Free The Beat by Simon Payne Page A

tribute to her lack of understanding. Silence fell as Sue came into the room. She wove her way between the tables towards Gerry. She addressed him disinterestedly.
    “Mr Wilson says you’re to manage without me. He’s going to run me home.” She turned around and withdrew as she had come. Silence reigned until her exit. The whole room heard her simple announcement. With the closing of the door the buzz of voices all started together.
    “Doesn’t she look terrible, poor girl?” Connie crooned.
    “Can you manage on your own Gerry?” Pauline asked.
    “Yes, but she’s already sent us over on the 7.15.”
    “Shit. The shit will hit the fan if you don’t sort that one out.” Pauline enjoyed the panic she had engendered.
    “I think I’ve stopped them all in time,” Gerry said wearily.
    “Poor girl doesn’t know what she’s doing,” Connie gloated. Her enjoyment came from the sense of tragedy. She always relished misfortune and was the first on the scene both for the commiserations and to start the grapevine of gossip. Back at his desk Gerry knew he could manage. Solving past mistakes was the hardest part to tackle. If only she had concentrated a little more. Half-way through the morning Wilson popped his head in to make sure all was running smoothly.
    “I’ve taken Sue home, alright?” And that was all he had to say. He just assumed he had Gerry’s support. Gerry would manage. Then the phone rang. It was Robert. He wasn’t particularly interested in the news Gerry had about Sue. Instead he was full of the news about the boy found murdered in the park. The police had apparently released the fact that there had been a witness. It had just been on the radio. It was a friend of the dead boy who was with him at the time. They weren’t saying any more but the appeal for others to come forward was again repeated. They can’t have much, Gerry told himself, not if they are still asking for people to come forward. It was just a scare tactic. What could a witness tell anyway? How could anyone else have known what happened there that night? Even for those inside the toilet block, it was too dark to see. Nor would they be able to identify each other. A passer-by would know nothing. They could only have seen a parked car, an anonymous figure in the darkness, but nothing more. And how many other shadowy figures had come and gone in the time immediately preceding and even after the event? Someone passing by minutes earlier or later would identify completely different cars or half-seen faces. The turnover there was fast. Gerry was safe. Nothing conclusive could be culled except from the six people present, and their common secret was safe. To work, to work. Lunchtime was nearly on them and he was going to be kept pretty busy until Sue was back in action. He wondered how long it would take and what kind of advice and support she was receiving at home right now. The phone rang again. It was Steve. Two personal calls in one morning. Gerry told him that Sue had gone home. He didn’t say how badly she had taken it. It would be fatal to let the boy go back on it now. Now was the time to bolster him up most. If they were pressured back together now, they would stay that way. Steve wanted to meet Gerry for lunch. Gerry thought it a bad idea. He remembered Pauline’s reaction to his seeing Steve on the Monday evening. It would obviously make it worse for the kid if they were seen together at lunchtime today. Even if eventually Steve was going to have to face the lash of rumours that surrounded Gerry’s working life, today was not the day to start. It could cause just the sort of panic to send Steve back to Sue and the bridal arrangements. If Steve was to come out even that far at work, it must be in the climate of his choosing. When he turned down the lunchtime meeting, Gerry thought Steve sounded disappointed. He so obviously needed support. Gerry decided to explain it with a half-truth by saying how frantic it was without Sue,