Page 73 of Killing Mind

He leaned down closer and spoke intimately into Britney’s ear. ‘If you make it back quickly I’ll save you both a place at my table.’

Britney coloured and grabbed her hand again as Jake wandered away.

‘First sittingandJake’s table, come on,’ she said, heading back out the front door.

Britney guided her through the beautifully lit courtyard to the first barn.

‘I’m in here,’ she said, taking the second door on the left.

The room was small, basic and not unpleasant. A single bed, dressing table and bedside cabinet were the only items of furniture in the room.

‘Just drop your bag here before the food gets cold.’

Tiffany reached into the side pocket and took out her phone.

Britney shook her head. ‘You need to leave that here. Really, you need to switch it off. We don’t have phones here.’

Reluctantly Tiff did as she was asked and put the phone back in her bag. She could live without it while she ate. She’d grab it afterwards.

Time to get to what she was here for.

‘So, sittings?’ she asked Britney as she followed her out of the door.

‘Yeah, there are about one hundred of us and the dining room only holds fifty, so there’s two sittings for every meal. Always best if you can get on the first; food’s hotter and you get first choice. Second sitting it’s warmish but all the good stuff is gone.’

Didn’t seem very fair to Tiffany. The force canteen at Halesowen wasn’t great but it was consistently average if you were at the front or the end of the queue.

‘So, is it oldest, youngest or…’

Britney laughed as they re-entered the farmhouse. ‘Nah, it’s performance based. The more you contribute dictates which sitting.’

Tiffany noted the framed motivational posters that seemed to hang on every wall. Pebbles, sunrises, beaches, meadows, forests and shouty words like ‘peace’, ‘fulfilment’ and ‘motivation’.

‘But, do you get?…’

‘Shush, we eat in silence, appreciate the food,’ Britney said, entering the dining room.

To the left were tables holding hot plates with three women behind serving portions to the queue. The rest of the space was taken up with five tables seating ten people each. Jake Black was already sitting at the top table with two spare seats to his left.

The queue moved quickly, and Tiffany was suddenly in front of the source of the delicious smell from earlier.

‘Yummy, my favourite: pork chop in onion gravy with mashed potato.’

Tiffany couldn’t help her disappointment. The aroma had promised so much more than basic chops and smash.

‘You just wait,’ Britney whispered with a smile.

Tiff followed Britney through the tables to where Jake Black sat. Everyone she passed smiled and nodded in her direction.

Without speaking, Jake indicated that Tiffany was to sit next to him. Tiff caught the quick look of disappointment that crossed Britney’s features before she took the other seat.

She sat, trying not to be unnerved by the lack of noise other than the scrapings of cutlery on plates. It was a stark difference to how mealtimes had played out in her own home. With four brothers it had been like feeding time at the zoo; her mother cooking different things for the boys, the boys changing their minds and wanting each other’s; tantrums, complaining, food throwing. Oh yes, she could see the value in silence at the dinner table.

She cut a piece of pork and added a little mashed potato. It was like heaven in her mouth. The pork was tender and tasty, seasoned with something she’d never tasted before. The onions were tasty little slivers that accented the taste of the pork. Simple mashed potato had been elevated with lashings of real butter, garlic, cream cheese and chives.

She glanced at Britney, who offered her a conspiratorial smile, which said, I did tell you. And she had been right, Tiff admitted, taking another mouthful. Her stomach grumbled in appreciation, and if anyone noticed they made no indication. She took another bite vowing not to leave even a mouthful on her plate.

Jake finished his meal, save for a line of pork fat pushed to the side.