by E. L Barry
“It’ll all be okay, Jo, I’ll put some toast on and we can eat on the way.”
“Thank you,” Josie replied and walked towards the hallway door. Briefly, she turned and looked back at him to see him turn away quickly as he had been watching her leave. She smiled and continued upstairs to shower and prepare for whatever the day had in store.
She was nervous. There was no doubt about that, but she was determined to be positive and stay focused.
Just do the next best thing, she reminded herself.
Josie could smell the waft of coffee and toast downstairs and suddenly felt hungry. She made sure she had her bag and mum’s keepsakes and returned downstairs.
“Ready?” Gareth asked, passing her a travel mug and a foil wrapped package.
“Yes, let’s go.”
Chapter 23
The air was chilly as she stepped outside and got into the car. Josie was grateful for the coffee, both to keep her warm and to wake her up. She was nervous and not knowing what to expect was making her feel sick. The drive to the Gatehouse was uneventful and apart from giving occasional directions to her father’s estate, Josie and Gareth stayed immersed in their own thoughts. When they reached the correct road, Josie suggested that Gareth park on the road adjacent so they could walk around to the house.
“If we park here, it means we would have to walk back, but it wouldn’t be obvious that there were visitors at the Gatehouse if anyone else drove past. What do you think?” she asked Gareth.
“Great idea! Let me turn around so that if we need to leave in a hurry, we’re already heading in the right direction.”
“Oh, I hope there isn’t any trouble. I don’t think I can take being followed anymore.”
She checked how close they were to the kerb.
“Okay, are you ready?” Gareth asked Josie, putting his hand on hers reassuringly.
Josie turned towards him, “Yes, let’s find out what’s going on.”
They left the car behind and walked back towards the main road. It was foggy with a hint of winter in the air, and as Josie shivered, Gareth put his arm around her as they walked.
“It’ll be fine. We’ll ask him a few questions and see if we can see your father today.”
“And if we can’t?”
“How good are you at climbing?” Gareth joked.
Josie laughed, “I’ll need a leg up as I haven’t got my climbing gear.”
“Do you climb? There’s a great place just outside town…” Gareth chatted away. She was sure he was doing it on purpose to break the tension, which she appreciated.
It didn’t take long for them to arrive at the Gatehouse. Josie could see that the kitchen light was on and the car was still on the driveway.
She could hear every stone crunch underneath her feet as they approached the front door. She paused, took a deep breath and knocked.
It felt like forever but then the porch light came on and the door opened.
“Miss Josie, come on in. I knew you would come eventually. And who is this?” he paused as Gareth came up behind her.
“This is Gareth, my friend and colleague. I trust him.” Josie reassured him.
“Hello, sir.” Gareth offered his hand to shake.
“Come in, you can call me Bertie. Who knows you are here?” he enquired.
“Nobody, we hope,” Josie replied.
Bertie led them to the kitchen and placed two more cups on the countertop for tea.
“I’ve been looking out for you since you were born, Miss Josie. I tried to warn you, but I can see that you have the same determination in you as your mum had to find the truth.”
He continued, “There are people that always want to get to your father and now that he is very unwell, they have been trying to get to him through you. Up until now, we have succeeded in keeping you safe. Your mum knew, but when she disappeared, we had to make sure that your father didn’t cut you off completely. He’s not been himself in the last few years.”
Josie couldn’t figure it all out. “I don’t understand. You say that my mum disappeared, does that mean she could still be alive?” Josie asked with hope.
“We don’t know, she disappeared at the same time as the fire happened, but there were no records to prove if she died in the fire or that she didn’t.”
“Has anyone been looking for her?” Josie asked with a pleading voice.
“We have, Miss Josie, and we won’t stop trying to find her.”
“You keep saying ‘we’. Who is ‘we’?”
“I’m sorry, Miss Josie. I can’t tell you everything and I can’t say too much now as they may be listening.”
“Who is ‘they’?” Josie replied, instantly sounding frustrated. Gareth put his hand on her shoulder and asked Bertie, “Sir, can you tell us more about Josie’s father and why they want to use Josie to get to him? Maybe we can speak to him ourselves?” Gareth asked.
“I wish I could, but he is protected at the house. I have been his driver for twenty-four years and we used to be able to speak in the car on occasion, although we were never sure if they were listening to us. Now he rarely goes out and I have been unable to speak to him for weeks.”
“And all this has been happening while I was growing up?” Josie asked, her voice starting to crack. “What did my parents do and why is my father being protected? That’s if he even is my father…” she trailed off, with tears forming in her eyes.
“What do you mean, Miss Josie?” Bertie asked, looking up alarmed.
He rushed over to her, “Why would you say that? Of course, he is your father!”
“But I’ve found things in my mum’s flat that don’t make sense.” Josie started to reach into her pocket to take out the box and documents.
Before she could take them out, there was a knock at the door. Bertie looked panicked.
