BEFORE I LEFT a gripping psychological thriller full of killer twists

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BEFORE I LEFT a gripping psychological thriller full of killer twists Page 24

by Daisy White


  “Mary, you’re a mum! How did you do that?” I laugh through my own tears.

  She grimaces for a moment. “It was awful. Not just the birth, I mean, but being stuck down there. But it was so quick that even when the police came in, just after you and Leon left and they smashed the door open, they said not to move me. Victoria was amazing. She just kept talking all the way through and she knew exactly what to do, and then the ambulance came—”

  “Victoria was in earlier. She said it was the best moment of her life, and how proud she was of you. Do you know she seems to have just shrugged off the fact that her boyfriend was a killer, as though it never happened? In fact she seemed more concerned about the fact he killed that cat. Do you remember? On our very first night out.”

  I sink back and sigh again, my eyes still drinking in the baby. I’m sure Victoria is hurting, but I doubt she’ll ever show it. She is one tough nut.

  “Crazy Leon. I was such an idiot to let him in, but really he always seemed so nice. He said he had found a little highchair for the baby, and would I come out and have a look before he unloaded it from his car. I made him a cup of tea, of course, and had one myself. Victoria said that was when he must have drugged me. The next thing I remember is waking up in the cellar. All the time you were looking I was right next door. I can’t believe none of us worked it out!” Mary runs a finger over her baby’s cheek.

  “Well, we did, didn’t we? Just not quickly enough. But his cover as this gentle professor type was perfect. I feel really sorry for Victoria, but you know a strange thing? He said he did actually love her. I suppose that probably saved her from becoming a victim.”

  “No way! And the watcher? Did you tell the police about him?”

  “Shhhhh. No. I’ll tell you why later. I feel really bad about Ted.”

  Mary sighs, “But from what you’ve told me all the evidence was pointing his way. I’m sure he won’t hold a grudge.”

  “Victoria reckons he just might move on somewhere else, depending on the court case.”

  The baby starts to grumble and Mary picks her up. “I need to feed her, Rubes. I’m doing it myself, you know,” she adds proudly, shifting further up my bed. I make room for her on the pillows, as the baby latches on and begins to suckle.

  I feel my mouth stretching into a grin, and a wave of love for both of them nearly has me in tears again. It’s okay. Everything is going to be okay.

  “What are you going to call her?” I ask suddenly, when the little girl has finished feeding and is dozing in her mother’s arms.

  “I thought of loads of names, but when I was down in that cellar, it was so dark I kept praying that I would see the sun again, and praying she wouldn’t be born yet.” Mary’s light blue eyes meet mine. “I can understand how people can kill to protect someone, you know. I swore to myself if the baby was born down there I would protect her however I could against Leon.”

  I nod, and squeeze her hand.

  “So anyway, I’ve decided to call her Summer.”

  “Perfect,” I stroke the soft pale down on the baby’s head, and beam at my best friend.

  * * *

  Two days later we both hobble out of hospital. The sun has returned and the clean, salty air is a welcome change from the antiseptic smell of the ward. Johnnie helps me carefully into the car, and takes Mary’s bag for her.

  “I can’t believe this has all happened. Brighton was lovely and peaceful before you two misfits turned up. Now what do we have? Scandal and murder!” He shakes his head, smiling, and lights a cigarette before settling behind the wheel. “I do hope this hasn’t put you off? You are sticking around for the rest of the summer?”

  As we pull away into the traffic, I glimpse the sea, lazy blue with the waves dancing in the afternoon light. I see the scattered sand on the beach, the jumbled mass of houses, bars, cafés, shops, and offices that cling dark-shadowed to the long hill, and the people bustling in the heat. I catch the smell of coffee, candyfloss, and hotdogs. Everything that makes up the city by the sea.

  Beside me, my best friend grins, and baby Summer snuggles safely between us.

  “We’ll stick around for a bit.”

  THE END

  Acknowledgements

  I would like to thank all the wonderful people who took the time to give me advice and information for this book. However this book is a work of fiction, thus bending of the rules/geography etc. has been done to enable the plot, and does not reflect on their expertise.

  CHARACTER LIST

  The Girls

  Ruby: Feisty, intelligent, loyal and thinks about things a bit differently to most girls her age. Why? Because she's a nineteen-year-old runaway with big secrets to hide.

  Mary: Ruby's pregnant best friend — sweet, gentle who wishes her happy-ever-after hadn't turned sour. Also works at Johnnie's hairdressing salon.

  Pearl: Ruby's cousin, training to be a nurse. Brighton party girl who speaks her mind.

  Victoria: Pearl’s best friend — also training to be a nurse. Likes to think she knows how to handle men.

  The Boys

  Johnnie: Big-hearted owner of the hairdressing salon. Has secrets of his own to hide.

  Kenny: Junior reporter on the local newspaper. A secret romantic.

  James: Kenny's best friend and work colleague. Likes to think he knows how to handle women.

  Ted: Found his true love, now he just has to convince her to love him back.

