She stepped back and watched Emma wind the window back up.
The car remained stationary for a few moments more, then the engine revved and Emma reversed out of the parking space. She didn’t look back at Allyson again.
Allyson watched the tail lights until they turned the final corner and their glow faded to nothing. Then she returned to the telephone box, looking up McKenna’s number on her mobile as she trudged.
Two Years Later
‘Have you read it?’
Richard, trying to concentrate on leaving the freeway at the correct exit, didn’t reply for a minute or two.
‘No, I haven’t.’
‘So what’s it about?’
‘I’ll give you three guesses.’
‘It can’t be a porn movie! Are you saying it’s got spanking in it?’ Lucy almost bounced in her seat.
‘It’s not a porn movie. At least, he says it’s not. He says it’s a, what was it, modern and sophisticated take on an age-old fascination.’
‘It’s a spanking movie.’
‘Yeah. I think it is. With a lot of witty dialogue in between and a bittersweet love story and all that but, basically, a spanking movie.’
‘Got to hand it to Peregrine,’ said Rob reverently, looking up from the sat nav receiver. ‘He’s the don. Left here, I think, Rich.’
‘Wow, oh my God, look, the Hollywood sign!’
Lucy was beside herself with excitement now. As if she hadn’t been Tiggerish enough for the last twelve hours. Both Richard and Rob had had to warn her repeatedly to let them read their book or watch their in-flight movie in peace. While Richard waited at the baggage carousel, Rob had taken her into a disabled lavatory and given her half a minute’s worth of disciplinary attention with her knickers down and hands on the seat.
People milling outside had almost certainly heard them, but that just made Lucy feel smug, watching the suitcases ride by, knowing that the whispers opposite were about her and her bottom.
‘Which studio did you say it was, Richard?’
‘Maximo.’
‘OK, that one is two blocks up and … I’m not sure if that’s a one way street … No, I think it’s fine.’
‘Oh my God, look, that’s where they film Jimmy, Jo & Co. The outside of the coffee shop, I mean!’
Lucy’s shriek was the last straw for Richard, already nervous at driving this enormous car along these unfamiliar street layouts.
‘As soon as we get to the car park …’ he said.
‘Parking lot, it’s called a parking lot here, that’s what they call a car park.’
‘And here it is,’ said Rob, pointing ahead.
They were waved through by security after spending some time establishing their names, and the legitimacy of their guest status, and Richard found a spot as close to the studio buildings as he could get.
As soon as the engine was off, the two men turned to look at the woman in the back seat.
She was already diving for the door, but was puzzled by its failure to open.
‘Child lock,’ said Richard grimly. ‘Since you’re behaving like one.’
That got her attention.