Page 23 of Right Place, Right Time
‘Do you think he might remember Archie if he knew George?’ I ask hopefully. ‘He’d only be young if Archie went missing in 1945. But it might be worth a shot?’
‘When will you see him next?’
I think about this. ‘He should be in Monday. I’ll ask him then.’
‘Great, let’s hope he can help us solve this mystery.’
‘It’s hardly a mystery. We’d just like to know how they knew each other, that’s all.’
‘And maybe what their relationship was?’ Adam says to remind me. ‘I’ve a feeling that small detail might become quite important too.’
*
Adam and I do as much sorting and boxing-up as we can for the rest of the afternoon, and then we call it a day at around 6 p.m.
‘I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted,’ Adam says, stretching his arms above his head as we lift the last of the boxes for today into the hire van. ‘I think I’ll take a hot shower, grab something to eat and head to bed if it’s going to be like this again tomorrow.’
A brief vision of Adam in the shower slips into my mind and I hastily shake it away.Where the hell did that come from?I arrange the boxes and items in the van so they don’t fall during my journey back to my lock-up. I can’t deny that Adam is an attractive man … if you like that type – cocky, confident and likely a bit too fond of looking at themselves in the mirror. Adam is certainly not what I look for in a man – if I was even looking, of course. Which I’m not. Not after the last time.
‘Are you all right in there?’ Adam calls from outside the van. ‘You’ve gone a bit quiet.’
‘Yes, yes, I’m fine.’ I come back out to the doors again. ‘Just sorting a few things.’
‘Who’s going to help you lift all this out at the other end?’ Adam asks, looking behind me at the inside of the van.
I didn’t realise when we started this morning that there was going to be quite as much stuff for me to take back to the lock-up tonight. ‘I’ll manage.’
‘Come on,’ Adam says. ‘Even you aren’t going to be able to move all this stuff on your own, Superwoman! I’ll help you.’
‘No, you’ve done enough already – really, you have.’
‘I know you don’t think much of me, Eve. But I’m not going to leave a damsel in distress. Come on, let me drive back with you and help you offload.’
I have to admit the thought of having to unload the van on my own is quite daunting – especially when I feel as exhausted as I do right now.
‘All right, thank you. I’ll accept your kind offer. If you’re sure?’
‘I never say anything I don’t mean,’ Adam says firmly. ‘You’ll soon learn that about me. Now, am I allowed to help you down from there? Or is that incredibly chauvinistic of me?’
I smile. ‘Sure.’ I hold out my hand, Adam takes it and I jump down.
‘There,’ he says, still holding my hand. ‘That wasn’t too bad now, was it?’
I assume he means holding his hand. But when I don’t immediately respond, he adds, ‘Letting someone help you?’
‘Er, no, it wasn’t.’
‘Are you sure you’re all right?’ he asks. ‘You look a bit flushed?’
‘I’m fine. I was just thinking about when I would be likely to see Ben so I can ask him about your great-grandfather,’ I reply quickly.
‘I thought you said it wouldn’t be until Monday?’
‘Yes … I was just wondering if he might be in tomorrow, though. Ben doesn’t have his shop open anywhere near as often as the other shops in the court. But sometimes he’ll come in if he feels like it on days he’s not due to be open.’
Well recovered, I think to myself.
‘It doesn’t sound like the best way to run a shop,’ Adam says. ‘How does he make a profit?’