“Hide in there,” he ordered them, pointing towards a door to the side of the kitchen. They did as they were told.
It was a pantry full of tins and packets, with only just enough room for them both to squeeze in. Face to face, they were pressed against each other.
In ordinary circumstances, the situation would have been either awkward or romantic, but this was no ordinary situation and they both listened intently to anything that was happening outside. However, Josie couldn’t hear a thing. They stayed deathly quiet so as not to arouse any suspicion.
What if Bertie has been hurt? What if they are searching the house for them now? Who are ‘they’ anyway? Josie thought.
She must have started to tense up as she felt Gareth take her hand and squeeze it gently.
She relaxed and looked up at him. Even in the darkness, she could feel him looking at her.
They were interrupted suddenly by the pantry door opening. Bertie stood there. “I got rid of them, but I’m sure they know someone is here. You’re going to have to leave by the back door.”
“Bertie, you still haven’t told us who ‘they’ are?” Josie implored again, trying to understand what world she had been living in since she was born. It sounded like some crazy dream she was having with missing people, spies, messages and car chases.
“All you need to know, Miss Josie, is that we will look after you, so you can go back to work. That man and woman who have been giving you grief will be taken care of…when we catch them.”
“What? You mean Nicholas and Kim? Who are they?”
“We’re trying to find out how they knew about you. We suspected him as he had been targeting other women but after the room switch at the conference, we realised there was someone else involved.”
“I don’t like this at all. And what about my father? Somebody has to tell me the truth about my past.”
“The truth is, Josie, no matter what anyone tells you, your father did what he had to do to look after you.”
“But he didn’t, that’s what I don’t understand. I must see him. I can’t live my life with everything unsaid between us.”
It was no use, as Bertie refus
ed to tell her any more.
Maybe he doesn’t know? I have to speak to my father. Maybe climbing over the wall is the only option.
Josie smiled sweetly and her voice changed to one of acceptance, and with a newfound confidence she looked at Bertie and said, “Okay Bertie, thank you for your help.”
Gareth looked at her and as she caught his eye, she winked.
“We’ll leave by the back door then and stay out of trouble, shall we?” Josie suggested.
“Yes, there’s a gate at the back which will lead you to the allotments and you can get back on the road through there. Just leave it to us and you’ll be safe.”
“Thank you, Bertie.”
“Nice to meet you, sir,” Gareth said as they walked towards the back door.
On the way out, Josie noticed something out of the corner of her eye. It was a picture. She paused briefly. It was of a young woman wearing a ring exactly like the one in the box.
“Phew,” Josie breathed as she closed the gate behind them at the back of the garden. She leant her back up against the wall and whispered, “We can’t talk here, but I have an idea.”
Gareth stood next to her and whispered in reply, “He’s up to something. I can’t work out if he is trying to protect you, your father or himself.”
“I agree. Did you see the photograph on the way out? It’s a woman and I think she’s wearing the same ring that’s in the box. But I couldn’t look at it closely enough to see if I could recognise her. Bertie is mixed up in this somehow.”
“What’s your idea? I think we need to see your father.”
“Me too, it’s how we get to him that is going to be the tricky part.”
Josie’s phone rang, making her jump. Exasperated, she took it out of her bag for what felt like the millionth time in the last week. “I’m sick of this bloody phone.”
“Hello,” she answered.
“Josie, it’s Mr Mellors.”
She relaxed, “Oh, hello, thank goodness it’s you and that you’re okay. What happened with your phone the other night? I need to see Father.”
“That’s why I am calling. You need to come to the house immediately.”
“What? Is he okay?”
“Just get here as soon as you can, and I’ll explain everything.”
“Okay, I won’t be long,” she said, then ended the call.
Josie turned to Gareth and smiled, “That was easy.”
“Hmm, maybe too easy.”
“I was beginning to think we would need to get into a disguise and pretend to be painters and decorators to get past security!”
“Do you think we can trust him? Mr Mellors, I mean,” Gareth enquired, and continued, “his signatures are on the documents in the box, but that’s not unexpected as he looked after everything for your mum and father.”
“I’m not sure. I hadn’t realised Bertie had been with my father for twenty-four years. Mr Mellors has been working for longer than that too and I suspect that there are things he’s not telling me.”
Josie took another deep breath, trying not to think about the rising emotions she was feeling about the possibility that her mum could be alive and her father dying.
The emotional rollercoaster she was experiencing was tiring her out and she now needed all the energy possible to be able to face her father and learn the truth.
Gareth took her hand and led her back towards the car. “Come on, let’s go and find out the truth.”
Chapter 24
The gate was open as they arrived at the estate. It was quiet at the house and the front door was open too so Josie went straight in. Gareth followed her, closed the door and locked it behind him.
They made their way to the study door, knocked, and went in.
At the desk sat Josie’s father. He looked up. “Josie?” he asked, not recognising her immediately.
“Yes.”
“What are you doing here? Where is Mr Mellors?” he said, as he reached towards the call button on his desk.
