by Nicola May
‘Sorry I’m later than I said I’d be,’ Rosa greeted her. ‘With Mum not home, I had to check on Merlin and then on Hot, who has been up at the Lobster Pot today. He’s having the best time with the Duchess and the pugs; I doubt they’ll even hear the bangs.’
‘We’ve left the radio on for Brown and put him in the back room. He slept through the storm, so I shouldn’t think he’ll even lift an ear.’
‘Bless him.’ Rosa shivered and pulled her hat down further over her ears.
‘How’s your mum doing?’
‘As good as can be expected. I phoned her on the way down here and she was already nodding off.’
‘And Titch and Theo?’
‘They’re fine.’ Rosa’s face broke into a smile. ‘He had eaten a plastic car.’
‘What?’ Sara’s face began to twitch. ‘No! I shouldn’t be laughing.’
‘You can now because everything is OK. Well, as soon as he’s done a poo it will be. Titch and Ritchie are both sat at Titch’s mum’s waiting for it to emerge. And they don’t want to leave him, in case it gets stuck in the garage doors so to speak.’
Alec, who had caught up with the conversation, was now laughing too, fit to burst. ‘Kids, eh?’
‘Don’t, it makes me even more scared about what I’m getting myself into.’
‘You’ll be a natural, Rosa; you wait and see.’ Alec patted her on the arm and went inside to get more cardboard cups.
‘Any word from Nate today?’ Rosa asked Sara.
‘No. I’m a bit annoyed with him to be honest.’
‘I hear you, but he’s troubled. Money problems, I think. Last night I found him in here, with no agenda other than sleeping on the floor. He promised me that he would open up this morning, so I was as surprised as you when he didn’t show.’
‘Oh, really? He’d been so reliable up until now. I wonder what’s changed all that? And if he’s broke, you’d think he’d want to keep working, surely? I just don’t get it.’
A penny suddenly dropped as Rosa looked over at the pub. The Ship Inn was in complete darkness apart from the twinkling fairy lights that adorned the wall in front of it. ‘Now I understand,’ she said to herself.
Sara overheard. ‘Everything OK?’
‘Oh yes, just thinking aloud,’ Rosa prevaricated, for some reason her gut still wanting to protect Nate. ‘I meant to bring some cash down for Danny Green. Do you mind if I just whizz back to the shop for ten minutes?’
‘We’re not busy yet, and I’m sure we can manage on our own. You’ve got enough on your plate so don’t rush and do yourself a damage.’ She pointed to Rosa’s still-flat belly.
‘In or out, this child is going to be coming with me wherever I go,’ Rosa said. ‘I don’t need to slow down.’
‘OK, OK. I just care about you, you know. Off you go. See you in a bit.’
Rosa walked against the crowd of people now streaming down the hill to the beach and the imminent firework display. Maybe something had happened in the pub that night – something too terrible to contemplate. But what would be the motive? Cash on the premises, maybe? But the pub hadn’t been open for a while, so there wouldn’t have been much, and Sheila was so ill, anyone could have taken it quite easily without her knowing, and certainly without pushing her down a flight of stairs.
But Sheila had gone on about ‘the secret’ – what did that really mean? Was it simply that she had intended to kill herself, or was there something more? Recalling the music that she’d heard when she had arrived in the pub made Rosa cringe. It could be a complete coincidence that Nate liked James Arthur too. Thinking back, had the music stopped when she arrived – or had she been so intent on looking after Sheila that she had imagined that too? Lucas had thanked her for leaving the door open – but she wasn’t a hundred per cent sure if she had done that either. Normally she would have closed it behind her. Maybe there had been someone else in the pub? Rosa knew she definitely needed to get her head together for the police interview now. That was for certain.
And, yes! The memories were flooding in now. Nate had been staying in the boxroom upstairs at the pub, and had been far from clear about when he had moved out when Rosa had questioned him. There had been so many lies from him, in fact. About how long he had worked at Sea & Save, and the way that the friend’s house he had been staying at had suddenly turned into a girlfriend’s house. Too many things didn’t add up. But despite all this, he had been so clever in schmoozing her that she had not only paid him for painting the shop but had also given him a job at ROSA’S. A job for which he was getting paid – but now, due to his admitted gambling problem, he didn’t even have enough money to look after himself. When Rosa had told him that she was seeing the police the next day, he had become particularly animated, and it also seemed weird that last night of all nights, he had decided to up and leave.
