Episode 2 - The decision

Cleo seemed to be spending a lot of time consulting her wardrobe before returning to the living room and flipping through a fashion magazine she had once ordered when she had decided to lose half her boday-weight and had no suitable clothes for the new look.

"Who was that on the phone?"

"Gary."

“Who?”

Cleo tried not to let Robert hear her excitement at talking to Gary again.

"Gary? I thought he was lost and gone forever."

Robert had indeed hoped Gary was lost and gone forever.

"Well he isn't and he hasn’t. Don't serve dinner yet."

"Why? It's back in the oven to finish off."

"Leave it in there for a few minutes. I've invited Gary to eat with us."

“But we are celebrating our engagement.”

“Are we?”

Robert felt uneasy.

"And we need to talk about our wedding."

"OK, and who's going to be a witness?"

"What about Dorothy Price?"

"We’ll need two. One for you and one for me," said Cleo, thinking that Gary would never agree and hoping he would say something devastating about their affair so that Robert would decide to walk out on her. Where he went then was immaterial. Gloria could vacate his flat and stay at her cottage while she looked for an apartment.

But despite her play-acting, a feeling of desperation was growing in Cleo. The months without Gary had been difficult and she did not even know if he still loved her.

Robert should have felt relieved. The Robert Joneses of this world had clear-cut ambitions and one-track minds. They did the right thing, he thought, and they were not cynical.

***

"It didn't take you long to get your head round the marriage idea, Cleo. Have you now decided what to wear?"

"Not quite, but I’ll ring Dorothy and invite her to dinner. I should ask her personally to be my witness."

"I hope there's enough food."

"There's always enough food."

"I'll grill extra meat just in case."

"Aren't we having that casserole?"

"That too! Vegetarian. Gloria made it for us."

“Since when has Gloria been vegetarian? She was kidding you, Robert.”

“Was she?”

***

Robert hurried back into the kitchen. He was not capable of a romantic approach to life, but his practical side was good substitute. He was an excellent cook and knew it, and sure enough, he detected goulasch-sized chunks of beef in the casserole. It tasted quite Hungarian, too. Was there a Hungarian quarter in Chicago?

Cleo phoned Dorothy.

"Have you eaten supper, Dorothy?"

"Not yet. I was about to open a tin of beans."

Well don't. Robert is warming up one of Gloria’s famous casseroles and Gary is coming to eat. Will you join us?"

"Try and stop me," said Dorothy. "Did you say Gary?"

"Yes. Out of the blue! He seems to be back in the land of the living."

"I can be over in ten minutes. Will that be OK?"

Since Dorothy and Cleo both lived in cottages along Monkton way, Dorothy did not take long to get to Cleo’s. Dorothy had been harvesting strawberries in her greenhouse, so she took some along together with home-made ice cream out of the freezer. Dorothy might only be a retired accompanist and piano teacher, but she was a culinary wonder. She had never had a family, but her self-catering in London had convinced her of the wisdom of making life gastronomically pleasurable. Cleo secretly envied Dorothy's tall, slender stature. How she maintained it was a mystery considering the size of her appetite. Cleo was also quite tall, but always at loggerheads with her waistline.

***

"You shouldn't," was Cleo's reaction to the contribution of a dessert.

"Yes, she should," contradicted Robert.

"Home-made ice cream. How do you do it, Dorothy?"

Dorothy took him literally.

"Simple. A pint of double cream, sugar, butter and Bourbon vanilla."

"Soul-food," sighed Cleo.

“What’s all this about Gary?” said Dorothy.

“He’s back, that’s all.”

“And Cleo can’t wait to see him,” said Robert with more truth than he realized.

“He’s a good colleague,” said Cleo. “I’ve told you that often enough, Robert.”

“He must be if you are so glad he’s back. What else he does to make you happy, is what I’d like to know.”

Dangerous ground; a cat and mouse game. Spiteful of Robert, thought Dorothy, but understandable.

“Would I tell you, Robert?” said Cleo and Robert had to be satisfied that Cleo had actually agreed to marry him. Surely that was a good sign.

***

Gary arrived bearing a bunch of red roses. The gesture was clear. Dorothy knew that. Cleo knew that. Robert seemed not to.

