Warhol's Prophecy

23

FOR INTERMINABLE SECONDS, Hailey merely stared at Walker, as if she couldn’t remember who he was.

He remained on the front doorstep, still wearing that infectious grin.

Finally the spell was broken.

‘Adam,’ she said, smiling too, ‘I wasn’t expecting you.’

‘I’m sorry if I’ve disturbed you,’ he said. ‘I was passing by and I hoped you wouldn’t mind me calling in.’ He chuckled. ‘God, that sounds like the worst cliché in the world, doesn’t it?’

She nodded blankly.

Just like some stupid schoolgirl. Get a grip.

‘Where’s your car?’ she asked eventually.

‘I parked it round the corner. Look, if it’s inconvenient, I can go. I just wanted to see if you were in.’

She stepped aside and ushered him in.

‘No, please come in,’ Hailey said. ‘You caught me by surprise, that’s all.’

He accepted her invitation.

‘It’s a beautiful house,’ he said, looking around inside the hall.

‘Thanks. Come through.’ She motioned for him to follow her into the kitchen. ‘Aren’t you working today?’

‘I’ve got to go into London later today. I was just on my way to the station to check on train times, then I realized how close I was to your house.’

Caroline Hacket turned to look at the newcomer.

Walker smiled at her.

‘Caroline, this is Adam Walker,’ said Hailey. ‘The man I was telling you about. The one who found Becky.’ As she introduced them, she could see approval in Caroline’s eyes.

They shook hands and Walker continued smiling at her friend.

‘Would you like a coffee?’ Hailey asked.

‘I’m disturbing you,’ said Walker, motioning towards the shopping spread out on the worktops and the kitchen table.

‘No, you’re not,’ Hailey reassured him.

‘Any excuse for a break,’ Caroline echoed, her gaze lingering on the newcomer that little bit too long.

He was wearing the same black jeans and leather jacket he’d sported for his lunch with Hailey the previous day. When she moved past him, she could smell its musky aroma again.

‘Are you local, Mr Walker?’ Caroline wanted to know.

‘I live locally, if that’s what you mean,’ he told her.

‘Adam’s an artist,’ Hailey said.

‘What do you paint?’ Caroline enquired.

‘Whatever pays the most money.’ Walker grinned again.

‘I’ve always wanted my portrait painted,’ Caroline said. ‘In the nude.’

Hailey raised an eyebrow in her direction.

‘I could give you an estimate,’ Walker chuckled.

All of them laughed.

Hailey put a cup of coffee down before him, then handed another to Caroline and sat down herself.

‘One sugar, isn’t it?’ she said to Walker.

He nodded. ‘How’s Becky?’ he wanted to know.

‘She’s fine.’

‘And your husband?’

‘He gets back from Manchester tonight. It’s a pity you couldn’t have met him. I’m sure he’d like to thank you for what you did for us.’

‘I told you, I didn’t do anything.’

‘You rescued my daughter.’

Walker looked over at Caroline, who was still running appraising eyes over him.

‘Are you married, Caroline?’ he enquired.

‘I was, twice,’ she told him.

‘But not now?’ he continued.

Caroline shook her head. ‘What about you?’

‘I never met the right woman,’ he said, glancing at Hailey briefly.

‘I never met the right man, but it didn’t stop me getting married twice.’ Caroline laughed. ‘Marriage is a lottery anyway, isn’t it? Sometimes Mr Right turns out to be Mr Wrong.’ She looked at Hailey, then sipped her coffee.

‘Do you live nearby?’ Walker asked her.

‘Round the corner,’ Caroline told him.

‘We’ve been friends for years,’ Hailey said, ‘God help us. We used to go to dance classes together, didn’t we?’

Caroline nodded.

‘What kind of dancing?’ Walker asked.

‘Ballet,’ Caroline informed him. ‘I studied for five years after I left school.’

‘Why did you stop? You could have been a famous ballerina by now.’

‘I developed back problems. The doctor told me if I didn’t give up dancing I’d be in a wheelchair by the time I was twenty-five.’

‘And you did ballet, too, Hailey?’ Walker persisted.

‘Only as a form of exercise,’ she told him. ‘We used to have a class at one of the local community centres. It was just a kind of less violent aerobics.’ She laughed.

‘Do you work out, Adam?’ Caroline asked.

‘No, why do you ask?’

‘You’re in good shape. I wondered if you did weights or something like that.’

‘I hate gyms. Sweaty blokes standing in front of mirrors staring at themselves and comparing the size of their biceps.’

‘Sounds like heaven to me,’ Caroline offered, sipping her coffee.

‘Most of them are probably gay anyway,’ Hailey said. ‘Or too obsessed with their own bodies to care about anyone else.’

‘Well, they say all the best ones are either gay or married, don’t they?’ Caroline said.

‘And what do they say about good-looking women?’ Walker’s gaze strayed to Hailey.

‘They’re bitches,’ Caroline told him. ‘All good-looking women are total bitches.’ She smiled.

‘Not all of them,’ Walker said.

He took another sip of his coffee.

‘I should leave you ladies alone,’ he said. ‘I shouldn’t have disturbed you – but, like I said, I was passing and . . .’

‘You’re not disturbing us. Besides, Caroline was just going,’ Hailey interjected.

‘Was I?’ Caroline said, smiling. ‘Oh, yes, that’s right, I was.’ She got to her feet.

‘Nice to have met you, Caroline.’ Walker rose.

He shook her hand, and she felt the strength in his grip.

‘I’ll see you out,’ said Hailey to her friend.

Caroline gathered up her own bags of shopping and headed for the front door. On the doorstep she smiled at Hailey.

‘I can see why I’m in the way,’ she said. ‘He’s gorgeous. Call me later and tell me what happens.’

‘Nothing’s going to happen,’ Hailey told her.

‘It would if I was alone in there with him.’

‘Well, you’re not,’ Hailey chuckled.

‘Are you going to tell Rob about him?’

‘There’s nothing to tell, except he was the one who found Becky.’

‘And he’s gorgeous, and you fancy him? And don’t try to deny it. I’ve seen how you look at him.’

‘’Bye, Caroline,’ Hailey said, smiling.

Caroline leant close to her ear, her voice a whisper.

‘Tell me if he’s good with his tongue,’ she murmured.

Hailey slapped her on the arm.

‘I’ll call you later,’ she laughed.

‘Lucky bitch,’ Caroline said, heading towards the path.

Hailey closed the front door.

She stood there for a moment, trying to control her breathing, aware too that her heart was thudding that little bit more urgently against her ribs. Then she headed back into the kitchen.