“Okay, we’re going to the hospital, wait there while I get a blanket to put round you.”
“No, no really, I don’t think there’s any need.”
“Yes there is, it looks as if you’ve banged your head bloody hard and that can cause all sorts of things, don’t even bother arguing, we’re going to the hospital and that’s final.”
She didn’t have the energy or the will to oppose him. He brought the plaid rug from the couch to wrap around her shoulders and then hoisted her in his arms and she simply laid her head against his shoulder and let herself be looked after. He strapped her into the car and turned towards the main road. The hospital was in the local town twenty minutes away. He spent the whole journey nervously glancing at her pale face, keeping her talking because somewhere in the back of his mind he remembered that it was best not to let someone sleep after a blow on the head and she seemed very drowsy. Her eyes were closed and her head drooped forward and then popped up again as she tried to answer his questions.
At last the car swept through the gates of the general hospital and he scanned for the signs to the Accident and Emergency Department. He had to lift Marsha from the car, becoming more and more droopy as the journey had progressed, she was now limp in his arms. Tears started to his eyes as he looked down at her. She looked so frail and helpless, he was swept by panic. He couldn’t lose her, he loved her so much. He stalked through the door and up to the reception desk. The uniformed woman behind the pale wooden counter took one look at his burden and called to a nurse who was sorting clipboards further along the reception area. The patients sitting on hard plastic chairs mumbled and groaned as he was taken past them, but it was obvious that the girl needed help.
“Come on, bring her in here. Do you know where she’s hurt and what happened?”
“Her head, she’s banged her head and while we were coming she got more and more drowsy. She is going to be alright isn’t she? I mean it’s not serious is it?”
“Put her down there, very carefully, let me lay the back down flat. Do you know if she had any pain in her neck, and was she able to move all her limbs normally? Careful now, let me hold her head, gently. Great. Now obviously I can’t say anything until we have a look at her, you’ve done all that you can so why don’t you go and check her in at reception? Is it your wife?”
“Girlfriend, we live together.”
“Okay great, off you go and then take a seat in the hall and I’ll come and find you when the doctor’s been in and had a look at her.”
“Right, right, oh God, you will look after her won’t you? She’ll be okay won’t she? I was at work, she rang and then when I got home she was just pale and had this lump on her head.”
“And you have no idea how it happened.”
“No, she didn’t know, she was gardening.”
“Okay, go and fill in the forms and wait in the hall.”
In a fug of disbelief Freddy kissed Marsha’s pale cheek. “I’m just outside love, I’m not far away.” There was no response and he turned and made his way back to the reception area. How had this ordinary day turned into a nightmare, with no warning, fear and worry falling out of the clear blue to leave him weak-kneed and trembling in a hospital waiting room?
Chapter 12
“Freddy.” Marsha’s eyelids fluttered, opened and with a visible effort she fought to focus. Freddy squeezed her hand and bent nearer, she was coming round. They had said it could be a while, and he had sat for what had seemed an eternity willing her back to him.
“It’s okay love, I’m here. Can you hear me? You’re okay. If you can hear me squeeze my hand.”
She didn’t squeeze his hand but her eyelids flickered again and she forced them open. She screwed up the muscles of her face as she peered at him. Tears of relief were flooding Freddy’s cheeks as he leaned towards her and kissed her very gently. “God, girl you gave me a scare.”
“Freddy,” her voice was faint but steady. “What’s happened, am I in hospital, what’s the matter with me?”
“It’s okay love, they said you probably wouldn’t remember. Hang on I’m supposed to let them know if you came round.” He leaned to the wall and pressed the nurse call button. “You had an accident in the garden, do you remember that?” She shook her head and grimaced.
“Oh, that hurts.”
“I think you should keep as still as you can, you have very severe concussion. But you’re going to be okay, you are, I promise you. You rang the school and when I got back to the house I decided you should come here, and thank God I did because you lost consciousness and you’ve been out for ages. But you are going to be fine, they did a scan and there’s no bleeding or anything. They are going to keep you here overnight though. Oh shit, Marsha I was so scared.”
