Faith - Lesley Pearse [148]
Fielding seemed to puff up with self-importance. ‘Aye, it would be. I had something of a reputation back then for being the kind no one messed with. Laura was still working for me at the time, and she introduced me to Jackie.’
‘Was it strong-arm stuff that was required?’
David noticed that Fielding did that extraordinary shirt cuff-tugging movement that he’d often observed hard men went in for. ‘Just a question of showing the wankers who were trying to block the sale who was boss,’ he said airily.
‘They were after the place too then?’ Stuart asked.
David had a job not to laugh. Stuart was such a straightforward man that it had to be infuriating to him that Fielding wouldn’t just come out and say what the problem was.
‘Aye, that’s right, but they wanted her out of the running, so they could get it cheaper,’ he said. ‘They’d already tried all the usual stuff of putting the frighteners on her. Well, I gave them some of their own medicine.’
‘Who were they then? Local people?’ Stuart asked.
‘You’re a nosy bastard,’ Fielding said sharply.
‘Sorry, mate,’ Stuart grinned. ‘It’s only because at the time I kind of had a feeling she was having a hard time with someone up here, and I thought I was Jack the Lad then and wanted to give anyone a kicking that was bugging her. But you’d know all about that. Most of us guys were half in love with her. I’m sure you were too.’
‘I wouldn’t have minded giving her one,’ Fielding said and laughed uproariously.
To David that was the most telling remark the man had made so far. Fielding clearly had no romance in his soul, only lust. But such men usually claimed to have made a conquest even when they hadn’t, and as such he suspected Fielding had actually held Jackie in high esteem.
They had another round of drinks, then another, and there were moments when David felt sure Stuart would forget why they had come in here and reveal his true interest in Fielding. But he didn’t. He skilfully wove questions about Jackie and Laura into general conversation about Edinburgh and its characters, and there was no doubt Fielding was warming to him for at one point he apologized to Stuart for his part in the break-up with Laura. ‘If I’d ever met you I wouldn’t have made a play for her,’ he said.
‘All’s fair in love and war,’ Stuart laughed. ‘I went off to London with a right hump, but that’s the way it is when you’re young. I got over it and like I said before, I ought to thank you, for without that I might have stayed here and carried on working for peanuts.’
‘You were well out of it. Laura was one hell of a treacherous bitch,’ Fielding blurted out. ‘She tried to ruin my business.’
David felt that was the only time that evening that Fielding had said something without thinking about it first. It was probably the whisky, for he looked stricken the moment the words were out.
‘She did? What kind of business would that be?’ Stuart jumped in.
Fielding hesitated. His hand waved involuntarily as if he was trying to search for a plausible alternative to the truth. ‘Employment. I ran an agency for models, promotion girls and the like.’ He smiled then, as though he was pleased with what he’d come up with.
‘I once saw a picture of Laura in a men’s magazine,’ Stuart said. ‘Page three stuff. Was it you got her that?’
‘Aye. She was too old really, but I wanted to help her out. She was skint, and I was always a soft touch for single mothers. Worst day’s work I ever did though – she poached my girls and set up on her own.’
‘She didn’t! The ungrateful little minx,’ Stuart exclaimed.
David had to bite back a chuckle for Stuart sounded as though he was entirely on Fielding’s side. ‘Did you get back at her for it?’ he asked.
‘I didn’t have to,’ Fielding growled. ‘Whatever she and her pal made went up their noses