Millstone - Chapter 4

So the next morning Millstone seemed unchanged, the revelations of the previous day where a source of gossip but not the huge sensation you might think. The main topic of conversation relating to it was, as you might expect in that part of the world, the effect on house prices. Various residents had theories on where this secret millionaire resident might be lurking. Houses that had recently undergone extensions or sightings of expensive cars were held up as definitive proof of the location of the celebrity in their midst. So ultimately there was little real impact...on the surface of things.

Martin for example was trying his very best to act normally. Sadly for him however, he was a terrible actor and so it was an act that invariably made everyone around him suspicious. Lisa had long suspected her husband harboured a secret, his failure to get a proper job and his constant shiftiness about his life in general had made her distrustful and was a major part of the reason the two were so detached and estranged these days. The irony is that Martin being secretive, defensive and evasive about writing a best-selling erotic novels had actually first driven Lisa to seek an outlet in the very fantasy world her husband had created.

Lisa was just leaving for work when she saw Martin on the phone out on the patio. Another secret he wasn't sharing she thought. She waved at him and he half-waved back in her direction. Lisa sighed, it never used to be like this, she thought. He was a good guy, dependable, kind...he used to be open and attentive too. She grabbed her bag and left for work. Along the way she thought excitedly about DC Williams. She might be driving past him right now, how she'd love to find him and talk endlessly about Samantha Brantley, the world she inhabited and her journey to self discovery and empowerment.

Martin was still on the phone. He never called the publishers office, his contact was almost invariably with Jo, she handled everything for him and was the buffer between the world of publishing and his own humdrum unremarkable existence. It was inexplicable that all this had been shattered last night. He had to find out what had happened. "Jo, call me back as soon as you get this" he begged onto her voicemail...it was the third such message he'd left and numerous texts accompanied it. Why on earth wasn't she answering

One hundred miles to the south Jo was a mess, she was definitely going to be "Working from home" today she thought as she pulled a pillow down over her head. Those cocktails were a very bad idea on a school night. She wasn't worried though, her bosses had basically told her to paint the town read after their recent success marketing DC Williams work. Her cat had been bothering her for over an hour now but the little menace was making as little progress in getting her attention is Martin was.

Eventually, realising he was making no progress, Martin decided he needed to go for a run and clear his head. Whilst out he tried to go through the scenarios. Jo had talked him into revealing his gender, that had not really been a problem...in fact it had opened up immense interest in his work. Although she and reclusive Martin certainly wasn't averse to the money his success had brought. He just struggled to explain it. So Millstone was a town with 6000 people, even if the general public did know the author's location it didn't mean that his identity would be revealed. Jo had always been so careful. that was why this was so confusing. He needed to speak to her...until he did there was no point behaving like a paranoid basket case.

Martin ran along the river and past St Virgil's church as strains of organ music drifted through the air. The morning service was just coming to an end and Reverend Susan was just about to dismiss her congregation. A bleary eye Casey was up in the choir loft playing hymns during the service. She had used him until well into the early hours as she devoured "Her Flame Darkened" and enjoyed orgasm after orgasm. This morning, however, everything appeared entirely innocent and above board. "Thank you everyone for your part in today's service..." she simpered, then couldn't resist adding "...special thanks as always to our resident curate, Casey, for playing on our organ so exquisitely". Casey nearly burst out laughing at this but covered his outburst with a little flourish on the keyboard and avoided eye-contact with the incorrigable vicar. If the parishioners suspected any impropriety they didn't show it, merely glancing up towards Casey and smiling warmly. Susan processed down to the aisle to the strains of Jerusalem and waited outside to chat to her flock as always. The pews emptied and eventually Casey emerged "You are so bad" he whispered.

