Necessary as Blood

area, lowered his voice. ‘I can‘t afford to be involved in some sort of squabble that would damage the club‘s reputation.‘
    ‘Squabble?‘ Now, it was Gemma‘s voice that rose. ‘Mr Ritchie, a child‘s well-being depends on—‘
    Melody touched Gemma‘s arm, a definite back-off signal. ‘Boss, I think Mr Ritchie‘s been very helpful.‘ Realizing that Melody was right, Gemma forced a smile. ‘Of course. I understand your concerns, Mr Ritchie. But if you think about Charlotte...‘
    ‘Look, I‘m not much of a kid person. And Sandra didn‘t bring Charlotte when she came to the club, so I suppose I haven‘t seen her since she was in nappies — she‘s not still in nappies, is she?‘ Ritchie looked a little dismayed at the thought.
    ‘No. She‘s almost three, and she‘s a lovely, bright little girl.‘ Gemma leaned forward, at her most persuasive. ‘She is, I imagine, a lot like Sandra. And she‘s missing her mum, and now her dad. Mr Ritchie, I‘ve met Sandra‘s mother, and I don‘t think anyone who cared for Sandra would want Charlotte to go there.‘
    ‘That‘s straight-out blackmail, and you‘re very well aware of it,‘ he shot back, but the animosity had gone from his tone. ‘Look, I want to help Sandra‘s little girl. But it has to be something better than repeating a speculation about an incident that happened years ago. Are you sure Pippa can‘t tell you anything more? She and Sandra were closer, in some ways.‘
    ‘Roy Blakely told me that Sandra and Pippa hadn‘t been getting on. When I asked Pippa, she said they‘d disagreed over the way Sandra was marketing her work, and that Pippa was no longer representing her. But she seemed very upset over Naz.‘
    ‘Put it down to a guilty conscience over being a bitch,‘ said Ritchie, with such unexpected bite that Melody, who had been watching a newcomer get into the lift, looked round, as startled as Gemma.
    Seeing their faces, Ritchie shrugged and set his empty cup down on the tray. ‘You have to take anything Pippa tells you with a grain of salt. She disapproved of Sandra‘s commissions for me, and for my clients. Those who can‘t do have to find some way to criticize those who can.‘
    ‘Pippa was jealous of Sandra?‘ asked Gemma, thinking back over their conversation.
    ‘Pippa would have killed for Sandra‘s talent. Oh, I don‘t mean that literally, of course,‘ he amended, seeming to realize what he‘d said. ‘And to give Pippa credit, she does have a gift for recognizing talent. But her own work was always derivative, all about following the latest trend rather than expressing any personal vision. Not that I was much better.‘ His smile was rueful. ‘But Pippa... Pippa couldn‘t give up gracefully. If she couldn‘t create art, she wanted to control it, and Sandra wouldn‘t play. Sandra just wanted to do what she loved and make a decent living at it. Most of us should be so fortunate.‘ His eyes went to the collage hanging over the reception desk, and the emotion drained from his face. He stood. ‘I‘m sorry, but I‘ve got a club to run.‘
    Karen had been fielding a steady influx of members, and had begun to cast harried glances Ritchie‘s way.
    Having obviously been dismissed, Gemma and Melody followed suit, and he walked them to the front door. As he opened it, he said, ‘Surely, there‘s someone looking out for Charlotte Malik‘s interests.‘
    ‘Social services, Mr Ritchie,‘ said Gemma, now more certain than ever that that wasn‘t good enough. ‘And me.‘

    ‘What‘s his game, do you think?‘ asked Melody as they walked back towards Spitalfields. ‘He never actually answered when you asked him if he and Sandra were lovers.‘
    ‘No, he didn‘t, did he?‘ answered Gemma. ‘And I‘m not quite sure why he would evade one way or the other. What does he have to lose? But I do get the sense that he and Pippa Nightingale aren‘t on the best of terms.‘
    ‘Really?‘ Melody grinned at her. ‘So do you think this Pippa has the unrequited hots for him, and held a grudge against Sandra because he preferred her?‘ Gemma considered as she walked. They passed the old nut-roasting warehouse, the lettering on the brick facade faded against the deep August blue of the sky. ‘Pippa‘s a strange one. A bit fey... and I think Ritchie‘s right about the controlling issue. She likes being the centre of the drama. And maybe there was more to her falling-out with Sandra than art.‘
    ‘Could