Page 100 of Ticket Out

“I’m taking it with me, by the way. It isn’t evidence of anything other than Mr. Knife’s weirdness. We’re all going to have some. Me. You. Mr. Rodney. Jerome. Solomon, if he’s in.” Gabriella took the tiramisu out of the fridge, holding it in front of her defensively, and looked across at him. “Can we go home now?”

James slid a hand along her shoulder, as if to make sure she was actually there. “Let’s go.”

* * *

“Did you eat the tiramisu?” Ruby Everett asked as Gabriella settled her into an armchair.

“We ate it until we were sick,” Gabriella said, without a trace of regret. “James said they found out Mr. Knife was someone called Colin Pratt. He was a low level thug, a stand-over man for Johnny Crane, knocking heads together to keep Crane on top of the pile when it came to distributing heroin. The police still can’t believe he went from that to killing eight people and trying to kill you, me and Mr. Rodney.”

“And Mr. Rodney? How’s he doing?”

“He’ll be fine, but it’ll take him time to recover.”

Ruby Everett leaned back in her chair and gave a sigh of contentment. “It feels good to be home.”

A faint, almost nervous knock at the front door made both of them stiffen.

“It’s Teddy Roe, Mrs. Everett. Teddy Roe.”

They both relaxed.

“Let him in, Gabriella. Add another cup and saucer and he can join us for tea.”

Gabriella wondered if Teddy Roe had any use for tea, but she pulled the door open and invited him in, and he seemed very pleased to be asked.

He sat, perched on the very edge of his chair, and she thought his clothes looked better than they had before. Cleaner and newer, and someone had given him access to a bath and a cut and shave.

“You’re looking very dapper, Mr. Roe.”

He smoothed a hand self consciously down the front of his jacket. Cleared his throat. “Mr. Nelson fixed me up, given the council came round for the car.” He sounded forlorn. “Gives me a place to stay, but we have to be out by ten, and they let us back in at six in the evening.”

“I’ve been thinking about that, Mr. Roe.” Mrs. Everett set down her cup. “Would you be interested in converting the little shed in my back garden into a place to stay? There is a bathroom in there, because it used to belong to a writer who used it as a studio. There is junk in there that’ll need clearing out, but it could be quite cosy, and I would feel a lot happier having someone on the property after what happened. Especially if you’re happy to help me with the gardening.”

“’Cause I got help,” Teddy Roe said. “I went for help.”

“You did.” Mrs. Everett winced a little as she shifted position. “You saved us both, Mr. Roe, and if you would be so inclined to consider it, I would be very much obliged.”

“What happened to him wot did it?” He nodded to the bandage on her arm.

“The police arrested him. He’s in prison.”

“He’ll hang, then?”

“He’ll hang,” Mrs. Everett confirmed.

“I could go back and take a look at the shed, see if I could make do there,” Teddy Roe said, scooping up a sandwich from the plate as he stood. “But I don’t know much about gardening, right?”

“That’s fine. I do, and if you can help me, that would work very well.”

Gabriella showed him out into the back through the sun room, and watched him walk to the end of the garden.

She wondered if he realized his steps were jauntier already.

She went back into the house, made sure Ruby had everything she needed close to hand, and then left just in time to catch the bus back to Notting Hill.

“Back in the Gate so quickly?” Solomon was coming toward her as she turned onto her road.

“I’m only staying with Mrs. Everett for a week,” she said. “But I forgot a few things.”

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