"Where the hell have you been," said Robert. "We'd given you up for dead."

"Not quite," said Cleo. "But you could have let me know that you were OK."

"They didn't think it would be a good idea."

"Who's 'they'?" Dorothy asked.

"At the sanatorium. Burnout treatment. Leaving the past to take care of itself."

"And did it?" said Robert.

"I passed the burnout test with flying colours when I went there."

"What is that?"

"Psychological stuff. It proved I was at my wits' end."

"And then you went into hiding," said Dorothy.

Cleo did not comment. She just looked at Gary. She was confused. Had she not vowed to forget him, to shake off the emotional content of their relationship?

"Part of the treatment,” Gary was explaining, “but the place was full of nervous wrecks. When they found out that I’m a cop they all had a tale of woe to tell, from wishful-thinking they’d done away with bosses or mothers-in-law to wishing their wives or husbands didn’t snore or slurp their coffee."

"Sounds barmy," said Robert. "Dinner's ready."

"So what about your job, Gary?" said Cleo.

"On hold. Roger gave me six months leave and then I have to decide."

"So Roger did not let you quit?"

"No. He decided that he'd manage while I recovered and then put me in his job."

“But Roger Stone is a victim,” said Cleo.  “You helped him to return to his old status. Now he has it, he should hang on to it.”

“He no longer seems to want that,” said Gary. “There are things you want and seemingly can’t have, and other things you have and can’t deal with.”

Robert went back into the kitchen. Things were safe with Dorothy around. She was on his side, after all.

The intimate content of Gary’s comment did not escape Cleo.

***

Thought experiments had no meaning for Robert. He took everything at face value. He did not even realize that Gary’s reference was to his relationship with Cleo and not to the deal with Roger. Dorothy was not sure, so she took the direct route down that conversation.

“It sounds as if Roger also has burnout,” she said.

“Who?” asked Robert. He had opened the hatch that connected the dining area to the kitchen and put the steaming casserole on the worktop with lamb cutlets arranged artistically on top and a jug of wine-laced gravy to enhance the effect. Then he came round to the table and handed a serving spoon to Dorothy.

“So what are you going to do now, Gary?” said Dorothy.

Cleo was avoiding even looking at Gary, aware of his attempts to gain eye contact. Robert was watching Cleo for signs of something going on. His own future seemed at stake.

"I'm not going back to that sanatorium, that’s for sure," said Gary.

"Why not?" said Cleo.

Could Gary jump the fence and say he wanted to be with her? She wished he would. She was letting herself in for a marriage to Robert as the best way forward, while all the time knowing it wasn’t.

"Stone is innocent and he is my friend. He needs me.”

“I expect that some else needs you too,” said Robert looking at Cleo, who did not move a muscle.

Gary also deliberately ignored that comment. You could have cut the atmosphere with a knife.

“My sell-by date has passed at HQ. I want to branch out."

"Not as a rival to Cleo, I hope," said Dorothy. "I thought you were friends."

“We are,” said Gary, looking closely at Cleo.

"We've missed your support, Gary," she said.

“Is that all you’ve missed, Cleo?” said Robert.

“No, Robert. I’ve missed the incredible love-making, but you wouldn’t understand, would you? You are more impotent than potent”

Gary held his breath. Robert and Dorothy looked shocked. Was Cleo joking? Dorothy thought the moment had come for Robert to act or at least react, but he did not rise to the bait.

"You'll still have my loyalty, whatever happens," Gary said ambiguously enough for Robert to rise to that bait..

"Not if you're a rival," he said as a new idea occurred to him. "Why don't you join forces with Cleo’s agency?"

Everyone looked at Robert in astonishment. He was thinking that an above-board partnership would be the best answer to his dilemma. It would also save him from the extra work involved dealing with two shops instead of one if the newly rented shop was turned into an office. And he did not think that Cleo had meant ‘love-making’ literally, either. She wouldn’t do that ot him.

"Gary would not want to be part of my tin-pot enterprise," said Cleo.

“I protest!” said Dorothy. “We are not tin-pot!”

“I protest, too,” said Gary. He had reason to, since his last cases before his burnout could not have been solved without The Hartley Agency’s assistance.

