‘Really? Good for you.’
‘I’ve got a tape of the race.’ I didn’t have to say which one.
The remark caught him off guard and he pulled up short. ‘What?’
People slid past us, not listening, just in a hurry to get to the bar.
‘I put the word out that I was after a recording of Alex’s crash and some spectator sold me the tape. It cost me fifty quid, but I don’t care. I’ve got the tape. I know what happened.’
It was all lies, of course. There was no spectator with a recording. I just needed word to get back to Derek. Being the bull that he was, he’d come charging for me without thinking and I wanted that. I needed him to incriminate himself. Once he did that, the wall of silence he, Brennan and Hancock had put up would come crashing down.
‘If you want to talk about what you saw, Graham, I want to listen. It’s OK. Nothing will happen to you when I take the tape to the police next week.’
Graham went white. ‘I don’t want anything to do with it. Give me those.’ He snatched the drinks from my hands, slopping some of the contents on the floor. ‘I told you before I didn’t see anything and I’m not saying anything.’
That wasn’t completely true. Graham wouldn’t say anything to me, but he would to everyone else. He wouldn’t be able to help himself. He’d tell others and it would get back to Derek. I watched him scurry off in the direction of his wife and presumably, his new sponsor.
I also managed to slip the videotape story to a marshal before Derek arrived. Derek walked through the doorway with his wife, his usual trackside cronies, Morgan and Strickland, and Vic Hancock. I expected Hancock to be a little subtler than that. But maybe he didn’t have to be anymore.
‘Now the party can really start,’ he called out and got a rumble of cheers and applause.
I caught Dylan’s eye and we regrouped with Steve. ‘How’d you do?’
‘OK,’ Dylan said. ‘I told the Hansen brothers.’
‘I told a couple of mechanics,’ Steve said.
‘I got to Graham and a marshal. Hopefully, that’s enough for now,’ I said. ‘Let’s not be so blatant now that Derek’s here.’
A couple of minutes later, Myles climbed onto the stage, grabbed the microphone and told everyone to find a seat.
We worked our way across the room to table four. Name cards marked where we’d be sitting. We were sharing the table with Vic Hancock, the Fannings, and Alison and her dad. Myles had seated me between Steve and Alison.
The Fannings arrived with Alison and her dad. All of them looked somewhat sad, but they were also smiling. The mixed emotions made sense. This was a proud, yet melancholy moment for them all. We shook hands, Mrs Fanning and Alison hugged me and we all sat down.
Alison looked stunning in her cocktail dress. She’d put her hair up, which revealed a slender neck and highlighted the elegance of her face. I noticed she still wore her engagement ring and I felt guilty for admiring her.
She looked at me and smiled. I felt her warmth, but Hancock ruined the moment with his arrival. He went around the table pumping everyone’s hand. ‘Nobody has to put their hand in their pocket tonight. This is a special night and Hancock Salvage is picking up the bill. OK?’
Hancock wasn’t afraid of splashing cash around like it didn’t matter, but in his case it didn’t.
Myles remained on stage waiting until everyone had found their seats. ‘We’ve got a lot to get through tonight and we will. I just want everyone to relax and enjoy the proceedings. We’ll start with dinner and over dessert we’ll make the presentations. So enjoy.’
Myles left the stage to applause and took his seat. His table was next to ours, consisting of his wife, a couple of his right hand people from the track, and representatives of Clark Paints. On the other side of us was Derek’s table. I didn’t know if it was coincidence or intentional, but he sat with a direct view of me.
Dinner was served. It was pretty good for a catered event. Just as the dinner plates were being removed, Myles returned to the stage and the DJ killed the music.
‘Before we get down to the awards tonight, we have a couple of announcements. As we all know, Alex Fanning died tragically at the last race.’
I looked over at Alison. Her head was down.
‘Something good came out of Alex’s death and that was the safety fund. We’re announcing the total tonight.’
There was a round of applause.
‘Can I please have Alex’s parents, Alison Baker and Aidy Westlake to the stage?’