“Don’t!” Josie shouted as she rushed over. She pushed his hand away. “We need to talk alone.”
“You don’t understand. You can’t be here.”
“Why not? I have to know the truth. Please?”
“If I tell you, then we will be in more danger than I can bear. I’m keeping you safe from them.”
Josie looked confused, “Who is ‘them’? You and Bertie haven’t told me.”
“You’ve spoken to Bertie? What has he told you?”
“Nothing except that Nicholas and Kim are involved.”
“I have had you followed since you left our protection. Most of the time it was casual and occasional but these last few weeks it was getting more difficult.”
“Who has been following me?”
“Michael.”
Josie paused. “Michael? The one with the 4x4 who turned up at my work to look at houses?”
“Yes, he’s one of our protection officers. He’s been working with the police to try and bring Nicholas and Kim in for a while.”
“You used me as bait?” Josie’s voice started to rise as she moved closer to her father’s desk. “Why would you do that?”
“I’m sorry, Josie. It was for your own protection. With your mother and I being involved with the secret service when we were younger, we have always had a target on our back, even after we retired. We needed to find ways to keep you safe.”
“I don’t understand. The whole of my life I have been in danger?”
“Not so much after your mother disappeared. Her work was more valuable than mine was. I had the money, and she had the skills, so without her they left us alone. I couldn’t tell you in case you got curious and tried to find her.”
“It’s too late. I’m already looking for her. I know about Albere.”
“Who?” her father enquired looking confused.
Josie took a step back. He doesn’t know about Albere? How could that be? Josie’s mind raced as she tried to pin down her thoughts and slot everything she had heard into some logical explanation.
Josie took the photographs from her pocket and placed them on the desk.
“Someone has been sending me photographs of Mum. I’m assuming now that it’s from when she was working for the secret service.”
“Yes, that’s her. Where did you get these?” he asked, as he leafed through them.
“They were pushed under my door a couple of weeks ago.”
“So, someone wanted you to find out the truth about your mother. Interesting.”
“But then I was warned off looking any further but I then found these.”
Josie took out the photograph.
He looked at it intently, and then sadness filled his eyes. She passed him the note next. He read it and placed it on top of the photograph.
“What else have you found out?” he asked, his voice filled with emotion.
“I want to know about this too?” she took out the box and placed it on the desk in front of him. “Please Father, tell me the truth.”
The silence in the room was unbearable. Her father looked transfixed as if he were trying to work things out for himself too. Gareth hadn’t said a word as he stood by the door watching them.
Eventually the silence was broken.
“I can’t tell you Josie, as I don’t know,” her father looked weaker than he did before.
“I loved your mother, and I did my best to look after you both. There were things she couldn’t tell me. I have failed, and for that I am sorry.”
“But how? It isn’t your fault that you’re ill and you’ve been unable to leave...”
Josie was interrupted by a door opening at the back of the office. The three of them turned to see who had entered.
Mr Mellors walked into the room. “So, you didn’t listen to me did you, Josie? And now, you and your father will pay. As will your painter and decorator friend here. Nobody knows you are here.”
Josie and Gareth were stunned. Josie stood up from the chair she
had been sitting in. “Mr Mellors! What the hell? And you two…” she pointed at Nicholas and Kim as they followed Mr Mellors in. “What are you doing here?”
Mr Mellors ignored Josie’s question and put his hands on the desk in front of her father.
“You have been a pain in my side for years and I have been waiting until this moment. I warned Josie off a number of times, but guess what, just like you she is stubborn and does her own thing.”
“But you looked out for me?” Josie exclaimed.
“Only to keep you on side with your father. I couldn’t have you two falling out completely because then how could I get what I wanted out of him,” he pointed dismissively at her father.
“So, you were behind all of this?” Josie asked.
“Nearly all of it. I didn’t count on your mother leaving clues behind for you to find in the flat. But I will take those, and nobody will ever know.” He picked everything up from the desk.
“Your mother’s will had everything going to your father except that annoying flat. It was where she and Albere used to live before Albere left her. That was shortly after you were born, and your father took you both in.”
“Father is that true?” Josie desperately asked him.
“Yes,” he said reluctantly and refused to meet her eyes.
Josie felt anger rising up inside her. Her life was a lie and everything she thought was true had fallen away. She was trapped with her thoughts trying to understand everything – the history of her relationships, experiences and questions unanswered. She felt a weight of darkness she had never experienced before. Her stomach lurched as she felt adrenaline rush through her veins. Shock then seized her and she was caught between wanting to fight and run.
Hold it together Josie, hold it together! She kept telling herself. Keep trying to find the truth she reminded herself through the fog of emotions. I have to keep Mr Mellors talking. Surely, someone must know that we are here and will walk in at some point to help father at least. But can I call him that? Yes, he’s still my father. Why did nobody tell me and what has happened to Albere?
“What do you want now?” Josie asked Mr Mellors, attempting to stall him.