He leant casually against one of the desks and she waited for the explosion. ‘How have you found your first few months in Loreburn?’ he asked instead.
‘Er, fine,’ she said, doubtfully.
‘Excellent.’
Lara added, ‘I hope everything is all right from your point of view? The way I’m teaching the syllabus and so on? I’m really sorry about being late that time, it was a one-off, it won’t happen again.’
He smiled at her. ‘I’m sure it won’t. I’ve had excellent reports from Mark Frazer and seen nothing but good myself. You are definitely an asset to the school.’
‘Thank you.’ Lara blushed. She had never been praised by her other headteachers. Perhaps he was building up to some bad news? That was the most likely thing. He was probably just softening her up first. She said quickly, ‘I think I’ve settled in now. I’m starting to understand how things work here. It takes time but hopefully I’m nearly there.’
‘I’m sure you are,’ he said with a small smile. ‘More “nearly there” than half the teachers who have been with us for years, but that’s not what I wanted to discuss with you. I don’t know whether it has come to your ears yet, but Mark is considering taking early retirement. If he does go there’ll be a head of department vacancy in August. I think you should consider applying.’
Lara was speechless. She felt briefly a warm satisfaction in his approval, and then horror at what he was suggesting.
‘I’m not really sure …’
‘Think about it,’ he continued blandly. ‘Your classes are admirably organised. You get on well with staff and children alike. That trip to the Bass Rock was a great success and Mark assures me it was entirely down to you.’
‘That’s very kind of him,’ said Lara faintly. She wished now he hadn’t been singing her praises to Mr McIntyre. Sometimes you actually didn’t want credit to be given where credit was due! ‘I’m not really looking for promotion …’
‘You don’t need to decide anything now. There isn’t a definite vacancy yet, but I thought it wouldn’t do any harm for you to mull the idea over.’ He paused and examined her with raised eyebrows. ‘You wouldn’t want yourself to be influenced by other people’s attitudes to extra responsibility, would you?’
He left her without waiting for a reply. She was pretty sure who he was referring to. Mick. Happy-go-lucky Mick, who was so different to her. Everywhere she turned, she seemed to find evidence of this.
The more Lara thought about this conversation with Hamish McIntyre the more it worried her. She didn’t want this choice to be thrust upon her. She had decided against ever applying for a head of department post again, and she was happy with that decision. Unfortunately, from what she had heard, Mr McIntyre wasn’t good at taking no for an answer. She sighed heavily. Why did life have to be so complicated?
Chapter Eighteen
‘Be careful you don’t hurt Lara,’ said Steve.
‘I’m not going to hurt her.’ Mick stared at him. Where had this come from? They had retired to the pub after Friday evening football practice. He would have gone home if Lara had been there, but she and Alex had gone to see a film.
‘You always say that. But when the romance wears off …’
‘This is different.’
Steve raised one dark eyebrow disbelievingly. ‘Well, it’s nothing to do with me, I suppose.’
‘Exactly.’
‘But she’s a nice lassie, not your normal type.’
‘Leave it,’ said Mick. It wasn’t like Steve to launch into a heart to heart. He preferred the usual Steve.
‘Let her down gently, OK?’
‘I’m not intending to let her down at all,’ said Mick, and then felt a tiny shadow of doubt. What exactly did he mean by that? He wasn’t intending to let her down, but he wasn’t quite sure what it was he intended.
He certainly had no desire to change the way things were with Lara at the moment. The last fortnight had been, well, pretty good. Why did Steve of all people have to introduce such a serious note?
Steve seemed to feel he had said enough and reached for his pint on the wooden table. They were sitting out in the garden in very un-Loreburn-like sunshine.
‘I envy you your job at times like this,’ he said. ‘Summer holidays on the horizon. Two whole months with nothing to do.’
‘Seven weeks, actually,’ said Mick, but grinned all the same. There were some very good things about being a teacher.
‘What’re you going to do with yourself? You’ll soon get bored.’
