Episode 3 - Jack Cooper is back

Tuesday

When Gary left the cottage several hours later, Cleo was left wondering how she had had the nerve to indulge her passion for Gary there. She did not even have a guilty conscience. In fact, she felt elated and defiant.

A walk through the cool evening air to her office refreshed her. She could still feel the warmth of Gary’s body and the intensity of their love-making. They belonged together. Their emotional confusion was heightened by the knowledge that Robert was still very much present in Cleo’s life. Something had to happen to change the situation that Cleo had brought upon them through a false sense of loyalty to a kind man who was simply not the guy she wanted to be with.

***

Cleo had not been in her office long when the phone rang. The LED info screen on the phone showed Molly’s number. Molly Moss ran the pub in Huddlecourt Minor. She never rang unless she had something urgent to report. Had Hilda already spread the news about Mrs Coppins?

“Molly!” said Cleo.

“It’s Ali, Cleo. Will I do instead?”

“Sure. How can I help you?”

“I need to reach Dorothy Price, but she’s not at home.”

At that moment Dorothy turned up at the office unexpectedly.

“Perfect timing, Ali. She has just come into the office. I’ll pass the phone to her.”

***

“Hi Dorothy, it’s Ali Lewis.”

“Mr Lewis!” said Dorothy. “I can’t think why you would want to talk to me. There’s a new cook at the school, isn’t there?”

“Yes, and Mrs Cagney is now assistant cook.”

“That’s lovely,” said Dorothy. “She’s such a good worker.”

“But that’s not what this phone call is about, Dorothy. Aren’t we on first name terms anymore?”

“Sorry, Ali.”

“Remember that conversation we had about Jack Cooper?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I’ve found him, Dorothy. Or rather, my Canadian contacts have traced him.”

“Oh!”

Dorothy was so shocked that Cleo took the handset from her.

“It’s me again, Ali. Whatever that news was, it has knocked Dorothy sideways.”

“I didn’t want to shock her, Cleo, but I know where that old flame of hers could be.”

“That is simply amazing.”

“You’ll be even more amazed when I tell you where.”

Cleo switched the loudspeaker on so that Dorothy could hear what Ali had to say.

“Go on. Don’t keep us in suspense!”

“He’s in Oxford.”

“Never!”

“Apparently he went there to be with his son, who is taking a sabbatical and doing research on something.”

“How long has he been there?” Cleo asked.

“Only a few days. My contacts traced him to London and their contacts promised to get exact details. In the meantime he has moved to Oxford and that’s where he is now.”

“Do you think he has looked for Dorothy?”

“I couldn’t say. But I do have a phone-number for him, so Dorothy could arrange to meet him – if she wants to, that is.”

“I do, Ali,” said Dorothy. “I know it’s foolish of me, but I want to see him again if only to find out why he did not get in touch.”

Ali dictated the phone number, accepted the profuse thanks offered to him, and rang off.

***

“Well, Dorothy. Are you really going to contact him?”

“I’ll think about it. It’s nearly half a century, after all.”

“No reason to be bothered after all that time, Dorothy, and it would satisfy your curiosity even if you are not on the same wavelength.”

“You’re right, Cleo. I’ll phone him now before I think better of it.”

Cleo gestured to Dorothy to use the office phone, realizing that Dorothy would not want to use her mobile phone in case it was traced. An office phone has a different status to a private mobile Dorothy might decide she did not want to be available. The office phone was set not to reveal its number. Dorothy used her phone only in emergencies and confessed she would rather write emails.

***

“Cooper.”

“Price. Dorothy. Are you Jack Cooper?”

“Senior or junior?”

“Senior.”

“Just a mo.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Jack Senior spoke.

“Did I understand my son? He said there was a Dorothy Price on the phone. Surely not the girl I used to know.”

“Probably,” said Dorothy in a starchy voice.

“How did you find me? I was going to look for you, Dorothy.”

“Were you?”

Dorothy did not believe Jack. His voice sounded surprised and rather unfriendly. He was on the defensive. That was definite. But so was she.

“Of course. I’ve never forgotten you, Dorothy.”

Dorothy was inclined not to believe that, either. Jack’s voice was soaked in artificial sentiment, she thought. He was about her age, she mused. Sentiment was not called for.

“You never contacted me, Dorothy,” Cooper reproached. “My letter to you came back unopened. Then I started a study course in a different city.”

”I didn’t receive your letter, Jack. But you still had my address. I lived there for nearly half a century.”

“I thought you were so angry with me for leaving you behind that you had decided not to have anything more to do with me.”

“You said you would send for me, Jack, wherever you were.”

There was then a long silence, which Dorothy made no attempt to break.

“We could catch up now, Dorothy.”

“Could we?”

“Let’s meet for a drink,” he said.

Cleo nodded energetically to Dorothy, who was not handling the phone call well.

“We could meet at a bistro if you think that’s a good idea,” said Dorothy, finally.

“OK. Let’s do that! I’ll invite you to lunch. Where are you?”

Dorothy was determined not to tell Jack Cooper exactly where she lived.

