Respect (Mandasue Heller) (32 page)

‘Of course I’ll wait,’ Chantelle assured him.

And she’d meant it when she said it, but it was hard to see a light at the end of the tunnel while Yvette continued to string things out. It was so unfair that she was holding Rob hostage when he was the one who had made an effort to make their marriage work while she swanned off to spas with her girlfriends and treated herself to manicures, pedicures, expensive haircuts and facials. Any guilt Chantelle had once felt about seeing Rob behind her back was long gone, and she now loathed the selfish, greedy bitch with a passion.

24

September started out dull but quickly turned into a blazing Indian summer, and Chantelle found herself inundated with jobs in the weeks following Leon’s return to school. All great for her bank balance but not so great for her relationship, as it became more and more difficult to hook up with Rob, who was equally busy. They had been talking on the phone every night, but it wasn’t the same as seeing him, and so Chantelle had been delighted when they had finally found a night when they were both going to be free.

They were meeting at nine p.m. but Chantelle had started to get ready as soon as she got up that morning. After a long soak in the bath, she’d spent the rest of the day pampering herself: moisturising her skin, curling her hair, and agonising over what to wear.

She had just applied her make-up and was about to start painting her nails when her phone rang at 8.30, and she smiled when she saw Rob’s name on the screen.

‘Hey … I was just thinking about you. Can’t wait to see you.’

‘I’m so sorry,’ Rob said apologetically, ‘but I’ve got to cancel. Something’s come up, and I can’t get away.’

‘Aw, no,’ Chantelle moaned. ‘I’m nearly ready.’

‘And I bet you look gorgeous,’ he said quietly. Then, ‘Look, I can’t really talk right now. I’ve just nipped out of a meeting to call you, and I don’t want any of the guys to come out and catch me.’

‘In case they report you to Yvette?’

‘Oh, come on, don’t be like that. You know I’d come if I could.’

‘I know.’ Chantelle sighed. ‘Sorry, I’m just disappointed that I won’t be seeing you.’

‘I’ll make it up to you,’ Rob promised. ‘But I’ve got to go now.’

‘When will I see you?’

‘I’ll ring you. Ciao for now.’

Chantelle looked at the phone when it went dead in her hand and willed it to ring again, but it didn’t.

Leon was watching TV when she walked into the living room. ‘Thought you were going out?’ he said, glancing up at her.

‘So did I.’ She flopped down into a chair. ‘But it looks like I’ll be watching telly with you again. What’s on?’

‘Top Gear.’

‘Great.’

They sat in silence for a while, Leon’s gaze riveted to the action on the screen, Chantelle staring right through it. She was gutted that she wouldn’t be seeing Rob, and wondered if this was how Yvette had used to feel when she’d accused him of working too hard. But where
she
had used it as an excuse to nag him, Chantelle would never do that to him.

‘Chan … 
Chan!
’

Chantelle heard Leon call her name and snapped out of her thoughts. ‘What?’

‘Your phone’s ringing. You’d best hurry, or you’ll miss it.’

Chantelle leapt up, ran into her bedroom and threw herself across the bed. Scared that it was about to cut off, she snatched up the phone and answered without looking to see who was calling. ‘Hello, Rob …?’

‘Ah, so Prince Charming has an actual name, does he?’

Chantelle grimaced when she heard Bill’s voice. ‘Er, no, I thought it was my mum’s boyfriend,’ she lied, praying that her boss wouldn’t put two and two together. ‘He called earlier, but she was out, so he said he’d call back later.’

‘Oh, well, sorry to disappoint,’ said Bill. ‘But we’ve had a last-minute booking – if you’re free?’

‘What, tonight?’

‘If you can manage it? I know it’s incredibly short notice, so I’ll understand if you can’t.’

Chantelle wasn’t really in the mood. But she was already dressed up, so she figured she might as well put her efforts to good use.

‘It’s fine. What time?’

‘Nine,’ Bill said. ‘And thank you. You’re an angel.’

Chantelle gritted her teeth as an unwelcome memory of Miguel popped into her mind. That was what
he
had called her on the day he’d tried to have sex with her behind her mum’s back, the sleazy pig. Still, he was gone now, so at least she would never have to see his greasy face again.

Rob had just finished his call and pulled his jacket on when Yvette walked into the bedroom and flopped down on the bed.