‘I can see I’ll be spending a fair amount of time at Ladybank Row. Always assuming they get permission to start work again, which they’re hoping for this week. And I’ve got this youth football tournament happening in the first week. I don’t know why I thought it would be a good idea.’
Steve frowned. ‘I don’t understand what SEPA are playing at. It’s not the girls’ fault if their contractor disposed of the asbestos illegally, is it?’
Mick didn’t understand it either. ‘Something’s not right. They seem to think the roofer guy is honest, yet the asbestos was definitely there.’
‘There’re dodgy dealings all through the building trade,’ said Steve, who would certainly know. ‘Now, if my brother was involved then I wouldn’t be one bit surprised …’
Mick felt a flicker of concern. Why should the mention of Ed worry him? He and Steve usually kept firmly off the topic of his brother. Ed had not invited Mick for a drink a second time and he was happy to leave things as they were.
Mick had decided against asking Ed about Lara’s roofer, thinking it best not to involve him. ‘Why should it have anything to do with your brother?’ he said.
‘I’m not saying it has. Ed’s always very careful to keep his nose clean. But it’s surprising how many of his competitors have been caught out by this regulation or that. It makes you wonder, doesn’t it?’
Mick’s unease grew. ‘You’re not saying Ed would set them up …?’
‘Not necessarily. Although I’m sure he’d have no qualms about reporting people to the powers that be. Still, how would he know about what was going on at Ladybank Row? He wouldn’t even know they were having the asbestos removed.’
Mick said nothing. Ed did know the girls were having the asbestos removed, because Mick had told him so himself. And Ed had been particularly interested, asked all sorts of questions. The more Mick thought about this, the more worried he became. Ed had definitely been fishing for information. How could he, Mick Jensen, have been so naïve?
It was early Saturday evening and Lara was preparing chicken pesto. She presumed Mick would be back to eat with them. The thought made her smile. He had begun to eat with them on the evenings he was home, contributing generous amounts of food and wine, and sharing the washing up.
Despite her misgivings, she hadn’t tried to take a step back from Mick. This relationship (was it a relationship?) was such fun, so easy. She didn’t dare look to the future to see where it might go, but it felt good. Mick wasn’t like any boyfriend she’d had before. He was very attractive but he was also funny, and good. It was a strange word to use but she was sure it was the right one. He was a good man and with that, for the moment, she was content.
He turned up half an hour or so later. Alex was still in the bath and Lara had just finished making the salad.
‘Hi there,’ she said cheerfully. ‘I wondered if you’d be back for food. I’ve just done pasta with chicken and pesto and … Is something wrong?’
Mick had stopped in the kitchen doorway and was regarding her with a fixed, almost angry expression. ‘I’ve just been to see Ed McAnulty. And now I know the answer to the mystery of the asbestos.’ The green eyes flashed with fury. ‘It was my fault.’
‘Wha-at?’
‘I suppose I should say it was Ed’s fault, certainly his doing. But if I hadn’t let him know about the asbestos then he couldn’t have done what he did.’
Lara had never seen Mick so angry. In fact, she had
rarely seen him cross at all, which was one of the things she so liked about him. Now he seemed to be in a simmering rage, fists clenched and mouth grim.
‘Come and sit down,’ she said warily. ‘And tell me what’s going on.’ If he sat down he wouldn’t look so intimidating.
She pushed a can of soft drink into his hand but he put it down on the table with a bang. ‘It was my fault! I can’t tell you how sorry I am.’
‘Perhaps first you can explain what you’re talking about?’
Mick groaned and then, at last, sat down. He cracked open the can, glared at it for a moment, and then took a drink. ‘It was Ed’s doing, the whole asbestos fiasco. He arranged for someone – I’m not sure who – to take some of the stuff from Ladybank Row and dump it in the river. Then he drew it to the attention of the farmer who reported you to SEPA. He’s denying it, of course, but it was definitely him who told the farmer about it so I’m pretty sure about the rest.’
‘But why …?’
