by Cathy Sharp
‘They teach boxing and self-defence,’ Jamie had told him. ‘Constable Steve Jones runs it with a friend of his who used to be a boxer – they call him Mad Max but he’s all right. If you joined you would learn to stand up to anyone who tried to harm you.’
Danny thought that was a good idea. He’d spoken to Beattie about it and she’d asked Sister Rose and it was agreed that he should join. When he’d talked to Jamie the next day he’d found they didn’t live far apart so he arranged to meet him and walk to the club with him the first time; if he liked it, they would meet on the nights they were both going to the club and walk home together.
‘My brother Arch often comes with me,’ Jamie had told him. ‘There used to be a gang of bullies hanging around but we don’t get any trouble now. We look after some of the younger ones just until they’re good at looking out fer themselves.’
Danny liked his new friend Jamie’s elder brother. He made a seed cake for them and they’d said he could go to tea with them at the flat above Mr Forrest’s shop where they lived. Sister Rose shopped there and she said Mr Forrest was lovely and Danny could go there whenever he wanted. He was enjoying learning about self-defence but he wasn’t very good yet, not like Jamie who had recently won a prize at national level.
Once again, Danny thought how lucky he was these days. He was glad Marjorie was all right but he still wondered about Ron …
Ron enjoyed the woodwork needed for making the sheds and Ted had started to teach him to carve wood. They made figures of animals and special spoons Ted thought they might sell at a fair or to a shop one day, called love spoons. They worked on their carving in the evenings in the room they’d taken at a hostel.
‘Shall we have a treat today?’ Ted said. ‘It’s Saturday and the boss gave us a two-shilling bonus this week.’
Ron hesitated, then, ‘Could we have fish and chips?’
‘Yes, if you’d like,’ Ted agreed. ‘We’ll take the truck back to Mr Reynolds and then we’ll go and get them. And there’s a fete on at the Methodist church this afternoon. We could go after we’ve eaten – we might even buy an ice cream.’
‘Can we afford it?’ Ron said, because they were saving to get a proper room, two if possible, and have their own beds and chairs and other things they would need.
‘We shan’t spend much but we deserve a treat. We’ve been working together for nearly two months now, Ron. We should celebrate a little.’
Ron smiled and climbed into his seat. Ted had promised he would teach him to drive as soon as he was sixteen but that was a long way off yet to a fourteen-year-old boy. At least, he thought that was his age. No one had ever bothered to tell him his birthday or who his father was and his only memories were of grumbling grandparents and an ailing mother. Ted said he could pick a day as his birthday and they would celebrate it on that day, which was a grand idea and made Ron smile. In the end he decided on the fifteenth of September, though he had no idea why – perhaps because it was a way off yet and he wanted to look forward to it.
When they got to the lumber yard, Mr Reynolds was about to leave. He shook his head as Ted offered the keys to the truck. ‘You keep the vehicle this weekend, Ted. You have my permission to use it to look round for that new accommodation you’re after and I’ll give the landlord a reference if they need one. You and the lad are my best workers and I want you to be comfortable in a home of your own.’
‘Thank you, sir.’ Ted touched his cap and looked pleased. ‘We’ll take good care of it for you.’
‘Have a good weekend, Ted – and you, Ron.’
Ted grinned as he drove off. ‘This means we can have a real good search locally after the fete and tomorrow. I did hear of somewhere that might be all right but it was nearly twenty minutes further afield than the hostel, perhaps more if I couldn’t find the short cut so I hadn’t bothered.’
Ron grinned at him happily. Life was good now and he couldn’t think of anything he wanted he didn’t already have – apart from his mate Danny, the only person who had ever stood up for him before Ted.
Danny went with Beattie to the church fete. She and Danny had baked a tin of cakes for it, which she’d taken to the hall the previous evening. They planned to spend half an hour looking round the stalls and then they would go home just in case Marjorie and her mother turned up for tea.
‘I think they would’ve let us know,’ Beattie said, ‘but we’ll just have a little look round the fete and then go home, shall we?’
‘Yes please, Beattie,’ Danny said.