“Don’t you protest, Cleo?” said Robert.

“No. I’ll do whatever Gary thinks is appropriate,” she said.

“So the ball is in your court now, Chief Inspector,” said Robert, deciding to continue with his provocative line of action.

***

Dorothy, who had up to now only suspected Cleo and Gary’s affair, admired the act they were putting on. Surely they had not conferred. She felt bound to defend the agency that had given her a new quality of life far superior to watching late night gangster movies, though she had to admit that she sometimes thought of her own sleuthing in that light.

"I don’t think a partnership would work," said Cleo.

“What kind of partnership are you thinking of?” said Robert.

“Any,” said Cleo.

So that was his tactic, thought Cleo. He would put her and ‘her’ cop together. They would soon find out that they were a bad match and could not work together if thrown together.

“I have no room for an assistant,” she said and Gary wondered about her choice of word. They both knew that Gary could not ‘assist’.

“But there’s room next door to your office, Cleo."

Now Robert knew why he had rented that shop. The gods were on his side. The ideal solution had manifested itself without any conscious thought on his part.

An explanation of this volte face was duly given without mentioning Gloria’s suggestion that the butcher business be extended. With any luck, she would assume that Cleo had had her partnership idea first.

“I expect you are going to explain,” said Cleo.

"The condition is that you don't reveal who rented the shop," he said, “because your mother thinks I'm going to expand my business. She had the idea of renting that shop next door to your office, but does not know that I actually did so, and she need never know."

"Wait a minute," said Gary. "What's going on here?"

Cleo signalled to Gary that she had had no inkling of all that. Dorothy was amazed at Robert’s changed attitude.

Robert fetched the tabasco for Dorothy, who liked her food on the hot side. He was laughing to himself. He had called their bluff.

“Eat up before it gets cold,” he exhorted everyone.

Robert’s mood was artificially jovial and his proposal had created havoc in Cleo’s mind and bewilderment in Gary’s.

“I haven’t decided about my job yet, Robert,” Gary said.

“Take your time, Gary,” said Robert. “No one’s hurrying you.”

Cleo was gob-smacked. From opposing Gary, Robert was now openly encouraging him. She knew that with Gary in the team she could spread her wings, take on blackmail and kidnapping cases, which she had up to now studiously avoided. Had Robert thought of it in that light?

“But you didn’t get us here to discuss the future of the agency,” said Dorothy.

“Gary’s timing was pure coincidence,” said Cleo.

“But you invited me, Cleo,” said Dorothy.

“Yes, I did.”

Robert took over.

“To cut a long story short, Cleo and I are getting married next week.”

“As soon as that?” said Gary.

“There’s nothing to stop us, is there?” said Robert.

Surely Gary would now say something.

“Cleo, you could have told me sooner,” said Dorothy, breaching the silence.

“I’ve only just found out myself,” said Cleo, looking directly at Gary.

“Congratulations, you two,” he said. He could not help thinking of the advice the psychiatrist had given him at the clinic. He was to get his private life sorted out. Fat chance of that with the butcher hovering at the altar.

***

“Do you mind if I get myself a glass of water, Cleo?” he said getting up and going towards the kitchen. Cleo followed him. Dorothy detained Robert with some very long-winded questions about the new shop.

***

“What’s all that about, Cleo. I thought we were…”

“You went away without a word and left me here worrying about you, Gary. I thought you didn’t want me anymore.”

”Rubbish,” said Gary. “You know that could not happen.”

“What’s going on there?” Robert shouted. “What are you doing with my bride?”

“Nothing, Robert,” Gary shouted back. “Cleo is getting ice for my H₂O.”

***

Robert was confident to the point of being smug

“So we need you both as witnesses. Will you do it?”

“Yes,” said Dorothy.

Was Robert going to engage his affirmed rival as a witness?” she asked herself.

***

Cleo depended on Gary to refuse point blank, but he didn’t.   

“I’ll think about it,” he said. “Why don’t you ask someone else in case I refuse?”

Robert did not reply. Having Gary as a witness would be the same as telling him to keep off the grass.

Gary was resigned to Cleo doing what she had said she would. He did not understand why Cleo would allow him to be witness to her marriage with someone else.

