Ghosts in the Morning - By Will Thurmann Page 0,48

glance in my direction. ‘Yes, yes, that’s all she is.’

I saw Blud take a deep breath and I realised what he was about to do, I had watched enough cop shows; he didn’t have to put Graham on the spot like this, he could have spared Graham the humiliation, he could have spoken to Graham in private, but he was doing this on purpose. Blud wanted to put Graham on the back foot, to see his unguarded reaction. Blud didn’t know that I knew about the situation with Nikki already, but he certainly didn’t seem to care if his impending words would damage me. He’d had too many years on the job, maybe he was too cynical and careworn for sympathy, just saw this as another case to solve, and damn the fallout.

‘Well, sorry for bringing this up-’ Blud glanced at me, tap tap tap, ‘-but it’s my understanding, Mr. Halston, that you are involved in a relationship with Miss Sandsen. A relationship of a sexual nature. An affair, if you like.’

Graham stared furiously at Blud. I could see his shoulders tense, and Andrews placed a gentle hand on his arm. Then he sighed and his shoulders relaxed. He sunk into the sofa like a deflated balloon.

‘Was.’

‘Sorry, Mr. Halston?’

‘I said was. Was not is. I was having an aff-, well, I was involved with Miss Sandsen. Not any more, it’s all over.’ Graham looked at me. ‘I’m sorry, Andrea, I never meant for it to happen, it just-’

‘Were you aware, Mr. Halston, of Miss Sandsen’s previous relationship with Mr. Rosslet?’ Blud was like a terrier, he wouldn’t stop.

‘What? No, of course not, I told you, I don’t know any Rosslet guy. What is it...what are you saying?’

Tap tap tap. Blud stayed quiet for a second, just the continuous rhythmic drumming of that infernal pencil. I could taste blood on my bottom lip where my teeth had pierced. Finally PC Andrews said, ‘The thing is, Mr. Halston, the aforementioned John Rosslet was involved in a relationship with Miss Sandsen in the year prior to you shacking up...er, I mean having an affair with you. And then Mr. Rosslet goes and gets himself killed by a hit and run driver, possibly driving a car a lot like yours, possibly with the same number plate as yours. That’s kind of why we’re here right now, Mr. Halston.’

‘Thank you, PC Andrews, for your succinct summary. Now please, would you be kind enough to shut up.’ Blud’s teeth were gritted together, I could hear the grinding of the enamel.

I shook my head at the revelation from PC Andrews. Jersey was a small community, there were multitudes of connections between friends, between people...and the world was full of little coincidences, most of them unimportant, unnoticed, just ripples on the surface of life. But sometimes, just sometimes, one of those coincidences changes things, a ripple becomes a wave...

‘So, Mr. Halston, you’re denying you know Mr. Rosslet, is that correct?’

‘Yes, I’ve told you, I don’t bloody know any Rosslet.’

‘And can you vouch for your whereabouts on - let me see - the night of November fourteenth?’

‘That’s over a month ago, how do I bloody know. Look I’ve had enough of this...this...bloody insinuation. I’ve told you, I don’t have a clue what you’re on about, and I don’t have to vouch for anything. I’m not talking to you buggers anymore without a lawyer present. I’ll have you for harassment, so I will.’

‘There’s no need for that, Mr. Halston. As I believe I mentioned earlier, this was just us popping-in, just an informal chat-’

‘I don’t care what you call it, a chat, a pop-in, whatever, all I know is that going forward you will have to speak to my lawyer. You come in here, making spurious accusations, poking your noses into my private life, and you expect me to just listen to all of this crap...I’m a, well, I’m a respected member of the business community, I don’t need to put up with this crap. So, now, I would appreciate you getting out of my house.’

Blud stood and nodded to Andrews. ‘We haven’t made any accusations that I’m aware of, Mr. Halston, but fair enough. Have it your way. We shall be in touch very soon. Goodbye, Mrs. Halston.’

The door slammed and Graham stared at me, his eyes blazing. ‘What the fuck was that about, what the hell is going on? You use that car more than me, do you know what this is all about?’

I met his anger with