What’s more there was no reason for the students not to be seen taking the photographs, but they had been sworn to secrecy about why they were taking them. Well yeah, I did have to put up a good few bob in prize money for the best shots, but I figured it a small price to pay.
When I put the plan into operation I suppose I did ask myself, was it going to work? But I figured that if John Ryan were trying to get my Trudy into bed, then they’d both have to be insane to actually commit adultery when they never knew when the next little shit was going to pop up out of nowhere and snap a candid picture of them.
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“You’re smiling, what do you find so funny about it. That young man just appeared out of nowhere and took a picture of me; I felt like I was being stalked.” Trudy finally said.
“Oh, don’t be so paranoid Trudy. He was probably a student from the college taking some candid pictures around town. They’re always about, haven’t you noticed them before today?” I replied.
“Yes I have, but this boy purposely took a picture of me!”
“And as I’ve said so many times, who could blame him; you are the most beautiful woman in town. What do you expect him to do?”
“You think he’d take my picture just because of my looks?”
“What other possible reason would he take it for Trudy? Unless you were doing something illicit and he was a private detective getting evidence for your boyfriend’s wife.” I laughed out loud as if it was a joke.
“But I wouldn’t…”
“Trudy that was a joke, I would never suggest you’d do anything like that!” I lied. “I’m sure the guy was a student from the college who was just struck by your natural beauty. Don’t worry about it.”
I won’t say Trudy looked convinced, but she let the subject drop after that.
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“It was a girl this time!”
“Who was, what’d she do?” I replied, as if I didn’t know.
“Took my picture as I came out of the lobby of the office at lunch time! I tried to ask her why she took it, but she vanished into the crowd.”
“Coincidence Trudy.
“I don’t think so, she was waiting for me, I’m sure she was.”
“You’re getting paranoid Trudy. I’m sure they’re just students from the college I see them taking pictures around town all the time.”
“But they don’t single you out and take pictures of you!”
“Trudy I could hardly be considered anyone’s pin-up, but you always look immaculate. I’m not surprised they want to get you into their pictures. Think yourself lucky some of those youngsters will probably be taking pictures of the rich and famous in the near future. Can you really object to them practising by taking pictures of you?”
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“They were in the White Hart today!”
“Who?”
“Those kids, taking pictures.”
“So?”
“Well, there was a whole crowd of them taking pictures in the garden.”
“What of you?”
“No, not specifically. Of the pub itself; but we were sitting in the garden at the time. I know that we were in some of them.”
“Whose the we, we’re talking about here, Trudy?”
“You know, the girls from the office; we popped into the White Hart at lunch time for a drink because it was Sandra’s birthday.”
“Ah, secret boozing sessions during the day, eh?” I replied humorously
“Don’t be silly Kevin, you know we go for a little drink on our birthdays! Sometimes we all go out on the following Friday evening on to celebrate as well.”
“And are you all going for a piss-up this Friday with Sandra?”
“Well I was, but I don’t think I am now.”
“Why’s that?”
“Oh, just somebody who’s getting up my nose a little in the office. If they’re going to be there I think I’ll give it a miss.”
I didn’t bite and kept my mouth firmly closed, but to say this news was music to my ears would have been an understatement. I had to assume that ‘the somebody’ in question was John Ryan.
But then I got to thinking, cynical bugger that I am. What if you’ve just been dealt a ringer, my son. Was your loving wife getting suspicious that you were responsible for those students with cameras all over the place, and was she very carefully and cunningly covering her arse? Good question, eh?
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Peter Phillips my college lecturer buddy called me at the office the following morning
“Kevin my old mate, I’d say something’s definitely cooking. Four of my students were at the White Heart yesterday lunchtime. We go there every year and take pictures of the whole place; you know, publicity stuff. The hotel manager gives us the run of the place and we supply all the pictures he’d ever need for his brochures and the like.”
“Anyway there was a crowd of women from Sangster’s out in the garden, somebody’s birthday of something; your Trudy was with them. Well a guy with them tackled one of the students. He wanted to know why she was taking pictures of him; no prizes for guessing who it was. Well, he tackled the wrong student, Sasha’s got a mouth on her and she told him he’d be bloody lucky. Why should she want to photograph an old fart like him; she’d been tasked with taking pictures of the hotel and if he happened to be in the garden that was her loss, not his.”
“What did he say to that?”
“Not much that he could say really, whilst he was talking to young Sasha one of the women from the Sangster party asked another student to take a group picture of all the girls together. Well the young lad was only too pleased to do so. Mind, Sasha did note that two of the party, a certain guy and your wife Trudy, didn’t sit in for the group picture; they seemed to be very camera shy.”