The Magpies A Psychological Thriller - By Mark Edwards Page 0,29
and kissed her. ‘That was fantastic,’ he said.
She nodded. ‘I know. But I need a drink.’
‘Me too,’ said Heather. She looked back at the track, following Paul’s go-kart with her eyes.
The attendant that had spoken to them earlier came over. ‘Your friend’s very good,’ he said. ‘Very few people pick it up as quickly as him.’
‘That’s my boyfriend,’ said Heather.
‘And she’s so proud,’ laughed Jamie.
They headed off towards the cafe, where Lucy was already ensconced, nursing a cup of tea. When she saw them come in, her face did that thing that Jamie had noticed before, flicking from a frown to a smile in a peculiar instant. Jamie, Kirsty and Heather went over to join her.
‘Having fun?’ Lucy asked.
They chorused their enthusiastic assent. Jamie went over to the counter to buy lunch and the women sat down. Lucy had a novel lying in front of her, but it looked untouched, with no bookmark protruding from the virgin-white pages.
‘Aren’t you bored, sitting in here on your own?’ Kirsty asked.
‘Not at all. It’s nice to get some peace and quiet. It’s so important to me – silence is something I treasure, but I experience it so rarely.’ She looked right into Kirsty’s eyes. ‘Anyway, I’ve been watching Chris most of the morning – but it got a bit noisy out there so I came in here. Is Paul still out there?’
‘Oh yes,’ Heather grinned. ‘He’s having a fabulous time.’
Kirsty nudged her. ‘He’s a real speed freak, isn’t he. Is he speedy at everything?’
‘No way. The Paul I’m coming to know is slow and gentle.’
Jamie returned with a tray of teas and chips. ‘Stop it, please, or I’ll throw up.’ He sat down. ‘Actually, I’m really pleased you two got together.’
Heather’s smile widened. ‘So am I.’
‘Why didn’t you admit that you fancied him?’ said Kirsty. ‘We could have fixed you up long ago.’
‘Well, I did try dropping hints. Quite explicit ones, if I remember correctly. But we’re together now, that’s the important thing.’
Kirsty touched her friend’s hand. ‘You seem really happy.’
‘I am. It’s all happened so fast – this great rush of emotion. A thunderclap, almost. Now I feel like we’ve wasted years and we’ve got so much to catch up on. Paul’s so funny and sweet and…’
‘Behind you,’ said Jamie.
They looked up. Paul had come into the cafe, his fringe stuck to his brow where he had been sweating beneath his crash helmet. He came over, bent down to kiss Heather on the lips, then said, ‘This is so excellent. I love it. It’s brilliant.’
‘We thought you were having a good time,’ said Jamie.
‘Too right. But now I want a go on the other track.’
Lucy said, ‘Well, here’s Chris. He’ll take you over to that track if you want.’ She looked up at Chris as he came over, swinging his crash helmet in his right hand. ‘Paul wants a go on the advanced track.’
‘Does he? The big boys’ track. Do you think you’re ready then, mate?’
Paul nodded. ‘Ready, willing and able.’
Chris looked at his watch. ‘Come on then. No time like the present.’
‘Aren’t you going to stop for a drink?’ asked Heather.
Paul kissed her quickly. ‘I won’t be long. I’ll just give Chris a quick thrashing, then I’ll be back.’
‘A quick thrashing? You’re hoping, mate. You might just catch a glimpse of me in the distance.’
They walked out together.
‘Boys,’ said Kirsty, sipping her tea.
‘He won’t beat Chris though,’ said Lucy, seriously. ‘Nobody ever does.’
Heather looked at her. ‘We’ll see.’
They stayed in the café for another half-hour, finishing their drinks and eating their chips. They stayed there until they heard the bang.
The bang was audible across the whole park, reverberating from the advanced track, above the heads of the spectators, over to the beginner’s track and the cashier’s booth. In the cafeteria, it made everyone turn their heads towards the door. A communal look of concern spread from face to face, and Jamie felt all the blood drain from his. He knew it in an instant: something terrible had happened to Paul.
He jumped to his feet. ‘I’ve got to go and see,’ he said in a tremulous voice.
Kirsty stood up and grabbed his arm. Around them, other people were standing up, drifting over to the windows and door to see if they could catch a glimpse of what was going on. ‘We’ll come with you.’
They headed towards the door. Jamie broke into a run as soon as they got outside, Kirsty, Heather and Lucy following close behind. He pushed through the maddening crowd,