“The bistro is in Upper Grumpsfield, at the top of Thumpton Hill. You can’t miss it. It used to be a pub called The Dog and Whistle.”

“That sounds like a good idea. Would tomorrow suit you?”

“So soon?”

Dorothy almost chickened out but Cleo looked at her sternly.

“I suppose that will be all right. One o’clock?”

“Fine. I have a car so I could be early or late.”

“That’s all right. I’ll be there. Good-bye now.”

***

No word of enthusiasm had crossed Dorothy’s lips. Cleo did not know what to make of her friend. Shouldn’t she be delighted? After all, she had talked about the mysterious Jack Cooper many times, and now he was reality all over again and she was acting cool.

“You sounded rather reluctant, Dorothy,” she said.

“I am, Cleo. All of a sudden I realized that he is a stranger; he’s someone out of a part of my life that is over and done with, and I’m not sure I want to be reminded of it.”

“That’s understandable, Dorothy. Just go with the flow.”

“Will you be there?”

“I think I should go on ahead and prepare Delilah so that she leaves you in peace.”

Cleo’s friend Delilah Browne was the manager of the bistro and gregarious to a fault. She should at least be aware of what was going on.

“That’s a good idea. I’ll go home now. I expect you’ll be going home soon, too.”

“I will. Gary hasn’t phoned,” Cleo improvised. She did not want Dorothy to guess that she had been with Gary all afternoon. “I can phone him later, Dorothy, but somehow I think the Coppins case will be left to the Hartley Agency to solve. Gary prefers open and shut cases.”

“Chris Marlow will get in touch personally with the lab reports won’t he?” said Dorothy. “We know how often Gary forgets things like passing on vital information.”

“You’re right except that I don’t think it’s deliberate, Dorothy,” said Cleo. “Chris will contact me directly this time. Until he knows and tells us how Mrs Coppins met her death we can’t proceed with any action.”

“We could find out who her clients were, Cleo.”

“I expect Molly can tell a tale or two, Dorothy. We could have lunch there tomorrow and ask a few questions.”

“That’s a good idea, but I already have a date for tomorrow.”

“So you have. Better get that over first.”

“I’m already regretting the idea.”

“I wouldn’t worry about meeting Jack Cooper. You can easily tell him you are not interested in a revival, Dorothy.”

“I phoned him, Cleo.”

“Curiosity, Dorothy. Nothing more.”

“He didn’t even ask me how I’d found him, Cleo.”

“That is strange, I agree. Just play it by ear, and if you want to leave, tell him you have an urgent appointment and go.”

“You’re right. Thanks for your support.”

“Glad to be of help.”

***

Dorothy walked home slowly. She was sure that meeting up with Jack again was going to be a mistake. He had been her one youthful romance and she had kept that short affair going in her mind ever since. Somehow she did not want that dream to be destroyed by reality.

***

Meanwhile Cleo found a message on her mobile phone. All it said was “I’m home and waiting for you. Je t’aime.”

All the way to Gary’s flat Cleo told herself that she was going to call off their affair, but Gary’s embrace was urgent and passionate. Cleo again found herself mesmerized by the love she had for him that she could not control and did not want to.

“Stay here tonight, Cleo.”

“I can’t, Gary. You know that.”

“We can’t go on like this for ever.”

“Then we must stop these trysts.”

“You don’t want that, and neither do I.”

“But I can’t see any other solution. I know I love you and I think you love me, but there is already a man in my life and he needs me.”

“Not more than I do because I really do love you and he only possesses you like a trophy.”

“I’ll stay with him until he stops needing me. That’s called marriage, Gary, and I take my vows seriously…most of the time.”

“I’ll wait. Cleo. Whatever happens, I’ll wait.”

“If you find someone you can live with, go ahead, Gary.”

“Saying that hurts both of us, Cleo.”

“Then let’s stop talking, shall we?” said Cleo. “We don’t need to stop meeting right now.”

“We don’t need to stop seeing one another ever,” said Gary.

“I just wish this was not just a dream.”

“You’ll wake up one day, Cleo, and then we can be together all the time.”

***

“I must tell you something about Dorothy,” said Cleo.

“Now?”

“Yes now.”

“Go on.”

“Ali Lewis, the chef at Molly’s pub, offered to find Dorothy’s student boyfriend in Canada. His contacts found him and he is in Oxford.”

“Goodness. She hasn’t seen him for half a century.”

“But she’s seeing him tomorrow.”

“Does she need protection?”

“I hope not. She’s arranged to meet him at Delilah’s bistro at one. I’ll go there ahead and warn them. Mitch will be there if there’s any trouble, but I can’t see why there should be.”

“If you need me, a phone call will be enough, Cleo. I don’t want anything to happen to eitherny of you. I wonder why that man is in Oxford.”

“Apparently he’s visiting his son.”

“I’m going to take a quick shower now. Want to join me?”

“Yes. I feel chilled when I remember Dorothy’s phone call with that man.”

“What’s his name?”

“Jack Cooper.”

“Let’s see where that shower leads us, shall we?” said Gary.

