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Tom shakes his head, though he feels a touch of uncertainty. The soft part of him wonders if giving Patrick some of what he’s asking for would get rid of him, let him have a punt at whatever this venture is.
‘Honestly,’ Patrick says. ‘I wouldn’t be asking if I didn’t believe in this one hundred percent. It’s such a small investment you won’t even notice the money’s gone until it comes back with interest.’
Tom knows what Nicole would say. She’d say that they’ve heard this all before, on numerous occasions, that giving Patrick money is enabling him to continue to avoid properly supporting himself, that he’s taking advantage of Tom and always has done.
‘I know you understand that I just need this chance, mate,’ Patrick says. ‘Nicole, she’s always been harder on me.’
‘What’s stopping you getting a proper job?’ Tom asks. ‘Why does it always have to be a scheme? We gave you a deposit for a flat. Have you still got the flat?’
‘Yes, I’ve got the flat,’ Patrick answers after a beat. It’s hard to know if he’s telling the truth.
Tom musters up his courage. He needs to get Patrick out of here before Nicole comes home. ‘I’m not giving you money for a scheme. It’s not the right thing to do.’
Patrick’s eyes harden. ‘Not the right thing to do? What the fuck do you mean? Do you know what your problem is, mate? You’re whipped by Nicole, and you always have been. You’re her bitch.’
‘What did you say?’
‘She’s controlling. It’s worse since you won the money. Too good for me now, is she? Is that what this is about?’
‘Take that back.’
‘I’m not taking back what’s true.’
Tom stands up and Patrick stands too. They face off across the table. ‘Don’t you ever speak badly of Nicole,’ Tom says. ‘Never.’ He jabs his finger at Patrick on every word for emphasis. ‘Apologise.’
‘You should wake up,’ Patrick says. ‘You might be rich but you’re pathetic.’
‘Get out. Now.’
‘If I go now, you’ll never see me again.’
Even in the heat of the moment Tom feels that as a hard pinch to his heart, but he stands his ground. ‘If that’s what you want.’
Patrick stares him down and Tom can feel his courage contracting, but he holds Patrick’s gaze and tries not to let his doubt show. Both are breathing heavily. Tom feels his resolve cracking, but before it does Patrick turns and walks away. Tom steps into the hallway behind him and follows until Patrick has left the house. Patrick kicks the package on the way out and tries to slam the door, but its mechanism won’t allow it. It closes softly behind him.
Tom returns to the den and slumps on the sofa. He sips his coffee but it’s lukewarm and his enjoyment of it has been spoiled by the conversation. He pushes it away in disgust. I’ll make another one, he thinks. It’s been the strangest day, so far. Not at all what he was expecting. It’s not even eleven in the morning and he’s already starting to wish it was over.
47
THURSDAY
Hal
Hal listens as Nicole Booth tells him why she’s fled her home. She’s highly agitated, he notes. She tells him she was so scared of Patrick that she fled the Barn in her nightclothes and has had to borrow a hoodie and some trousers from Sasha. She picks at the tight waistband. Her slippers are dirty. He writes down everything she says about Patrick: his serious history of violence, the aggressive petitioning for money after their lottery win, the angry phone call she overheard last night, the threat she thought she heard Patrick make, and the man she spoke to on the phone today, who demanded money and made threats of his own.
‘Do you believe Patrick is a danger to you, personally?’ he asks.
‘I don’t know.’
‘Do you think he had any reason to harm Tom?’
Her eyes widen. ‘I don’t want to say.’
‘Because you think he did harm Tom?’
‘Because I don’t know. But maybe. He has been lying to me. He’s been pretending to be rich.’
‘Do you know why?’