Feeling annoyed at so many people barging into her down the narrow streets, she took a side road and went through the back gate into the Corner Shop’s courtyard. The bright security light came on. Surprisingly, the back door was not locked. But then again, she hadn’t reminded Danny to lock it and the poor bloke couldn’t be expected to remember everything, especially as Hot would have needed to be let out and in again for a pee before Jacob collected him. Danny had texted her to say that on Jacob’s instruction he had left all notes, totalling a very satisfactory £425, inside a mug in the microwave and that Tina, Alfie and himself were really looking forward to seeing her at the fireworks later.
Putting her bag down on the side in the kitchen, Rosa noticed that all the mugs, even those she had used herself early that morning, had been washed up and were neatly placed on the draining board. There was also a broken one next to a bit of paper, with a note saying, So sorry, I knocked it off the side. He might look like a dodgy character, Rosa thought, but at least Danny had manners. And then again, who was she, to judge someone by a scar? Every scar could tell a story, big or small. She was, in fact, rather fond of hers now. It made her unique.
Her phone beeped the signal of a very long text message. Biggest shit he’s ever done and yes there it was, a tiny blue and now somewhat brown plastic Mini. Sorry, but I’m not coming out. His Lordship is understandably knackered and whingey, Ritch must work and it’s not fair on Mum to leave her to cope. Enjoy the bangs, chance would be a fine thing! See you tomorrow. T X
Still smiling from Titch’s usual irreverence, Rosa opened the microwave and reached inside for the I Love Dachshunds mug that Danny had put in there. The mug was empty. Thinking the cash might have fallen out when he put it in there, she ran her hands around the back, then lifted the glass plate inside – but there was nothing. Going through to the shop, she checked the till; no notes, only coins stared back at her. She noticed that Danny had even tidied up the counter, bless him.
Locking the back door behind her, Rosa set off down the hill thinking that there had to be a simple explanation.
With a crackle, sizzle and extremely loud bang, the Cockleberry Bay Residents Association Annual Firework Display began, filling the freezing night sky with not only light, colour and joyful explosions, but the obligatory chorus of oohs and aahs. Screaming children were laughing and running around with sparklers as adults shifted from foot to foot, cupping their mulled wine and hot chocolate as if their lives depended on them.
Standing behind the table outside the café that they had set up for drinks, Rosa looked around her and smiled. The beach was packed full of smiling faces, everyone happy and enjoying themselves. This was what life was about – community and coming together. It was one of the reasons she truly loved Cockleberry Bay.
The last firework weaved its colourful dance down to the sea, leaving the distinct smell of sulphur hanging in the air. As Sara and Rosa chinked their cardboard cups in a toast, they were interrupted by two familiar faces running up to them.
‘There’s our gel,’ Tina Green said loudly. ‘What you got to say to her, Alfie?’
‘Do you sell sweets in
your shop too?’
‘Oi, that’s naughty.’ Tina tutted at her grandson. ‘He’s five today and full of it.’
Rosa walked to the front of the table then crouched down to the little boy’s level. ‘Happy Birthday, Alfie, and I’m sure I can find you some sweeties here in the café if you’d like them.’ She knew there were some chocolate buttons left over from the ones they’d used to decorate some freshly baked cupcakes.
The lad grinned at her. He was so cute it suddenly gave Rosa a surge of love for Bump, who was growing inside her. She hadn’t even thought about what sex she would prefer, but a mini-Josh would be mighty sweet.
On reappearing outside with the chocolate buttons in a paper bag and three cupcakes, one each for Alfie’s family, Rosa noticed Danny approaching in geezer-like fashion, plastic pint of beer in hand, across from the charity tent.
Alfie grabbed him by the hand and pulled him towards Rosa.
‘This is my daddy! He had to go to prison because somebody hurt him, and he told me he’d be safer in prison and I’m happy he doesn’t have to go there again.’
Danny and Tina grimaced. Rosa handed the lad the treats while Sara and Alec began clearing everything away.
