Don't Cry for Me Aberystwyth by Malcolm Pryce

Author:Malcolm Pryce [Pryce, Malcolm]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction, General, Mystery & Detective
ISBN: 9781408800683
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Published: 2007-01-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

I SPENT THE NEXT few days in my caravan, immersed in a cocoon of camping-gas warmth, swimming in the amniotic fluid of tea laced with rum. The weather had warmed up slightly and turned to sheets of rain that approached from across the Irish Sea in thin bands like interference on TV. I stared out at a sodden world: through smeared and scratched Perspex windows onto a bleary grey watercolour wash of wet dunes and beach and, beyond, the deeper grey of the sea. On the fourth day, in the fading light of late afternoon I saw a figure walking through falling rain which whipped against the window with tiny drumbeats. I watched for a while until I became aware that the figure was moving towards the caravan. The form took more distinct shape and I realised it was Myfanwy.

She came in, wiped her feet on the mat and said, ‘Surprise, surprise!’ She was holding a brown paper bag from the Chinese takeaway and the smell of hot food, sweet and sour and soy sauce and pineapples, filled my nostrils.

‘It’s a bit cold but it won’t take long to warm up.’

‘Shouldn’t you be in the nursing home?’

‘What sort of greeting is that? Aren’t you pleased to see me?’

‘Of course I am, I’m just worried.’

‘I discharged myself.’

I stood behind her and rested my face on the back of her hair, feeling the warmth of her pressed against me.

‘I was listening to them talk about how brave you were, how you risked your life for me and I felt so bad. I thought—’

‘Myfanwy, please don’t say anything about that.’

‘But I—’

‘You don’t have to. I don’t want you to say anything.’

‘OK.’

She turned from the stove and looked up into my face. She put a hand on my cheek.

‘You look a mess.’

‘I am.’

‘Everything smells of rum.’

‘Must be the mince pies – I like them strong.’

She started to grin but stopped halfway as she saw the mirthless look on my face. ‘I heard Calamity left.’

‘Yes, she’s going to try some sort of associate partnership with the Pinkertons.’

‘Why did you let her go?’

‘I couldn’t find a pair of small enough handcuffs.’

‘Louie, don’t!’

‘Because I love her.’

‘But you two were such a great team.’

‘It was good, but nothing good ever lasts.’

‘How can you be so cold about it?’

‘I’m not being cold. Calamity leaving me is a car wreck, but it’s one I knew was coming. Everyone has to leave the nest.’

‘No, they don’t, that’s crap. Kids and stuff, of course, but she was your business partner.’

‘She has to make her own way. I would never stand in her way.’

‘But, Louie—’

‘Look, stop it! Why say all this to me? I’m not the one who left. I’m still in the same old office staring at the same old boring ceiling.’

She kicked a bottle on the floor. ‘This won’t help, you know.’

‘I’m not trying to help. Are you going to stay here?’

‘I thought I would for a couple of days, if that’s all right.’

‘Then what?’

She avoided my eyes and began to stir the food that was heating on the stove.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.