Mirror Man by Jacques Kat (ereader for textbooks txt) 📗

‘It’s in my wallet,’ I said, standing up and pulling my wallet from my back pocket.

She examined the card when I handed it to her and went to the phone tucked in the corner behind the counter.

‘Umm, hello, yes. Can I speak to David Mercier, please?’

‘Yes, it’s Mrs Chester, Pete Newman’s mother-in-law…’

She pulled her head from the handset and turned her attention to me. ‘They’ve put me on hold; there’s a weird beeping sound. Do you want to listen in?’

‘No, you do it.’

She started tapping her foot, then suddenly stood up straight again.

‘Hello, Mr Mercier. Yes, Pete said you’d be able to help us if we had any problems.’

‘Well, two detectives came round. They want to look in the safes and the flat upstairs and then they want our John-Michael in for a statement.’

‘No, we didn’t let them, they didn’t have a warrant…’

‘Good, I thought I was saying the right thing. What should we do now?’ Mum asked as she twirled the telephone cord around her finger.

‘You will?’ Her eyebrows raised. ‘Okay, I will. Thank you, Mr Mercier.’

‘Oh, I’ll certainly do that. Thanks again. Goodbye.’ She placed the phone down, then puffed her cheeks out and slumped against the counter.

‘What did he say mum?’ I asked.

‘He’s going to take care of it.’

‘Is that it? It was an awfully long conversation, Mum.’

She laughed. ‘It wasn’t that long, JC.’

I cocked my head at her. She never called me JC.

‘What?’ she said, mirroring my cocked head.

‘You never call me JC,’ I said.

‘Oh.’ She looked up as though exploring her memories to see if I was right. She didn’t need to search. I know she never used JC.

‘It’s okay, Mum. I know we’ve had our, umm… differences, but we’re moving past that now, don’t you think so?’

‘I do, John-Michael, I really do. Everything you’ve done and become is all because of me; the lack of attention and the nasty comments about your eyes are all things a parent should never do or say, and I take full responsibility for that.’ Her voice cracked, but she continued. ‘I’m going to do my absolute best to make it up to you. I’ve been a terrible mother, but I’m going to help you, be there for you, and maybe help you to look at us like you used to.’ She pulled out a hanky and wiped her nose. ‘Okay enough of the soppy stuff, what was I saying?’

I ran over and hugged her tight, almost knocking her over. I can’t remember the last time I’d had physical contact from her besides a clip around the head.

‘Oh, John-Michael,’ she said, hugging me back. ‘I’ve missed so much.’

‘So have I mum,’ I said into her hair. I was much taller than she was.

I liked hugging her just as much as I’d enjoyed the prolonged one with Tina. Mum said she’d missed so much, but then so had I. Though I didn’t like the fact it had taken the deaths of two people to bring us back together as proper mother and son.

‘Right, no time for this now,’ she said, removing my arms from her waist. ‘I need to tell you what that solicitor said before I forget. He said he’ll find out what evidence they have to substantiate a warrant. They must think something is here for them to get the warrant, or something to that effect. He also said he knows plenty of magistrates and putting a stop to the warrant won’t be an issue. If they come back, we’re to tell them to ring him. He’s our solicitor now, and all questions are to go through him. That was about the gist of it.’

‘Can he really do all that?’ I asked.

She shrugged. ‘He says so.’

‘What about the statement?’

‘Oh, yes he’ll meet us there tomorrow at two.’

We decided to shut up early and left through the back door. We weren’t ready to be seen out in public yet, seeing as people wouldn’t believe I hadn’t done it and The Suit hadn’t been caught. Mum said she was sure things would calm down in a week or two. I wasn’t convinced by her optimism.

Chapter Twenty-one

The next afternoon, in a blustery headwind, I walked with Mum to the police station. She said the fresh air would do us good, but it only made my face sting and eyes water. Mr Mercier met us there, though, and we waited in the same room I was interviewed in almost two weeks earlier. Mum wasn’t allowed in and had to wait outside for us to finish.

‘We have some time before the detectives come in, so I want to take this opportunity to properly introduce myself and update you on a couple of things,’ he said. He didn’t look at me I guessed Pete had told him not to. Instead, he focused on the paperwork he had in front of him. ‘I work for Edwards, Adam & Stars. Pete has probably told you this. Anyway, I’m a barrister, do you know what that means?’ he asked, shuffling his papers.

‘No, I don’t, sir.’

‘It means I’m usually in the courtroom, not seeing clients in this setting. Don’t be surprised if the detectives are stunned to see me.’

‘Okay, sir.’

‘Moving on, the detectives are trying to obtain a warrant so they can do a thorough search of Claude’s Antiques, including the safes and the flat above. Now, I don’t want you to worry. I can keep them tied up for weeks in paperwork to prevent that from happening. Plus, I know every local magistrate for miles, and I’ve a sleeve full of favours that can put a stop to anything. Are you with me?’ he asked.

I nodded, but I was a little confused with all the talk of favours. I didn’t know what Pete had done for Mr Mercier, but it must have been pretty big for him to go to these lengths for me. Is this what adult life was really like, owing favours to one another?

Regardless