Susan pretended to be looking into the distance "They won't suspect...the frumpy old spinster and the high school heart-throb" She turned to him "You look exhausted...Thought you young'ns would have more stamina"

Casey tried to look innocent but was blushing furiously

Susan continued "Anyway that extra large bowl of porridge I gave you was for a reason...I presume you are going for your run this morning. On your way back I want to you pop into "The Lotus Flower" on the high street....you can't miss it, it is the new age bookshop with the Buddhist prayer flags outside and the haze of incense emenating from it....If anyone is going to know who our resident pervert is it will be Andrea the hippy. See if she stocks the books and then strike up a conversation about it"

Casey rolled his eyes "So I am just finding the town's free-love exponent and engaging her in a chat about erotica literature"

Susan scowled "Oh don't be coy...Think of it as continuing your education. Go, jump to it"

Martin was feeling much better for getting some fresh air in his lungs and some blood flowing through his brain. Things would be okay, there had been no satellite news trucks on the high street or helicopters however overhead. It was just a storm in a teacup. Things would be okay. As he run up one of the hills surrounding the town he saw a looming shape in the distance. A horse and rider on the bridleway. He stepped up onto the verge as he always did. Growing up in a large town he was still innately nervous around animals. As the horse approached he recognised the rider as Lucinda, one of Lisa's friends, she beamed at him "Martin!" she shouted. Lucinda was a rubenesque middle-aged lady, a single mother of two she was perpetually tired, in a rush and generally covered in the mess that two young children bring with them. On the rare occasion she let her hair down, put on her heels and selected one of the bodice exposing dresses she kept at the back of the wardrobe it was generally agreed she looked a million dollars.

Today she was dressed in a riding jacket with the white blouse and jodphurs that highlighted the plush womanly thighs. She looked down on Martin "What a lovely surprise...Still training for the marathon"

Martin was still trying to get his breathing under control, this hill was always a torment so he was actually glad for the break but not particularly glad to to see Lucinda. It wasn't that he didn't like her, it was just that at New Years Eve the two of them had over-indulged in some shameless flirting and Martin was worried he had crossed a line that probably didn't need to be crossed. It was a situation, that on reflection could get way out of control. "Yes..." he said as he put his hands on top of his head and tried to not to look too exhausted "...Every other day now, not going too bad though. Eighteen miles today I hope"

Lucinda smiled "All that heavy breathing could make a girl blush. Finding you here all hot and sweaty" and made a show of fanning herself ostentatiously.

Martin smiled self-consciously, the warning lights were going off in his head and yet he found himself saying "Building up my stamina".

Lucinda grinned "Can think of less punishing ways" she said then casually waved her riding crop and added "...amongst others."

Martin raised his eyebrow. This was going too far now and both of them smiled and an unspoken armistice was agreed. This was, after all, his wife's friend.

The spell was broken now and Lucinda turned away. "Anyway..." she said she jabbed her heels into the flanks for the poor obvious horse and it begin to trot on "Seriously though..." she called over her shoulder "...Do knock if you are ever passing and need some water or anything".

Martin was surprised now and so nodded "Oh yes...will do...." then called "Bye!" as Lucinda disappeared down the hill.

"What was that?" he thought to himself. This was turning into a very weird 24 hours.

Martin restarted his watch wondering if there would have been a spike in pulse rate during their flirtatious exchange. He had been going for another couple of minutes when he became aware of footsteps and breathing behind him. He turned and found Casey charging up the hill behind him.

Within a minute of so the American had caught him up "Hey!" he announced brightly "It's Martin isn't it?". The hill seemed to be posing no challenge at all to Casey and he was barely breaking sweat while Martin toiled.

When faced with a fellow runner clearly fitter and younger than yourself Martin did what all middle aged men do and that was to suppress any visible traces of fatigue and try to keep pace with the other guy. A few friendly exchanges followed in which Martin explained he was training for the London Marathon and Casey casually let slip he had completed both New York and Chicago and hoped to do Boston one day before Martin admitted defeat and waved Casey to go ahead...Casey did this....fast and soon the younger man was disappearing off into the distance leaving Martin thoroughly demoralised.

