Page 36 of The Making of Jonty Bloom
Vincent had eyes in the back of his head. Jonty returned to the desk.
“Do you have any idea why Mr Smith might have reason to complain?”
Jonty kept his mouth shut, widened his eyes and shrugged.
You don’t look innocent.
I’m not.
“Anything happen last night that I need to know about? Apart from the vampire and the werewolf?”
“No.”
“Okay.” Said in a way that indicated Vincent suspected otherwise.
Jonty slung his backpack over his shoulder and headed for his bike.
Forty minutes later, having ridden fast so it was harder to think, he’d reached the outskirts of Alnwick and the Clean n’ Go launderette he lived above. Jonty unlocked the door and wheeled his bike inside. No post had been pushed through the letterbox, which was a relief because he didn’t want any more gifts from Brad.
He had to prop the bike on the stairs because there wasn’t enough room for him to lean it against the wall at the bottom. Though it did mean if anyone thought it was worth breaking into a bedsit, they’d trip over a bike that wasn’t really worth nicking. And if Brad managed to get in, with a bit of luck he’d break his neck. Jonty padlocked the bike to the banister anyway, because without it, he was screwed. No public transport ran near the hotel.
Home was through a door at the top of the stairs. A single room with a bed and a clothes rail at one end, a corner walled off for a small bathroom. A rickety room divider separated the sleeping area from a small kitchen and living space with his table, chair, sofa and TV. Enforced minimalism that he’d tried to enhance with beachcombing creations. The rent was fine as long as he had a job. He could have found somewhere cheaper, but he liked having his own bathroom, his personal living space, his own bed. But he didn’t feelsafehere, not since the day Brad had assaulted him.
Jonty took off his helmet and emptied his backpack. He put the package holding the dildo into the plastic bag under the sink, which held Brad’s othergifts.Sachets of lube and condoms, along with a pair of handcuffs, a cock ring and a pair of women’s lacy knickers. Jonty had spoken to the police, but with no way of determining who’d sent them, they could do nothing. Jonty felt as if he was bothering them when they had more important things to deal with, but he’d felt like sayingDoes he have to kill me for you to take notice?
He gathered up his dirty clothes, took off what he was wearing, and added them to his laundry bag, a blue tote from IKEA. Once he’d put on his skinny black jeans, T-shirt and his blue hoody, he grabbed a detergent tablet, a handful of change from his stash, picked up the bag and went downstairs again. He stuffed everything in a machine, added his detergent and slid the coins in the slot. As soon as it started washing, he went back upstairs.
After he’d put an alarm on his phone, he lay on his bed. Maybe he’d be able to sleep for a while. Once he’d dried his laundry, he’d go into town, buy doughnuts or biscuits, cycle to Seahouses, and visit the lifeboat station.
Forgotten something? Someone?
Oh yes, go and see you.
He hadn’t forgotten. How could he?
Chapter Seven
DEVAN HAD WOKEN UP TOthree stroppy texts from his mother.
Really, Devan??? Griff reached out to you. Can’t you find it in your heart to be happy for him? I know it’s a lot to expect you to be his best man, but please reconsider.
Is this the way to make friends again with your brother? If you’d told me what you’d quarrelled about, we could have fixed it.
Griff worships you. You being stubborn won’t change anything. He’s still marrying Ravi.
He almost threw the phone at the wall. He wished he could block her number. He considered it, but decided it would cause him more problems. If she couldn’t get in touch with him, she might visit him, or send his father or one of his siblings. Knowing her, she might even contact the police. How much of this could have been avoided if he’d told the truth five months ago?
He called his father.
“Devan! How are you?”
His father always sounded happy to speak to him and Devan had to bite back the response that sat on his lips.Fucking awful.“Fine.”
“Sure about that? You don’t sound fine.”
“I just read three texts from mum asking me to—”
“Ah. I know what she asked.”
