“Well, I give it a month before your vague idea bites you in the backside and you come running back here where you belong.”
“Thanks for the support.”
“You’re welcome.”
Jack left Andy grinning smugly. Like the guy was an expert on women. The day he took advice from Andy would be a sad day indeed. Anyway, Andy was the least of his worries. Right now, he had to figure out how best to handle Davy.
He was pretty sure the bomb disposal guys would have a better shot at it than he would. With a sigh, he walked along the beach towards his house hoping inspiration would strike and it wouldn’t be as painful as lightning. By the time he reached his flat, he knew what to do.
There was only one gesture that would fix this mess and it was going to be painful. Flowers wouldn’t be enough. No. This was going to take something big.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
2 DAYS TO MAKE A MOVIE...
SUNDAY MORNING WAS bleak and grey. Jack grimaced at the weather. It mirrored how he felt exactly. The tension that had been with him since Davy had kicked him out on Friday was still there. He tugged his weary legs out of bed and headed to his balcony, hoping that some time on his treadmill would deal with the stress. He pounded the miles. He couldn’t see the waves crashing in the distance. All he could see was Davy’s stricken face when she’d realised that he’d been playing with her. Part of him was angry. How was he supposed to know that the movie meant that much to her? The rest of him was afraid. What if she never talked to him again? Usually running calmed him. Not anymore. Davy generated too much stress for the machine to cope with.
The doorbell rang and he went to answer it, expecting to find Andy on the other side.
“You are a complete and utter fool,” Marianne said as she stalked into his apartment. Jack glanced at the clock – barely eight a.m.
“Come on in,” Jack called behind her.
Although she couldn’t have been more than five foot six and built like a daisy, he wasn’t taking any chances. He put himself between her and the kitchen. The last thing he wanted was Davy’s scary friend to have access to a weapon.
“You really screwed this up, didn’t you?”
Jack wasn’t quite sure how he was supposed to answer that so he said nothing.
“Davina has been hiding under her duvet since Friday night. She won’t even eat chocolate. And you’re to blame.”
Jack held up his hands.
“Now wait a minute. I didn’t put a gun to her head and force her to steal from her workplace.”
“Ha!” Marianne said. “Davina knew there was a chance that would blow up in her face, but you? You were a surprise. You betrayed her. You laughed at her whole life, you mocked everything she’s been working towards for years. How would you like it if someone did that to you?”
“Look,” Jack said reasonably. “How was I supposed to know that the movie was serious?”
Marianne rolled her eyes.
“You were listening to everything she said. You might have heard a clue.” She threw the bug on the coffee table. Jack swallowed his embarrassment. “I found that when I was cleaning last night.”
Jack folded his arms and tried to look mean.
“So what?” he said.
“So, moron, you heard her go on and on about this film being her last chance as an actress, and yet you still thought it was a joke. You thought she was a joke.”
She stepped towards him and poked him in the arm for emphasis.
“Just because something isn’t important to you, doesn’t mean it isn’t important. I’m really angry with you, Jack. And to make matters worse, I’m fed up with listening to Davina go on about how betrayed she feels. There’s just so much moping a woman can take. Now, it’s doing my head in.”
She waited. It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her that he didn’t answer to her and that he wasn’t afraid of her either. Seriously, Davy and Marianne had an exaggerated sense of their own abilities to intimidate. He was six foot two. He could snap Marianne in half if he wanted to. She seemed to be reading his mind, which was a little disconcerting.
“You know, a lady never hits,” she told him. She was pulling a Davy, messing with his head, making it hard to follow the conversation. “But she can break in and sprinkle laxative on all your foods, or block all your drains, or sign you up for a life time supply of Tampax.” She stepped towards him. “Or put you on every gay dating site in Brighton. Amongst other things. I have a head full of ideas. One a week for the next three years and I wouldn’t use them up.”
“That’s harassment. It’s an offence.”