By this time poor Jo was sat in front of her laptop enduring a very angry Zoom meeting with her bosses. The identity of their star author was supposed to be a closely guarded secret and yet last night a well known columnist and media star had all but revealed it to the nation. This was potentially a disaster and the only place the leak could have come from was Jo or a senior partner. After she had finally checked her phone and saw the messages she had to sober up very quickly. She was already on her second cup of coffee although she had had no breakfast. She sat there wearing a smart blouse but still had her pyjama bottoms and slippers on

"So does Martin know yet" came a question from one quarter. Aaron one of the senior management.

Jo nodded "Yes, he's left me messages...I haven't replied yet"

"And you still don't know how Allston found out?" asked another manager Vicky, someone who had never really been very friendly to Jo.

"No..." this was a lie, Jo had realised what had happened almost immediately. How could she have been so stupid? "...I have been in contact with him, he's a great resource, remember the column he did when we revealed DC Williams is male? He'd been very good to us. I am not sure how he would have gleaned the information though. Maybe something in the emails or Word docs we've sent"

Aaron continued "Well I will call Martin and smooth things over...you get onto Allston and find out what he knows and what we have to do ensure no more leaks before the next launch"

Jo nodded enthusiastically despite her growling hangover. Vicky "This is absolutely unacceptable Jo, you do realised this. You drop off this call and we'll decided what we are going to do"

Jo fought back the tears and closed the connection. She was in a lot of trouble. She had to contact Martin first let him know he could still trust her. She dialled him as soon as she was away from the computer. He was, at this point, descended the hill and making his way back to Millstone. He stopped immediately. His phone was in a holster on his arm and so he very almost missed it whilst fumbling with it. He saw it was Jo at last. He was still gasping for air as answer punctuating each word with a breathy gasp, "What the fuck has happened?" he asked before Jo had even had a chance to say hello, fair enough she thought.


She took a deep breath "It's all my fault Martin, I am so sorry....I accidentally forward a message meant for you to Richard Allston...I didn't realise. The bastard didn't even let me know."

Martin was still livid "Well you know the deal, that was the only reason I went with you guys...anonymity! NO PUBLICITY! And then you go and fuck it all up!"

The was no reply for a second and then the noise of snotty, girlish sobbing. Martin closed his eyes. He needed to get his temper under control "....Okay Jo......Jo, work out what we need to do. How much does this guy know?".

Jo wiped her eyes and blew her nose "I am going to phone him next but as far as I know he doesn't know your name...just the location....I am so sorry Martin. They are probably going to can me....they are so angry with me. One of the partners hates me anyway...bitch. They'll probably move me to editing those ridiculous childrens books or self-help books" then more sobs.

Martin grimaced. He had worked with Jo for years. She had always been good to him, gone the extra mile to work with him while keeping his identity secret, worked hard to publicise the books with no actually author to profile or promote. His breathing was more normal and his temper had ebbed "More they'll put you on Email for Dummies?"

Jo chuckled although the sound was somewhere between laughter and a croak "Sounds about right...Leave this with me, it will be okay I promise. I will sort this out with Allston even if I have to bump the bugger off...Aaron Wallace is going to call you, please don't tell him I've rung."

Martin nodded to no-one and then said "Okay....I'll speak to you later. Please sort this out"

Jo closed her eyes, she had no idea if she could be would have to try.

Martin rang off and began the long run back towards town.

Five minutes later, on the M40, a phone rang in a car. Richard Allston looked to the vehicle's display screen "Jo @ Wallace Turner" on the screen. He grinned but let it ring off. Let her dangle on the hook a little longer her thought. His bombshell last night had certainly aroused a lot of interest. He'd decided to go and take a look around Millstone for himself. Getting an interview with DS Williams would be an extremely good scoop and as far as the London media circles were concerned Richard was the only person with knowledge of where to find the man. Letting Jo get desperate would only help him.

At the same time, on a train speeding between Marylebone and Oxford, Miranda Masterson was reading the Wikipedia page on Millstone...she was going to find DC Williams and grabbed him be the short and curlies...and in the process she was going to get one over on Richard Alston. She tapped her exquisitely manicured French nails on the surface of the table.

All roads lead to Millstone.