by Gemma Rogers
After a minute, we separated, moving around into the main part of the warehouse to try and find ourselves something to do. I could see Karla’s eyes kept wandering to the incinerator, but there was nothing to show it had been used recently. She took charge, making sure all the orders were packed up, ready to be collected and soon we were gathered by the trolleys again. Everyone putting their pennyworth in about where Terry had disappeared to. I craved nicotine, struggling to listen to their outlandish theories.
Outside the front of Bright’s, the weight of what we’d done sat on me like a tonne of bricks. How did we ever think we’d get away with it? Had Terry’s car been found yet? What if the man was looking at the CCTV from the yard now? He could be from the police station. Watching me in Terry’s coat and cap. How did we think that would work? At least it was the only CCTV at Bright’s, there was nothing at the entrance, so he couldn’t prove what time we left.
I was so wrapped up in my thoughts I didn’t realise the visitor was standing beside me, looking up at the entrance. It was as if he was searching for cameras, but there were none at the front.
He was average height, slim build with short dark curly hair. We stood awkwardly next to each other for a second as I considered chucking what was left of my cigarette and going back inside.
‘I’m Dan, Terry’s brother,’ he volunteered, holding out his hand for me to shake.
‘Oh,’ was all I could manage as I shook it.
The resemblance to Terry was non-existent. Dan’s eyes weren’t squinty, and he didn’t have the double chin or receding hairline either.
‘Sorry, it’s just, you look nothing like him,’ I said, realising my mouth was gaping.
He chuckled and my face flushed pink. ‘Thank God for that. He’s got a few pounds on me, and a few years.’ Dan looked to be in his early thirties.
‘I’m Jess,’ I said before quickly adding, ‘where’s Terry?’
‘We don’t know. Kim, his wife, is going out of her mind. He didn’t come home on Friday and no one can reach him. Did he seem all right to you the last time you saw him?’
No not really, he was engulfed in a fireball.
‘Yeah, I guess.’
The woman inside must be Kim, I realised I’d recognised her from the photo on Terry’s desk. Had she been in Bright’s at the weekend?
‘I’m Terry’s silent partner, I’ve been working in Aberdeen for the past six months until Kim called me on Saturday. I’m the only one with spare keys,’ he said, swinging them around on his finger. He obviously didn’t know the key code, which meant Kim didn’t know it either.
‘Where do you think he’s gone?’ I asked.
‘No idea, but Kim’s doing her crust and I’ve got a laundry full of ladies to sort out.’
I flicked my cigarette into the road, and we made our way back inside, Dan holding the door open for me to slip past.
Inside, Terry’s office door had been unlocked and Kim was rummaging through the drawers and cabinets. Long glossy red fingernails catching the light. She looked well kept, perfect make-up in skinny jeans and tan UGG boots. Terry’s trophy wife. God knows how he’d kept her.
‘He never goes anywhere without his bloody Gaviscon, swigging from it all day long he is! Gets such bad indigestion,’ she cried, brandishing the bottle at Dan.
Barry had left, deciding to come back another day to see his probationers, and I found Karla in the warehouse, bringing in a delivery that had been left outside. The shutters had been raised, letting the cold air in as we moved the hospital sheets from the pallet to the machines.
‘He’s Terry’s brother,’ I hissed at Karla as we heaved the packets of fabric onto the tables for sorting. Her screwed-up face said it all. They didn’t look like they belonged to the same gene pool. Dan was well turned out, good-looking even, the opposite of Terry in every way.
‘Ladies, can I have your attention please?’ Dan’s voice boomed and we all stopped what we were doing and gathered around. Kim stood next to him, bags under her eyes like she hadn’t slept, chewing her nails. ‘As you may have heard, Terry has gone AWOL. Has anyone seen him since Friday?’
Everyone shook their heads and looked around at each other.
‘Okay, let me know if you remember anything strange about that day, anything at all. We’re just going to head to the police station to make a formal report.’
My eyes bulged, but Karla, in my peripheral vision, remained stoic.
‘If you can carry on as best you can, keep doing what you’re doing. I’ll be back in an hour or so.’