When they got there the church garden was thronged with people walking around the stalls and buying things. Danny had a go at guessing how many beans were in the jar and Beattie bought a pair of pretty gloves made of lace, some coconut ice for Danny and a pretty compact mirror for Sister Rose. It had blue enamel and they both thought Sister Rose would love it. Beattie wondered that anyone would give it to a church fete, because the enamel was perfect.
‘I always find some bargains here,’ Beattie said, pleased with her purchase.
‘I’d like to get something nice for Jamie,’ Danny said. ‘Look at that little penknife – it’s only sixpence and I can afford it from the pocket money Sister Rose gives me. Do you think he would like it?’
‘I should say your friend would love it.’ Beattie smiled. ‘Right, I’m just going to talk to the Minister for a moment and then we’ll go home.’
Danny nodded and picked the knife up. It was perfect and had engraving on the side of the cover. Smiling in pleasure, he took his sixpence out and gave it to the stallholder then slipped the knife in his pocket and turned to walk away. As he did so, a hand gripped his shoulder and a voice he dreaded spoke in his ear.
‘Got yer, yer little bastard!’
‘Dad!’ Danny looked up in terror as his father grasped his arm in a painful grip. ‘Let me go – please!
Danny glanced around desperately, trying to attract Beattie’s attention but she had her back turned and didn’t see or hear as his father hustled him through the crowd, struggling and kicking and shouting Beattie’s name. No one did anything to stop him being dragged off, just thinking he was an unruly boy, and his father was too big and strong and relentless as he hauled him from the church garden and into the street.
‘Please let me go,’ Danny begged again. ‘I live with Beattie now and she’s my legal foster mother.’
‘Yer my son and yer’ll do what I tell yer,’ his father muttered and cuffed his ear. ‘I’ll make yer sorry yer ever run off and pinched me things.’
Danny cried out and begged a passing woman to help him. ‘Tell Beattie me dad’s got me!’ he cried but she just looked frightened and walked off. Danny was filled with despair. He should have known that living with Beattie was too good to be true; his wonderful dream looked as if it had come to an end, and there was nothing he could do …
Ron glanced out of the truck window as Ted tried to find a place to park near the church. He caught sight of a man and a boy struggling and then, just as they turned the corner and disappeared, something struck a chord.
‘That’s Danny!’ he said. ‘And some bloke has got him.’
‘What?’ Ted asked, not truly listening as he parked but the minute he’d braked, Ron jumped out and ran down the road. He reached the corner and paused, because there was no sign of them. Ted came rushing up to him then. ‘What’s wrong? Why did you run off like that?’
‘I saw Danny and someone had got him,’ Ron said. ‘He was struggling, trying to get away, but whoever it was had him firm and wouldn’t let go. I saw them turn down here but they’ve disappeared.’
‘Are you certain it was Danny?’
Ron hesitated. ‘I think so, but I only caught a glimpse before they turned the corner.’
‘Do you want to have a drive around and look for him?’
‘Can we?’ Ron asked. ‘He helped me – and that boy was in trouble.’
‘All right then, lad, we’ll go and look for them.’
They ran
back to the truck and Ted pulled safely out into the road. He followed the route the two had taken but at the end of the road there was a junction and they weren’t sure which way to go.
‘Right or left?’ Ted asked.
Ron hesitated. There was no sign of the man or the boy. ‘Let’s go left and just drive around for a bit,’ he said and so they did but then Ted turned left and up another road, which then led into another and back into the road in front of the church. He shook his head, frowning.
‘I don’t know where to go next, son.’
‘We shan’t find them,’ Ron said. ‘I think I should tell the police – that constable who took me to the hospital. He knows about Danny.’
‘All right, we’ll do that,’ Ted said and started the engine.
‘You wanted ter go to the fete …’ Ron said. ‘I’m sorry.’
‘That was a treat for you,’ Ted said. ‘We’ll go to the police station and report what you saw.’
Beattie turned looking for Danny and for a moment or two she didn’t worry, thinking that he must have wandered off, but after a few minutes she began to get anxious. Where had he gone? Surely nothing bad could happen to him here? She rushed up to the stall where they’d seen the penknife and asked the man serving if he’d seen Danny and if he’d bought the knife.
‘You mean the young lad whose father just took him off?’ the stallholder said and laughed. ‘I don’t know what he’d been up to but by the looks of it he was in for a strapping when he got home.’
