The Little Theatre on the Seafront. Katie Ginger
Greenley’s not really a hotbed of crime and passion.’ Sid felt his cheeks burning. Why did he say passion? ‘Umm, what about you?’
‘I work at the beauty salon over there.’ She pointed to a shop with a large pink sign over the door that read Indulgence Spa and Boutique. ‘I sort of flunked my communications degree. I was too busy partying with Hayden, so I retrained in nails and beauty and I love it. I love making people feel good about themselves. Seeing the smile on someone’s face when they’ve had their nails or brows done and they feel a million dollars, it’s really nice.’
It was a nice sentiment and Sid found his respect for her growing. Who’d have thought the sullen, sulky student he’d known would have turned out like this? ‘I’m glad you’ve found something you like doing.’
‘Do you like being a reporter?’
‘I do actually. I like Greenley too.’ He peered around at the old-fashioned High Street dotted here and there with trendy bars and posh cafés. Normal run of the mill chain stores mixed with strange, quirky independent shops and they even had a little seaside museum.
Sid knew he should say something else – ask her a question or start a new conversation – but his mind was too busy shouting ‘GIRL!’ at him and he couldn’t think straight.
Selena glanced away as the conversation lulled again, then looked back up at him. ‘You haven’t changed much.’
‘Haven’t I?’ He ran a hand over his chin, wishing he’d shaved. Was that a good or a bad thing? ‘Neither have you. I mean, less make-up, obviously, but you know … you don’t look older.’
Selena giggled at his fumbled compliment. In James Bond movies he always said things like, ‘You’re a beautiful woman,’ but Sid worried he’d sound like a weirdo stalker if he said anything like that. Or that he was taking the piss.
‘Well, I’d better go,’ Selena said, checking her watch. ‘I’ve got my first client at ten. You didn’t mind me saying hi, did you? It’s just that I saw you and I couldn’t believe it was you. I couldn’t let you go without saying something.’
Sid shuffled, trying not to smile too much. ‘No, I didn’t mind. It was nice to see you too.’
‘I’ll probably see you around then?’ She stared up at him from under long thick eyelashes.
‘Umm, yeah. Probably.’
‘Okay.’ She edged away still staring at him and Sid couldn’t figure out why. ‘Bye.’
Sid gave an awkward wave then shoved his hand back in his pockets. ‘Yeah. Bye.’
Selena swung around and headed back to the shop and Sid looked down to find what she’d been staring at. His Star Wars T-shirt was clean on this morning and his flies were done up. Weird.
He walked on to the record shop. Selena Fleming had looked a lot different without all that weird make-up and she and Hayden clearly hadn’t lasted. It was strange how people always ended up coming home to Greenley. Sid quickened his step and thought no more of it. Nick at the record shop had put aside a rare album for him so he’d better hurry. He was due to open at any minute.
In her living room, an hour before the committee meeting, Lottie paced back and forth, forcing her nerves down until finally, she lost the battle altogether. Unable to bear the ticking of the clock and its agonising countdown any longer, she grabbed her coat and car keys and headed off. Now here she was, twenty minutes early, sitting in the main meeting room clutching her laptop, waiting for the rest of the committee to arrive.
The grand, grey stone columns of the town hall belied its rather dull interior. When the mayor was appointed, he’d refurbished it to make it a modern conference space, and as such it had lost all character and historical importance. No one used it for conferences. The only people who used it were the camera club and they hated it – and him. They never failed to tell Lottie when she covered their exhibitions or the annual general meeting that took about ten million hours and made her long for death.
Earlier that week, Sarah Powell, the committee secretary, had been less than helpful when Lottie tried to have her presentation added to the agenda, telling her that, ‘Only the chairman can approve last minute additions and Mayor Cunningham is a very busy man.’
After much negotiation, Ms Powell said she’d do her best to contact Mayor Cunningham and would let Lottie know the result. When she called back, she said with evident disdain that Mayor Cunningham had graciously made room for her on the agenda. Yippee.
In the harsh fluorescent light, Lottie took her nan’s letter from her handbag. Seeing the fragile spidery handwriting, it felt like she was there speaking to her. ‘I hope you know what you’re doing,’ Lottie said to the letter before refolding it and putting it back.
‘Miss Webster?’ asked Mayor Cunningham as he marched into the room. He was a tall man in his late forties. His balding hair had been cut close to his head, but the remains of a small island on the front of his forehead bobbed in a sea of pink flesh. It was slightly triangular shaped as if it stayed there pointing to where the rest of his hair could be found, hiding at the back. His suit was a good fit, but the cheap fabric shone in the unforgiving light, like he’d been sprinkled with glitter. An evil Liberace. Ms Powell followed close behind, a puppy at his heels.
‘You only needed to come for your agenda item, Miss Webster. You didn’t need to attend the whole meeting.’
‘Oh, sorry,’ said Lottie. She felt her neck and cheeks get hot. This wasn’t a good start.
‘I’m surprised that Ms Powell didn’t tell you that.’ Mayor Cunningham walked to the head of the table and placed his black briefcase down, unclipping the shiny brass clasps. It popped open and he pulled out some papers organised with various coloured Post-it notes.
‘I did,’ Ms Powell replied quickly.
‘I don’t think you did,’ said Lottie.
Ms Powell’s eyes shot to Mayor Cunningham, fearful of disapproval.
Lottie felt her nerves rise up and she cleared her throat. ‘I have a presentation on my laptop. Is there a projector?’ Presuming one would be all set up she began to panic at its absence. Lottie wasn’t technically minded and the prospect that should one be found she’d have to set it up herself caused her stomach to churn.
‘Ms Powell will set it up for you, if you really require it.’
‘I do,’ Lottie answered, trying to sound confident. Mayor Cunningham turned to Ms Powell and without speaking pointed to a cupboard in the corner of the room and she hurried to follow his unsaid instructions.
There was something quite unlikeable about Ms Powell, Lottie decided. She had the walk of someone who was perpetually neat and tidy and very, very efficient. Her face, which could look kindly if relaxed, was pinched and her eyes looked out at the world suspiciously. She appeared to have no sense of humour whatsoever. A perfectly smooth chin-length bob framed her face accentuating her small features.
As Lottie struggled to connect the relevant wires to her laptop, Trevor Ryman ambled in. He placed his own briefcase on the floor, brown this time, and battered, and pulled out his bundle of papers, bereft of even a single Post-it note.
‘Shall we begin?’ asked Mayor Cunningham, just as Lottie finished fiddling. She sat listening to the other agenda items with more interest than she’d expected. The theatre had a small fund that wasn’t nearly big enough to do all the work required. The building was structurally sound but needed the roof patched up and the inside needed general refurbishment before any productions could be put on. It wasn’t looking good.
‘As I’ve said before, it’s more work than a small committee and our town council can handle,’ said Mayor