Knowing Me Knowing You (21 page)

‘
Gentle questioning huh?
’

‘
You haven’t changed your mind have you?
’

‘
No,
’
Joel told her.

‘
Phew! Thank God for that, I thought I might have blown it last night with the crap dinner and the SAS inquisition.
’

‘
I’ve got a strong constitution, on both counts.
’

‘
Great. Well Hermione, you know, my mad friend who does the tea leaf reading, she’s invited us to dinner
and offered to make up some questions for us. She knows everything, you know, that we aren’t really a couple and you’re an escort, in fact she was the one who gave me the card. And she watched the show, actually I’m starting to worry about her because she seems to know everything there is to know about it, I’m afraid she has it on Sky+ and is watching it on a loop,
’
Kate gabbled.

Joel laughed and smiled at her.

‘
What do you think?
’
Kate asked.

‘
It sounds like it would be very entertaining and good timing seeing as there’s only two weeks until the next show.
’

‘
Is it only two weeks? I don’t even know whether you’re a wet or dry shave man. I’m thinking wet.
’

‘
Then you have a Kissing Gate on the board,
’
Joel answered.

‘
Really?
How excellent!
’

‘
Listen, I was thinking
-
would you like to go bowling?
’
Joel asked suddenly.

Kate looked at him blankly. It sounded like he was asking her out on a date. Was that possible?

‘
Oh,
’
Kate said not committing, leaving it open for him to clarify his motives.

‘
If you don’t want to that’s fine, it was just an idea. I thought we could throw a few balls, practi
s
e looking like a couple.
’

‘
No, it sounds good; I mean we could try some questions over a few strikes, strikes of mine, of course.
When?
’

‘
Tomorrow night? I could pick you up, about
seven thirty
?
’
Joel suggested.

‘
I’ll have to check if Hermione can babysit. Shall I call you?
’
Kate asked.

‘
Sure.
’

‘
Great, well I’ll
…
’
Kate began.

Suddenly there was a loud bang and a car kangarooed up the road. Kate jumped at the noise but Joel
reacted in a more extreme manner. He grabbed hold of Kate, bundled her to the floor and covered her head with his arm as the car let out another horrendous clap of noise which sounded like a cannon going off.

Kate’s face was pressed against the wet pavement and she had banged her elbow on the ground. She could feel his body tight up to hers. His heart was racing and he was breathing heavily.

Rapidly realising what the noise had been Joel hurriedly got to his feet, red faced and embarrassed. He helped Kate up and began rubbing down his jacket.

‘
I’m so sorry, I didn’t know
what that was, I
…
’
Joel began
not able to look Kate in the eye.

‘
People shouldn’t be allowed to drive cars that aren’t roadworthy,
’
Kate found herself replying
, trying to ignore her pavement-
stained suit.

‘
I’d better go,
’
Joel said quickly.

‘
And I’d better get back to
Lynn
; she’s devising some scheme to oust the Lady Dragon,
’
Kate spoke, pushing open the door to
Randall’s
and feeling awkward.

‘
Sounds intriguing,
’
Joel managed to say.

‘
I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow, bye,
’
Kate spoke, stepping back into the offices and waving a hand at Joel.

‘
Bye,
’
he ended as he watched her go.

Kate ignored the quizzical look from Ruby on reception and raced up the stairs. She suspected the nosey old bag had seen everything anyway on the security camera.

‘
How are you getting on?
’
Kate asked as she rejoined
Lynn
at her desk.

‘
What the Hell happened to you? You’re covered in muck,
’
Lynn
remarked as Kate tried to brush down her jacket.

‘
Oh, nothing.
What have you found?
’

‘
You won’t believe it, she’s been altering more than your accounts, she’s been writing letters to some of
your clients, look,
’
Lynn
spoke, showing Kate the evidence.

‘
That was Joel, in reception,
’
Kate spoke not really looking at what
Lynn
was showing her.

‘
Yes, you said. So he’s the new boyfriend is he?
’

‘
I guess he sort of is.
’

‘
Well either he is or he isn’t.
’

‘
It’s a little bit of both actually,
’
Kate replied.

‘
I don’t understand at all, but take a look at this; the Lady Dragon’s been sending memos to the managing partner, about your incompetence,
’
Lynn announced loudly.

‘
What? You’re joking? What does it say?
’
Kate exclaimed in horror, moving closer to the screen to get a look.

‘
It’s in draft and she’s listing all the files with errors on. This is cool!
’
Lynn
announced excitedly, tapping on the keyboard.

