Just Another Angel by Mike Ripley Page A

usual and it got a little tense towards the end. Last night, we got on each other’s nerves worse than usual and I said something to the effect that I wished she’d piss off out of my lifestyle if all she wanted to do was bitch about it.’
    â€˜And you were disappointed when she did just that?’
    Jo stared down at her electric-blue shoes and smiled at them.
    â€˜Well, I was surprised, I’ll say that. She actually went and did it after threatening to at least a dozen times.’
    â€˜When did you find out?’
    â€˜About two in the morning. I couldn’t sleep and thought I’d make a pot of tea, maybe offer Carol some … you know … peace offering. And there she was – gone. Along with a leather jacket, a bottle of vodka, my credit cards, some make-up and about 30 quid in cash.’
    â€˜And you want me to get your make-up back, huh?’
    â€˜There was also an emerald pendant. It was the only piece of jewellery she took but, true to form, she took the one thing that was most likely to hurt me.’
    â€˜Was it valuable?’
    â€˜About two and a half thousand pounds.’
    â€˜Is it insured?’
    â€˜No.’ She shook her head slowly.
    â€˜Do you think this … Carol … will try and hock it?’
    â€˜No.’ She was staring at her shoes again. ‘Carol has no real idea about how much things are worth. Money and property mean nothing to her.’
    â€˜She took your credit cards and 30 quid,’ I reminded her.
    â€˜The credit cards I’ve reported lost already, though I’ll bet she’s flushed them down the loo out of spite. I’ll be surprised if she tried to use them. The cash will keep her in drinks and smokes for a couple of days, and good luck to her. It’s only the pendant I want back. I must have it back – for sentimental reasons – and I don’t care what happens to Carol.’
    â€˜That’s not true, or you’d have called the cops.’ She nodded silently. ‘So why didn’t you?’
    â€˜She’s got what she calls “previous”; a couple of suspended sentences for shoplifting and a conviction for assault.’
    â€˜Assault?’ I was going off Carol; rapidly.
    â€˜On a police horse during a student union demonstration.’
    â€˜Well, she could hardly expect a fair trial after that,’ I said, not kidding. Let’s face it, there are some crimes no-one should have to face the animal-loving British jury with.
    â€˜I don’t want the police involved; well, not by me. If she brings them herself, that’s her lookout. I don’t want anything to do with her any more. I just want my pendant back.’ For a second, her bottom lip jutted like a child’s.
    â€˜Okay, I can relate to that, but why me?’
    I mean, this wasn’t my normal line of work, but why worry? She’d as good as said there would be a few quid in it.
    â€˜Because I saw you last night and because I couldn’t think of any other single person to turn to. Have you ever been in that situation? Having nobody, nobody at all to go to? Jesus Christ, I couldn’t tell my husband, could I? He gave me the fucking pendant.’
    It was time to worry.
    Â 
    Of course, looking back, it was time to say goodbye, walk out of there and get on the first available Greenpeace boat heading for New Zealand. It would have been safer.
    She didn’t tell me much more – then. Yes, she did have a husband, and why should I be so shocked? (I couldn’t really think why I should be either, except on the old hurt pride angle. I mean to say, the lover is always the last to know, isn’t he?) Hubby was older, much older, than her and he was away a lot. Didn’t I just know. He had splashed out on the emerald pendant for her 21 st birthday and she had another birthday coming up. He would expect her to wear it then, and if he knew Carol had half-inched it, he would have