The publican harrumphed down the end of the phone. ‘I can’t believe you told them you knew it was her anyway.’
‘You are both my friends. I want you both to be successful, which you clearly are already, so give the poor bloke a chance. He’s just starting out and it was only a year ago he lost his mother. It’s such a help to know who the inspector is.’
‘Oh, very well.’ Jacob heaved a put-upon sigh, although of course he would never let his friend Rosa down. ‘I hope it goes well for them.’
‘Phew! Done!’ Danny put the perfectly cooked tuna steak down on the side counter, then adding the zingy sauce, he motioned for Davina to come in and collect it. ‘Can you just wipe that little bit of sauce off the side with a bit of kitchen roll? After that stress, I need a bloody drink.’ He made his way to the back of the bar to get the barman’s attention.
‘Of course,’ Davina said calmly, punching the air in her mind. The moment Danny was out of sight, she did as she was told, then, with a smug expression, the devious diva made her way out to the restaurant and put the fragrant fishy dish carefully down in front of the redhead, to whom she had given the best seat in the restaurant.
CHAPTER 36
Rosa manoeuvred the pram up the Corner Shop steps and pushed open the door. Titch was singing along to ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ while arranging tinsel among the new designer doggie coats she had got in ready for the festive rush.
‘I need a wee. Watch the bairn for me, can you, for a sec?’ Rosa shouted. Instead of using the loo by the back kitchen, she wanted privacy. She ran up the steep stairs, then sat down on the toilet, ripping open the pregnancy test she’d bought on the way as she did so.
Titch looked up from cooing over the sleeping baby. ‘You took your time. What’s the matter – the downstairs loo no longer good enough for you?’ she said casually when Rosa appeared a whole ten minutes later, unable to keep the grin off her face.
‘What is the matter with you this morning?’ Titch frowned. ‘You’re behaving oddly. Anyway, it’s your turn to put the kettle on.’
The two sat side by side at the Corner Shop counter. When Titch spied Rosa’s ginger tea, she knew immediately. ‘Oh my God, are you saying what I think you’re not saying?’
Rosa tried to keep the secret but her eyes were dancing and then her smile lit up the whole of her face. ‘I haven’t told a soul, not even Josh yet, so mum’s the word, all right? It’s the early hours in New York still and I just couldn’t wait. We’ve shared this baby journey so it seemed only right I was with you when I found out.’
‘Blimey though, Rose. Little Ned will only just be one, won’t he?’
‘Don’t even go there. I know. It’s because Josh went away a similar time last year, didn’t he? We must have shagged before he left then too. I like the idea of summer birthdays though, and together it will be fun.’
‘When do you reckon you are due?’
‘Around July the ninth, same day as Little Ned. If it works out that way, I shall be so thrilled. One birthday party only!’
‘A very small silver lining.’ Titch laughed. ‘You seem so happy. I thought you were set on having just the one?’
‘I know, I’m surprised at my own reaction. Vicki said when the time was right, I would want another one. But is the time ever right to be a mum? I don’t actually think so.’ The two girls hugged, and Rosa said, ‘Where are your boys this morning? Ritchie usually works on a Sunday, doesn’t he?’
‘I told him to lie in as he didn’t get in from the chippie till late and Mum had Theo overnight, which was lovely. We are going up there for a Sunday roast when we’ve done here.’
‘Mum’s doing roast beef today too, with Kit and Nate, so that will be nice. If Nate’s not too busy in the café, that is.’
‘He can run up for an hour surely? But I guess it’s busy in there because of the grotto. We may wander down there and have a look after lunch.’
‘Yeah, they’ve done a good job of it. The Christmas tree can be seen from France probably. Tina ordered a five-metre one, instead of a five-foot one.’
‘That’s bloody hilarious.’
‘Isn’t it? That reminds me, I will pop in before I go home and see how they got on with the hotel inspector. Lucas rang me in a panic last night and asked me to see if Jacob could give them a tuna steak as they had run out and, sod’s law, that’s what she’d ordered.’
‘Sounds like Fawlty Towers down there.’
‘Ha.’ Rosa grinned. ‘It is a bit. Mary loves that programme.’
‘My mum does too. The oldies are always the goodies, she often says.’
Rosa got up and started to look through the doggie coats. ‘Only three more Sunday mornings to work and it will be Christmas.’
‘I can’t wait. When the new baby comes, we are not opening on a Sunday and Monday in January, as you know how quiet it is down here then.’
‘I don’t blame you. The café is always quieter too.’
Titch then exclaimed, ‘Both your babies will be so close to this one in age, now that is exciting.’ She caressed her tummy. ‘These Braxton Hicks contractions are getting stronger each day. And he or she is such a little wriggler. I don’t think there’s much more room in here for them to grow, to be honest.’
‘I can’t wait to meet him or her.’ Rosa took a slurp from her mug.
‘I wanted them to be early but I’m now not so keen to give birth just yet. I haven’t got all of Theo’s presents and nothing for my Ritchie.’
‘Oh my God,’ Rosa suddenly said, putting her hand over her mouth and running through to the back kitchen toilet. ‘Not again.’
She reappeared five minutes later with a glass of water, and smiling through watery eyes, began to sing, ‘Deck the halls with pools of vomit, tra la la la la, la la la la.’
CHAPTER 37
‘I think she might have carked it, mate.’ Danny Green’s face was as puce as that of the smartly dressed, curvaceous woman who was currently lying spread-eagled and lifeless on top of the sumptuous blue velvet throw.
Lucas Hannafore put a hand to his forehead. ‘Shit. If this wasn’t so serious, it would be hilarious. I can just see the headline in the Gazette now: Hotel Inspector Found Dead in the Titanic.’
Danny gulped. ‘What the hell are we going to do?’ He had a flashback to the very same redhead bouncing on top of him, her huge breasts almost suffocating him. Both enjoying such a sexy and spontaneous encounter. And now here she was, lifeless with a pile of sick on the floor next to the bed. It seemed somehow surreal.
Seeing how badly the woman had been staggering as she left the bar last night, and knowing how much wine she had consumed, Lucas had not been too concerned about her not showing for breakfast, but when it had got to check-out time and she was still absent, he felt concerned and thought he had better call in on her. When there had been no reply to his knocks, he had opened the door a crack – only to see the grisly sight that was now before them. She was even still wearing her high-heeled shoes.