The Girl at the Bus-Stop (36 page)

Scott Jarrold walked up to them carrying three glasses of champagne on a silver tray.

‘There you go folks,’ he said handing them round, ‘so there is going to be a third book then, Ms Caine? We’ll have to get together and talk about a new contract as soon as possible.’

‘Don’t get your hopes up,’ said Becky, ‘I’m not planning on doing any more writing for a while.’

‘Why ever not?’ replied Jarrold, with a look of concern, ‘You’d be silly not to, you’re on a roll.’

‘We’re off on holiday next week,’ said Rudge, ‘and we really need a break.’

‘Oh, I see, where to? said Jarrold, ‘The Seychelles, Dubai or some hideaway Caribbean paradise perhaps?’

‘Bournemouth,’ said Becky with a grin.

‘Bournemouth?’ replied Jarrold, looking astonished, ‘But it’s January.’

‘It’s not exactly the height of the season,’ said Becky, ‘but I’ve a feeling it will be the best holiday ever.’

After the buffet, there were speeches by Newman and Jarrold praising Raspberry Caine and her success as a writer, and predictions that
Starstruck
would be an even bigger hit than
Disciplinary Attraction
. The book signing ceremony followed, and it was another hour before the live band started playing and the party finally got under way.

Having been kissed, fondled and propositioned by an array of well-heeled guests, Becky had had enough. She grabbed Rudge by the arm and led him out into one of the adjacent bars.

‘Can we just go home,’ she demanded, ‘I’m sick of this bloody lot. I’ve just had some American woman making lewd suggestions about me visiting her in her hotel suite.’

‘Victoria Bliss,’ said Rudge, ‘a fading soft porn star from the 1980s. I looked her up on the Net earlier after seeing her name on the guest list.’

‘Another Gale Buckingham,’ said Becky, ‘that’s all I need.’

‘Ms Bliss is a multi-millionaire with a late-night chat show on American TV,’ said Rudge, ‘where she counsels married couples and sorts out their sex lives. Which is ironic, because she lives with a toy boy and a middle-aged Dominatrix.

‘Told you, another fucking weirdo,’ said Becky.

‘You could say. If you believe the gossip on the Net, she also likes to dress like a tart and frequent rough bars picking up Hell’s Angels and truck drivers.’

‘As long as she’s happy,’ said Becky, ‘but I’ve had enough. I’m in zero-tolerance mood tonight.’

‘We’ve got the
Wife on Mars
book launch to go to later in the week,’ said Rudge, ‘so that’ll be the end of it, then Bournemouth here we come.’

‘I can’t wait,’ she replied, ‘but I hope your sci-fi lot aren’t as weird as this bunch.’

‘Probably more so, but I don’t mind.’ replied Rudge with a smile, ‘I’m just very excited about getting published. Under my own name I mean, and it’s been a long time coming. I feel like someone who was wrongly convicted thirty years ago, and has only just been pardoned.’

‘You deserve your success, Reuben,’ she said, ‘not like me. You handed it to me on a plate.
 
I still don’t quite know why you asked me to be Raspberry Caine, but I’m very glad you did.’

‘I think it was because I envied you for being so alive,’ said Rudge, ‘I’d just about given up on life, and was resigning myself to the fact that I’d never be a writer. My destiny was ordering Chinese car components for the rest of my life, and hiding from my wife and the world in my shed.
 
When I wake up each morning and see you laying next to me, I still think it’s all just a wonderful dream. Thank God for that bus-stop.’

‘I can’t wait until we start looking for a house together,’ she replied, ‘we can be a proper couple then.’

‘I thought we already were,’ said Rudge.

 
‘You know what I mean, Reuben,’ she replied, ‘now shall we grab some food and then try and slip away? But please, stick close to me in case Gale Buckingham catches up with me. When she was asking me her question in there, she had that Faye Delahaye look in her eyes.’

‘At least she kept her clothes on for a change.’

 
They walked hand in hand towards the exit door, and Becky stopped as she saw Kat Katkins sitting alone at a corner table in the bar.

‘I’ll meet you by the buffet in a few minutes, Reuben,’ said Becky, ‘I’ll just see if she’s okay.’

‘Okay, and I’ll let Harry know we’ll be ready to go soon,’ said Rudge, before kissing her on the cheek.

Becky grabbed two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter, and walked over to Kat Katkins’s table.

‘Here,’ said Becky, putting the glass down and sitting next to her, ‘you look like you could use a drink.’

‘Very kind of you, I’m sure,’ she replied, ‘but if you’ve come to apologise, you’re too late. You made me a laughing-stock in there, so I hope you’re pleased with yourself.’

‘Er, excuse me, Ms Katkins,’ replied Becky, ‘but you started it. You’ve had it in for me since the last launch party, but I don’t know why. What have I ever done to you?’

Kat Katkins picked up the champagne glass and took a sip, before turning to look Becky in the eyes.

