his hand around. “You know, these owners might take an offer?”
“Thanks, Mark,” Alice said. “I’ll get Ian to call you when he gets back.”
“Away, again is he?”
“Your dad keeps him busy. He’s in Birmingham until the end of the week.”
“Oh right.” Flanagan looked down at his shoes and brushed something off with his hand. “I wouldn’t know.”
Alice cocked her head. “Huh?”
Flanagan waved a hand in the air. “My, uh, dad. Don't worry about it.”
*
On the street outside, Alice took a photo of the house. “It’s actually nice. Nicest I’ve seen. And it’s within our budget.”
Kristin bumped shoulders with her. “It would be so awesome if you were to buy this. We’d be within walking distance of each other.”
“It would be nice, yeah. But as I said, it’s not Portobello.”
Kristin tsked. “I should have washed my hands in there. His hands were sticky. And, like, did you see the way he looked at me in the bedroom? That smile? Made me shiver. The guy’s creepy.”
“You think?”
Kristin took a tissue from her bag and wiped her hands with it. “Yes. I do.”
“Nothing to do with guys in general?”
Kristin scoffed. “I stick to my side. Unlike others.”
“You referring to me?”
“What? No.” Kristin looked down the street and avoided Alice’s gaze. “I, uh, meant Olivia.”
“Oh. Right.”
“Come on. Let’s get a coffee.”
*
They sat by the window with a latte each. Kristin rested her chin on her hand and looked out the window. “You know what? I’m going to follow her.”
Alice laughed. “What are you talking about Kris?”
“Olivia. I’m going to take time off work and follow her. Find out who she’s seeing. What she’s doing.”
“Jeez. Spy? You can't do that. It’s, like, even more creepy than, you know, Flanagan.”
“I don't care. I’ll start when she gets back from her business trip. If I didn't have to go to the Astrid Andersen show in Copenhagen, I’d have gone to the conference too.”
“Oh yeah?” Alice set down her mug. “What conference?”
“I helped organise Astrid’s thing. Buyers from all over the world will be there, and I have to butter them up and take enormous orders from them.”
“I meant the one Olivia is going to.”
“Oh.” Kristin frowned. “It’s some big financial thing in Glasgow.”
“Glasgow?”
“Uh-huh. Why?”
Alice took her mug in both hands and stared down at the tabletop. “Nothing.”
Kristin let out a long sigh. “We haven’t had sex in weeks.”
Alice said nothing for a moment, then she brushed crumbs to the ground. “Neither have Ian and I. It may become a problem.”
“Yeah? All guys or just Ian?”
“Give it a rest Kris. It’s not that. I can take it or leave it. At the moment I’m leaving it.”
“And what does he think?” Kristin raised her eyebrows. “He happy with that?”
Alice shrugged. “Doubt it.”
Kristin shook her head. “I wish I could do that. Just leave it. A girl has needs too. Well, this one has anyway.”
Alice stared out the window. “Good for you Kris. Good for you.”
“Sorry. I don't mean to… I forget sometimes.” She took a sip of coffee. “Sorry. I’ll shut up now. But one last thing…”
Alice glanced to her. “What?”
“If you ever want to cross back over to the other side…”
Alice shook her head, said nothing and returned to staring out the window.
57
Daz wasn’t getting any better from what Cole could see. The nurse told him to be patient, but she’d been telling him that for nearly two weeks and there was no change. While the machines still beeped and the numbers still flashed in much the same way, Daz just lay there as if he was asleep.
When would he wake up? Cole kept asking the question, but nobody could give him a definitive answer. A comatose period of up to five weeks was possible depending on severity, but Cole’s web research also told him most people should have recovered by now. He also noticed the hospital staff had taken away the radio that played at a low volume, and he didn't like the implication.
As his confidence in Daz’s recovery waned, the attention he gave to Alice grew. By now, he had amassed a reasonable collection of video clips, plenty of Alice naked, but none yet of Alice shagging her boyfriend. The fact the boyfriend didn't always sleep in the main bedroom gave Cole reason to wonder if Alice preferred girls, and he fantasied about watching Alice and another girl on the bed.
Then his fantasy evolved into Cole himself doing a Flanagan on her and curing her of her of lust for women. He could tie her to the bed for real, not pretend like he’d done with Trixie, and hump her senseless with his hands around her throat, and he’d keep going until she screamed with the pleasure wrought by Cole’s sexual prowess.
The notion helped take his mind off Daz, and he wondered whether he could get his hands on Alice. How could he turn the dream into reality? Or should he forget it and call Trixie again? Once Trixie got used to him, she’d let Cole tie her up for real, even if it cost another £30 or £40, after all, she was only
