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If only forgetting about fulfilling Matty’s request to scatter his ashes after the park closed was the sum total of how she was about to fail him. Somehow, presiding over the destruction of the community institution he’d created and watching it get converted into six or possibly eight rental units would be so much worse.
‘Yes …’ She walked to the urn and lifted it off the mantel. It felt far too light.
How could such a robust, larger-than-life person be reduced to something so small and insubstantial?
‘What time does it get dark tonight?’ she asked.
Jacie checked her weather app. ‘Sunset’s at six twenty-six. So you’ll probably want to wait until seven to be sure the park police don’t stop you.’
‘Good thinking,’ she said.
Was that why Matty had requested she scatter his ashes on the Serpentine after dark? After all, he’d always told her she needed to live more on the edge.
Don’t be so tediously law-abiding all the time, snookums. Imagine how dull Louise would have been if she hadn’t blown up that trucker’s rig? And Thelma if she hadn’t robbed that convenience store? Just for starters, Thelma wouldn’t have gotten to shag Brad Pitt.
She had pointed out that Brad had stolen all of their money and Thelma and Lou had ended up driving off a cliff. But tonight, perhaps Matty was right.
Sneaking into the park and scattering his ashes seemed like the perfect way to say goodbye to him. She very much doubted it would actually be illegal, but she almost wished it were. A little danger – coupled with a little Prosecco – could only help take the edge off all of her other worries.
She stuffed the urn into her backpack. ‘I should probably get going. Matty was fairly specific it had to be done no less than two hours after sunset.’ What that was about she had no clue, she’d racked her brains for th
e possible film reference but hadn’t been able to come up with one.
Jacie stood. ‘Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?’
‘Yes, I’m sure.’ Matty had been specific about that, too. No one but her and Luke Devlin were supposed to be in attendance.
She tugged on her jacket. ‘Could you cash out the box office?’ she said. ‘After the evening screening starts? I should be back to lock up before the final curtain.’
Luckily she had tons of time, because tonight’s film was The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, which lasted well over three hours thanks to its twenty-five endings.
‘Sure thing, I’ll see you tomorrow.’ Jacie handed her the Prosecco bottle. ‘Here, finish the Dutch courage.’
Ruby chugged the final sip from the bottle.
‘And don’t worry, we’ll figure out something,’ Jacie added.
‘Yes, we will,’ Ruby said, buoyed by her mission and the Prosecco. Not necessarily in that order.
***
It was only after she’d left the theatre though and made her way towards the tube that she had a realisation worthy of Donald Duck and his light bulb.
Bollocks. Matty had wanted Luke Devlin there, too. Probably all part of the in-joke she didn’t get. But if Matty wanted him there, she had to at least try to get him there. She’d planned to suggest it on Friday, but she’d never gotten the chance.
He’d given her his number even if he didn’t want her to use it. And maybe, just maybe, the chance to see him again would shake something lose – like his squishy side, or a fabulous investment plan to save The Royale.
After trying his number twice though, and getting switched to his voicemail her plan had begun to unravel. As she headed to Ladbroke Grove station, the name of the hotel on Park Lane he had given Ryker over a week ago echoed in her head in his deep voice.
The Grant.
Turning from the tube station, she hopped on a bus heading to Marble Arch. Why she had remembered the name of the hotel he was staying at a week and a half ago she was not going to examine too closely. Plus he might not be staying there on this trip.
Frankly, guilting Luke Devlin into coming with her to scatter his uncle’s ashes tonight was almost certain to be another failure. But she was going to give fulfilling this dying wish her best shot.
Not least because there was the distinct possibility she might be forced to deny Matty the one dying wish he would have wanted the most – to keep The Royale open.
***
