AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Ryan leaned across the seats and opened the door for her.
Estelle waved as they drove off, then went into the silent house, up the stairs and lay on her bed.
What was going on? Elyse had moved out to be with Ryan, and Henry had decided he liked James. Estelle hadn’t managed to see James since shouting at him to leave, and right now she was too tired to even formulate a sentence.
She closed her eyes. Tomorrow she would find him and see if Henry was right. Could he really be persuaded to ditch his life in London for her?
35
‘Calling Estelle or James. It’s Carly. Over.’
‘James here. Over.’
Estelle grabbed her radio. ‘What’s up? Over.’
‘Can you switch to channel two?’ Carly replied. ‘Over.’
‘Roger that. Over,’ James said.
‘Yes, yes, me too,’ Estelle added, switching channels and stepping through the canvas doors of the medical tent to stand in the blazing heat outside.
‘Are either of you free to collect the Spice Cadets from Bath?’ Carly asked. ‘Their van blew up and I can’t find anyone who can leave their post to go and get them. Over.’
‘But they’re on in a couple of hours!’ Estelle cried. ‘Where’s their manager?’
‘Already here and too drunk to drive. Over.’
‘Can’t you find a taxi?’
‘It’s Sunday, so there’s less capacity and I’ve been given a two-hour waiting time. Over.’
‘I’ll go,’ James’s voice rumbled through the speaker. ‘They’re a four-piece, right? Over.’
‘Yes,’ Carly replied. ‘But they’ve also got six guitars and lord knows what else. The drum kit and keyboard are already here, thank god. Over.’
‘Roger that. I can fit them in my car. Over.’
‘How?’ Estelle asked. ‘You’ve got a two-and-a-half-seater! I could go in the Defender, but I’d have to clear all my shit out first and then it’ll need a clean. And I’m at the medical tent right now with a few cases of sunstroke and a woman in labour. I don’t want to leave until I know the ambulance is on the way. Er… Over.’
‘My car can fit five and has a large boot,’ James said. ‘Carly, can you message me the address? I can leave in the next ten minutes. Over.’
‘Roger that,’ she replied. ‘Will do. Can you let me know when you’re five minutes away with them? I’ll get the front gates opened and you can drive straight to the main stage. It’ll be quicker than using the back route. Over.’
‘Roger that,’ James said. ‘Over and out.’
The radio went silent in Estelle’s hand. How on earth was he going to fit the Spice Cadets in his Ferrari?
Ducking back inside the medical tent, she went to the far end where a pregnant woman was on a bed, gripping her partner’s hand.
‘How’s she doing?’ Estelle whispered to him. ‘Any news on the ambulance?’
He nodded. ‘Nearly here. We’re going to wheelchair her out to them in a sec.’
‘Can I do anything?’
‘Could you grab our bags? I don’t think I’m going to get my hand back anytime soon.’
As if in agreement, the woman on the bed moaned.