  GLOSSARY OF BRITISH AND PERIOD SLANG

  Addles your brain: messes with your head

  Aggro: violent behaviour, aggression

  All hands to the pumps: lots of help needed

  Aye: yes (Scottish)

  Baby grow: sleepsuit

  Babycham: cheap alternative to champagne – made from pears

  Ball and chain: wife (negative)

  Balloon’s gone up: an emergency situation

  Balls-up: an error, a mistake

  Banana boat: derogatory term for immigrants transport to UK

  Banksy: famous graffiti artist

  Barm: bread roll

  Barrel of laughs: sarcastic term for a serious character

  Barrister: lawyer who argues in court

  Be sick: vomit

  Beaker: glass or cup for holding liquids

  Beat bobby: uniformed police officer who patrols the streets

  Bedsit: a one-room apartment (small)

  Bee’s knees: something special

  Bells ringing: equivalent of police sirens today

  Belter: It was a fantastic goal

  Benefits: social security

  Bent: corrupt

  Better step on it: hurry up

  Betting shop: a place where you can place bets on horses and other sports

  Bin: wastebasket (noun), or throw in rubbish (verb)

  Biscuits: cookies

  Black Maria: a police van

  Blighty: means England

  Bloke: guy

  Blow: cocaine

  Bob: money

  Bod: derogatory term – anonymous person

  Bonnet: hood of car

  Bookies: a place where you can place bets on horses and other sports

  Bowling me a googly: cricketing term. To take by surprise

  Boxing Day: 26 December

  Bread-and-butter work: routine work

  Brief: lawyer

  Brylcreem: hair cream/gel to give men’s hair shine and smoothness

  Bully for you: good for you (sarcastic)

  Bumfluff: the first pubic hair

  Burger bar: hamburger fast-food restaurant

  Buy-to-let: buying a house/apartment to rent it out for profit

  Cabbage: brain dead

  Calling in the cavalry: asking for reinforcements

  Cambridge University: prestigious British university

  Canon: a rank of clergymen

  Car park: parking lot

  Caravan: mobile home

  Care Home: an institution where old people are cared for
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  Carer: person who looks after old or ill people

  Carrier bag: plastic bag from supermarket

  Cat that got all the cream: satisfied

  Chaps: men

  Charity Shop: thrift store

  Chat up: flirt, trying to pick up someone with witty banter or compliments

  Chemist: pharmacy

  Childminder: someone who looks after children for money

  Chinwag: conversation

  Chip: fat French fry

  Chipper: feeling positive

  CID: Criminal Investigation Department

  Civil servant: someone who works for the Civil Service

  Civil Service: government departments which put central government plans into action

  Clobbered: hit hard

  Clock: punch

  Cobbler’s shop: shoe repair

  Cock up: mess up, make a mistake

  Common or garden: ordinary

  Common: an area of park land/ or lower class

  Comprehensive School (Comp.): high school

  Cop hold of: grab

  Copper: police officer

  Cos: because

  Council estate: social housing

  Council flat: public or project housing

  Council: local government

  Coverall: coveralls, or boiler suit

  CPS: Crown Prosecution Service, decide whether police cases go forward

  Crazy-paving: patio, concrete slabs in random pattern

  Cross: upset or angry

  Crown Jewels: the Queen’s jewels and crown worn on state occasions (can also be an expression for anything valuable)

  Cuppa: cup of tea

  Cut along to: go along to

  David Nixon: UK TV magician

  DCI: Detective Chief Inspector

  Deck: one of the landings on a floor of a tower block

  Deputy head: deputy principal

  Dessert: pudding

  DI: Detective Inspector

  Digs: lodgings, boarding house

  Do a bunk: disappear

  Do a runner: disappear

  Do one: go away

  Do: party

  Doc Martens: heavy boots with an air-cushioned sole

  Dodgems: bumper cars

  Doormat: meek

  Dosh: money

  Dressing down: being chastised

  Druid: priest or magician of ancient Celtic religion/ also modern-day adherent of the religion

  DS: Detective Sergeant

  Early dart: to leave work early

  ED: accident and emergency department of hospital

  Emergency police box: telephone box for police use

  En-print: an 8 x 10 photograph

  Estate agent: realtor (US)

  Estate: public/social housing estate (similar to housing projects). May also mean a large area of land in the country, usually with a large house

  Excuse my French: sorry I swore

  Ex-directory: not in the phonebook

  Fag: cigarette

  Fella: man

  Fellow: boyfriend

  Fitzrovia: upmarket London area

  Fizzy drink: carbonated beverage

  Flat: apartment

  Flatfoots: derogatory name for police

  Fly in the ointment: problem

  Form teacher: class teacher

  Garden Centre: a business where plants and gardening equipment are sold

  Gee-gees: horses (racing)

  Geordie: someone from Newcastle

  George Formby: musical comedian

  Get rid: dispose of

  Get you a brew: make a cup of tea

  Get your skates on: hurry up

  Gilet: sleeveless padded jacket

  Glasshouse:greenhouse

  Go to the dogs: go to rack and ruin, be destroyed

  Good collars: good arrests

  GP: general practitioner, a doctor based in the community

  Graft: hard work

  Guvnor: the boss (& guv)

  Gymkhana: horse-riding event

  Gymslips: school uniform of bib and skirt design

  Hack: newspaper journalist

  Had it in spades: has a lot of it

  Half of bitter: half pint of beer

  Hanky: handkerchief

  Hard nut: tough person

  Harold MacMillan: British Prime minister 1957-63

  Haversack: backpack, rucksack

  Hendon: police training school

  Herbert Beerbohm-Tree and Mrs Patrick Campbell: actors

  HOLMES: UK police computer system used during investigation of major incidents

  Home: care home for elderly or sick people

  I’m blowed: I am surprised

  I’m spitting nails: I am very angry

  Inne: isn’t he

  Interpol: International Criminal Police Organisation, facilitating international police cooperation. HQ in Lyon, France.

