Page 20 of The Girls in the Lake
There was silence as they all contemplated the task in hand. Then the undertakers began to back away. ‘Yeah, well you don’t need us for that, do you? We’ll leave you to it.’
‘Actually, we might need a hand to roll the body, if you can stay a little longer?’
The two men looked pained and she felt bad for asking, but the body was in a bad way. The more of them to handle it the less chance of causing even more damage than there already was.
Twenty-Three
Ethan sipped at his lager. His stomach wasn’t really ready to consume more alcohol. He glanced at James, who had spent the last few hours watching everyone in the bar, occasionally focusing his attention if someone entered the reception area which was just visible from where they were sitting. They’d spoken very little. Ethan hadn’t realised how hungry he was until the plates had been placed on the table in front of him. Then his stomach had let out a loud growl and he’d realised he was ravenous.
‘When do you think you might go and see the police?’
When James didn’t answer, he turned to see what he was staring at. He caught sight of the blonde-haired girl from last night, the one who James had left with early. She was whispering into the ear of another girl who was standing behind the reception desk.
‘I don’t believe you, oh my God. You’re such a dick at times, James.’
James held up his hand to stop him talking and Ethan felt a hot, fiery ball of anger form in the pit of his stomach. He pushed his chair away from the table and stood up.
‘I’m going home; you’ve been as much company as that statue of Buddha over there. Thanks for the food.’
Ethan walked off, not sure how he was getting home. It was a long walk, but he’d rather head back. At least it would clear away the last of his hangover. He wasn’t waiting around for James to pick up the girl. Christ, he was obsessed with women and sex.Do you think you’re just a touch jealous, Ethan?he heard the voice of his mother whisper in his ear and shook his head. He wasn’t jealous; well, maybe he was a little. It would be nice to never have to worry about money or popularity and be able to live the lifestyle that James did. But not at the price of being a self-absorbed arsehole. He’d rather be skint and genuine.
* * *
As he reached the end of the steep hill, he heard the familiar sound of James’s convertible Porsche coming down the road. He didn’t turn around. He really couldn’t be bothered with him. A horn blared behind him.
‘Father, forgive me for I have sinned,’ he heard James shout.
A group of Japanese tourists who turned the corner to head up to the hotel all stared. A couple of them lifted the expensive cameras from around their necks and began to snap pictures of them. Ethan felt the redness that had started at the base of his throat spread across his cheeks. He carried on walking, shaking his head. Behind him James shouted.
‘Ethan, don’t leave me this way. I love you, we can work it out.’
Ethan turned to face the grinning idiot, who, despite the biting cold wind, had put the roof down and was standing on the front seat of his car, his arms outstretched. Ethan crossed to the middle of the road where James was pretending to sob into his hands and tugged open the door. He got inside and James threw his arms around him. The group of tourists went wild, clapping and cheering.
Ethan whispered, ‘I’ll bloody kill you for this, you’re an idiot.’
James sat back down, grinning. ‘No, you won’t. You’ll forgive me because we’re mates, and it was funny.’
Shaking his head, he tried to maintain an air of anger; instead, he began to laugh. The pair of them were laughing until the car behind them had had enough and beeped loudly at them to get moving. James stuck his arm up in the air, giving them the finger and sped off.
‘Were you really going to walk all that way home?’
‘Yes, I wasn’t waiting around for you. Why didn’t you say you wanted to go there to see her again?’
James shrugged. ‘I didn’t think it was such a big deal. No offence, mate, but the world doesn’t revolve around you. I’m sorry that girl died; I’m even sorrier you had to drag her out of the water. On your own. It must have been horrid. But shit happens, it’s done. She’s dead, there was nothing you could do that you didn’t already. No point in moping around feeling sorry for yourself, is there?’
‘You should be a life coach; the no-nonsense approach goes down well with normal people who have feelings and a conscience.’
James clutched at his heart. ‘I have feelings! Granted, most of them are in my boxer shorts, but I do have them.’
This set Ethan off laughing and he shook his head. ‘Did you speak to her then? Don’t tell me she didn’t give you her number after your night of passion.’
James didn’t answer.
‘Oh my God, she didn’t. She wasn’t interested or impressed by your money. Wow. You know what you have to do then, don’t you?’
‘What?’
‘Marry her.’