Dorothy squeezed his hand and Gary looked at her. She could not help him now if he did not help himself. But Gary did not say anything. Robert was satisfied. Cleo was mortified.

“Then that’s settled,” said Robert. “The ceremony is on Thursday week at 11 a.m. at the town hall in Middlethumpton.”

“Not in church?”

“God forbid,” said Robert.

“Won’t Frederick be upset?” asked Dorothy.

“The dear vicar has already witnessed our first attempt to get married. We don’t want a repeat performance,“ said Robert.

Cleo knew that all he wanted was to get the ceremonials over.

“Frederick Parsnip will have forgotten. He’s as daft as a brush,” said Gary.

“No he isn’t. He’s a bit eccentric, that’s all,” said Dorothy in defence of her friend.

“Don’t tell the Parsnips our news, Dorothy,” said Robert. “It’s all going to be a secret, even from Gloria.”

“Shall we take bets on that?” said Cleo.

There was silence while Robert served Dorothy’s desert. Everyone agreed that Dorothy’s ice-cream was a dream.

“Where are you staying, Gary?” Dorothy asked him.

“I’ll stay at a little bed and breakfast for a few days since my flat is sublet on a monthly basis. My stuff’s in the car. I came straight here.”

“You’d better move back into my guestroom then,” she said. “If I remember rightly, you enjoyed being my guest.”

“Are you sure, Dorothy,” he asked. “I don’t want to intrude.”

“Of course I’m sure. I don’t say things for the sake of saying them, young man.”

“But the bed and breakfast place is expecting me.”

“Cancel it,” said Dorothy. “But you’ll have to make up your own bed, Gary, and it’ll just be eggs in the morning. I haven’t got any bacon.”

“We can’t have that, Dorothy. I’ll get you some from the fridge. We always have a good supply here.”

Gary was grateful for Dorothy’s offer. He needed a bit of TLC. His misery was deep. He had only himself to blame, he knew. He had virtually thrown Cleo at Robert. OK, they were living together, but that did not mean anything.

“You and Cleo will have important decisions to make, I’m sure,” said Robert. “A proper breakfast at Dorothy’s will give you a good foundation for logical thinking.”

Was Robert cunning or naïve? Gary could not decide. Cleo knew that Robert was playing a game outside his comfort zone, but he was talking as if he were quoting Cleo.

“Can we talk at my office in the morning, Gary?” she said. “I need advice on a rather curious case.”

“I’ll come round about nine thirty if that’s OK, Cleo. I’d like to discuss various topics concerning cases that need attention before I go to HQ.”

“You would also have my blessing if it concerns Julie,” said Robert.

“It doesn’t, Robert,” Gary retorted. “I don’t discuss one mistress with another.”

The ambiguity of that statement amused Dorothy who was starting to think Robert was not all e was cracked up to be Robert could not have grasped what Gary was really saying, she thought.

“Well, that’s settled, then,” she said. “I must feed the cat. I quite forgot her in the rush to get here.”

Gary retrieved an overnight bag from the car and escorted Dorothy home on foot.

“I’m glad you didn’t decide to drive, Gary,” Dorothy commented. “There are enough drunken drivers round here.”

“I’m not drunk,” said Gary. “I only had a drop of wine.”

“Robert doesn’t do the wine miracle, Gary. What we were drinking all evening was definitely wine, not water. Robert opened at least one more bottle after we’d drained yours, and he laced your last glass with vodka. I saw that.”

Why would Robert add vodka to his wine. What sort of a guy was he? Was that a subliminal hope that Gary would drive into a wall?

***

Cat fed, bed made up and Gary treated to a glass of elderberry wine made by Dorothy’s next door neighbour and which he found surprisingly tasty, though not exactly what he usually drank out of a cut-glass wine tulip, Gary and Dorothy watched a late-night cops and robbers movie, prescribed by Dorothy to get them in the mood for some serious detecting. But the heady home-made concoction combined with the old-fashioned film put Gary to sleep.

***

Next morning, Gary woke with a headache and much later than usual. The aroma of bacon frying soon had him sitting at Dorothy’s kitchen table, but he did not think he would be able to eat it.

“What was in that elderberry wine, Dorothy?”

