Chapter 3

The meeting room was stifling. Scott fanned himself with his hand. The air conditioning had broken down and it was another warm day.

"Jesus, it's hot," Scott said.

"Tell me about it," Carla Jennings replied. "If it gets much worse, I'm sending everyone home to work."

As the HR Director, Carla had the unenviable task of keeping everyone at Pleasure Seekers on the straight and narrow. She openly considered Scott her right-hand man. It could be a hindrance and a curse when she gave him the jobs she didn't trust to anyone else.

"I'm not going home," Sheila Sinclair piped up. "Martin's having the loft boarded out. Honestly, don't let your partner retire before you. He spends most of his time talking to the workmen, meaning the whole thing takes twice as long. And costs more."

Sheila had a tendency to suck the joy out of every situation. She reported directly to Scott, which made for very depressing one-to-one meetings. He had every sympathy with Martin wanting to disappear into the loft.

"Why are you having it boarded out?" Scott asked. "Do we need to make a sign for Martin's Man Cave?"

Sheila sighed. "Don't encourage him. Apparently, it's been his life dream to build a model railway. It's the first I've heard of it. Still, if it shuts him up while my soap operas are on, he can do what he likes."

Scott got up and wandered over to the window. The rest of the team watched him. The ice-cream van had parked up in its usual spot outside a warehouse that housed a massive soft play area for kids.

"I've got the perfect cool-down idea," Scott said. "Ice creams are on me."

Zain the recruitment manager and Alice the HR assistant cheered. Sheila looked concerned.

"I've got an exposed nerve in my upper left molar," she said. "It would be the worst thing I could do right now."

Scott swallowed down the hundred responses that formed in his mind and forced a smile on his face. "Perhaps I might tempt you to a glass of water, Sheila?"

Carla caught his eye. She knew how Sheila irritated him. Scott complained to her enough.

"So that's four cones?" Carla asked. "Are you positive, Sheila?"

"Maybe I'll try one," Sheila replied. "Never let it be said I'm a stick-in-the-mud."

God forbid.

"I'll help you, Scott," Carla said. "Let's finish this meeting another day. It's cooler in the main office."

"Guys. Do me a favour," Scott said, as they stood. "Don't complain too loudly about the temperature. Barry was crying earlier."

Barry Cunningham was Pleasure Seekers very highly strung office manager. He had taken the discomfort of his colleagues very seriously. Scott had last seen him in the male changing rooms, pleading down the phone with a repair company. It appeared they were very busy.

Sheila sighed. "He does his best, I suppose."

Carla and Scott locked eyes. Carla shook her head.

"Right, let's go," Scott said.

The HR team filed out of the little room.

"Carla, I'll go and grab my wallet."

He ran over to the desk he was using that day. Pleasure Seekers operated a hot desking policy. Scott loved it. Sometimes he would choose to sit with his team. Others, he would gravitate toward Tyler and Eddie. A strategy he had employed that day.

"Fuck me, it's warm," he said, under his breath, to Tyler.

Tyler sat opposite his colleague and friend of all the flatmates, Amanda Pickering. She frowned at Scott.

"Barry is doing his best," she snapped.

Scott had a theory that Barry and Amanda had a love affair a few years ago. He glanced over at Tyler, who made a face.

"I'm sure he is, Amanda," Scott replied. "He's never let us down yet."

Amanda reddened. Scott didn't think it was a heat rash.

Having retrieved his wallet, Scott held it up. "I'm going to take matters into my own hands. Ice cream?"

"No thank you," Amanda replied.

Tyler had brought Amanda out of her shell when he'd first arrived. Before then she'd been the office grouch. A position Sheila had evidently set her sights on.

If she wants a reference, I'll gladly oblige.

Amanda still had a tendency to clam up around Scott. He suspected she knew he was on to her. He'd interrogated her enough times.

"No thanks," Tyler said.

"Suit yourselves. Don't be jealous when I return with the biggest Mr Whippyyou've ever seen."

He wandered over to the main doors, where Carla waited for him. At almost forty, Carla had joined Pleasure Seekers around the same time as Scott. They'd instantly got on like a house on fire.

She always wore her flame-red curls down. They seemed to have a life of their own and gave her a startling appearance that she played up to with an ever-present slick of red lipstick.

They walked through into reception.

"We're going to the ice-cream van," Scott said to Charlotte, the receptionist. "Can I tempt you?"

"You certainly can," she replied.

Scott winked as he and Carla waited for the lift.

"You're such a doll, Scotty," Carla said.

"How many times have I told you? Never Scotty. I only let my mother get away with that."

Carla giggled. "I can't help it if it suits you."

"I'll complain to HR."

The lift came and they got in. By some miracle, it was cool inside.