‘To get back at you. Maybe to delay you so you’d run out of money or enthusiasm and sell the properties to him. Ed doesn’t like not getting his own way.’
Lara thought of Ed’s brooding anger and could well believe that. ‘It won’t work with us,’ she said, but she bit her lip. The fear of a hefty fine had been hanging over them. How easy would it have been to continue if that had happened? How could someone do this to them?
‘No, but it might have done, mightn’t it? It’s wasted weeks of your time and got you into an awful lot of trouble.’
‘Not now,’ said Lara slowly. ‘Not if we can show them McAnulty is to blame.’
‘Knowing and proving are two separate things. When I saw him a short while ago he was still denying it completely. The bastard.’
Lara smelt something from the stove behind her and swung around to grab the pan. ‘Nearly burnt it.’ She turned the ring off and put the food to one side. She couldn’t think about that now.
‘I’m really sorry,’ said Mick, still glaring at his drink. ‘If I hadn’t happened to mention the asbestos to Ed he would never have been able to do this.’
‘I think he knew about the asbestos already,’ said Lara slowly. ‘Remember, he’d had a good look at the houses himself.’
‘Well, he wouldn’t have known when you were having it removed, or who by. He just asked me one or two questions and I gave the whole thing away. And there was I, so pleased to be able to show him how well you were doing.’
‘I’m sure it’s not your fault,’ said Lara. She hated to see him so miserable. ‘And at least you’ve got to the bottom of it. Maybe we’ll be able to start work again now, which would be brilliant. Come on, let’s eat. We can think about what to do afterwards.’
‘We need to speak to Gary Glover, and maybe Steve. No, on second thoughts, not Steve. Tomorrow we get on to SEPA. And possibly the police.’
Lara didn’t like the sound of the police. ‘We’ll talk about it later. Right, come on, let’s eat.’ Lara went to call Alex and then served the overcooked pasta. She should have been relieved the mystery of the asbestos had been solved, but instead she felt more anxious than ever. It was horrible to think someone had purposely set out to hurt them. It reminded her all over again that there were some unpleasant people in this world, even here in Loreburn.
And throughout the evening Mick glowered at her between the phone calls he insisted on making. It was almost as if by blaming himself he was putting up a barrier between them.
Chapter Nineteen
Despite Mick’s suspicions and numerous phone calls, the girls still did not have permission to restart work at Ladybank Row. Ed McAnulty was still categorically denying any involvement with the asbestos and SEPA insisted on having proof. For the first couple of days Lara had accepted that Mick might sort it all out. She was nervous of Ed, and not keen to approach him herself.
However, by the end of school on the Tuesday afternoon she had had enough of the waiting. She prowled around Mick’s house, trying to shake off her gloom, trying to think of a way forward. It had been a miserable day with dark clouds low in the sky and a vicious wind whipping around corners. Her classes had been fractious which had done nothing to improve her mood.
With a huff of annoyance she pulled on a jacket and went out to find Alex in the back garden. The garden here was nothing like those at Ladybank Row. It was tiny, with a weed-infested patio and a small lawn that was more moss than grass. Alex had decided to turn her attentions here whilst they were being kept away from Ladybank Row. Mick had given her free rein to do whatever she wanted.
‘How’re you getting on?’ said Lara, pulling her coat more closely around her.
Alex’s long hair was, unusually, hanging loose and the wind was beating it into her face. She pushed it back with one arm as she looked up and smiled. She smiled so much more often these days. ‘Fine.’
‘What are you doing?’
Alex had a spade in her hand and had marked out an area at the end of the lawn with pegs and string. ‘I’m putting in a flower bed.’
‘Oh,’ said Lara doubtfully. ‘Will Mick be any good at looking after a flower bed?’
Alex gave a very faint smile. ‘I’ll plant shrubs in it. Low maintenance, you know.’
‘That’s good.’ Lara had the impression Mick used the lawn for nothing other than the occasional football practice. Hopefully the shrubs would be hardy. ‘I’m sorry you’re having to waste your time here. You were getting on so well at the Row.’
