Eve of Destruction

conversation became a smouldering silence. ‘Let’s not get so serious. Another glass of champagne, anyone?’

The damage had been done, though, and within a couple of minutes Harry had decided the time had come to make his excuses and leave. Kim did not speak; Paul Disney waved amiably but Dame cast her eyes up to the ceiling and shook her head. It was unnecessary: he had already got the message. He’d blown it.

Hobbling through the packed restaurant towards the door, he bumped into a tubby and diminutive figure who greeted him like a long lost son. ‘Harry!’ cried Pino Carrea, ‘where have you been hiding lately? I’ve been worried about you.’

‘I’ve been saving up to afford another visit here.’

Pino, who owned the Ensenada, showed his disdain for the pettifogging

‘No, she hates seafood, but she knows I love it. Prawns, oysters, you name it. Typical, isn’t it? The one time in her life she does something to please me, it turns into a disaster.’

‘Any idea about the precise cause of your illness?’

Whyatt seemed ready for the question. ‘Not at all. The people at Casualty were run off their feet. They had no time to bother with any sort of analysis. I was glad simply to crawl away from there in one piece. I – I suppose it was just one of those things. It’s just as well I only ate a mouthful. Becky flew into a rage when I said I didn’t like the taste, but God knows what would have happened if I’d polished off the lot just to please her.’

Yes, Harry thought after ringing off, God only knows. And God only knows what she may do next. He had begun to believe that Becky was planning to make her fantasy come true. Should the police be told? In theory, yes, but they would ask for evidence to substantiate the allegation – and what evidence was there? There would be no trace left of the dodgy seafood cocktail and doubtless she would explain away the telephone conversations with Dominic as silly lovers’ talk. The legal aid forms were still suffering from neglect when the phone rang again and Suzanne put Dame through.

‘Marvellous news!’ she announced. ‘Justice has not only been done, it’s been seen to be done.’

‘Doesn’t that usually mean that it needs to be seen to be believed?’

‘You old cynic. Obviously you’ve forgotten that today was the day of Paul’s court case.’

‘And?’

‘The charges were withdrawn at the fifty-ninth minute of the eleventh hour.