‘He’s still fit,’ said Carolyn. ‘He was in Hustle a few years back. And New Tricks.’
‘And Glynis just keeps on working. She did Emmerdale, EastEnders and The Royal.’
‘Bitch,’ laughed Terry.
‘Bloody right,’ said Carolyn. She laughed. ‘Actually that’s not fair, she’s a sweetie. But I wish I had her agent.’
CHAPTER 24
Terry drove back to his house and parked in the car park at the rear of the building. They went inside and up the stairs to the living area. ‘Wine?’ asked Terry.
‘I don’t see why not,’ said Carolyn, taking off her jacket and dropping down onto a sofa.
‘Red, white, pink?’
‘Surprise me,’ she said. She studied the phone bill that Terry had taken. Nicholas Cohen used the phone a lot, dozens of time a day. Most of the calls were to other mobiles but there was one landline number in central London. She reached for Terry’s phone and began to tap out the number. An answering machine picked up. It was a firm of chartered accountants. Cohen and Kawczynski.
She was putting the phone back when Terry returned with a bottle of Chardonnay and two glasses. ‘Cohen’s an accountant,’ she said.
‘Nice,’ said Terry.
‘I’ll try calling his mobile.’
Terry put the wine and glasses on the coffee table, next to Carolyn’s award. ‘Do me a favour, darling, and don’t use my phone.’
‘Why ever not?’
‘Because if Mr Cohen is dead, I don’t want the cops asking why I was calling him. And if he’s a murderer I don’t want him having my number. I’ve got a pay-as-you go mobile, you can use that.’
He went over to a low sideboard, opened a drawer and took out an old Nokia phone. He saw the look of confusion on Carolyn’s face and he grinned. ‘I did a bit of online dating before I met Gabe and I didn’t want to have my number out there. I was changing Sim cards every week or so.’
‘You slut,’ said Carolyn.
He tossed her the phone and she tapped out the number of Cohen’s mobile as Terry opened the wine. It went straight to voicemail and she put the phone down on the sofa. Terry sat down next to her and poured wine into the glasses. ‘We’re going to have to phone the police,’ he said. ‘The longer we leave it, the angrier the cops are going to be.’
‘We don’t know he’s dead,’ said Carolyn. ‘For all we know they took him to hospital.’
‘Darling, they shot at you, you said.’
‘I heard a bang.’ She sipped her wine and shrugged. ‘I don’t know, Terry, it’s starting to feel a bit fuzzy.’
‘What?’
‘I’d been drinking. A lot. It was dark.’
‘Are you telling me you might have imagined it. Because last night you were scared shitless. Remember?’
‘I remember. But in the cold light of day it all seems a bit…remote.’
‘Remote?’
Carolyn sighed. ‘I don’t know.’
‘Darling, we drove all the way to the arse end of nowhere and I proceeded to do a spot of breaking and entering, and now you’re telling me you made the whole thing up?’
‘I’m not saying that,’ she said. ‘But I don’t want to call the police and have the whole thing blow up in my face. What say we call Cohen’s office on Monday and see if he’s in?’
‘You said you saw him belted with a statue. That’s what you said. And there was blood, by the window.’
Carolyn nodded. ‘I know, I know. But can we just leave it until Monday, please?’
‘If that’s what you want, sure. But whether he’s in the office on Monday or not, we’re no further forward, are we? If he is there that suggests he’s the guy who did the hitting. And if he’s not…’ He left the sentence unfinished.
‘Then he’s dead,’ said Carolyn.
Terry nodded. ‘Either way we’re going to have to call the police.’
Carolyn shook her head. ‘I can’t,’ said Carolyn. ‘This is an important couple of weeks for me, maybe the most important of my life. If the network decides to give me the push then my life’s over.’
‘Don’t be silly, that’s not going to happen.’
‘You don’t know that,’ said Carolyn. ‘Waites as good as said they were going to bring in new blood, and if I go to the cops and tell them about him taking drugs and kicking me out of the car in the middle of nowhere, then the network is going to be gunning for me.’
‘I thought you said you stormed off.’
Carolyn forced a smile. ‘Six of one,’ she said. ‘But either way he’s going to be in trouble. Plus the publicity. Plus I then become a witness in a murder investigation.’ She took a long gulp of wine. ‘I can’t, Terry. Really, I can’t.’
Terry nodded sympathetically. ‘Okay, whatever you think’s best. Do you want to stay here tonight?’
‘Do you mind?’
‘Of course not. Gabe was planning to do his famous chili tonight, the more the merrier.’
‘You’re my knight in shining armour.’
‘And I’m here to serve my damsel in distress,’ said Terry, raising his glass to her.
CHAPTER 25
Terry drove Carolyn to the studio early on Monday morning. She had phoned Billy on Sunday night and told him she wouldn’t need him until filming had wrapped on Monday. She spent an hour in make-up and was all too well aware of how tired she looked. ‘Rough night?’ asked Kelly as she brushed concealer over the dark patches under Carolyn’s eyes.
‘Drinking wine with Terry,’ said Carolyn.
‘That’ll do it, all right,’ laughed Kelly.
Carolyn forced a smile. It wasn’t the drink that was the problem, it was the fact she’d barely slept all night.
The first scenes to be filmed were in the office where Diana was interviewing a new designer, a pretty black girl who, according to Harrington, it would later turn out, had a drug problem and an abusive boyfriend. The actress was clearly inexperienced and kept fluffing her lines, but Carolyn kept her cool and was as helpful as possible. It wasn’t that the actress hadn’t memorized her lines, she was just nervous. After the sixth take on one relatively simple exchange, Carolyn took her to one side. ‘You’re over-thinking it,’ she said. ‘I can see the wheels turning.’
‘I’m just so nervous,’ said the girl. Her name was Jaymee and Carolyn noticed her nails were bitten to the quick.
‘It can be intimidating joining a new team,’ said Carolyn. ‘But everyone here is rooting for you.’
Jaymee nodded. ‘I know, I’m sorry.’
‘There’s no need to apologise,’ said Carolyn. ’We’ve all been there. Is this your first time in a studio?’
Jaymee nodded again. ‘This big, yeah,’ she said. ‘I’ve done loads of commercials but this is Rags To Riches, you know? The big time.’
Carolyn smiled and patted Jaymee on the arm. ‘Yes, it is,’ she said. ‘But just remember this. You’re stunning, you really are. You look fabulous. The guys who are watching are going to be looking at your figure and the women are going to be looking at your clothes. So you don’t have to act. Just relax and we’ll have a conversation. Keep your eyes on me and you’ll do just fine.’
‘Okay, let’s go again!’ shouted Harrington.
Carolyn winked at Jaymee and went back to sit behind her desk. Jaymee stood on her mark, holding a large folder under one arm. ‘Thank you,’ she mouthed,
The scene went perfectly and after Harrington had pronounced himself satisfied, Jaymee went over to Carolyn and gave her hug. ‘I owe you, big time,’ she said.
‘I got the same advice years ago, when I first started,’ said Carolyn. ‘And I’ve no doubt the day will come when you’ll be giving the same words of comfort to a youngster on their first day. The circle of life thing.’