Doctor Who_ The Hollow Men - Keith Topping [21]
„The Minister of State for Defence in His Majesty‟s Government,‟ noted the Doctor.
„Is that what he is this week?‟
„Do I detect a hint of malice towards our honoured Old Boy?‟ asked the Doctor, amused.
Carlton paused, aware that he may well be speaking to one of Hatch‟s oldest friends, but he ploughed on anyway. „I don‟t trust the man,‟ he said bravely. „I dislike anyone who crosses the floor for political expediency rather than conscience.‟ The Doctor nodded, encouraging the man to continue. „His extremist past is well enough documented.‟
„We all do stupid things when we‟re young,‟ noted the Doctor. „I expect he would argue that people can change.‟
„Maybe,‟ continued Carlton. „But every time I see that man on television, I get the feeling that one day he‟s going to be in a position of ultimate power, and then, God help us all.‟
Ace glanced down at the note Steven Chen had given her.
She wondered what it said, but resisted the temptation to open it.
She looked up guiltily as Joanna Matson collected the empty glasses from her table. Ace glanced back towards the pub, but couldn‟t see Bob Matson.
„Don‟t say anything,‟ whispered Ace, sliding the piece of paper towards Joanna. „Just pick it up.‟
Joanna looked confused, but did as she was instructed, pushing the note into the pocket of her jeans. She moved away without a word, but kept looking back at Ace, her eyes cold and suspicious.
Rebecca wasn‟t enjoying the reunion. Her fellow teachers were a dull, niggardly bunch: they just about tolerated each other in a professional environment, but strip that away and all that remained was a clumsy, patronising embarrassment.
Worse still were the former pupils, many of whom seemed to have had one drink too many and were now intent on telling her how much they‟d fancied her when she was teaching
Romeo and Juliet.
She scanned the room for a saviour, and found him in the unlikely form of the large bearded man towards the edge of the room who wore his casual suit as neatly as he would his uniform. He was clearly even more lost in this ocean of inconsequential niceties than she was.
„It‟s Sergeant Denman, isn‟t it?‟ she said, tapping the man on the shoulder. In feet, Rebecca knew only too well what the man‟s real rank was. It wasn‟t just the people of Hexen Bridge who kept an eye on Denman.
„Chief Constable,‟ said Denman automatically. He‟d been watching a small group of men on the edge of the hall, and he switched his attention to her with apparent irritation. „No one‟s called me that for more years than I care to remember, young lady,‟ he said at last, looking her up and down.
„Well, you were a sergeant when I knew you,‟ said Rebecca, returning the smile. „It was the week before you left for Liverpool. You caught me and Trevor Winstone in the Hatch orchard scrumping for apples. You said eight was old enough to know right from wrong and took me back to the vicarage where, I‟d like you to know, I got the hiding of my life!‟
„Rebecca?‟ asked an astonished Denman. „My stars, but you‟ve grown.‟
„But of course,‟ said Rebecca with a grin. „Twenty years is a long time in anybody‟s book.‟
„The last time your father wrote to me, you were about to go to university. Then your ma died. I was sorry about that.‟
Rebecca took a sip from her Malibu and orange and patted the policeman‟s arm. „It‟s OK.‟
„Is your father well?‟ asked Denman.
Rebecca hedged her bets. „Much the same as ever.‟
„I must call in and see him before I return,‟ said Denman.
„I‟m sure he‟d like that. Have you been back long?‟
„We arrived today.‟
„We? Is Nicola here?‟
„No,‟ said Denman forcefully.
„That‟s a shame,‟ said Rebecca.
„She never went to school here,‟ explained Denman.
„I didn‟t know the invitation was as strict as that,‟ said Rebecca.
„I‟m sure you could have -‟
„She‟s staying with a friend in Bristol,‟ interrupted Denman.
„They‟ve not seen each other in a while. I‟m picking her up on my way back tomorrow.‟ The disappointment in Rebecca‟s face must have been obvious. „I‟m surprised you even remember Nicola. She