“Sorry,” now she squeezed his hand. “I’m really sorry Freddy. I don’t remember much, I think I can remember being in the car but it seems like a dream.”
“Yes, it’s okay... Oh hello nurse, look who’s back with us.”
The tubby middle-aged woman leaned over the bed. “Hi there Marsha, you’ve been in the wars a bit but you’re going to be fine. Now I need to do some checks and things and you need to just lie still and try not to worry. I think it’s best if Freddy goes off home now and leaves you to get some rest and then he can come back tomorrow.”
She turned to where he stood at the head of the bed and still clinging to Marsha’s hand, “Give us a call in the morning and we’ll be able to tell you whether to come and take her home or maybe bring some things if we are holding on to her for a bit longer. Doctor will want to give her a thorough checking over before he decides. Leave it til about ten o clock. Now come on, give her a kiss and let me get on with my work.” She smiled at him and patted him on the shoulder as she moved aside, allowing him better access.
“Night night love, I’ll see you tomorrow. I love you so much Marsha, you do know that don’t you?”
She nodded and the movement brought forth another quiet groan. However, she was able to summon up a smile as he kissed her again. She watched as he walked behind the curtains and then she closed her eyes. She felt immeasurably weary, her head was thumping like a kettle drum and she just wanted to drift back to the dark place she had been in before.
The drive back was uneventful but Freddy was still strung out and nervous. He knew he would need to ring the head at the school and tell him what had happened. He wouldn’t be able to go in tomorrow. Not in the morning at least, and if he brought her home then obviously he would need to stay with Marsha until they worked out what the next move would be. He would need to ring Lionel as well and tell him to hold off sending any work through to her for the time being.
On top of all of it though, niggling away in the back of his mind was that one unanswered question. What on earth had happened? It was still light as he pulled into the drive and so he reckoned that he’d make a cup of coffee, a decent one to take away the taste of the swill from the vending machine at the hospital. After that he would go up to the top of the garden and see if he could work out just where she had banged her head so horrendously, because he had to be sure that it couldn’t ever happen again. He just couldn’t bear to think what his life would be like if he had lost her.
The birds were still singing happily as he made his way across the cultivated part of the lawn and up to the old apple tree.
“Hey, what the hell do you think you’re doing? It’s Jared isn’t it? What are you doing back here?”
“Oh, I erm I was just ‘avin’ a look round. You know Ma thought we could buy this plot off of your dad and so I was ‘avin’ a look like.”
“Well don’t you think you should have asked? You gave me a hell of shock skulking up there beside the shed.”
“I weren’t skulkin’, I were looking round, like I said.”
“Well look, we haven’t decided but I don’t think we are going to sell anyway.”
“Your girl not around?”
“What?”
“Your girl, where’s she?”
“What’s it got to do with you where Marsha is?”
“Well, weren’t she out ‘ere this mornin’? Thought I saw her gardnin’ and all, just wondered where she is now.”
“Well, it’s none of your business, what have you got there anyway?”
“Just a lump a wood thassall. I were goin’ to take it with me for the fire. Don’t mind do ya?”
“Well yes I do actually, you shouldn’t be taking anything. I know you do the grass but that’s all we want you to do. I think I’ll take that shall I?”
Jared had altered his grip on the tree branch and was hefting it now like a club; a chill swept through Freddy. He was in no way a coward and wouldn’t be pushed around but the air of menace was so very strong as he stood facing this big man. At six-foot he was used to being amongst the taller of any group, but the gardener was at least two inches above him in height and with muscles bulging under the sleeves of his dirty T-shirt there was no question who would be the winner in any sort of physical struggle. He was dirty and smelled of soil and sweat. Freddy hadn’t ever thought himself a snob but had to admit that he was repulsed by this grubby hulk.