Every muscle tensed of its own accord and I stood rigid. Karla met my eye and gave the slightest shake of the head. I got the message.
‘Jess.’
I turned around and Dan was behind me.
‘Won’t be long, any problems, give me a ring.’ He slipped a business card into my hand, his fingers grazing my icy palms.
I swallowed.
‘Sure.’ I stared at the card, the writing in black modern print: Daniel Bright, Director at Bright’s Industrial Services, his mobile number beneath. I ran my thumb across the smooth surface as he left, listening to the girls’ giggle about how hot Dan was and how he couldn’t possibly be related to Shrek-like Terry.
‘Don’t get any ideas,’ Karla said, throwing me a clear packet of what looked like dirty pillowcases to open.
‘What do you mean?’ I huffed.
‘You’re pulling on your ear again and you’ve gone all pink.’ She smirked.
18
By the end of the day, we’d worked through the order that had been delivered and packaged up what was ready for collection. The atmosphere without Terry around had been relaxed, there was an abundance of chatter and laughter in the warehouse.
Although Karla and I didn’t participate much. Laura put her radio on again and because all the machines weren’t working at once the temperature was comfortable.
Dan came back with Kim and they sat in Terry’s office with a takeaway coffee from the café a few doors down. I tried to earwig, but their voices wouldn’t carry. He waved as we clocked out. Would he be back tomorrow? I hoped so. I couldn’t deny he was easy on the eye.
‘Fancy a coffee?’ Karla said.
‘How about a burger, I’m starving,’ I replied. There was a local Wimpy down the road and we walked quickly to get out of the cold. We both ordered a cheeseburger and chips with a milkshake and sat in the front by the window, watching people scurry past.
‘He’s a bit of all right, isn’t he?’ Karla said.
‘I guess so.’
‘Looks like no one went in at the weekend.’
‘No, but who knows what the police are going to dig up, now they are looking for him.’ I scooped a load of tomato sauce onto a chip and popped it into my mouth.
‘Like what?’
I leaned forward in my seat. ‘I’m worried they are going to look at the CCTV and see a girl dressed as a bloke getting in Terry’s car and driving it away,’ I said, my voice low.
‘It’ll be fine, you worry too much.’ Karla took a bite of her burger, ketchup dripping onto the paper wrapping.
‘I can’t help it; we should have just called the police.’
Karla sat bolt upright in her chair. ‘I saved your arse, and don’t you forget it. They would have charged you with manslaughter or something and you wouldn’t have had a leg to stand on,’ she seethed, eyes flashing.
I lowered my gaze back to my burger. She was right and even if she weren’t, there was nothing I could do about it now. We’d started a chain of events that couldn’t be stopped.
‘We’ve just got to sit tight. It’ll be fine, I promise.’ Her voice was softer now.
‘What did you get up to at the weekend?’ I asked, changing the subject.
‘Not a lot. You?’
‘Same.’
‘You not got any friends to knock about with?’
Cheeks blazing at Karla’s incredulous tone, I looked away. ‘No, not really, they’
ve all… moved on. My best friend, Ashley, I haven’t seen since before. She’s at university now,’ I said proudly as though I was her parent.
‘So, who did you kill?’ Karla said, taking another large bite of her burger.
My mouth dropped at the casualness of her words. She didn’t even bother to lower her tone.
‘Her boyfriend,’ I whispered.
‘Whose, Ashley’s?’
I nodded.
‘Holy shit, no wonder she ain’t your friend any more.’ Karla’s words stung like a slap in the face. Why was I bothering? The problem was Karla and I were connected forever now, a secret that bound us together.
I pushed my half-eaten burger to the side and stood, shrugging on my coat. Karla frowned up at me.
‘I gotta go.’
I didn’t wait for a response, just grabbed my milkshake and left, walking past the bus stop outside to the next one further down the road. Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait long and when I got to the bedsit, Stuart was just returning from work.
‘Hey, how’s it going?’ he asked cheerfully, always disconcerting for a Monday.
‘Okay thanks, you?’
‘Yeah good, I’m taking your sister out this week.’