‘It’s OK. And Mick seems pleased. I’m glad to do him a favour for a change.’
Lara nodded approvingly, but she couldn’t help her thoughts turning back to Ed. ‘This is ridiculous,’ she said suddenly. ‘I’m not going to let him bully us.’
‘Who?’ said Alex, confused.
‘There must be something we can do, some connection we can make,’ said Lara, thinking hard now. If someone else had been into Ladybank Row, surely they would have left a tiny bit of evidence? Wouldn’t she and the others have noticed? And then she realised she had. That time when the door had not been locked properly and everyone had denied responsibility. That had to be it! Whoever had access to the keys was the link.
‘I’ll see you later,’ said Lara, and turned on her heel.
Why hadn’t she thought of this before? Clearly the only thing to do was to go and see Ed McAnulty face to face. Now she had something to challenge him with, he’d have to admit it. She suppressed a little quiver of doubt and jumped into her car. She would do it now, before she lost her nerve.
Luckily she knew where to go. Mick had once pointed out the McAnulty house to her, a sprawling detached building on the edge of town. Ed ran his business from an office in what used to be the double garage. It had a huge sign, McAnulty and Sons, Building Contractors, and a couple of vans out the front. It gave an intimidating impression of prosperity.
Lara parked her little car on the gravel beside one of the vans and gripped her hands together, willing herself to go through with this. She felt that same dull panic she had known when Marjory Dunlop had accused her of mismanaging the Geography Club and she hadn’t known how to fight back. This time she was going to. Ed McAnulty was in the wrong. She had had enough of people treating her unfairly and getting away with it. As she climbed out of the car the sun appeared from behind the glowering clouds, turning the lower part of the sky and all her surroundings golden. Maybe it was a sign.
Even so, Lara nearly lost her nerve when a girl at the reception desk told her Mr McAnulty was out. She could wait if she wanted but the girl didn’t know when he would be back. It was the perfect opportunity to run away and consider whether this was really such a good idea.
Then they heard a car draw up outside and the girl said, glancing out, ‘That’ll be him now.’ She sounded bored and when Ed appeared in the doorway she didn’t even bother to introduce Lara. Not that she needed any introduction.
Her mouth went dry when she saw Ed. He was dressed, most unexpectedly, in a dark sui
t and tie. This made his massive size all the more impressive and the scowl he gave when he saw her did nothing to put her at ease.
‘What are you doing here?’
‘I came to see you. Perhaps I can have a word?’
‘Now you’d like a word, would you? You didn’t want to talk to me when I wanted to discuss things.’
The receptionist looked up, interested. Ed glared at her. He indicated a door to Lara. ‘Come on. We can talk in here.’
The office was a surprise. There was a big, showy desk which Lara might have expected, but the plain white walls and two beautiful paintings indicated another side to Ed McAnulty. She felt wrong-footed. She had come here to challenge him, to point out what an ignorant person he was. Despite what everyone said, she hadn’t really thought of him as a successful businessman.
‘If you’ve come to tell me you’re ready to sell, then I’ll be happy to speak to you.’ Ed towered over her, dark eyebrows meeting in a fierce scowl. ‘Otherwise you’re wasting your time.’
Why did everyone think they could decide whether she was wasting her time or not? Why did they all think they knew best? Lara had had enough.
She put her hands on her hips and stood to the maximum of her not very great height. ‘I think, Mr McAnulty, you might want to be careful about the way you speak to me. Threatening another person is punishable in a court of law. I’ve had enough of your posturing. I’ve had enough of your pretending to put in an offer and then backing out. And I’ve had absolutely enough of your planting asbestos where it was never left by our contractors and reporting us to SEPA. We’re not putting up with this any more.’
‘Having a little difficulty with SEPA, are you?’
‘You know very well we are. And we know why, too.’
‘Mick Jensen has already mentioned it. I don’t know why he thinks it has anything to do with me.’ He smiled, not amused.
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