Although he knew that was right, Gus wasn’t sure how he could get through the rest of the journey. As if reading his mind, Carlton smiled. ‘You need to do what you’ve done to avoid looking at that rather beautiful ex-girlfriend of yours during the first half of the journey.’
Gus should have known Carlton would suss that out, but it still made him pissed off. ‘How the hell did…’
But Carlton was tapping the side of his nose with his finger. ‘It’s my job. Now, I suggest you feign sleep again. I’ll keep up the idle chatter and when we get to the hotel, we can tell your mum together.’
‘Together? You mean you’ll help me break the news?’ A wave of relief surged through Gus. Carlton, for all his faults, was a people person and his mum liked him. He’d help them both through this. For the first time in days, Gus smiled. He held out a hand and Carlton smiled back as they shook. Perhaps the rest of the journey wouldn’t be quite as bad as expected, but Gus knew that when the journey ended it would be hell on earth. With as much ferocity as he’d wished the journey over, earlier in the day, he now wished it would extend indefinitely.
Chapter 56
Scotland
Idon’t understand, Angus? Why the sudden urgency to check in at the hotel? I thought we were going straight to see Rory.’
‘Em, well I’d just like to freshen up.’
Jumping to Gus’s rescue, Carlton clapped his hands like a wee tartan gnome. ‘Great idea, Gus. Just the thing. We should all freshen up, have a drink, and rest for half an hour before heading to the hospital.’
Carlton looked at Corrine with concern on his face. ‘You must be exhausted, my dear. After all, you’ve driven all this way. Best to be refreshed to be reacquainted with your brothers – em, I mean brother.’
Gus glared at him. It was an easy slip-up to make and thankfully Corrinne hadn’t noticed, but Gus’s heart was hammering hard, hoping his mother would agree.
Shrugging, she changed the postcode on the satnav and as Gus heaved a sigh of relief they headed to the hotel. Sadia glanced back at Gus with a frown on her face, and Gus realised that although his mum had been easily fooled by Gus’s and Carlton’s double act, Sadia hadn’t. He should have realised she wouldn’t be. She had always been intuitive – that was one of her greatest skills as a detective. Gus shook his head and mouthed, ‘Not now.’
Sadia nodded, turned to the front, and began to chat to Corrine.
****
The hotel, a huge turreted building, was grandly named The Superior Scot Hotel. It was situated between Lanark and Bellbrax, not far from the high security psychiatric hospital. Sadia looked up at its façade. ‘Oooh, I wish I was staying here tonight, but I have to get home.’
Remembering the earlier conversation he’d overhead, Gus mumbled, ‘Hot date?’
Sadia laughed. ‘Well, sort of. Yes, I suppose you could say that.’
The smart of disappointment that hit him, was replaced by the weight of dread, when Sadia lowered her voice. ‘What was all that about in the car? You and Carlton being a tag team to manipulate your mum to come here?’
Angry that she had a date, Gus snorted. ‘Manipulate is a strong word, Sadia.’
‘Perhaps, but you two are up to something. Don’t forget, I know you Gus.’
Ignoring the pang that her last few words brought, Gus grabbed her arm lightly. ‘Look, Sad, something’s come up, that we need to tell Mum before she goes to see Rory. I can’t go into it here, but if you come with Carlton and me to my mum’s room, you can help support her. What I have to tell her is not going to be easy for her to hear.’
He paused and shuffled his feet around on the gravel. ‘In fact, it’ll break her heart.’
Sadia studied Gus for a moment and then nodded. ‘OK, Gus. I’ll help. I’d do anything for your mum.’
As she walked away to help Corrine with her bag, she turned back. ‘I’d like to speak with you tomorrow – you know before you head back to Bradford. I think we need to clear the air.’
Gus studied her. She was beautiful, caring, considerate, intelligent, and in that moment as she flashed him a smile, he realised he’d never got over her. Would he ever?
Chapter 57
Bellbrax Psychiatric Facility, Scotland
They keep following me about. Bernie mostly, but they don’t let me out of their sight. Something’s going on and I don’t know what. Someone’s always with Rory too. They usually leave him alone; he doesn’t like being crowded. Something is definitely wrong. I can almost smell it, but I don’t know what to do. So, I walk round and round the garden like a fucking teddy bear. I stop now and then, do my stretches, like always, but my fists need to stay in my pockets. Bernie wants me to play draughts with him, but I can’t. I can’t because if I take my hands out of my pockets, I’ll hit myself. I’m so fucking tired. I’ve kept this to myself for so long, but now it has to stop. I can’t do this anymore … I just want to be free of this burden. Free to do my gardening and just be left alone.
I know what I’ll do. I’ll ask to see Dr Mara. I’ll just tell her everything. I’ll tell her all about Rory’s sketches. I’ll tell her about Coco, I’ll tell her about the photo I found with the eyes stabbed out and – Oh God, it’s too much. I glance round. Bernie’s talking to one of the others, so I pull my hands out of my pockets, and slam my fists into my