I raised my eyebrows. Helen and Stuart? It wasn’t a match I could see working, she was far too highly strung, but he looked excited at the prospect.
‘Oh, great. Hope it goes well. Thanks for the vodka by the way, it was kind of you.’
He waved me away. ‘No biggie, I can’t stand the stuff. I’m a bourbon drinker myself. Everything all right in there?’ he asked, nodding towards the bedsit.
‘Yeah fine, although the pigeons are driving me mad – any chance you could put something on the roof, poison or something to scare them away?’
‘I’ll see what I can do.’
‘Also, do you think I could get a TV? I mean would I need an aerial if I bought one?’
Stuart rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ‘Yes, I think you would. Leave it with me and I’ll see if I can get a connection run off mine.’
‘Thanks, Stuart.’ I smiled.
He chuckled, before giving me an odd little salute and heading inside.
If Helen had a date, I’d go and spend the evening with Mum. I rang her inside, but it went to voicemail, so I left a message asking if everything was all right and could I come over one night this week? I didn’t mention Helen’s date but hoped Mum would get the message.
I’d never been on a date, not a proper one. I’d never been taken for dinner, wined and dined or even treated like a lady. I’d often dreamt about the perfect date, a nice Italian restaurant, all dressed up. I imagined myself sitting across from Dan, him smiling as he poured wine into my glass.
Fat chance. I bet he went out with classy girls, perhaps he was even married, like Terry. I hadn’t seen a ring on his finger though. Maybe he had a girlfriend in Aberdeen, a Scottish lass with fiery red hair and temper to match. I pushed the thought from my mind, having anything to do with Terry’s brother would be asking for trouble considering what I’d done.
I snuggled into bed, picked up a book and tried to concentrate, but the words bounced around on the page and I couldn’t catch them. I kept thinking about Kim, going out of her mind with worry. Did she think Terry had just left her, disappeared off the face of the earth? What about the child from his photo? Had I robbed a child of knowing what had happened to its father? Now the police were involved, how hard would they look if they suspected foul play? My stomach churned in anticipation of tomorrow.
Somewhere underneath the covers my phone buzzed and I reached for it.
Sorry about earlier. I shouldn’t have made a joke. It’s not funny.
No, Karla, it wasn’t funny. I’d killed Eddie and now, every night in my dreams, I could add Terry to the list of faces who haunted me.
In the morning, the dark circles under my eyes were almost purple. I rummaged in the bathroom drawer where I’d discarded the make-up I’d bought back from Mum’s. Luckily the concealer still had some life left in it and with a bit of help I began to look more human. I carried on with mascara and a brown eyeliner, the face staring back at me from the mirror looked like a stranger. I piled my hair into a messy topknot and got dressed, ready to face the day, whatever it would bring.
The bus never arrived to pick me up, so I started walking. When one finally went past, I was nowhere near the next stop. Shit. I’d definitely be late. There was no way I could make the walk in half an hour, but I sped up.
When Bright’s came into view, the first thing I noticed was the police car parked outside the entrance.
Fluttering in my chest, tiny palpitations rippled through me as I neared the doors. I checked my phone; it was ten past nine. Rushing inside, I pulled off my coat as I clocked in, spying the uniformed officer in Terry’s office, looking at something over Dan’s shoulder. I moved quickly past, my bag at my side, ready to put in my locker.
‘Ah, Jess, brilliant. We’ve be waiting for you.’
I turned around and Dan was leaning against the door frame, his leg touching the spot where Terry’s head had struck the metal.
‘Me?’ I muttered.
Dan nodded and beckoned me inside.
19
My legs wouldn’t work, it was like they didn’t belong to me any more. I saw Dan looking, his smile turning to an expression of confusion.
Move damn it! I propelled myself forward and entered the office.
‘Take a seat, this won’t take long.’
‘I’m sorry I’m late, I missed the bus. It won’t happen again,’ I blurted out.
Dan chuckled. ‘Don’t worry, it’s not important. Officer Stokes here just wants to ask you a couple of questions.’
