A Roll in the Hay, стр. 35

Hopping into the shower, one of her favourite modernised parts of the house, Susannah emptied her mind as the cascade of water splashed down on her. It was cleansing and massaging in one, and some days she never wanted to get out from under the spray.

Her mind finally zoned back in on some detail or other, and that set her thinking about Tess and how reluctantly she’d made her excuses last night. Of course, Waffles had needed to be walked, and he’d been with Margo since lunchtime, but even so, Tess had been slow to actually get out the door.

Susannah leaned into the flow of water. When exactly was the last time someone had seemed to genuinely want to be in her company? Especially this past year when she’d been wrapped up in grief and stress—even less approachable than usual.

“Someone got a good night’s sleep!” Finn declared as Susannah walked into the office, dressed in her one of her smartest suits, a navy pinstripe that always made her feel like she should be making bankers or politicians weep. She should have gone with it for the presentation yesterday.

“You look like a whole new woman,” Finn said.

“Let’s not overdo it.”

“You disappeared before the end of the reception yesterday, and nobody had seen you by the time Dave came to pick me up. Is that good news, or…?”

“Alas, Finn, it seems a certain someone has been trying to use her name and connections to turn the council to her side. It’s been quite successful too.”

Finn slapped the desk in annoyance. With Finn’s contact lenses swapped in for glasses, and a light sweater instead of the usual sharp tailoring, they looked softer today, more casual. It was quite appealing, really.

“So, what do we do?”

“Yesterday my answer was cry, get drunk, maybe go out after dark and shout obscenities at the moon.”

“Did it work?”

“I changed the plan a little, which left me refreshed and ready enough to realise that it’s time for a real charm offensive. Robin has sold these smarmy bastards a mirage. She has no power here, and doesn’t make any decisions. Sure, she has money, but she’s not the real carrier of the Karlson name anymore.”

Finn leaned forward in their seat, sensing blood in the water. “And?”

“And we need to make everyone aware of that. Remind them who will be making the money and the deals around here. Who will be calling the shots. It’s a new day, and it’s time I stood up for myself properly. First stop: get a journalist from that local rag up here today. Time for more than just tossing a press release to the wind and hoping for the best.”

“Really? A journalist?”

“Yes. I want all this reframed on the grieving widow. I’m not happy with my marriage being dismissed, because whatever our reasons for marrying, we were partners for years and kept all this going together. That doesn’t mean it takes second place to some sibling nonsense. No, it has to be about me, about women succeeding, and how dare anyone get in the way.”

Finn nodded and started tapping furiously on their tablet.

“Then I want to make appointments to go and see these horses that need to be stabled. Can you, uh…make sure someone from the vet surgery is free to come and check them with me?”

“No problem,” Finn replied. “Anything else?”

Susannah hesitated again, digging the heel of her shoe into the thick carpet. It was a half-baked notion at best, an idea that mostly came to her in a dream. An idea that had persisted through exercise, a long shower, and dressing.

“Speaking of getting back on the horse, well, sort of… I don’t suppose there are any little soirées coming up where I might cross paths with some interesting people? Only I think I’ve been stuck indoors as the grieving widow long enough, don’t you?”

Finn actually squealed.

Should have seen that one coming.

“Are you serious? Oh, Susannah, that is such good news. That’s progress is what that is!”

Fiddling with the button on her white blouse, Susannah avoided looking up for the moment. These things were excruciating enough to say without having to maintain eye contact.

“Yes, well. I admit I’ve been a little lonely up here. You’ve been wonderful, above and beyond, really. It’s just I rather feel there might be at least someone interesting out there. Someone I could talk to about things other than work, and the inner workings of this place.”

“You can—”

“I know, Finn. But you know what I mean. What you have with Dave in all his loveliness, I’d like to have that too—or at least see who’s out there, just in case they turn out to be amazing.”

Finn got up and walked slowly around the table, drawing Susannah into a sudden and fierce hug. They stood like that for a moment.

“Jimmy told me to move on when he left,” Susannah said. “And, you know, I saw a woman or two in private now and then.”

“So, no dating apps, then?” Finn asked. “You want to meet someone the old-fashioned way?”

Susannah nodded. “I don’t really want my dating profile to end up in the papers, just to have a fun drink with someone, you know?”

“Oh, I certainly do know. Susannah, you don’t have someone in mind already, do you?”

Damn that Finn and their suspicious mind. Honestly, Police Scotland didn’t know what a top-class detective they were missing out on.

“Please, with the dating pool around here? I know you don’t have to live in the big city to find your fellow queers these days, but if I wanted to meet a like-minded person, someone who probably won’t rob me after the third date…any suggestions?”

“I’m afraid lesbian bars are a dying breed these days,” Finn said. “But there are plenty of mixed places, and lots of one-off nights in great venues. I could come with you, you know, for moral support.”

“Then I’d look like I was already coupled up.”

“Ah, then a group? No?