‘There’s nothing wrong with Hannah, but we’ll probably be out of here in a few days, so I’m not letting myself get too fond of her.’
‘Sensible,’ Dave said. ‘What I don’t get is, why are you so hung up about Kerry? I mean, she’s nice, but there’s nothing really special about her.’
James bit the crust of his sandwich and shrugged. ‘I dunno. I just really like Kerry. Haven’t you ever had one girl that you’ve really, really, liked and you can’t get her out of your head?’
‘Nah,’ Dave grinned. ‘I can think of a couple of girls who’ve felt that way about me, but that’s perfectly understandable.’
‘It could have been a one-off,’ James said. ‘You know? Like, she kissed me on the spur of the moment, but she really doesn’t want to go out with me. Or it could be that she wants to get back with me and she’s expecting me to make the next move. Do you think I should buy her a present, or try talking to her, or something?’
Dave leaned forward and pointed his finger. James got excited, expecting to hear the solution to all his problems.
‘You see, here’s the thing,’ Dave said, waggling the finger and pausing to build up the suspense. ‘I really don’t give a monkey’s about your love life.’
James pounded angrily on the tabletop. ‘Thanks, mate. I thought with all the girlfriends you’d had you might help me sort this out.’
Dave laughed as he crammed the last bit of his bacon sandwich in his mouth. ‘I’m off to work. I’ve got more important things to worry about than your train-wreck relationship with Kerry Chang.’
08:27
Patricia Patel emerged on to the driveway holding Charlotte in her arms. She had no clue that a CIB officer was sitting inside the grey van parked less than twenty metres away, videoing her every move.
She put Charlotte down beside the silver BMW and gave the little girl a Tweenies lunchbox to hold while she adjusted the straps on the baby seat inside. They were all out of kilter for some reason. After her daughter was safely strapped in the back, Patricia belted up in the front and turned the ignition key.
There was a microphone inside the duplicate car, so everyone back at the hotel could hear what was going on.
‘Shit,’ Patricia yelled as she banged her palm on the steering wheel.
‘Mummy,’ Charlotte said, pointing an accusing finger. ‘You said a rudey word.’
Patricia got out of the car and stormed back to the house. ‘Michael, can you come and look at this car? It’s not starting.’
Michael stepped out, dressed in boxers and carpet slippers.
‘She used a rude word, Daddy,’ Charlotte said, as her father got into the driver’s seat.
‘Sometimes grown-ups say naughty words when they’re upset, sweetie. I think the car is broken and it made Mummy cross.’
‘Can you fix it?’
‘I don’t know about cars, Charlotte. We’ll have to call the mechanic.’
‘What’s mechanic?’
Michael ignored his daughter’s question as he stepped out and confronted his stern-faced wife.
‘I’ll call out the Auto Club,’ Michael shrugged. ‘You’ll have to wait in for them.’
‘Why me?’ Patricia said indignantly. ‘I can’t wait in. I’ll have to take Charlotte to nursery on the bus and then I’m getting my hair done.’
‘It’s your day off,’ Michael said. ‘I’ve got a neighbourhood watch meeting in the bloody community centre at half eleven.’
‘You said they’re just a bunch of pensioners with nothing better to do.’
‘They are,’ Michael said. ‘But I’m a community police officer, it’s part of my job.’
‘You’ve got nearly two hours. The mechanic should be here before then.’
Charlotte whined from inside the car. ‘Mummy, I want to get out.’
Michael grunted at his wife. ‘Fine. I’ll wait for the mechanic. It’s your day off, but you piss off and get your hair done. I guess the world would stop spinning if that didn’t happen, whereas we don’t need our car at all.’
‘Get me out,’ Charlotte screamed, kicking her pink trainers against the seat in front of her.
‘It wouldn’t kill you to get off your lazy backside and do something around here for once,’ Patricia yelled, as she ducked inside the car and unhooked Charlotte’s seatbelt.
08:51
Ray’s voice came through to the hotel suite from his position inside the grey van. ‘Base, that’s it. I can see Michael going into the house.’
Kerry and Lauren were still squeezed up on the chair sharing the headphones as John grabbed a microphone. ‘Thanks Ray, got that. I’ll get Chloe to switch over the phone at the exchange.’