Lucy did not believe her mother was solely after Barney’s money. He was a lovely man and much better looking than Callum, who had a long nose and bushy hair and terrible taste in clothes.
‘Believe me, girl, I’m telling you the truth!’ he said, sounding exasperated. ‘I love her and want to marry her. Now show me where you live.’
Lucy came to a decision. Her mother should see their old friend, if for no other reason than to tell him he was wasting his time.
‘I won’t go away, girl,’ said Callum, smiling grimly. ‘I’ll dog your footsteps.’
‘OK! I’ll take you up there,’ Lucy said abruptly. ‘But don’t you go middering Mam.’
He grinned and ruffled her hair. ‘You’re a sensible girl, Lucy. You’ll see, she’ll be glad you did.’
But when they reached the flat it was to find it empty.
‘I’ll wait,’ said Callum, going over to the window and gazing out. ‘Nice view. Belong to him, does it? I tell you, Lucy, I don’t like it. I don’t like his being her landlord at all. He’ll take advantage. She should have gone and lived with Mam. The trouble is that piano player has filled her head with fancy ideas that’ll take her away from her own kind. She’ll be better with me.’
‘How can you be so sure about that?’ Lucy sat on the sofa. ‘Maybe you were thinking of taking her back to Ireland?’
He took his pipe out of his pocket and fiddled with it. ‘I’d thought of it, yes. But there could be more trouble there and I wouldn’t want anything happening to her. It’s safer here. Now, how about a cup of tea?’
Lucy stood up. She wouldn’t mind a cup herself but the fire needed a match to it and so she decided to go downstairs. ‘I’ll be back in a minute.’
‘If you see your mother, tell her to hurry,’ Callum called after her.
Lucy was on her way back up and had almost reached their landing when she heard her mother talking to one of the other tenants on the ground floor. She called down. ‘Mam, Callum’s up here!’
The voices stopped and the next minute Lucy heard Maureen’s footsteps on the stairs. The girl waited for her to catch up with her. ‘Callum, you say?’ Maureen’s face was pale and her eyes uncertain.
Lucy was about to explain what had happened when he appeared in their doorway, pipe in hand. ‘Darlin’! I thought I heard your lovely voice.’
For a moment Lucy thought her mother was going to say something welcoming. Then she said in a strange high voice, ‘What are you doing here? I told you I didn’t want to see you again. You’re smoking, too! I hope you’ve put that match out properly? You’ll have heard about the fire and our Mick.’
‘Sure and I did!’ he said reproachfully. ‘That’s why I’ve come. I thought you might be glad of me company. You need a real man in your life.’
‘And that’s what you think you are?’ said Maureen wrathfully. ‘Well, I’m building a new life for myself and I don’t want to be reminded of the old one.’ She brushed past him and went into the flat. Lucy followed, closing the door behind her.
‘You mean, you’ve still got your eye on that Barney Jones’s money,’ said Callum scornfully.
Maureen drew herself up to her full height. ‘I am not after his money. You’ve no right to say that!’
‘I’ll say what I like, woman. There’s something fishy about him. He’s supposed to own several houses and yet he plays the piano at a picture house. What man of property would do that?’
For a moment Maureen looked taken aback but she soon rallied. ‘He’s a musician through and through. He has to play! Couldn’t live without music. Besides, it gives him great pleasure to make people happy.’
‘He could make me happy by leaving you alone.’
‘And you could make me happy by going away!’ Maureen turned her back on him and looked at Lucy, a helpless expression on her face.
Callum went over to Maureen and placed one hand on her shoulder. He whispered something in her ear. She shook her head and shrugged his hand off. ‘Lucy, pour that tea! I’m parched,’ she ordered.
The girl did as she was told, glancing up every now and again at the two adults. Her mother sat at the table on which she had placed her shopping bag. Callum seated himself opposite her. ‘You need to think twice, darlin’, before you do something you might regret. What kind of man is he anyway? He’ll never take you dancing.’
‘He may be a cripple but at least he’s a gentleman,’ she flashed back, startling not only Callum but Lucy too. ‘You’ll bring me nothing but grief and I’ve had enough of that. Mick beat us, you know. He hit us again and again. I’d never have believed him capable of such things if I hadn’t been on the receiving end of them. You call yourself a proper man! Where were you when I needed you? Off playing games in Ireland. Now leave me alone, Callum.’
‘I never knew he hit you! Why didn’t you speak out?’ He sounded devastated.
‘He was my brother, a dear brother. How could I betray him?’
‘Even so, you should have told me. I’d have knocked his block off for you. But I never dreamed
‘No. Neither did your mother or father,’ she said wearily. ‘So is it really surprising I want to marry a different kind of man altogether from the ones I was brought up with? A cultured man, one who doesn’t drink but loves music and books.’