  Into care: a child taken away from their family by the social services

  Kark: die

  Keep it under your hat: keep it a secret

  Keep mum about it: keep it a secret

  Keep your hair on: don’t get so excited

  Kneecapping: punish by shooting in the kneecap

  Knee-trembler: sex standing up

  Knighted: given a British honour

  Knock his block off: punch him hard, block = head

  Lad: young man

  Lass: young woman

  Late birds: people who stay up late

  Lecky: electricity

  Lift: elevator

  Lippy: lipstick — can also mean loquacious

  Little hussy: girl of loose morals

  Load of tripe: lot of nonsense

  Loft: attic

  Lonnnie Donegan: father of British skiffle music

  Loo: toilet (also bog, khasi)

  Lorry: a truck

  LSE: London School of Economics

  Mac: raincoat

  Magistrate: a civil officer who administers the law

  Mantelpiece: shelf above a fireplace

  Mare: derogatory term for woman, or can mean having a bad day (nightmare)

  Marmite or Bovril: meat-based sandwich spreads

  Mates: friends

  Met: the Metropolitan Police, police department serving London

  Mickey Finn: a drugged drink which makes the drinker unconscious

  Milkman: person who delivers milk to the house

  Missus: wife

  MIT: Major Investigation Team

  Mobile phone: cell phone

  Mobile: cell phone

  Mosquito: British airplane used in Second World War

  Mothercare: shop selling stuff for babies and expectant mothers

  MP: Member of Parliament, politician representing an area

  Mumsnet: website where parents discuss stuff

  Naff: lame, not good

  Nail varnish: nail polish

  Narky: bad-tempered

  Net curtains: a type of semi-transparent curtain

  News of the World: British tabloid newspaper

  NHS: National Health Service, public health service of UK

  Nick: police station (as verb: to arrest)

  Nimby: Not in my backyard. People who object to developments/buildings, etc. use this word.

  No-go area: dangerous place

  No-mark: loser

  North London / South London: separated by the River Thames

  Nowt: nothing

  NQT: newly qualified teacher

  Nursery: a place which grows plants, shrubs and trees for sale (often wholesale)

  Nutter: insane person

  OAP: old age pensioner, senior citizen

  Off his chump: slang for being mad, crazy

  Off-licence: shop selling alcohol

  Ofsted: UK government’s inspector of schools

  On the game: prostitute

  Ovaltine: malted milk beverage – served hot

  Overall: a one-piece garment worn to protect clothes

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bsp; Owt: anything

  Oxbridge: Oxford and Cambridge universities

  Oz: Australia

  Palais: dance hall

  Pathé News and Pearl and Dean: adverts before the movie starts

  Pay-as-you-go: a cell phone you pay for calls in advance

  PC: police constable

  Pear-shaped: go wrong

  Petrol: gasoline

  Pin money: small amount of earnings

  Pinny: pinafore

  Piss off: as exclamation, go away (rude). Also can mean annoy.

  Pissed off: annoyed

  Pissing around: messing about, not telling the whole truth

  Pissing down: raining

  Planning Department: the local authority department which issues licences to build and develop property

  Plantagenet: English royal dynasty, on throne from 1154-1485

  Plaster: Band-Aid

  Playing cards close to her chest: being coy with the truth

  Pleb: ordinary person (often insulting)

  Plimsolls: gym shoes

  Plods: derogatory name for police

  Police Gazette: newspaper produced to publish notices of wanted criminals

  Poncy: pretentious

  Poofter: offensive slang for a gay person

  Portakabin: portable building used as temporary office etc.

  Post: mail

  Pounding the beat: working as a uniformed officer on the streets

  Premier League: top English soccer division

  Prick: slang for penis

  Prom: a classical music concert where some of the audience stands

  Puds: puddings/desserts

  Pull the wool over their eyes: fool people

  Pulling my leg: having a joke at my expense, teasing

  Punter: someone who gambles in a betting shop

  Pushchair: stroller

  Q cars: A car that has a high performance engine and an unassuming exterior

  Querent: person for whom the tarot card reading is done

  Quite sweet on you: likes you romantically

  Rag: newspaper

  Ram-raiding: robbery where a vehicle is rammed through a shop window

  Randy: horny

  RC: Roman Catholic

  Red Brick University: university founded in 19th and 20th centuries

  Reggie and Ronnie: the Kray twins, gangsters

  Register office: a government building where you get married or register births

  Right state: messy

  Ring: telephone (verb)

 

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