“I’ve no idea,” said Dorothy. “Probably rum. It works better than diazepam, doesn’t it?”

“Especially after vodka,” said Gary.

“Oh that. Robert will have laced his own drink as well so don’t misinterpret that, Gary. He seems to have been better at clinching his wedding arrangements than killing his rival.”

“Was it as plain as that, Dorothy?”

“Yes. And you didn’t even try to rescue her, Gary. I’m starting to think Cleo has made the right decision though she was devastated that you did not put an end to her misery.”

“I’ll make it up to her Dorothy.”

“How?”

“I’ll think of something.”

“Try kidnapping,” said Dorothy.

“I’ll just wait,” said Gary. “Have you got aspirin, Dorothy? I thought elderberry wine was drunk medicinally in small amounts,” said Gary, who did not want to talk about failing Cleo. He thought he had probably missed his chance of dismissiong Robert once and for all.

 “Not if you think of homemade wine as a sleeping draught, Gary. I think Mrs Barker next door makes it to knock her husband out. It is at least 70% high grade rum, like the stuff seamen used to imbibe.”

“So much for the medicinal properties of elderberry wine. Where does she find the berries?”

“There are some beautiful bushes at the bottom of their garden. I suppose you could describe the wine as medicinal, Gary. I’m sorry I got the dosage wrong. That wine has been fermenting for about 6 months.”

“I’ll probably survive, Dorothy. Thanks for having me here!”

Gary did manage to eat his breakfast and felt better after it. He glanced at his watch,  got up and announced that he would have to leave for Cleo’s office and then HQ.

“Gary?”

“What is it, Dorothy?”

“Don’t make things difficult for Cleo. She has made up her mind to marry Robert and you have not prevented it happening.”

“I won’t do anything to stop the happy couple from doing their thing, Dorothy.”

“Maybe you should not have any more…well, you know what I mean,” said Dorothy.

“I can’t promise that, Dorothy. I love Cleo and she loves me even if she marries Robert. I didn’t know you knew so much about us.”

“You could run a lighthouse on the electricity between the two of you,” said Dorothy.

“Is it that obvious?”

“Yes.”

“I went away thinking it was just a physical thing, but it isn’t. I’d die for her.”

“Don’t do that, Gary. She needs you now more than ever!”

“I’m not going to give her up,” said Gary. “You can tell her that. If she wants to go through with that trumped up marriage, more fool her.”

Dorothy shrugged her shoulders. Gary was upset, but it was up to Cleo what she did with her life. If Dorothy had had the choice, she knew who would be at the top of her list.

“Don’t forget to take a door-key. There’s one hanging on the coat stand in the hall,” she called as Gary took his leave.

***

Mrs Barker was waiting at her gate.

“Good morning!” he called, but the lady did not answer. Instead she scurried into the house and phoned Dorothy.

“There’s a prowler outside, Dorothy. The same man prowled around a few months ago. I’ll call the police, shall I?”

“Don’t do that, Jane. He IS the police and a friend.”

“Is he now? I thought he was a bit young for you,” said Mrs Barker, disappointed that she was not going to have something juicier about which to gossip. Her status in life depended on how much she knew about other people’s private business, so Dorothy only fed her titbits she didn’t mind being spread round the neighbourhood. Her idea of letting on that Dorothy had taken a lover half her age would have to be scrapped.

On reflection, Dorothy decided it might not have been such a good idea to put her neighbour in the picture. What if Gary did decide to go into partnership with Cleo? She should warn her to keep Gary’s identity to herself, but it was already too late. Jane was already hurrying across the road with a bag of new potatoes and the woman living opposite was probably hungry for more than just vegetables.

Dorothy phoned Cleo and confessed about her faux pas concerning Gary’s job.

“Don’t worry, Dorothy. If Gary does take up that offer of an office next door and work with us, he will soon be known to everyone.”

“A bit like our arrangement,” said Dorothy with a little sniff.

That was tactless of me, thought Cleo.

“I doubt if any assistant of Gary’s or even Gary himself will ever have such brilliant ideas or such an instinct for detection as you have, Dorothy. We all know that. Here he is now to view the new office. I’ll have to ring off.”

“OK. Talk later,” said Dorothy, pacified by Cleo’s words, though she was not sure if she believed them.

