Beggars Banquet [The Rolling Stones]

2. No Expectations

*

New Scotland Yard, Westminster, London
Thursday, the 4th July
3:36 p.m.

"So you're telling me, Miss Pallenberg just left?"

"I just did, didn't I?" Keith retorted rolling his eyes, slowly growing tired of the endless questions of the young detective. That his cigarette packet was soon going to run out didn't help his mood either. He just wanted to finish this affair the quickest possible, leave and never think about what happened again.

Though he was sure that forgetting wouldn't be an option. It- Keith shuddered at the thought. No, he told himself, not now. "Listen Anita always has...." Keith stopped and cleared his throat, "had a mind on her own. If she wanted something she got it, one way or another."

The detective nodded and wrote down something on his notepad, Keith now noticed for the first time. "How did she end up back at the house again?"

Keith sighed tiredly, fumbling with his lighter. He didn't want to show it, but the topic of Anita unsettled him deeply... No matter what had happened between them she hadn't deserved this end...  The Valkyrie should have lived on when everyone else had already turned to dust.

"I have no idea, I didn't see her at all until, Amanda-Anna... well Miss Jones found her around 5 in the morning..." Keith nearly whispered, staring down at his lighter that reflected the light of the lamp on the ceiling. It had a strangely calming effect, though Keith could think of something else that would help him calm down far better. 

"So she didn't come back by chance, you two fought, you pushed her and she hit her head by accident?"

Keith wasn't sure if he should laugh or yell at the detective. Neither seemed like the right choice when he just wanted to move on and forget. "If I had wanted to kill Anita I would have done so ages ago and not now, I have no reason and I contrary to everyone else have an alibi. I never was a minute alone!" he exclaimed with a strong voice, eyes fixed on the young detective, who once more wrote something down. 

"I'm only doing my job, no need to get agressive, Mr Richards. So can you tell me what happened when Miss Jones explained to you all what this dinner really was about?"

"We were all fucking excited, what do you think?" Keith snorted.

*
Cothford farm, Hartfield, East Sussex.
Tuesday, the 2nd July
7:03 p.m

If Keith ever made a list of people he never wanted to see again in his life he would have put 75% of the guests down on it- well maybe not exactly 75%, he could care less about Anna, he hardly knew Miss Jones or Janet, he actually liked Charlie and Anita was missing, who definitely would have scored a high rank on that list.