Page 105 of A Class Act

‘I’ve been living in Yorkshire for the last two months.’

‘What?’ I stared. ‘Up here in Yorkshire?’ I shook my head, unable to take in what he was saying. ‘But why? How can you live up here, but work in London?’

‘I no longer work in London, Robyn.’

‘Yes, you do. I saw you on TV. Some Japanese… or… or some programme I was watching.’

‘Japanese? Why in God’s name were you watching Japanese TV? And you saw me on it?’ Fabian pulled a face.

‘But what about your work? What about the Soho Slasher?’

‘I couldn’t take it any more…’ Fabian’s voice cracked and eventually he stopped speaking, struggling to carry on. He looked away, trying to control his voice and his emotions. ‘I just couldn’t take Julius and my mother constantly trying to do my job for me; a job I finally admitted to myself I no longer wantedto do. Hadn’t wanted to do for a long time, if I’m being honest. It’s taken a lot of counselling to make me understand where I was in myself. Anyway, it all came to a head when I just couldn’t take knowing the terrible –reallyterrible – things Henderson-Smith had allegedly done to these poor women. I was tainted by it; didn’t want to be a part of it. And then the stuff on social media started: there were people – sometimes crowds – outside the apartment. I had eggs and dog shit thrown at me. And the daft thing was,I agreedwith their sentiments,agreedwith why they had it in for me for defending the bastard.’

‘Oh, Fabian.’ I took his hand, then just as quickly released it, holding my breath. ‘You’re with a blonde now?’

‘A blonde?’ Fabian frowned. ‘What blonde? What d’you mean I’m with a blonde?’ He looked round as though any number of blondes were about to descend and claim him for their own.

‘You do know who you’re going through to the next round of Yorkshire Christmas TopChef with?’

Fabian’s eyes widened and he stared for a good few seconds. Eventually, he gave a little smile. ‘Youknow about that?’

‘I do now.’

‘Jess? Sheisyour sister, then?’

‘You realised?’

‘She looks very much like you. She’s a cook. She’s in Yorkshire. She kept looking at me as if she might know me, once she’d seen my name on my apron.’

‘I told her it couldn’t possibly be you. That you were not eligible to enter. Got quite cross with her, actually, when she kept going on about you. And then, when Matt said you were set upon by some ravishing blonde?—’

‘Matt?’

‘Jess’s new man.DrMatt Spencer,’ I added proudly. ‘My mum’s brilliant consultant. When Matt said you were with a blonde…’

‘What? What did you think?’ Fabian kept his eyes on mine but I couldn’t quite work out what he was thinking either.

‘All right, I just didn’t want to know any more. I sort of shut off. If there was even a tiny percentage chance that itwasactually you who’d suddenly descended on Yorkshire… and with some blonde in tow…’ I trailed off ‘…I didn’t want to know…’

‘Well, yes, OK, Iamliving with a blonde, as you call her. I’ve known her a long time, she’s always been there for me and she loves me. When she moved to Harrogate, I decided to move up here with her. The thing is, she’s been trying to get me to come and find you. Knowing how I used to feel about you, she wanted me to come over to Beddingfield and see you. To explain what was going on… you know, with her and me…’

How heusedto feel about me?

‘So you wouldn’t get the wrong idea…’ Fabian raised an eyebrow and drained his glass.

‘Right.’ I upended my own glass, not knowing quite what else to do, feeling sick with longing for him. ‘I need to go,’ I said, standing, but then turned back to Fabian. ‘But why? Why all that fuss down on the playing field?’

‘Seemed to be the only way to get in touch with you after that pillock of a head teacher wouldn’t let me see you. I just needed you to know.’

‘Know what?’

‘That I’m happy. Really happy. That you were right all along.’

‘About what?’

‘About my taking on the Henderson-Smith case. I shouldn’t have.’

‘And what are you doing with yourself? How are you earning a living?’

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