[Sound of a chair scraping across the floor]
Noah:That’s it. Interview terminated.
Rendell:Surely that’s my line. Oh, come on, snowflake. Get a sense of humour. Christ, you’re not the first son to disappoint his family. Hey. Come back, have a drink!
Noah:I’m warning you, shut your mouth.
Chapter55
‘Someone has gone to a great deal of trouble to stop us from finding out whatever is on this film,’ said Midge.
‘Even murder?’ asked Noah.
The four of them had come in from the cold. Rona had made her merry way upstairs, and the others were standing in the hallway as they examined the undeveloped film. Midge shrugged. ‘What I do know is that we need to see the pictures.’
‘But how are you going to develop them?’ asked Harold. ‘It’s not like we’ve got a Boots down the road.’
‘I have done a bit of dark-room stuff,’ said Noah. Midge found she wasn’t entirely surprised by this news. ‘But I buy the solutions. I’ve no idea how to prepare them.’
‘No,’ agreed Midge. ‘But, fortunately, we do know someone who may have enough chemistry knowledge to help.’
‘Ah,’ said Harold, shaking his head. ‘If you’re talking about Rona, then we’ve got a problem.’
‘What is it?’ asked Midge.
‘I think the graveyard shenanigans really must have tipped her over the edge,’ said Harold. ‘She had another bottle in her hand when she headed back to her room.’
Midge enlisted her wife’s help.
Bridie McGowan was a legend within the local WI when it came to organization and getting things done. There was no one in the three counties more reliable. Bridie, pleased to be of use, immediately dispatched Noah to prepare the pantry, which shesaid would double as an excellent dark room, before turning her attentions towards cajoling Rona into helping.
Even so, it took several attempts at banging on Rona’s door to get her to agree to open up. When she finally let them in, Midge had to wrinkle her nose against the thick smell of cigarette smoke and alcohol that lay like a blanket over the room. ‘What do you all want?’ Rona asked, perching uncomfortably on the arm of one of the chairs. ‘Don’t tell me.’ She waved a nearly empty bottle of wine at them. ‘Has someone else died? Going to fiddle with a few more dead bodies?’
‘We’ll never get the deposit back,’ muttered Harold, eyeing the overflowing ashtrays.
‘Where did she even get the booze from?’ Midge heard Bridie ask him.
‘Gloria, if you must know!’ Rona shouted over to where they were whispering in the corner. ‘I went to check on her earlier but she was asleep and, well, it turns out Gloria is a little hoarder.’ She giggled and took another swig before pinching her fingers together in front of her face. ‘She may also have a teensy-weensy drink problem. But who am I to judge?’
‘You’re supposed to be in recovery,’ said Harold.
‘I am,’ agreed Rona. ‘And right now, I’m recovering from two hundred and eighty-nine days of fucking boredom.’
‘We need to sober her up,’ said Bridie.
‘I’m hungry,’ Rona announced. ‘You know what I fancy? A lovely, greasy burger.Mooo...’ She stood up, wobbling slightly. ‘Can I have one? Or maybe a bacon sandwich?’
‘You’re vegetarian,’ pointed out Midge.
Rona made her unsteady way over to her. ‘Ah, Midge. Lovely, serious Squidgy-Midgy.’ She cupped Midge’s chin with her hand. ‘Why do you look so sad?’
Midge thought about this. ‘I think it’s the shape of my chin.’
‘No,’ cried Rona. ‘It’s your shoes. They make me sad, too.’ Shegrabbed at Midge’s arm. ‘Always so sensible, Midge. Haven’t you ever just wanted to start over again? Rip all your clothes off and just be the real you...’
‘No,’ frowned Midge. ‘Anyway, wouldn’t I achieve the same thing by simply unbuttoning? Ripping would be a waste of good material.’
‘She smells like a vineyard,’ whispered Bridie.