‘You know what, Alfie? I’m very glad he doesn’t, too.’ Rosa winked at Danny, whose face instantly relaxed.
‘And Rosa?’
‘Yes, Alfie?’
‘Fank you for saving my life.’
Rosa went over to the little boy and gave him a big hug.
‘Ew.’ He promptly pushed her away. ‘I don’t hug girls. And Grannie Green, I need a wee.’ The two of them disappeared hastily into ROSA’S to use the toilet there.
Danny shrugged when Rosa told him, ‘Thanks so much for stepping in, Danny, that meant a lot. It’s not often I trust a stranger.’
‘Look, love, about the prison thing–’
‘That’s your business. We’ve all got a past.’
Danny reminded her so much of some of the boys at the children’s homes she’d grown up in. They’d had a hard start in life, but even if they were a bit rough around the edges, that didn’t mean they were bad. In fact, growing up as she had done, there wasn’t much that fazed or shocked Rosa, which she saw as only a good thing.
‘There’s something I wanna tell you.’ Danny held her arm and looked right into her eyes. ‘My ex – that’s Alfie’s mum, Leah – well, she was a drug addict. Crack cocaine, poor cow.’
Rosa nodded. ‘That’s tough. I used to drink too much – different addiction, but same motive and outcome. I’m sober now though and – I never thought I’d say this – but I’m enjoying it. I hope Leah can reach this point one day.’
‘“Middle finger up to your twisted head” and all that. Damn, I love that James Arthur lyric,’ Danny added. ‘I could listen all day to “Finally Feel Good”.’
‘Another one,’ Rosa said to herself.
‘What?’
‘Another one who’s listening to James Arthur.’
‘Yeah, well. His new album is really good.’
‘So, she’s better now then, is she? Leah, I mean.’
‘Yeah. She’s doing good. She’s gone back to stay with her mum who lives out in the countryside in Wales, so it’s easier for her to recover, you know.’ He paused. ‘I loved her, Rosa, but it’s gone now. Too many demons. For both of us.’ Then his face lit up. ‘But she gave me our Alfie, so I will always hold a candle for her. It’s been bloody hard. Thank God for my old mum.’
‘“The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain”.’
‘What you on about?’
‘Oh, it’s something my mum said: she likes to quote from the prophet, Kahlil Gibran.’
‘That’s too deep for me. Blimey, I think I’ll stick to song lyrics.’
Rosa smiled. Grannie Green, on noticing the couple deep in chat, tactfully walked towards the charity tent with Alfie. She fancied a cuppa.
‘Talking of carving, that’s how I got this.’ Danny pointed to the deep red line on his cheek. ‘Leah had managed to get the money together to pay her dealer everything she owed. I went with her; he was still a complete wanker to her, so I gave him a piece of my mind. He had a blade. As well as doing a bit of signwriting on my face, he also had a shit-hot lawyer. Turned out the dealer looked squeaky clean, and it was me who ended up doing the stint in bird, until my appeal quashed it. I’m only just out. You know something, Rosa? I want me and Alfie out of city life. In fact, somewhere down here would suit me and the boy perfectly.’
‘Yes, it would. It’s quiet, mind, compared to the Big Smoke. What do you do for work?’
‘I work for C&V – you know, the big hardware outlet? That’s why doing a bit of shop work for you today didn’t bother me.’ He grinned. ‘In fact, I bloody loved it.’
‘You’re still there then?’
‘Yes, thankfully they took me straight back – C&V, that is. I may have got a record now but I’m no criminal, Rosa. Just a bloke brought up by a single parent, who is now a single parent himself, and from a tough background. I’m a bloody hard worker too and my employers knew that, which was such a blessing.’
‘I take it you know I am gifting the shop to somebody I feel deserves it, don’t you?’
‘Er, yeah. My old woman did mention it. Unbelievable.’ Then: ‘We are a bit like kindred spirits, you and me, I reckon.’
A brief silence ensued, then Rosa piped up, ‘While we are talking shop, where did you leave the cash? I got your message, but it wasn’t in the mug in the microwave. Well, the mug was there but no money. The back door wasn’t locked either. I wanted to pay you out of it.’