‘Danny doesn’t have a father – at least, he doesn’t live with him, because he used to knock him about,’ Beattie said. ‘Did you see where they went?’
‘He just dragged the lad off …’ The stallholder frowned. ‘He was struggling, trying to get away but he called him Dad – I didn’t think anything to it.’
‘The police have been trying to find Mr Bryant,’ Beattie said. ‘He used to beat Danny terribly – and he’ll do so again.’ She shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. ‘Sister Rose will never forgive me if anything happens to him – and even if she does, I’ll not forgive myself.’
Beattie walked away, her head spinning. She wanted to run and beg people to look for Danny – her precious boy.
‘Is something the matter, Beattie?’ the Minister asked as she moved past him distractedly.
‘My Danny has gone missing – his father grabbed him.’ Beattie gave a cry of despair. ‘What do I do? He’s a wicked bully and he’ll hurt Danny, I know he will!’
‘You must go to the police at once,’ the Minister told her. ‘Just a second and I’ll take you in my car.’
Beattie looked at him and burst into tears. He was being so kind and it was all her fault. If she hadn’t been so busy talking Danny would still be safe and sound.
CHAPTER 23
Rose looked at the clock. It was nearly four o’clock and Beattie wasn’t home. She’d said that she would be back at three thirty so that they could all greet Marjorie together if she came with her parents. How strange, Rose thought, because Danny had made special butterfly cakes with creamy filling for Marjorie and been excited that she might come.
As the hand crept round to half-past four, Rose began to feel really worried. It was nearly a quarter to five when the kitchen door opened and Beattie entered, looking pale and distressed.
‘What’s wrong?’ Rose asked, her heart catching. ‘Where is Danny?’
‘He was taken off by someone claiming to be his father,’ Beattie said. ‘It’s my fault, Rose. He went to buy something and I was talking, laughing at what Mr Parkinson, the Minister, was saying, and my back was turned to Danny.’ She caught her breath and sat down. ‘I looked for him everywhere but he wasn’t in the garden and then – then the stallholder told me he’d been taken off by his father and it looked like he was in trouble.’ A great sob escaped her. ‘Mr Parkinson took me to the police station and I told them the story – but that nice Constable Jones wasn’t there and the others didn’t know anything about it. They said Danny wasn’t missing until he’d been gone at least a week and that his father was entitled to custody. They wouldn’t listen when I told them I was his foster mother.’
‘I’ll go and see Sarah,’ Rose said. ‘She’ll make sure her husband knows and he will do whatever is necessary.’
‘Oh, Rose, I’m so sorry!’ Beattie sobbed. ‘I know it’s my fault but I never thought anything bad could happen on a lovely sunny afternoon at the church fete.’
‘Why should you?’ Rose replied. ‘Make yourself a cup of tea and put a drop of brandy in it for the shock. We’ll sort this out, Beattie – and until we do, we’ll just have to pray Danny is all right.’
Sarah and her husband were having tea when Rose knocked at their front door. Sarah went to answer it because Steve had only just got in.
‘I’m sorry to disturb you, Sarah, but it is urgent,’ Rose said before Sarah could even say hello.
Sarah hurried her into the kitchen.
‘Sister Rose is here, love, and I think something is wrong.’
‘It’s Danny,’ Rose blurted out in distress, ‘he was snatched at the church fete by his father!’
‘Good grief!’ Steve was immediately concerned. ‘Come and sit down, Sister Rose. Tell me as much as you can, please.’
Rose sat down on the chair he’d vacated. Her hands were shaking and she felt a little sick as she explained what had happened, ending, ‘The stallholder believed it was just a normal father, angry with his son,’ Rose said. ‘People tend to turn a blind eye to things like that – they don’t like to interfere …’
‘No,’ Steve backed her up. ‘A few might if they see a fight but a young boy and a man claiming to be his father?’ He shrugged expressively. ‘People think they’ll be in the wrong if they interfere.’
‘Beattie wouldn’t have let it happen had she seen it,’ Rose said. ‘She thought it was safe in a church garden. Everyone said Mr Bryant had disappeared.’