After the emotional turmoil of the last few hours he didn’t have the heart for any more stress. He simply dropped his arms and shook his head slightly, “Look, I don’t want to get into a situation about this. If you want the bloody piece of wood that badly then take it, but get out of the garden and in future don’t come in without letting us know first.”
“What you or your girl? She still here then is she, she still livin’ ‘ere?”
“Yes, of course she is, what on earth do you mean? Look, that’s enough, just go, I’m very tired and I can’t be bothered with any more of this just now.”
“Aye right you are mate, no offence meant. I’ll take the wood.” And that was it, he strode past where Freddy stood at the edge of the overgrown plot and marched down the garden through the gate, and moments later Freddy heard the roar of the old van as it sped up the lane.
He heaved a huge sigh, puffing out his cheeks. What the hell was all that about? They were an odd family and he was beginning to understand why Marsha was so hesitant about having them as neighbours. He’d speak to his dad and make sure that didn’t happen. Shaking his head, he made his way to the kitchen door where he let himself in, dragged his tired body and mind upstairs and into the shower and then flopped into bed. It was early but he had given the day all that he could.
Chapter 13
“Ma, Ma, are you ‘ere?” Jared leapt from the white van and ran across the loose gravel of the tiny car park outside the garden centre. He dragged open outhouse and shed doors as he went. The doors slammed back against their hinges and he left them swinging open as he dashed on to the next ramshackle building, and the next. “Ma, where the ‘ell are ya?”
A light was burning in the far end of the big greenhouse. He jogged towards it, glancing back and forth, all the while searching.
The log swung in his hand. It tapped against his lower leg as he strode through the glass house to the little potting up area. He could make out the shadow of his mother moving around embroiled in her work. “Ma, Ma, you deaf or what? Where’s that bloody branch chipping machine been put?”
The old woman glanced up from the potting table peering out in the dim light, “Jared, is that you? What the ‘ell is all that noise? What are you doin’ now boy?”
“The bloody chippin’ machine, where’s that useless Davy put the thing now? I’ve told ‘im to leave it in the garage, it’s not there. I need the soddin’ thing right now.”
She paced through the door, rubbing dirt from her grimy fingers. Standing in front of him she shook her head, her brow wrinkled in confusion. “I don’t know where ‘e’s put the soddin’ thing do I? I can’t keep check on all that idiot does, I don’t know why we keep ‘im on, useless sod ‘e is.”
“We keep ‘im on cos we can claim from the social for ‘im and of course ‘es a useless sod, that’s the whole bloody point, that’s why no bugger else’ll ‘ave ‘im. Look I’ve no time for this now, ‘ave you seen the chipping machine? I need to get rid of this.” He brandished the wood at arm’s length. It wasn’t that she felt particularly threatened but something in his demeanour caused the old woman to step back, her hands raised protectively before her.
“Wot’s that you’ve got, ya silly bugger? Whad’ya want flailin’ around with that in the dark? Leave it there, I’ll see to it tomorrow. I’m just about done ‘ere, we can get off ‘ome and call for fish and chips. Stupid sod. Messin’ about with silly bloody tree branches.” She turned and didn’t see as he leapt towards her across the soil-littered floor.
He grabbed out at her arm, dragging her back towards him. If he hadn’t had hold of her she would have sprawled across the soil, but as it was her arm was wrenched painfully. She let out a yell of fright and pain.
“Jared, let go.” The shock of her screeching at him and the shame of what he had done, dragging his mother bodily across the greenhouse, inflamed his already frantic nerves. He flung her arm from him as if it were a flaming brand. She toppled backwards onto her behind, scrabbling amongst the fallen clippings and leaf litter.
“God, can I get nothing to go right? I need to get rid of it now you stupid, stupid woman.”
“Jared, how dare ya? Ya bloody imbecile, ‘elp me up ya bugger, ‘elp me up now.” She held a shaking arm towards him and the sight of her struggling in the dirt drew him up short.