‘I’m sorry,’ she said, ‘it’s just that you’re talented, beautiful, and everyone loves you. In fact you’re everything I’m not, so it’s just pure jealousy I’m afraid. On top of that my publisher now wants to offload me for the very reason you stated, my books just don’t sell.’

‘I know it can be hard, Kat, but look at my fiancé, Reuben? After thirty years of trying he’s only now getting his first book published.’

‘I’m not surprised,’ she replied with a sneer, ‘if he’s fucking a best-selling author he’s bound to get published. I should have got into your hot little knickers first, and then it would be me laughing all the way to the bank.’

‘You horrible cunt,’ said Becky standing up and throwing the champagne in her face.

Kat Katkins sat still for a few moments before retrieving a handkerchief from her jacket pocket. She dabbed at her eyes and cheeks, and wiped the front of her blouse as Becky slammed the glass down in the table.

‘I wish you hadn’t done that, Ms Caine,’ she said calmly, ‘that’s twice you’ve humiliated me this evening, and I’m getting just a teensy-weensy bit fed up of it.’

‘You should be used to it by now then.’ replied Becky angrily, ‘Now as this is supposed to be my launch party, I’d be very grateful if you’d finish your drink and fuck off.’

Kat Katkins picked up her own glass before standing up, and downing it in one. Rudge walked into the bar carrying a plateful of food from the buffet, and wandered over to their table.

‘I thought you ladies might appreciate some light refreshments before it all disappeared,’ he said with a smile.

‘No thanks, Reuben,’ said Becky, ‘I’ve just lost my appetite.’

Kat Katkins gripped the champagne flute tightly and brought her arm up quickly, lunging towards Becky’s startled face. Rudge side-stepped between them and took the full force of the glass, which shattered on impact, its jagged remains cutting deep into his neck. He let go of the plate
 
and dropped to the floor, clutching at the wound. Becky screamed as she saw the blood pumping out and covering his face, shirt and jacket, and Kat Katkins pushed past her roughly and ran towards the exit.

Several customers and members of staff rushed over to the stricken Rudge, who was lying in his back with his head resting in Becky’s lap.

‘Get a fucking ambulance,’ Becky shouted, wiping away her tears and Rudge’s blood on her face with the palm of her hand.

Rudge was in shock and unable to speak, and looked up at her like a frightened child. A barman rushed over and pressed a towel against Rudge’s neck, trying to stem the flow of blood. Becky held Rudge’s hand tightly, sobbing uncontrollably, and he smiled up at her mouthing the words ‘I love you’, before slipping into unconsciousness.

‘Where’s that fucking ambulance,’ screamed Becky to no-one in particular.

Harry rushed into the bar and over to the small crowd gathered around Rudge and Becky. He pushed his way through and looked down at an inconsolable Becky.

‘Somebody give me a hand to carry him, my car’s outside,’ he said, ‘he’ll bleed to death if we wait any longer.’

With the help of the barman and other members of staff, the unconscious Rudge was carried out of the hotel and down the steps to the waiting Mercedes. The barman climbed in the back beside him, still pressing the towel to Rudge’s neck as a blood-soaked Becky sat up front leaning over the seat and holding Rudge’s hands.

Harry drove at speed towards the hospital, his headlights flashing as he overtook the slower moving traffic. He ‘phoned the ambulance control centre, who notified the hospital’s Accident and Emergency department with the expected time of arrival. After several minutes the Mercedes pulled up outside the main doors, and a team of doctors and nurses rushed towards the car pushing a trolley, as Harry leapt out to open the rear doors.

 
The
International
Science-Fiction Awards
evening was being held at the
Dorchester Hotel
in Park Lane, where distinguished names from the world of sci-fi and invited guests packed one of the large function rooms. After the formal dinner and speeches by members representing writing, films and television, the host proceeded with the awards ceremony proper.

Each category was presented by a famous guest, who went through the three nominations before announcing the winner. After moving through the film and TV awards, the next categories were for science-fiction novels. Rudge’s name appeared in the list of nominees in the main category, and a former Darth Vader actor opened the gold envelope and slowly removed the card from inside.

‘The award for
Best Sci-Fi Writer of the Year
for 2012 goes to Reuben Rudge, for
Wife on Mars.
’

The cheers, whistles and applause was deafening, and the audience rose to its feet as a huge picture of a smiling Rudge popped-up on the giant TV screens either side of the stage.

Becky stood up and touched the Cartier diamond earrings before running a finger along the matching necklace, her Christmas present from Rudge.
 
She made her way from her table near the back, along the aisle towards the steps leading to the stage. She looked stunning in an elegant black sequinned low-cut backless evening gown, lifting her head up and forcing a smile as people turned to gaze at her.

She climbed the steps and walked over to the centre of the stage, where the actor bent down to kiss her on both cheeks. He handed her the gold-plated statuette, which was shaped like an Oscar wearing a spaceman’s helmet, before stepping away and joining-in with the applause. Becky stood in front of the microphone, nodding in appreciation at the warm reception and waited for a few moments for the applause to die away.