Page 157 of Fe
He scrolled through all the pictures he’d taken of Ripley and himself. Before he could change his mind, he sat and made a photo book, and ordered one to be sent to Ripley. Not one for himself. He’d always remember what he’d had and lost. Was he just trying to make Ripley see what he’d had and lost?
Of course he was.
29
When Ripley didn’t see Fen downstairs, he went up to see if he’d fallen asleep. The absence of Fen’s toothbrush said everything. He clenched his teeth.He wasn’t surprised his call went unanswered and suspected Fen wouldn’t listen to a message, but he left one anyway.
“Why, Fen? Why did you leave? Where are you? Please come back.” He took a breath. “I need you.”
Ripley went back downstairs. If he called Fen’s mum, Fen would have either told her not to tell him where he was, or Ripley would end up scaring her because Fen had disappeared. Who else could he call? He didn’t have the numbers of Seth or Morgan but maybe he knew a way to get Seth’s. He called Rhodri.
“Hi, Ripley.”
“Is Dominic with you by any chance?”
“Not tonight. Why?”
“Do you happen to know if he has Seth’s phone number? The guy from my party who was crazy about fashion.”
“Fen’s friend?”
“Yes.”
“Can’t you ask Fen for it?”
“Not at the moment.”Do not push me.
“I’ll give you Dominic’s. I don’t know if he has Seth’s, though.”
“Thanks.”
Moments later, Ripley was calling Dominic. A short time later, he had the number he wanted. Then he hesitated. Why had Fen gone? Maybe he needed to think a little harder about that before he tried to persuade him to come back.
The trouble was, he could think of several reasons why Fen might have left. He didn’t want it to be because he’d transferred the rest of the eighty thousand into Fen’s account, but was that it? Ripley hadn’t wanted the money to sit between them. He promised it and he’d paid it. Early. Wasn’t that enough to show Fen he didn’t care about it? Or was itallFen had cared about? For someone who prided himself on being a good judge of character, Ripley felt flat-footed.
He logged into his bank account and groaned when he saw the money back in his account. So thiswasabout the money? But not quite in the way he’d thought. He made the call.
“Hello?” Seth said.
“Is he there?” Ripley didn’t bother saying who he was. He didn’t want Seth to have the chance to think what to say.
“No.” Seth cut him off.
Ripley rang him back but there was no answer. So Fen was probably there. He gave Harry a call. Harry was good at uncovering things that weren’t easy to find out. Ripley didn’t ask too many questions about how he did it, and he was always careful not to use information illegally obtained, but sometimes he just needed to know.
Within an hour, Ripley had Seth and Morgan’s address in Borough. He declined Harry’s offer to take him. Ripley thought about not going, thought about waiting until the next day, he thought about a lot of things and he’d done too much drinking as he thought, so by the time he stood by their front door, dropped off by an Uber, he’d stopped thinking clearly. At least he’d had the sense not to drive, though nerves brought him closer to sober. He rang the bell. Seth opened the door, took one look at him and tried to close it again. Ripley’s foot stopped that happening.
“He doesn’t want to see you,” Seth said.
“Too bad.” Ripley pushed his way inside and walked up the stairs.
Both Morgan and Fen spun round when he strode into the flat.
“I didn’t think you were a coward,” Ripley snapped.
“I couldn’t stop him,” Seth said.
“It’s okay.” Fen stood up and faced him.