‘We thought he might be dead,’ Steve told her with a frown. ‘Had we found him he would probably be in prison – and he knows that.’
‘Then he must have a hiding place in the area,’ Rose said.
‘Mmm. There are hundreds of places he might hide,’ Steve said. ‘Derelict warehouses, slum houses that are waiting to come down, outhouses at the back of factories, under the bridges …’
Rose gave a little gulp of despair. ‘So it’s hopeless?’
‘I didn’t say that, Sister Rose.’ Steve reached for his helmet. ‘I’ll have something to eat when I get home, Sarah – I’m going to the station and then I’ll ring round a few more, see if anyone has heard anything.’
‘I’ll come with you,’ Rose said but he shook his head.
‘Go home to Beattie. She’ll need you; and someone has to be at home all the time in case Danny manages to get away and comes home.’
‘Do you think he might?’ Rose felt a flicker of hope.
‘He did before, but his father might keep a closer watch on him. He’ll probably get beaten, but hopefully nothing more. Danny said he wasn’t too bad except when he was drunk.’
Rose looked at him sombrely. Danny would be frightened and perhaps in pain and there was nothing she could do to help him.
‘Can you find him for us please?’ she asked tearfully.
‘I’m going to do my best – and so will the rest of us,’ Steve promised as he left the kitchen.
Rose nodded. She looked at Sarah, who was sitting down and obviously tired. ‘You should rest. I’m sorry to take your husband away from you like this.’
‘It’s what Steve does,’ Sarah said with a smile. ‘Would you pop round to my mum and tell her I’m on my own this evening, Sister Rose? I don’t feel like walking that far.’
Rose looked at her and realised she might be very close to having her baby. ‘Yes, of course I shall. You sit there and rest Sarah and I’ll tell Gwen that you need her.’
‘Did you hear that?’ Gwen said as she came back from answer
ing the door. ‘Will you run me round there, Theo? I think Sarah might surprise us all and have her baby a little early.’
‘Of course, I will, Gwen,’ Theo said and smiled at her affectionately. He glanced at the two boys, who were bent over a jigsaw puzzle. ‘If Mrs Cartwright is gone for a while you should lock up and go to bed, Charlie.’
Gwen looked at them. ‘Are you two all right on your own for a while?’
‘Of course, we are, Mum,’ Charlie said. ‘Ain’t we Ned. You stop all night if you have to.’
‘Yeah, we’re all right,’ Ned agreed.
‘You can have cake for your supper and a glass of milk. Just don’t light the gas to make cocoa if I’m not back.’
Theo winked at the boys. ‘They won’t set the place alight, will you, lads?’
‘No, sir,’ Charlie said. ‘We’re all right.’
‘Be good then,’ Gwen said and sighed as she went to kiss them both before leaving them. They were good sensible lads and she knew they would be fine but she didn’t like to leave them alone for long. Perhaps Steve wouldn’t be long and if not, she would send Theo back to make sure they were safe.
Gwen looked round the kitchen once more and saw everything was in its place. She gave them a smile of reassurance and left.
Charlie grinned at Ned. ‘Mum don’t half fuss – but I like it,’ he said and gave a cry of triumph as he pounced on a missing piece of puzzle. ‘She forgets I can make a cup of hot cocoa easy.’
‘She just wants to look after us,’ Ned said and smiled. ‘She’s the best is our mum!’
Sarah gasped as the pain hit her in the back. She’d been expecting her labour to start all day, because the pains had come and gone and she hadn’t said anything because it was Steve’s night at home and he would have fetched the midwife had he been there. However, it couldn’t be helped. A missing child was important and her mother would be here soon. She took a deep breath, counting the seconds. The time between pains was getting shorter and she’d better get herself up to bed.
Clinging on to the handrail, she hauled herself up the stairs one by one, each seeming a mountain to climb. At the top she paused for breath then walked slowly to the bedroom and turned down the covers on her bed. In the bottom of her wardrobe she had a rubber sheet and some towels, which she placed on the bed to save the mattress if her waters broke once she was lying down. Biting her lip to stifle the scream that rose to her lips, Sarah eased herself on the bed and against the piled-up pillows. She’d been lying there for about twenty minutes when she heard the front door open and her mother’s voice calling to her from downstairs.