We joined Myles. Mr Fanning stood proudly. Mrs Fanning wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. Alison looked small and vulnerable and I wanted to hold her and tell her it was going to be OK. Mrs Fanning clasped hands with her husband and Alison, then Alison reached over and took mine.
Camera flashes caught us in the face. I recognized the photographers from
Motorsport News
and
Pit Lane
magazine.
‘This safety fund is the brainchild of Aidy Westlake, no stranger to the racing world and the tragic price it sometimes demands. I’d like him to read the amount raised.’
I stepped forward and took the envelope from Myles. I ripped it open and read the handwritten figure on the card. I couldn’t believe the amount. I cast a look Myles’s way and he nodded to confirm the total.
‘The amount raised so far is fifty-two thousand, seven hundred and twenty-five pounds,’ I said into the microphone.
A cheer erupted around the room. The Fannings hugged each other and Alison. I couldn’t disguise my joy. So much could be done with that money. Some serious improvements could be made to paramedic crews at the track. It was just a shame at what cost.
Myles took the mic from me. ‘I like how he says, “so far”.’ We’re still taking donations and I would love to see that figure double by the beginning of next season.
‘Seeing as you’ve started this, Aidy, I think you should finish it. I hope you will oversee how these funds are administered.’
‘Of course,’ I said.
Myles and Mr Fanning shook my hand. Mrs Fanning engulfed me in a hug that I didn’t think I could recover from. Alison kissed me on the cheek.
Mr Fanning took the mike from Myles. ‘I just want to say thank you to everyone who contributed. Nothing will make up for losing my son,’ Mrs Fanning slipped an arm around her husband’s waist, ‘but you people, this community, have gone a long way to filling the gap in our hearts. I want to thank you all.’
We walked off the stage to a standing ovation and deafening applause. Many in the crowd were palming away tears.
Mr Fanning slipped an arm around my shoulders and whispered. ‘Thank you so very much, Aidy.’
I didn’t deserve my thanks until Derek was behind bars.
‘OK,’ Myles said. ‘Let’s get down to this year’s championship.’
Myles talked up the championship before announcing Derek as the winner. He lifted the trophy off the table as Derek climbed the steps to the stage. Derek took the trophy and hoisted it into the air before taking the mic from Myles. ‘It’s great to claim my tenth championship, but I wish I hadn’t won under such sad circumstances. I would give this title up for another year to compete against Alex.’
The room cheered for Derek. He was the hero again, after all he’d done and said. The man was a killer and people were chanting his name. I glanced over at Alison. She was clapping, but she didn’t appear to be buying the lie Derek was selling, judging from the disgust on her face.
Myles handed out the awards for the top ten finishers. Mr Fanning went up to collect Alex’s second place award and I collected my sixth place award. I stared at the certificate acknowledging my achievement and the sealed envelope with my prize money inside. I should have been proud, but the recognition felt empty.
‘OK, now,’ Myles said. ‘This year’s spirit award goes to the person who gave their all for the championship. This can be given to a driver, a team member or even a course official. The winner this year was decided by myself and a small panel and we thought it fitting that the spirit award went to Alex Fanning. He is one person who gave everything to this passion we call motorsport.’
At Mr and Mrs Fanning’s urging, Alison went up to collect the award. Myles handed her the trophy and the mic.
‘Thank you very much for this. I think Alex would be very proud to have received this, but I think he would have agreed he didn’t deserve it. I’ll be honest. I’ve never understood motor racing. Going around in circles never made any sense, until now. His death has shown the true character of the motor racing people.’ Alison’s gaze aimed like a gun barrel on Derek. The man didn’t even flinch. ‘They will reap all they deserve.’
I stood up and applauded for completely different reasons than everyone else in the room. Alison was magnificent. Not even someone like Derek scared her. It made my decision to follow this to the end more important than ever.
‘Great speech,’ I said when she sat down.
‘Thanks,’ she said.
Myles called up Mr Fanning to show off the trophy for the Alex Fanning Memorial Trophy race and explain the rules for it. Then the formalities were done and Myles told everyone to enjoy themselves.
The room broke up after dessert. The music returned. People switched tables to chat, hung out around the bar and the more adventurous danced.
