Cafe Soleil - Episode 8

“Christ, did you call the police?”

“No, I didn’t, because he’d only get madder.”

“What do you want me to do?  Beat him up?”

“Oh, Darryl, I don’t think you’d stand a chance.  He’s got a black belt. No, that’s not the answer.  It’s just one more problem I didn’t need.”

“Maybe I can help.”

“I just don’t know.  I don’t want to burden you with muy problems.  You’ve got enough of your own…with Mark…and all”

He didn’t want to say that they’d face their problems together, because it was just too soon.  There were too many unanswered questions.  It was a co-incidence surely, that she was in that very same hospital as mark at the same time after he was knocked down.  They never found the car or the driver.  He didn’t want to think that there might be some connection.  She did like a tipple, that was true, but that didn’t make her culpable.  He rubbed his eyes, as if to dismiss the thought.

A few weeks later, when the detective showed up at the café – it wasn’t one of the locals that he’d been serving flat whites to for ages – it was someone from the “Accident Investigation Team” – Darryl was surprised and had to admit to some fear.  What if his worst case scenario was true and Susannah had something to do with Mark’s accident? No, no, no.

“Take a seat, “Darryl said, wiping his hands on his streaked apron.  It was near closing time and luckily there weren’t many people in the café.  In the quiet corner he’d picked, they could be pretty much undisturbed.  What would the locals think, that he was in some sort of trouble? Rosie would take care of any stragglers at the till.

 
He looked at Detective Cassidy expectantly.

“Would you like a coffee or something? I was just about to turn the machine off, but…”

“No, I’m fine.  I wanted to talk to you about Mark’s accident.  We think we may have found some new evidence about what happened on that night.  Someone has called in new information about a vehicle that was seen speeding from the scene.”

“It was rainy and wet that night.  Blowing a gale.  I don’t know why he went out”

He didn’t know why he was adding this information, and he really wanted the detective to tell hjm what they had found out, but there was a small voice in his head saying “not yet, I don’t really want to know” so he just ploughed on.

 

“Always headstrong.  Never listens to his dad.  Even though he had to get up early to open the café, still goes out to get smokes.  Never took any notice of the Quit programmes that are all over the place now.  Gave it up myself years ago.  Never looked back.”

Detective Cassidy gave him a quizzical look and continued.

“Anyhow, our investigation are still continuing.  But I wanted to talk to you about your son.  I know you went through all this with the local police, but I hoped you wouldn’t mind me asking a few more questions”

God, did they suspect him now, because that was what it sounded like.  It was like an interrogation, the ones they do on CSI or Criminal Minds or something.  He’d have to stop watching so many of those crime shows, they were getting to him.

“So I know this might be an obvious question, but did Mark have any enemies…that you know of, I mean?”

“No, no, no.  Mark wouldn’t hurt a fly.  I can’t understand why you’re asking this…”

“Just routine, Mr Cavanagh.”

“Call me Darryl, please.  No, I can’t think of anyone at all.  Why is this coming up now?”