Liar Liar: DI Helen Grace 4 (A DI Helen Grace Thriller) by M. J. Arlidge Page B

to defuse unpleasant situations, but young people as a rule seemed to be drinking rather less than previous generations – the whole scene was more a social thing than an excuse for binge-drinking. That was especially the case around here, so close to Southampton University, where the pubs and bars were full of twenty-somethings who couldn’t afford vast rounds of drinks even if they’d wanted to.
    Helen had come here straight from work as she couldn’t face going back to her flat. Her meeting with Gardam wasstill bothering her and if she went home she would only obsess about it further. Better to be here, enjoying the buzz, than stewing alone.
    As her eyes swept the crowds, she became aware of someone waving sheepishly to her from a table on the other side of the room. It took her eyes, her brain, a couple of seconds to process the sight, but there was no doubt about it.
    Jake. Helen had never seen him in a social context – barring one exception, she had only ever encountered him in his workplace, where he played the role of dominator to perfection, never letting the real Jake through. He was on his way over now and for a second Helen was surprised to find that she was panicking, wondering what to say to him in a conversation that she hadn’t paid for.
    ‘I thought it was you.’
    He leant in and kissed her gently on the cheek. Unlike her, he seemed completely at ease. More than that, he seemed happy.
    ‘I didn’t expect to find you somewhere like this,’ he continued lightly.
    ‘Neither did I, but it’s been a tough day, so I thought I’d come and inhale a bit of youthful optimism.’
    Jake smiled, but the accidental subtext of Helen’s reply was lost on neither of them. Previously Helen had run to Jake when work had got to her, but not now.
    ‘How about you?’ Helen continued quickly.
    ‘I’m on a date,’ Jake said, pretending to be embarrassed, as he nodded towards a handsome young man, who smiled awkwardly back at them from across the crowded room.
    ‘Good for you,’ Helen responded, though her brain was still playing catch-up. She knew that Jake was bisexual, but such was his interest in her that she’d always assumed he was more romantically attracted to women.
    ‘Is this a new thing … ?’ she went on.
    ‘Not really,’ Jake answered, diplomatically.
    ‘And it’s going well?’
    ‘Well tonight is our sixth date, so …’
    ‘Wow.’
    ‘Yes. Wow.’ Jake laughed at himself easily and confidently.
    Helen smiled, but couldn’t think of the appropriate way to respond, so said nothing. She knew so little of Jake’s romantic history that she didn’t really know if this was a big development or not. She suspected it might be.
    ‘And you’re ok?’ Jake queried.
    ‘Oh you know. Same old same old.’
    Jake smiled and nodded. Conversely he knew an awful lot about Helen and understood exactly what she went through during a major investigation. For a moment, the conversation lapsed into a comfortable silence, then Helen said:
    ‘Don’t let me keep you, Jake. I’d hate to sabotage young love …’
    ‘You’re right, I’d better go. Take care of yourself, Helen.’
    He leant in and kissed her once more, this time giving her a brief hug with it. She responded, but felt a sharp and sudden stab of sadness as she did so. This felt very much like Jake finally cutting loose.
    She watched him return to his date and hung around for another ten minutes, not wanting Jake to think he’ddriven her out by his presence. But as soon as he and his boyfriend were once more engaged in happy, tactile conversation, Helen slipped out into the night.
    Walking back to the flat, she reflected on her strange evening. She had gone to the bar seeking solace, but had found something else instead. She had the strange feeling that her life was changing for ever, moving past her in a way that she could neither prevent nor control. Worse still was the fact that Jake’s happiness made her miserable. She pushed the