The policeman stood straight, picking up his notebook from Terry’s desk. He was in his early thirties, pale blond hair like mine. We had similar colouring. Mum always said Helen and I looked like we were Swedish. His radio burst to life and made me jump with a screech.
‘Sorry about that, take a seat, Jess…?’
‘Strickland,’ I answered and watched him write it down. I hadn’t failed to notice our personnel files on the desk, mine buried under Karla’s. I could just make out her surname Grant on the front as I lowered into the chair.
‘I’ve had a quick chat with most of the girls. Some said when they left on Friday you were in here having a chat with Terry. Can you tell me what that was about?’
I tried to keep my voice steady as I answered, although I was sure the vein in my forehead was pulsating. ‘I was reporting an issue with the washing machine I’d been using that day. It appeared to be leaking mid-cycle.’ It wasn’t the best lie, but it was all I could come up with on the spot.
Officer Stokes nodded as he took it down. ‘How did Terry seem?’
‘Fine. Normal. I wasn’t here long.’
‘And he was still here when you left the premises?’
I nodded.
Dan pointed towards the screen and I was desperate to crane my neck round to see what was on the monitor, but I remained still.
Were they looking at me, wearing Terry’s coat and boots, climbing into his car? Had they spotted Karla pulling down the shutters before climbing into the boot of the Audi? Was the game up?
‘We have him leaving at about seven. What time did you leave again?’ Dan asked, rubbing his hands together. He looked more casual today, the shirt had been replaced with a jumper, black boots instead of the smart shoes he wore yesterday. The aroma of his aftershave filled the small office, which was tight with three of us inside. It made me heady.
‘Umm, it was about quarter past five, I think.’
Officer Stokes nodded. ‘Okay thanks, Ms Strickland. I think that’s all for now.’
I stood, ready to go, wanting to ask so many questions but not daring to. I had my alibi ready, but no one asked where I went when I left Bright’s.
‘Thanks, Jess.’ Dan flashed a genuine smile at me, displaying perfectly straight te
eth, and it was like being branded with a hot poker.
When I got back to the warehouse, via the lockers, Karla was ready to pounce.
‘What did they say?’
‘Nothing really, just asking about the last time I saw him. Didn’t even ask where I went after work.’
Karla looked me up and down, her brows knitted, before nodding an acceptance and allowing me to pass.
Only Lisa didn’t have a partner, so I teamed with her, feeding the flat sheets through the press. These were larger and trickier than the tablecloths, having to go through multiple times. I was amazed she’d been doing them by herself.
We chatted about Terry, it was all anyone wanted to talk about, his mysterious disappearance. Kim hadn’t shown up yet today, but the police were speaking to all the girls individually. I was sure they had been looking at the CCTV earlier.
‘Earth to Jess.’ Lisa was staring right at me, her hands on her hips.
‘Sorry I was miles away, didn’t sleep well,’ I replied, rubbing my eye for effect and smudging my mascara.
‘I was saying, Terry, I reckon he fucked with the wrong girl and her pimp took him down.’ Lisa sniffed, rubbing her nose ring.
‘It’s all a bit gangster, isn’t it? Plus, Terry never went for working girls, he liked the non-working variety, remember?’ I raised my eyebrows and looked pointedly at her.
‘Yeah. Let’s hope some bastards murdered him though, eh,’ she said cheerfully.
I shuddered at the words, reminding myself for the thousandth time, I hadn’t killed Terry, just disposed of his body.
I glanced over at Karla, working with Agnes whose mouth was moving, it was always moving. What would Agnes’s topic of conversation be today? Whatever it was, Karla wasn’t listening; she wouldn’t take her eyes off me. I turned away, still able to feel them burning a hole in my back. What was her problem? Did she think I’d sold her out?
At lunchtime, I went to the café to get a roll and some crisps, the lettuce was limp in my BLT, but I didn’t care. I wanted out of Bright’s today, the atmosphere was claustrophobic with the police hanging around. Officer Stokes had been joined by a lady, tall and imposing in her uniform. Her eyes were distrustful, and put me on edge as they wandered around, taking notes, searching the warehouse.