Quite a few people came over to the table to shake hands with the Fannings, Alison and me. A huge group crowded around Derek. Dylan went off to the bar and I saw him chatting up one of the timekeepers. Hancock got entrenched in conversation with Myles. I had the feeling Myles was trying to sell him the idea of taking over as the series sponsor. I’d heard rumours Clark Paints might not be next year’s sponsor. The Fannings got up on the dance floor and Alison and her dad soon joined them at Mr Baker’s insistence. It was weird watching the four of them up there. This event could have been mistaken for a wedding reception. It was an image of an event never fulfilled.
Steve leaned over to me. ‘You like her, don’t you?’
I didn’t know if he wanted to make me squirm but he was doing a great job.
‘She’s a great girl. Smart. Young. Pretty,’ he said. ‘But she’s just buried her fiancé. Awkward.’
That was the understatement of the decade. I liked Alison a lot, but what kind of person would I be to make a move on her? Even if she didn’t mind, it made me look like an opportunist.
‘I get the idea she feels the same about you as you do about her,’ Steve said. ‘Give it some time. She’ll come around when it’s time to move on. Just don’t blow it. I think she’s a girl you should keep in your life.’
‘I know,’ I said, but it didn’t make me feel any better about the situation.
To make matters worse, the music switched up to something a little too up-tempo for the older set and everyone returned to our table. Mr Fanning made some crack about the music and that I should be up there with Alison.
‘Great idea,’ Steve said.
‘No, it’s OK,’ I said, standing. ‘I was just going to get a drink. Can I get anyone anything?’
‘No,’ Mr Fanning said. ‘I’ll get the drinks. You dance.’
Alison held out her hand. ‘Dance with me.’
‘I’m not a dancer.’
‘And I’m not interested in excuses. I want to dance.’
I couldn’t refuse. She led me out onto the dance floor. I looked over at my table. Everyone looked happy to see us, except for Alison’s dad. I didn’t blame him. I knew how it looked.
The song changed to something much slower. Alison moved in closer. There was no way of not holding her.
‘You need to relax.’
‘Sorry.’
‘Don’t be sorry. Relax.’
I tried, but I felt the gaze of everyone watching us. She caught me looking around.
‘Don’t worry about them.’
‘I don’t want anyone to take this the wrong way.’
‘Yes, people dancing. I’ve known it to start riots.’
I smiled.
‘See. You are human.’
‘I’m sorry.’
‘You say sorry again and I’ll make you do this all night.’
I felt her smile penetrate me and I said, ‘OK.’
‘You can’t worry about what others are thinking. Everyone has been kind and that’s wonderful, but I don’t need to be handled like fine china. Remember, no cotton wool.’
Her words took the steel rods out of my back.
‘See, you can dance. You liar.’
‘OK, I’m a spaz. Can we leave it at that?’
‘OK.’
We danced for a minute before we both spotted Derek watching us from the centre of his group, which included Hancock. He studied us with a predator’s gaze.
‘I liked what you said up there,’ I said.
‘Do you think he got the message?’
‘He got it. Whether he felt anything is a different matter.’
‘I can’t wait to see that bastard pay.’
‘It won’t be long.’
‘I want him to beg me for forgiveness. I’ll never give it, not to the person who killed Alex.’
‘Derek’s days as a free man are numbered.’
She came close to stopping me. ‘How sure of that are you?’
‘Very. His secrets can’t be kept much longer.’
The song came to an end.
Alison waved at someone behind me. ‘You wanted to talk to Alex’s mechanic, didn’t you? He’s here.’
Jo-Jo stood in the doorway. Alison walked me over to him and hugged him. ‘You’re late.’
‘I couldn’t get away.’
‘Aidy wanted to ask you something, is that OK?’
Jo-Jo shrugged.
‘Can we talk outside?’
Jo-Jo shrugged again and I followed him out into the hallway before ushering him into the hotel’s lobby bar. I bought him a drink and sat him in a quiet corner of the bar.
‘I wanted to ask you about Alex and Vic Hancock.’
‘What about them?’
‘Their relationship. How did they get on?’
Jo-Jo fixed me with a suspicious stare. ‘Why do you want to know?’