‘You’re having a giraffe, aren’t ya?’ Danny put his hand to his head. ‘Honestly, that cash was in there when I left, but fuck me – sorry, Rosa – I meant to lock the back door. Jacob had said that you don’t always lock doors down here. I mean, I’m usually paranoid but his comment must have soaked in and I didn’t lock it. Shit. The money hadn’t fallen out somehow, had it?’
‘No, I checked.’
‘Oh no!’ Danny clapped a hand to his head again. Then: ‘Wait – listen. There was some shifty-looking fella hanging around at the front of the shop earlier. Long, dark, messy hair. Looked like a tramp. I didn’t trust him at all. I didn’t tell him where you were either, Rosa. He asked for you. Said his name was Nate. I’m not one to grass usually, but you saving my Alfie, well, that makes you one of the family.’ He added scornfully, ‘I know his sort. I’ve lived among them. He knew you weren’t there, too.’
‘Ah, OK.’
‘You know him, do you?’
Rosa sighed. ‘Yes, you’re right, I do.’ It pained her to think that Nate could be capable of stealing from her. But knowing herself, as she did now, she also accepted that addicts were liars and often desperate. However, despite all this, the thought of the money being stolen hadn’t even crossed her mind.
In fact, she was quite relieved that Nate had been looking for her. Rosa felt a certain affinity with him – another stray to fill her own deep-rooted insecurities. Also, she was desperate to talk to him about the other night. She assumed he had no credit on his phone, or he would have replied to her message. Titch used to be like that all the time when she was skint too. The same now-blossoming-and-happy Titch, whom Rosa had rescued from the beach bench all those months ago, when the younger girl had found herself pregnant and with nowhere to turn.
‘Look, I’m so sorry, Rosa. Is there anything I can do? I don’t want paying for starters and that’s a given. I could kick myself. For fuck’s sake!’
‘Don’t be silly, it may turn up yet. So, think back, can you remember one hundred per cent you putting the cash in the mug in the microwave?’
‘Yes, definitely. It was only a few hours ago, and I’m not going senile yet, I don’t think.’
Mind you, Danny thought guiltily, the last hour in the back kitchen of the Corner Shop was a bit of a blur. What he did remember very clearly, however, was tha
t posh tart, whose name he didn’t even ask for, swiping her arm across to clear the worktop and smashing a mug as she did so. He hadn’t had sex for months, so he wasn’t turning it down when offered on a plate like that. In fact, it was the best sex he’d ever had – and it had been a long time coming. She had insisted he take his socks off too. Kinky cow. He still couldn’t believe that it had happened; none of his mates would believe it. Her voice was so plummy too. Made it all the funnier.
At that moment Alfie came charging back to them, holding a pebble up in his hand. ‘Daddy, Grannie Green says we can throw some stones in the sea!’ he shouted excitedly. ‘We got lots of flat ones, and they are in Grannie’s bag.’
Tina Green came puffing up behind the young lad and Danny noticed how tired his mother looked.
‘No throwing in the dark, Alfie, but tomorrow for sure. Come on, my old darlin’,’ he said to his mum, ‘let’s get you back to the campsite. Rosa, we’re here for the weekend, so we’ll come and see you on our way to the beach tomorrow. If you’re about, that is?’
Danny put a sulking Alfie on his shoulders, linked arms with his mother and as they started walking up the hill, the deep-thinking ex-con let out a massive sigh.
‘That doesn’t sound too good, son. Everything OK?’
‘Yeah, Ma, yeah. It will be.’
Alec waited while Sara locked up the café.
‘I enjoyed that,’ he said. ‘The fireworks and the hustle and bustle of being on the front line of serving.’
‘I’ve done bugger all, sorry.’ Rosa bit her lip.
‘Good,’ Alec replied kindly. ‘I’m under strict instructions from Josh for you to take it easy anyway.’
Sara appeared outside. ‘It was worth opening though; we’ve taken a tidy penny.’
‘Great! But let’s not leave money in the safe any more,’ Rosa said hurriedly. ‘I think one of us should take it home to bank on a Friday from now onwards. Let’s just leave the float.’
‘OK, but I’ve never had a break-in here before. You know what this place is like.’