"Fuck, it must have its own air con unit," Scott exclaimed. "Let's ride it all afternoon."

Carla checked her appearance in the mirror. "I'm glad I've got some time with you. There's something I want to talk to you about. Confidentially."

Although Scott had one of the biggest mouths in Pleasure Seekers, he held more secrets than he spilt. He only gossiped about common knowledge things. That was why he had kept his Amanda-and-Barry theory to the confines of their flat.

"Okay. Shoot," he said.

The lift got to the ground floor and they walked out into the still air.

"There's no breeze," Scott said. "It was cool at the weekend. I thought we'd seen the last of summer."

"Don't knock it," Carla replied. "I hate the cold."

Carla led him outside. She waited until they were crossing the car park.

"I've got a mission for you and it's got to be kept quiet, Scott. I mean it."

"Do you even have to ask?"

"You'll never guess what Carla told me today," Scott said.

He, Eddie and Tyler were walking to the cinema. They didn't share much time together these days, and Scott had determined on making the most of it.

"What?" Tyler asked.

"You can't say a word," Scott replied. "Not even to Danny or Billy. If word gets out, I'm dead."

"As if we would risk your life like that," Eddie said.

They were almost at the entrance. Scott beckoned them away from the door. There was no point in announcing gossip without the required dramatic build-up.

"Someone has stolen a load of dildos. I'm talking thousands of pounds worth."

He let the words hang in the air. It was very rare that employees stole from Pleasure Seekers. They treated the staff so well it would be frowned on by everyone.

"How?" Eddie asked. "That building is bursting at the seams with people and sex toys."

"Surely we have cameras too," Tyler added.

"All that you say is true," he said. "Yet, the stock is missing."

"You're loving this."

Scott glared at Eddie. "As if I would take pleasure in seeking a thief," he replied. "See what I did there."

Tyler groaned.

"Not just any thief," Eddie said, rubbing his hands together. "The Great Dildo Pilferer, no less."

"I love it," Scott declared.

Tyler glanced at his watch. "We should go in."

They went into the soulless multiplex cinema. Eddie had persuaded them to see the latest superhero movie. When Scott had first shared a flat with Eddie, he had hated such things. Yet, Eddie had ground him down and now he almost enjoyed them.

Kids packed the lobby, ready to eat their bodyweight in sugar, accompanied by parents equally as ill prepared for the rush that would follow.

"I've got the tickets on my phone," Eddie said.

"Snacks then," Scott declared. "Before we do, in answer to your question, Tyler, yes, we've checked the CCTV and can't see anything. It's like they vanished into thin air. Even Barry doesn't have a lead. He?—"

Scott stared over Tyler's shoulder. He saw two figures in the queue for popcorn.

Quick as a flash, he grabbed hold of Tyler and Eddie and dragged them behind a cardboard cutout of Jason Momoa.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Tyler exclaimed.

"Get down," Scott urged.

They all crouched. Scott had no doubt how ridiculous they would look to anyone coming into the cinema.

"Are you trying to cause a panic?" Eddie asked.

"Tyler, peek around your side. Popcorn queue."

Tyler slowly stuck his head around the stand. He darted back.

"Shit."

"Will somebody tell me what's going on?" Eddie said.

"It's Amanda and Barry," Scott said. "In the queue. Together."

"No."

Tyler sneaked a second recce. "I can confirm there is hand-holding."

"No," Eddie and Scott said in unison.

Tyler pulled away.

"Okay." Scott said. "We have two choices. Bust them and cause us all untold embarrassment. Or bail the fuck out of here and go for a drink."

"I vote the second option," Tyler said.

Eddie sighed. "Me too. Fuck. I really want to see that movie."

"I don't think Scott is going to sit quietly in the dark for two hours after what we just witnessed."

Scott swatted him on the shoulder. "Don't tell me it's not fighting to get out of you too, Tyler Jones."

Tyler burst into laughter. "Can I say what the fuck?"

"What the fuck indeed. Come on, I'm buying."

They crept out of the cinema in the style of SAS paratroopers. Once outside again, Scott let out a sigh.

"Do you think…"

"Don't say it," Eddie interjected.

Tyler frowned. "Don't say what?"

"Do you think they're sleeping together?" Scott blurted out.

Eddie and Tyler looked aghast.

"Now I've got that image in my mind," Tyler wailed.

"I tried to warn you," Eddie replied.

One of their favourite bars was around the corner. A strawberry daiquiri in the warm air would be much nicer than being in a stuffy movie theatre anyway.

Scott linked arms with his two friends.

"It's all happening today," Scott said. "Just think, boys. When you're laying your head to sleep tonight, Amanda will be making Barry feel better about the air conditioning."

They both shoved him away. Scott doubled over in hysterics.

"Go Amanda."