Page 94 of Mercury Rising

They raised their glasses.

“To freedom,” Mercury said.

The champagne fizzed in his mouth as he took a sizeable sip. He might be ready to expose some injustices but that didn’t mean he couldn’t have a bit of the high life too.

Suddenly, the atmosphere dropped as Bobby walked past their booth with a couple of hangers-on. He stopped when he saw who was there.

“Oh, hello,” he said.

Mercury hadn’t seen him since the café incident. This was someone he was perfectly prepared to be mad at forever.

“Bobby.”

“Nice to see our local freedom fighter is out spending mummy’s money. I haven’t seen you since you left me with a sizeable bill.”

Mercury smiled sweetly. “Let me know how much and I’ll send you the cash. I’d hate to think your own actions inconvenienced you.”

Bobby leant against the table. He looked particularly lurid in a bright orange shirt with criminally tight jeans.

“You should have let him walk away,” he sneered. “Word is, your mother did a far better job than I could ever do.”

Lotty rested her hand on his thigh at the same time that Jeannie huddled close to him. Bobby would have noticed and it would rile him.

“Am I supposed to react? When you rehearsed that little speech in the mirror, what did you really hope for? Tears? Run along, Bobby.”

His former friend blushed. “Don’t forget, I know your secrets.”

Mercury chuckled and drained his glass.

“Go and threaten someone else,” he said. “We’re out of here.”

Lotty and Jeannie took his cue and they slid out of the booth.

“Off to save another handsome pauper?” Bobby asked. “Sex for saving, is it?”

As much as Mercury would love to slap his face, he had no intention of ending up in jail on his first night of freedom.

“Bye, Bobby,” he said, smiling sweetly. “Oh, by the way, you know how you’re only a member here through me? I’m going to have to cancel that. Enjoy your night. Make the most of it.”

“You were brilliant,” Jeannie said, handing him a huge gin and tonic.

“His face,” Lotty added. “Vicious little queen.”

Mercury sat back on Jeannie’s sofa. “I don’t know why I put up with him so long.”

He could be a loyal friend but Bobby had pushed him too far too many times. If one good thing came out of this whole situation, he’d finally realised he was better off without Bobby.

It wasn’t worth the price he’d paid.

“Let’s talk about something else,” Mercury said. “Anything. Oh I know, any word from next door?”

Josh and, until recently, Winston were Jeannie’s neighbours. She shook her head.

“Winston is long gone. I’ve not heard anything from Josh.”

“What if he’s dead?” Lotty asked.

“Bloody hell, Lott,” Mercury exclaimed.