***

“Robert gave me the key to the shop next door, Gary. Shall we take a peek before getting down to business? You wouldn’t want to buy a pig in a poke!”

“Are you referring to yourself or the new office, Cleo?”

“That remains to be seen.”

“It’s quite small,” remarked Gary after striding up and down to take rough measurements and looking at the sorry state of the utility room and WC, “and it will need a lot of renovation.”

“That won’t be your problem, Gary. It’s up to Robert now. It was his idea, after all.”

“Not much room for furniture, either.”

“I agree. A three piece suite and a bed won’t fit, but a desk, chairs and a coffee table will. The filing cupboards can line the wall behind the desk.”

“You seem to have a clear idea of how to do it.”

“If this shop had been vacant I’d probably have taken it at the time I started the agency. I’m wondering whether to move in myself and use the big office for my assistants,” said Cleo. “I still have nightmares when I remember Laura Finch lying in a pool of blood on my new carpet.”

(Laura Finch had been murdered the night before Cleo was going to open her agency and dumped in her office.)

“But your office is lighter and airier.”

 “Let’s go back there and talk about the idea, shall we?”

Over freshly brewed coffee, Gary tried to explain his uncertainty about the financial aspect and not least, how it would affect their relationship.

“Let me make a suggestion,” said Cleo. “I’ll get the place turned into an office and you carry on at HQ for the time being. There’s no hurry. You miss Charlie so get her back and sort things out with your ex-wife before risking a fresh start.”

“Is that the reason you are marrying that butcher guy?”

“Not really. Robert is now free and I’m nearly forty. He also proposed to me, Gary. Should I look a gift-horse in the mouth?”

“You don’t want children with him, do you Cleo?”

“He doesn’t want kids, Gary.”

“But I do.”

“So do I to be honest.”

Cleo did not think for one minute that Robert’s partnership idea, born of the ulterior motive Cleo had seen through, could work. Why would he even suggest such a partnership with someone he suspected of being more than just a colleague and friend if he did not think it would put an end to any sympathy she and Gary had for one another.

***

Gary had another reason for being sceptical. He was in many ways old-fashioned and not used to being employed by a woman. He had prided himself on being the main cog in the wheels of the Hartley Investigation Agency when he was involved in one of their cases, though Cleo had not consciously given him a reason for doing so. Would a work relationship be the beginning of the end for their mutual attraction? That must be exactly what Robert wanted and Gary had no desire to be manipulated by the guy.

***

“This is not about friendship, Gary,” she said, cutting into his silence. In truth, HQ was important to both of them so Robert’s suggestion would be shelved.

“Can we still meet, Cleo?”

“Will you want to when I’m married, Gary.”

“You don’t have to marry him.”

“Yes I do. I’ve given him my word.”

“But you don’t love him.”

“He loves me.”

“I don’t think he does. He just wants to possess you like a trophy,” said Gary.

“I feel bound to honour my promise to Robert. He’s a good man and was kind to me when others were nasty and resentful.”

“I’m a good man, Cleo, and I really do love you.”

“I know that, Gary.”

“You need a casting couch. Then we could settle this in a more interesting way.”

“We don’t need a couch,” said Cleo.

Gary watched as she made sure the office door was locked. Then she took him by the hand and led him into the utility room behind the office where they could not be seen from the road. They stripped off their clothes and made love on the cold linoleum. No preamble; no words; just the incredible feeling of wanting to belong to one another.

“This is how it should always be, Cleo.”

“You went away. I thought I would never see you again. Robert was here. I’m a woman, Gary.”

“I didn’t think Robert even notices,” said Gary. “But I do, all the time.”

The phone rang and remained unanswered. The office door was rattled and treated to a pounding. The lovers ignored any attempt to disturb them. Hours later they wrenched themselves from one another and dressed in silence. Robert might marry Cleo, but he was deluding himself if he thought it was a love marriage. Cleo and Gary’s love marriage had been consummated on that cold floor.

Cleo made coffee. 

“I will marry you one day,” she told Gary.

“I’ll keep you to that,” Gary replied.

He was determined that Robert could never be a hindrance to his union with Cleo. More fool the family butcher for not realizing it.