Page 113 of Fe
“I came to get my passport from the post office, but I brought the chessboard back.” He took it out of the bag he’d carried it in and put it in front of Alistair.
“Wow, Fen. Excellent work. I can’t tell which square you replaced. It looks really good.”
“Thanks.”
“You want a coffee?”
“Please.”
“Sit down then.”
Fen perched on the chair. The moment of truth. A few seconds later, he heard Scott’s voice asking what Fen was doing there. It was clear enough. He glanced over at Alistair who’d not yet put the kettle on. He walked back to Fen and listened. When the recording ended, Alistair’s face was grim.
“Send it to me.”
He forwarded it, though he wondered why. Alistair knew the truth and that was all that really mattered.
“Will you let me deal with this, Fen?”
Fen nodded. Alistair went to make the coffee. He felt as if a weight had lifted from him. Now Ripley’s mother would know for certain he hadn’t taken the ring. That was important.
“I never thought for a minute that you’d done it.” Alistair came back with the drinks.
Fen almost believed him. He suspected there’d been a bit of doubt, but now there wasn’t.
“Do you want your job back?”
“No.” For all sorts of reasons.
“I’m going to talk to Charles and we’ll give you some money.”
Because maybe they wouldn’t sack Scott.
“When are you flying out?” Fen asked.
“Sunday. Venice, then Rome, then Florence. Your mum is so pleased you’re having Christmas with Ripley. It was a huge relief to her.”
So I am a liar when I need to be.
Fen was rarely in the mood to go shopping. Spending money always made him anxious. It didn’t matter that he had a lot more in his account than he usually did, nor that Alistair would be adding to it. Fen had always tried to make things last as long as he could. But today, he felt like treating himself, though not from anywhere expensive, nowhere Ripley would shop. Even so, seventy-five pounds for a coat was still a lot of money.
As well as a long, grey wool coat, he bought a pair of smart shoes and two dress shirts. No tie. Ripley had so many. He even managed to find a few more Christmas presents for his mum and Alistair. After he’d bought a couple of rolls of paper and tape, he headed back.
When he got off the bus, he called in at the supermarket to pick up ingredients for dinner. Baked potatoes and… He finally settled on salmon. It wasn’t something he bought for himself, but it was on offer.
Fen was a couple of streets away from Ripley’s when he saw Annie tottering towards him in slippers. She wasn’t wearing a coat, just a dress and a cardigan.Shit.When he saw her start to cross the road, he hurried as fast as he could.
“Annie! Wait!”
At least she stopped.
“Do I know you?”
“I live next door. Where are you off to?”
“To see my son in his hockey match.”
Fen pulled his new coat out of the bag. “You look a bit cold. Why don’t you wear this.”