‘I like music and books, and I’d never hurt you, darlin’!’ he said hoarsely. ‘I don’t know what got into Mick sometimes. But I’m not like him.’ He reached across the table towards her and pressed his lips against hers. The kiss seemed to go on for a very long time.
Watching them, Lucy’s heart beat painfully. All this talk about Mick was making her head ache. If Callum did come back into their lives he would be a constant reminder of her uncle, whereas Barney and Mick had been strangers.
Callum stood up. His eyes were bright and there was a flush on his cheeks. ‘I’ll leave you now. Give you time to think about what I said. I’ll be back, though, because I care about you, Maureen. I really do care, darlin’.’
Lucy stared at her mother as the door closed behind him and saw that her eyes were swimming in tears. She went over to her with a refilled cup of tea and put an arm round her shoulders. Maureen rested her cheek on Lucy’s arm for a minute and then she rose and left the room, carrying the cup.
Lucy did not know what to make of it all. What would her mother do? How did she really feel about the two men? Did she love either of them? She talked about wanting a different kind of man but was that a good enough reason to marry? Lucy just didn’t know. What did it take to make a good marriage? Her own parents’ had involved Maureen spending weeks at a time without her husband when he was at sea. But one thing she felt certain of was that her mother would be much safer with Barney. Callum was much too volatile. If only Barney would make a move and ask Maureen to marry him! If only there was something Lucy could do to force his hand. Then she had a brainwave.
* * *
‘My, my, girlie! You’re looking nice.’ Barney beamed at Lucy who had a new frock on.
It was green and navy blue and she had made it herself from a pattern in a magazine, with material she had bought in the market. Really she should have been wearing black because of the death in their family but despite the guilt she felt, she had very mixed feelings about mourning the man Mick was before his death.
The frock had not been difficult to make. Hems were getting shorter and styles were simpler, often just straight up and down with no waist to speak of. It seemed a shame because Lucy had spent so much time when she was younger worrying about developing curves. The long sleeves had been the most difficult part but she had to have them to hide the puckered skin on her arm left by the burn.
‘You’re growing into a lovely young lady. You’ll soon be having all the young men chasing you and won’t want to be bothered talking to an old has-been like me,’ said Barney, sounding mournful though there was a twinkle in his eyes.
Lucy smiled. ‘You’re not an old has-been! You’re worth a dozen of
any of the boys I know.’ She hesitated, linking her arm through his. ‘I wish you’d say something really nice like that to Mam. She’s just had a visit from Callum and he’s made her real mopey.’
Barney’s smile froze. ‘Has he now?’ he said softly. ‘I’m sure the police would be interested in his being back in Liverpool.’
‘No! No bobbies!’ Lucy was alarmed. That wasn’t what she’d wanted at all and she had to think quickly. ‘That would only rouse Mam’s sympathy for him. And besides, I don’t know if they’ve really got anything on him. At the moment she’s cross with him but he says he loves her. He wants to marry her and perhaps might even whizz us all off to Ireland now things have quietened down there. We’d never see you or Liverpool again – and that would be terrible.’
‘I can’t have that!’ Barney pursed his lips. ‘I’ll have to do something.’
Lucy looked at him with hope in her eyes and egged him on a little further. ‘You’ll have to move quickly. Mam’s getting tired of working so hard. I’m thinking she might weaken and say yes to Callum.’
‘No!’ He hit his open palm with one fist. Then he smiled and, leaning towards Lucy, put his hands to either side of her head and smacked a kiss on her forehead. ‘Don’t you worry, girlie, I’ll sort something out. I haven’t played for and watched all those films without learning a thing or two!’
Reassured, Lucy stopped worrying.
A week passed and Barney still appeared to be doing nothing but she told herself she could trust him. He had said she was not to worry so she mustn’t. He would come up trumps.
Callum had called three times but so far her mother had refused all his offers of marriage. Nevertheless, Lucy couldn’t help remembering the way Maureen had reacted to his kiss. Come Friday Callum turned up at the flat again. Maureen was at work and Lucy was just about to leave for the timber yard. He said he’d wait. She didn’t like leaving him alone in the flat. Winnie was due round for the rent and Lucy tried to persuade him to leave. Callum proved stubborn and was still there when Winnie knocked at the door.
Lucy opened it and Winnie came right in. On seeing Callum she stared at him with obvious disapproval. He was wearing his green tammy and a checked tweed jacket, puffing away at his pipe and filling the room with noxious fumes. ‘Eeeh! I never in all my born days saw such a hat on a man,’ Winnie said, her eyes almost popping out of her head.
‘Then it’s time your life had a bit of colour in it, missus,’ said Callum good-humouredly.
‘My life’s been colourful enough, thank you very much.’ She folded her arms beneath her bosom and hoisted it up. ‘I recognise you from my brother-in-law’s description. I don’t know how you dare to show your face round here.’
