When he reached the seafront, he was dripping with sweat, and he took off his T-shirt and mopped his face and chest and stopped at the water fountain by the pier and had a long drink. When he stood up, Ade was coming out of the chip shop on the pier with a big cone full of chips and a battered sausage. He looked at Tristan’s torso.
“Bloody hell, I hate you,” he said with a smile.
“Why?” said Tristan. “Hello, and nice to see you too.”
“Look at your body! Oh my God,” said Ade, pulling out the battered sausage and fanning himself with it. “And here I am about to guzzle three thousand calories.” He bit the top off the sausage and offered him a chip. Tristan took one and chewed.
“Thanks.”
“What’s up? You look a bit down. Well, you look hot, but your face seems a bit down,” said Ade.
“Money worries . . . and my sister’s pregnant.”
“Are you the father?”
“No!”
“Then what are you worrying about?” cried Ade, taking another bite out of the sausage.
“At some point, before . . . before I was gay, I thought I might have children. That’s probably not going to happen now.”
“Why not? You can go online and buy an egg . . . Find a nice fag hag with childbearing hips, inseminate her with a turkey baster. Or you could adopt. Or you could do both and become the Mia Farrow of Ashdean!”
“Ade. Be serious,” said Tristan.
“I don’t know how it works. I’ve never wanted kids . . . Come on, let’s go and sit on the pier. I feel rather common, eating chips on the pavement.”
They found an empty bench looking out to sea.
“This case is getting to me. Hearing about these four young men whose bodies were found, raped and strangled. Noah Huntley is gay but got married so he wouldn’t be lonely . . . My sister loves me, but I know she’s scared I’m going to end up alone, that I won’t find happiness . . . And you said something a few weeks ago, at the pub, that you’ve lost plenty of friends to parenthood. I just don’t know where I fit in. What my life is going to be like.”
Ade put his hand on Tristan’s.
“Tris. You don’t have to fit in, you know. There are plenty of straight people who don’t want children or can’t have children. And that’s fine. Life isn’t all about having children. Yes, there are plenty of gays and lesbians who have children or adopt. And then there are rancid old queens like me, who are quite happy to live alone . . . I love my own space. I cherish living alone, but I’m not lonely.”
“Don’t you wish you had a boyfriend?”
“Sometimes. But I’ve been there, done that, got the T-shirt. I’m a very good friend, but I don’t think I’m a good boyfriend. Tris, you’re what? Twenty-five?”
“Yeah.”
“You know who you are, and you know what you want to do with your life. I believe you are going to be a successful private detective, with a successful business. Think how lucky you are in comparison to David Lamb and—what was his name?”
“Gabe Kemp.”
“They didn’t have the choices or the advantages you do, and they no longer have the luxury of life. And you get to be the person to catch who killed them. Yes?” said Ade. He was now looking serious.
“Yes, but the police want to reopen the Joanna Duncan case, now we’ve found the link. We’re worried Joanna’s mother won’t want us to continue,” said Tristan.
“Yes. I saw the news earlier. Kathy Marshall.”
“I know. Kate wasn’t happy about that. The police said they would credit the agency, but they got her name wrong. It was thanks to us that they’re able to link the investigations.”
“Then don’t give up! If you and Kate want your business to succeed, make it happen!”
“Thank you. You’re right,” said Tristan, wiping his eyes and pulling his T-shirt back on.
“Good, that’s settled, then,” said Ade. “What are you doing tonight? Do you fancy a couple of bevvies at the Boar’s Head? There’s that Canadian Cilla Black impersonator who sings ‘What’s It All Aboot, Alfie.’”
Tristan smiled and nodded. “Okay. Just a couple. We’re meeting Noah Huntley tomorrow, and I need to prepare.”
37
After Tristan left to go home, Kate made dinner for Jake, and they ate, watching the TV. The story came up again on the evening news, showing the photos of David and Gabe and part of the Crimewatch reconstruction.