‘You look nice,’ she said tartly. ‘Hope she appreciates the effort.’

‘Don’t start,’ Rob muttered, reaching for the comb and turning to face the mirror.

‘Oh, so you’re trying to tell me you get dressed up like this for your male friends?’ Yvette raised an eyebrow.

‘Do I tell you how to dress for business?’ Rob asked, slamming the comb down on the dresser when he’d finished and turning back to her. ‘But then, you wouldn’t know anything about that, would you, seeing as you haven’t lifted a finger since I put that ring on it.’

‘I do a lot, actually,’ Yvette retorted indignantly. ‘Who do you think keeps this house going while you’re swanning around playing Mr Big?’

‘The cleaner,’ Rob sniped, snatching his cigarettes off the dresser and striding towards the door. ‘Don’t know when I’ll be back, so—’

‘
Don’t wait up
,’ Yvette mimicked sarcastically. Then, rolling her eyes in disgust, she reached for the bottle of wine that was sitting on her bedside table and sloshed a large measure into the glass that was sitting beside it.

Rob glanced back at her from the doorway and shook his head before walking out. She’d been drinking a lot lately and was obviously starting earlier by the day, because she was often stoned when he came home from work in the evening. She denied she had a problem but he thought otherwise. Still, there was nothing he could do about it right now, because he had more urgent things to deal with.

He was supposed to have been taking Julia out tonight, but had been forced to cancel at the last minute after a phone call from Adam telling him that Perry had turned up at the unit demanding to see him.

Out in his car now, Rob called JT on his mobile as he waited for the gate to slide shut behind him.

‘I’m coming for that thing that was dropped off the other day,’ he said cagily when his call was answered. ‘Make sure it’s ready.’

‘Might take a while,’ the woman on the other end of the line said. Then, ‘Hang on a minute …’

Rob grimaced at the sound of her coughing up what sounded like a year’s worth of phlegm. ‘I’ll be there in half an hour,’ he said when she’d finished. ‘And get yourself some Benylin, for fuck’s sake. You’re going to lose a lung at this rate.’

He rang Adam now and asked, ‘Have you got any of that stuff left?’ When he got an affirmative, he said, ‘Right, well, fill your flask, then take Perry down to the club. Keep him sweet, and don’t tell him where you’re going till you get there in case he makes a call. I’ll be there in an hour.’

He cut the call now and set off, but as he turned onto the road, he sighed when he caught a glimpse of Yvette silhouetted at the bedroom window. He’d been a bit rough on her lately, so it was little wonder she’d been drinking so much. There was nothing he could do about it right now, but once this business with Perry was sorted he would treat her to something nice. Maybe a holiday or something sparkly, to let her know that he did appreciate her, even if he didn’t always show it.

The pub where tonight’s suspect was supposed to have been going was dead when Chantelle arrived at 9.15, and she felt uncomfortable as she noticed the few people who were there casting hooded glances in her direction. It was a dark, dingy place, and she was completely over-dressed, but she had a horrible feeling that her clothes had nothing to do with the way they were looking at her. She suspected it was because she was black, and her sense of unease increased as she made her way to the bar and ordered a drink.

Chantelle had grown up in a multicultural community so she hadn’t really experienced overt racism before. Her instincts were screaming at her to get the hell out of there, but she told herself that she was just being paranoid and tried to push the feelings aside as she took a seat in a quiet corner.

It was an hour before more people started to arrive, and her fear increased when she saw that it was a gang of bikers. Her suspect wasn’t amongst them, so she stuck it out for another twenty minutes. But when another gang arrived the atmosphere took a nosedive, and she was contemplating calling it a night when a glass went flying past her head. On her feet in a flash, she ran out just as a mass brawl kicked off – and didn’t stop running until she reached the safety of the car.

‘Oh, well, at least you’re okay, that’s the main thing,’ Bill said when Chantelle explained what had happened. ‘But, for future reference, if you
ever
feel uneasy like that again, get the hell out of there
immediately
. Our instincts are designed to protect us, and they must never be ignored. Do you understand?’

‘Yeah.’ Thoroughly chastened, Chantelle nodded and settled back in her seat as they set off.