‘
What? Cool? How can it be cool? She’s putting mistakes on my files and trying to discredit me!
’
Kate said furiously.

‘
Yes but she’s listed all the files so we can go in and put the errors right and then she’ll look a complete idiot,
’
Lynn
told her.

‘
Maybe I should just confront her about it. I mean I know I don’t like confrontation, even Joel knows that, but I haven’t really got the time or energy for any of this,
’
Kate answered with a sigh.

‘
Leave it to me, I love little challenges like this and believe me, with an opponent like the Lady Dragon you need to be underhand and devious. I can do underhand and devious. I watch all the right TV programmes; I can do Ray
Winstone
or any of the culprits in
Trial and Retribution
. It’s all about keeping one step ahead of the game,
’
Lynn
assured her, narrowing her eyes and grinning like a distant relative of the
Kray
twins.

‘
Why does she hate me so much?
’
Kate asked out loud.

‘
You’re better than she is and she can’t cope with that. People kill for less you know. Did you see the latest
Rebus
?
’
Lynn
asked.

‘
No,
’
Kate replied with a sigh.

‘
Or any of the
Cracker
series?
’

‘
No.
’

‘
Well not to worry, I’ve seen enough for the both of us. One thing’s for certain though, you’re going to have to toughen up. ‘No mercy’ as they say in all the best films!
’
Lynn
told her seriously, looking at Kate like she was now a member of a crack SAS unit.

‘
You’re scaring me,
’
Kate admitted.

Lynn
let out a laugh and then trained her eyes on the computer screen like she was looking through the sight of a sniper’s rifle.

‘
She’s as good as body bagged,
’
Lynn
said.

‘
Thanks for this
Mione
, I know I’m taking advantage of you at the moment and
…
’
Kate began as she raced around the living room and then the kitchen looking for a missing earring, one shoe on her foot.

‘
How many more times Sweetie? I love spending time with
Bethan
and believe me, once she’s gone to bed your house is going to be my little sanctuary. I’ve bought a book, I have fennel pastries and Philip is taking care of my noisy tribe.
’

‘
Well I won’t be late, I mean I expect we’ll just play one round and then head back and there’s only so much questioning you can do in one evening. Unless he throws me to the floor again and won’t let me go,
’
Kate said, finding her earring and putting it in her ear.

‘
You’re making that sound like it would be a bad thing.
’

‘
I suppose the floor of the bowling alley would be kinder on my clothes.
’

‘
Are you going to speak to him about it? I mean it isn’t quite normal behaviour is it?
’

‘
It was when the car backfired, I’m presuming it has something to do with him serving in a war zone and that topic of conversation is off limits. I don’t want to piss him off and have him pull out on me,
’
Kate spoke.

‘
Well, you take as long as you like, we’ll be just fine here won’t we
Bethy
,
’
Hermione responded, bouncing
Bethan
up and down on her knee.

The doorbell rang and Kate squealed, scanning the room for her other shoe.

‘
I’ll get that for you, I have to see him in person. I’ve heard so much about him I almost feel like I’ve met him already,
’
Hermione spoke, leaping off the sofa and
practically running down the corridor in a bid to reach the door before Kate.

She opened it and smiled widely at Joel.

‘
You must be Joel,
’
she purred, extending her free hand for him to take.

‘
And you must be
Hermione,
Kate’s always talking about you
.
I feel like I’ve met you already,
’
Joel answered, taking her hand and kissing it lightly.

‘
Oh my God you have a psychic mind; I just said the very same thing to Kate,
’
Hermione answered excitedly.

‘
Let the poor guy in will you and stop drooling over him,
’
Kate called from the living room.

‘
Hmm, I do hope she’s only told you the good bits about me or her childminding fee will be going up,
’
Hermione said
,
tickling
Bethan’s
tummy and making her giggle.

‘
Joel, Joel,
’
Bethan
shouted, waving a hand at Joel.

‘
She’s remembered your name!
Clever girl
Bethy
!
’
Kate exclaimed as she joined them all in the hallway, now wearing both shoes and putting on a coat.

‘
Hello
Bethan
,
’
Joel greeted, taking hold of the little girl’s chubby hand and giving it a squeeze.

‘
OK, shall we go? Mr Crisps is in her cot, her milk’s in the fridge and help
yourself
to anything, although not the microwavable faggots because I’m having those tomorrow,
’
Kate instructed Hermione.

‘
They sound so disgusting there’s no way I would even touch them let alone put them near my mouth. Have a good time both of you and no need to hurry back,
’
Hermione insisted, opening the door for them and almost shooing them out.