Page 74

•••

Ross sat bolt upright when Avril came out of the Down and Out Club. He switched on the ignition, while Rebecca’s eyes never left their mark. Avril was accompanied by a client who was hailing a cab – a client who definitely fell into the middle-aged businessman category. Smart, well-tailored double-breasted suit, blue shirt, silk tie, even a rolled umbrella.

A taxi pulled up. The man opened the back door of the cab, put up his umbrella to protect Avril from the rain and then waited for her to climb in. Definitely after the ‘girlfriend experience’ thought Rebecca – probably divorced and lonely.

Ross palmed the gear lever into first and eased his car out to join the late evening traffic, while never letting the taxi out of his sight. Fifteen minutes later, the cabbie drew up outside the Colony Hotel in Mayfair. Ross slipped in behind a parked car on a single yellow line and waited.

Avril climbed out of the taxi, while the mark paid the fare. When he joined her, they linked arms and strolled into the hotel together, chatting amiably.

Ross sat back and tuned into Classic FM as he and Rebecca settled in for yet another version of Beethoven’s 4th. Avril sometimes reappeared within the hour, after what she described as ‘a quickie’. Ross preferred this group, as it allowed him the chance to get home in time to catch up with Alice and hear about her day.

That’s when he spotted him: a man entering the hotel on his own, trying to look inconspicuous. Ross immediately recognized him but couldn’t remember where from. He’d arrested so many people over the years … But he wasn’t willing to take any chances.

‘Wait here,’ he said to Rebecca, then leapt out of the car, ran into the hotel and spotted the man standing at the reception desk. Ross kept his distance.

Just as the man turned around, a young lady approached him.

‘Can I have your autograph?’ she asked excitedly.

‘Yes, of course,’ said the man, giving her a warm smile. ‘Who should I dedicate it to?’

‘Suzie. Can I have a selfie with you?’

The man placed an arm around Suzie’s shoulder and smiled, while her friend took a couple of shots.

Ross slipped away, left the hotel and walked quickly back to the car.

‘False alarm?’ asked Rebecca as he got back in.

‘Lightbulb moment,’ admitted Ross. ‘He’s Alice’s favourite chef, has his own programme on the telly, but I still can’t remember his name.’

‘Good thing you didn’t arrest him,’ said Rebecca.

•••

‘What do you do?’ asked Avril as they got out of the lift and began walking down the corridor.

‘Nothing that glamorous, I’m afraid,’ her client replied, as he unlocked the door to his room and stood aside. ‘I’m a car salesman.’ He placed his umbrella by the door. ‘But I do have the BMW franchise for Coventry, which allows me the occasional luxury.’

‘Married or divorced?’ she asked.

‘Married, but she’s back in Coventry while I’m up here attending the motor show at Earl’s Court tomorrow. You should see the latest BMW Sports coupé. The bodywork …’

‘Perhaps that’s not the only bodywork you’ll want to see,’ Avril teased, as she slipped off his jacket and let it drop onto the floor. ‘Nice watch,’ she remarked as he took her in his arms and began to kiss her.

‘Money in advance,’ she said, breaking away.

‘Sorry,’ he said, ‘of course.’ He picked his jacket up off the floor, took out his wallet, extracted five crisp twenties and handed them to her.

Avril took the cash and deftly slipped it in her bag while glancing at his wallet to see that there was a lot more where that came from, and wondered how many extras she could offer him.

‘Why don’t you get undressed while I freshen up?’

He began to unbutton his shirt. ‘But please leave your bra and knickers on,’ he said shyly before she disappeared into the bathroom.

Once Avril had closed the door, she took a mobile out of her bag and dialled Ross’s number.

‘Room seventy-six, seventh floor. I like this one. I think he could be an all-nighter, so why don’t you both go home?’ said Avril, even though she knew it was a risk Ross wouldn’t consider. ‘Good night, lover,’ she said to a man she’d never slept with.