Page 45 of The Truth About You and Me
I smile as Jack’s deep laughter rumbles through me.
His phone rings through the speakers. ‘It’s Steve,’ he says.
‘Your friend from the pub?’
‘Yep.’
‘Good to hear from you, mate!’ his voice booms into the car.
‘You too, and sorry I’ve been a bit AWOL.’
‘Ah no worries. You’ve had a lot on. How’ve you been?’
‘Good. Good. You?’
‘Dad life mainly!’ He laughs. ‘Thanks for the fruit basket by the way. Very cool.’
‘You’re welcome. How is he?’
‘Lungs like a foghorn!’ He laughs again. They chit-chat about the baby until Jack’s tone changes.
‘Steve, I’m trying to piece together a bit more about my accident, and I wondered if you remember anything?’
He lets out a long breath. In the background there is the muffled cry of a baby.
‘I’d love to be of some help, but there’s nothing much to tell. I stayed for another and left. You were nowhere to be seen.’
‘You didn’t see an ambulance?’ I question.
‘Oh hi, Vick?—’
‘Steve, this is my friend – Maggie. She’s trying to help me find out a bit more about that night.’
I’m glad I’m blindfolded so I don’t have to see Jack’s face as he corrects his friend.
‘No, mate, you must have been long gone by then.’
‘What time did you leave?’ Jack asks.
‘Just after eleven? They’d called last orders.’
‘How drunk was I when I left? I keep thinking that I might have passed out or fell or something?’
The crying in the background increases and he must have covered the mouthpiece as he speaks to someone in the background. ‘Sorry about that – Milo is teething. Well, we’d both had a skinful. You were drunk, mate, but not that drunk. Listen. I’ve gotta go, but let’s catch up soon, eh?’
‘Yeah. Thanks, man.’
He ends the call.
‘Does that help?’ I turn my face to him, even though I can’t see a thing.
‘The times don’t add up. The police said it was eleven when the ambulance arrived. He should have seen it. Anyway,’ he says breezily. ‘Sit tight, we’re almost there.’
According to the forecast ten minutes ago, it’s going to be warm for October, which is perfect according to Jack, and I’m glad I wore the lighter long-sleeved blue blouse rather than the jumper I had originally chosen. Jack turns up the radio, Taylor Swift shaking it off. I laugh at Jack singing along.
‘You’re a Swifty?’
‘God, no, my niece is.’