Still mulling over what might have happened if she hadn’t left the pub when she did, she was gazing out of the window when Bill turned onto Deansgate a few minutes later. As they passed the road where the club in which she’d first seen Rob was situated, her heart leapt at the sight of a familiar figure. It was only a fleeting glimpse, but she just knew it was Rob. And he’d been with a woman.

‘Something wrong?’ Bill asked, sensing a shift in her mood.

‘No.’ Chantelle shook her head and forced a smile. ‘I, er, think I just saw my friend. Would you mind dropping me here?’

Bill pulled over and handed Chantelle’s fee to her. Then, smiling as the girl climbed out, she said, ‘Try to forget about that nonsense back there and have a good night. I’ll call you when the next job comes in.’

‘Thanks,’ Chantelle murmured, quickly closing the door as the dog wheezed its way through the gap and plopped onto her vacated seat.

She waved Bill off. Then, head down, she quickly crossed the road, telling herself as she walked that she must have been mistaken. Rob had said he was working and he had no reason to lie, so it must just have been someone who looked like him.

When she reached the corner and spotted Rob’s car parked down at the dark end of the road, she knew she’d been right. But that didn’t necessarily mean he’d lied, she reasoned. His meeting might have finished earlier than expected, and he’d decided to meet up with his friends for a drink. There was no harm in that.

But why would he choose to see his friends rather than come to see her, when they hadn’t seen each other for ages and he knew she’d been dying to see him?

Unless
he
didn’t want to see
her
?

Sickened to think that he might have changed his mind about their relationship, Chantelle stared at the club door. She couldn’t just march inside and confront him, because it would be too humiliating if she’d got it all wrong. Anyway, he’d want to know how she’d known he was there, and there was no easy way of explaining it without making him think she’d been spying on him. But she couldn’t go home without knowing where she stood, either.

Desperate for answers, she pulled her phone out of her pocket.

‘Hey …’ Rob said when he answered after several rings. ‘What’s up?’

‘Just wanted to hear your voice,’ Chantelle lied. ‘How’s it going? Meeting finished yet?’

‘No,’ Rob said quietly. ‘Still dragging on.’

‘Oh, I see.’ Chantelle’s heart sank. ‘Well, I hope you’ve been out for something to eat and drink?’

‘Chance would be a fine thing,’ Rob snorted. ‘These things can go on all night. And the rate this one’s going, I’ll be lucky if I get home before it’s time to come back tomorrow.’

‘Poor you,’ Chantelle murmured. Then, gritting her teeth when she heard a woman’s voice in the background, she said, ‘Who’s that?’

‘Probably one of the secretaries,’ Rob said. ‘I’d best go, but I’ll ring you in the morning. Love you.’

When he abruptly cut off, Chantelle stared at the club door again. Rob had not only lied about where he was, but also about the woman he was with. And why would he do that if there was nothing going on?

Determined to find out, Chantelle pulled her collar up to hide her face and walked quickly down the road. Halfway down, she found a narrow alleyway between two buildings from where she could see the club doorway and the car. She stepped inside and pressed herself back into the shadows. Then, holding her mobile phone in her hand, her finger poised over the camera’s record button, she waited.

Rob had used Chantelle’s call as an excuse to go out onto the smoking patio at the back of the club. He took a last drag on his cigarette now and stubbed it out before heading back inside.

‘Sorry about that,’ he apologised, smiling as he sat back down. ‘Bit of business I’d forgotten about.’

‘What’s the betting it was monkey business?’ Perry smirked, nudging Adam. ‘Man only grins like that when he’s on a promise, eh?’

Adam gave an insincere little laugh. Perry was obnoxious at the best of times, but he became even more crude and disrespectful when he had a drink inside him – or five, which was how many Adam had counted him necking since they’d got here.

The girl Rob had picked up from JT’s house was sitting beside Adam on the banquette seat, directly opposite Perry. She’d already been spaced out when he collected her, but she looked like she was in another world now thanks to the cocktail Adam had just given her, and Rob was filled with regret as he looked at her. She was absolutely stunning, and it was a crying shame that she was going to be wasted on a monster like Perry when any one of their other clients would have snatched his hand off to have her. But he’d needed something special to tempt Perry into seeing reason, and she was as special as they came.

‘So, what do you think?’ he asked Perry, giving a surreptitious nod in the girl’s direction.