“Oh God Ma, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Come on, ‘ere give me yer ‘and.” He leaned and lifted her and as he did so he was overwhelmed. Great wracking sobs shook his body; he threw the piece of gnarly wood to the ground and covered his face with his hands.
“Oh Ma, I’m sorry. I’ve been up to the ‘ouse.”
“I told you not to, Jared, didn’t I say keep away, let things lie? If you keep away they’ll never link them and us. Oh why can’t you ever listen? I’ll bet the place were crawlin’ with police, you fool. I told you just go on as normal, why do you think I came ‘ere? Putting up a front I were, makin’ it all look the same as usual and then you go up there.”
“I know but I ‘ad to, I couldn’t keep away, I were just goin’ to drive past, see what were ‘appenin’ but that were the thing.”
“What, what were?”
“Nothin’ ‘appenin’ at all. No police nothin’. So I goes over that back wall and there’s nothin’. That girl weren’t there, she’d gone and there were no car and no police. So I took a shuftie down at the ‘ouse, through the window but there were nobody there.”
“I went back up and found this,” he continued and reached down for the branch. “I were just about to come back ‘ere and get rid when ‘e came ‘ome that Freddy. I don’t know where ‘e’d been but she weren’t with ‘im and ‘e looked proper done in.”
“Is that it then, that stick?”
“Aye, that’s why I ‘ave to get rid of it, there’s no blood or nowt but there could be ‘air or sommat I don’t know, that DNA stuff, so I want to put it in’t chippin’ machine.”
“Right, right, come on let’s get on and find it. That stupid Davy were working down by the big shed, ‘e’ll a left it down there I’ll bet. Do ya think then that she’s alright then that girl? Oh God Jared, I’ve been that worried, d’ya think it’s all alright?”
“Well, aye I think so, there were no police or nothin’ so I reckon we might be in the clear.”
“Oh thank God.”
Chapter 14
“Right, now you’re to do nothing, do you hear me, Marsha?” Freddy laid her gently on the sofa and threw a fluffy blanket across her legs. She smiled up at him; it was so lovely to have someone taking care of her. For so long she had taken care of other people, okay she’d had to have her brain shaken up a bit to get here, but she was loving the attention.
“I’m okay love, I’m sure I am.”
“I know but the doctor was insistent that you do nothi
ng and that if you have any sickness, dizziness or pain we call the hospital straight away.”
“Yes, sir.” She gave him a mock salute and then slid down a little more against the cushions. The sun through the window brightened the soft furnishings and threw patterns of dark and light across the walls and floor. In the garden the air was filled with birdsong. Somewhere in the darkest recesses of her mind the twittering and tweeting stirred an uncomfortable chord, a vague unease that slipped through her thoughts. She could remember nothing now of laying on the grass in the undergrowth at the top of the garden, vomiting and groaning. The hospital had told her that some memories might never come back and the best thing that she could do would be to just let them go. It did leave them totally ignorant about what had caused her accident. Freddy had been up to the land beyond the apple tree but from his cursory inspection could find nothing that she could have collided with. It seemed as though it would forever remain a mystery and they had agreed that they would accept it as an odd and inexplicable happening and move on. She did wish that she could remember though; it was uncomfortable having a piece of your life stolen.
“Now, I have to go into work this afternoon, I have an exam scheduled for the upper sixth and providing you’re okay I would prefer to be there. If you do need me though, I’ll call the head and he can organise another invigilator.”
“I’m fine, truly, if you just leave me a drink handy I’ll sit here and listen to the birds and enjoy the peace and just the bliss of being home again. They were lovely in the hospital but it’s great to be back.”
He fussed in the kitchen making a flask of coffee and a sandwich for her. “Here’s some water, coffee, grub, phone and a daft magazine for you. Now then, is there anything else? Do you want to go to the loo before I leave? I think that you should stay on the settee if you can until I get back.”
YOU'RE DEAD: Three Gripping Murder Mystery Suspense Novels Page 10