***

Cleo managed to get home before Robert, but it was a close thing. As always when she had been with Gary, she was physically and psychologically bereft without him. It would be madness to continue the affair. She did not think she could keep up the subterfuge much longer. The dilemma was that her conscience could stretch to loving Gary, but not to leaving Robert for him.

***

When Robert came home he could see in Cleo’s eyes that she had been spending time with the man he thought of as his biggest rival, but he said nothing. Cleo almost wished he would challenge her about where she had been when he phoned her at home, in the office and on her mobile and had not been able to reach her anywhere.

“I tried to buy a new blazer this afternoon,” she lied. “But I had no luck. The clothes all seem to have been sewn in Asian countries where the women are a head shorter and at least ten sizes smaller than me.”

Cleo was anxious to avoid questioning by Robert. Later, she had listened to the cottage answering machine and heard an increasingly irate Robert threatening to ditch the table-tennis. Luck had been on her side, she mused.

“Buy something on-line,” Robert advised.

“How was the table-tennis?”

“Even better than yesterday. I’m through to the quarter-finals so you can make some more dates with your lover”

“I could, couldn’t I?” Cleo replied. Two can play at that game.

Cleo spent the rest of that evening hoping that Gary would not phone. She knew that Robert was watching for any sign that his wife was thinking of ditching him for the copper. Robert again said he was sure it was a mistake to even attempt to work with Gary and why didn’t she stop bothering about him. Cleo emphasized that the shock of Sybil’s murder still sat deep in Gary’s self-esteem and he had no one else to talk to.

“No reason to be sorry for him,” argued Robert. “Taking up with an ex-hooker was a mistake. He said that himself after discovering that Sybil was plying her old trade again, though she had sworn never to, if only for the sake of her little daughter. It was all too much for a respectable self-respecting copper, and he is respectable, isn’t he?”

“How should I know? He’s never been anything but respectable and respectful with me, Robert. Maybe if he’d found out about her double life before she was murdered, things would not have been so bad. Finding your girlfriend dead in a hotel closet would be a shock for anyone.”

“Why are you defending him?” asked Robert. “I told you not to get mixed up in his affairs. You are not Florence Nightingale.”

“You seem to have forgotten that I depend on Gary for valuable contact to the police,” Cleo said.

“You have Colin. He’s reliable and less moody than Gary Hurley.”

“But he’s only in the Records Office. He doesn’t get to know things until after a case is closed or has been abandoned.”

“Believe me, he keeps his eyes and ears open, Cleo. He’s not planning to stay in Records for ever, and he’s better qualified than Gary for an administrative job. In fact, he would do Gary’s job much better than Gary does.”

“I suppose you are qualified to judge that, Robert,” said Cleo.

Later she reflected that that was the first time she had actually hated Robert. He went back to making a late supper as if everything was OK and Cleo thought how little he knew about human nature and in particular about her needs and wishes.

“You could ring Gary if that’s what is making you fidgety,” Robert suggested.

“I could, but I’m not going to,” retorted Cleo.

“It’s the Peter Principle at work again,” Robert commented as he brought a platter of delicacies to the dining-table.

“Meaning?”

“Putting Gary Hurley in a responsible position.”

“I’ll have indigestion eating all this good food at nearly midnight, Robert,” said Cleo, determined to get off the subject of Gary.

“You don’t have to eat it,” said Robert, offended.

“No offence meant,” said Cleo.

“Well, eat up then.”

Something in Robert’s manner made Cleo want to retaliate without delay..

“Dorothy thinks Gary is in love with me,” she said.

“So what do you think, Cleo?” said Robert.

“I’ll let you know, Robert.”

All things considered that was a rather brazen approach for Cleo to take.

Robert groaned. He would have to have a serious talk with Gary. Cleo decided she had carried things off well. Robert could have asked her if she was carrying a torch for Gary, but he didn’t.

“I’ll look forward to that,” he said.

“Dorothy was speculating again. She’s in a strange frame of mind at the moment, so anything might set her off on some sort of trail she should not be on.”

“You’re talking in riddles.”

“Tomorrow she’s meeting Jack Cooper at the bistro.”

“Not THE Jack Cooper?”

“That’s him.”

“Well, that should be interesting. I’ll make sure I’m delivering steaks to the bistro tomorrow. What time did you say they were meeting?”

“I didn’t, but it’s at one p.m.”

“I’ll be there.”

“Curiosity killed the cat,” said Cleo. “You should get together with Hilda Bone, Robert. I think you’d get on really well.”

“She’s too old for me.”

“How about Edith Parsnip then? If you were having an affair with someone you would stop speculating about me.”

“I didn’t think we had an open marriage, Cleo.”

“It’s a good idea, though, isn’t it?” said Cleo.

There was no call from Gary. Robert interpreted that as a sign that there was nothing going on between them.

“Do you want me to carry on with someone?” Robert asked.

“I’m not sure you would offer anyone enough of yourself, Robert. But it might improve our relationship by leaps and bounds.”

“I’m going to bed,” said Robert. “Try not to bounce around or make a noise when you are tired enough to follow. I’ve had a tiring day.”

“I thought you had won.”

“I did. I told you all about it, but you weren’t listening. I expect you were thinking of your lover.”

“Which one, Robert?”