He growled, ‘You want to watch what you say, missus. What I do is none of your brother-in-law’s business – or yours! The bobbies have nothing on me they can prove.’
Winnie glared at him. ‘Eeeh! You’ve got a nerve, speaking to me like that. Pride comes before a fall so you want to watch yourself or you’ll be in trouble.’ She clutched her large handbag to her.
He bristled from his overgrown eyebrows to the fist that clenched the stem of his pipe. ‘Are you threatening me, missus? Because if you are…’ He waved his pipe at her.
‘Are you threatening me?’ Winnie stepped back as if alarmed. ‘You can make what you want of what I’ve said, but I’m serious. I don’t want you hanging round here. I’m going now, I’ve got what I came for. But I’m telling you, I’ll be having words with Mrs Linden about the company she keeps. Good evening.’ And with those words she stalked out of the flat.
‘She’s got a bloddy nerve!’ muttered Callum, ramming his pipe back in his mouth. ‘People like her need shooting.’
‘It’s no use swearing at me,’ said Lucy, amused that the two of them should have taken such an instant dislike to each other. ‘She isn’t all bad. She’s done some good things for us. But perhaps you should go. Mam won’t be home for ages.’
He nodded. ‘Maybe I’ll walk along to that place where she works and wait for her.’
‘Mr Jones might be there,’ Lucy warned.
Callum made no reply and she watched him go downstairs before fetching her cart and setting out for the timber yard.
The wind had risen, threatening to snatch her hat from her head. As she passed the pub on the corner of Mere Lane two men crossed the road in front of her. They were talking loudly. She stopped abruptly and shrank back against the wall of the pub, recognising one of the voices. She kept perfectly still until they were out of earshot and then ran all the way to Griffiths’ yard.
Dilys was there but Lucy was less pleased to see Owen. She waited for him to make some smart alec remark but he ignored her. She didn’t know whether she was relieved or not. In a way she found her confrontations with him stimulating but for now she chose to act like he wasn’t there. She went over to Dilys who was talking to one of the workers outside the saw mill and waited for her to finish her conversation.
‘What’s Owen doing here at this time of day?’ demanded Lucy.
Dilys looked surprised. ‘What’s with your tone of voice? Has he been doing something to annoy you?’
‘Nothing apart from the usual,’ said Lucy with a shrug.
For a moment she thought Dilys was going to question her about that but instead she said, ‘He’s working here part-time. He’s left the cinema, says he wants to work outdoors, but I reckon he was late getting in once too often because of his firewood round so he came here, knowing what a soft touch my aunt is. His mother’s having trouble with her knees and it could be she’ll lose her job on the liners. Anyway, that’s enough about Owen for one day.’ Dilys smiled. ‘How are you? Why don’t you come to my aunt’s one day and we can have a good gab?’
Lucy was pleased with the invitation but uncertain about accepting it. She had managed to avoid coming face to face with Rob since he’d visited her in hospital but if she started visiting his aunt’s house then surely it wouldn’t be long before they did bump into each other. So she made the excuse that at the moment she couldn’t set a date for getting together, but she couldn’t resist asking after him.
Dilys grimaced. ‘He’s after promotion because there’s this girl…’
‘You mean, someone wants to marry him?’ Lucy was dismayed and surprised at herself all at the same time.
‘I’m presuming she does. Although it’s really him who’s fallen for her. She’s a real beauty. Jet black hair, magnolia skin and deep blue eyes… as well as a figure that takes some beating. Not that Aunt Gwen or I want him to marry. Aunt thinks he’s too young. As well as that she likes having a man about the place. It makes us feel safe.’
‘Depends on the man,’ said Lucy, thinking of Mick. ‘Your aunt’s forgiven your brother, then, for becoming a policeman?’
‘Yes.’ Dilys smiled. ‘Like Owen, Rob can turn on the charm when he wants. I like a bloke to have charm but I’m wanting someone tall, dark, handsome and rich, as well. What d’you say?’
Lucy smiled. ‘I agree with you,’ and then realised Rob Jones and Owen fitted the tall and the dark and neither of them was bad-looking. ‘Although I’d almost decided never to get married.’ She forced a laugh before hurrying away.
It was dusk by the time she arrived home and found Timmy sitting on the front step eating a jam butty. ‘Where’ve you been?’ he mumbled through a mouthful of bread. ‘Mam’s been home but she’s gone back to work. She wanted to talk to you. She was panting and gasping. Said we’d be lucky if we didn’t lose the roof over our heads.’
Lucy sat on the step beside the boy, wondering if this had anything to do with Callum. Perhaps Winnie had spoken to Barney and told him about Callum’s being at the flat? Maybe Barney had decided to move them so Callum couldn’t find them. She hoped that was all it was. She rose and went inside to prepare their supper, impatient for her mother’s return.
Maureen was late getting home, very late. It was well past midnight and Lucy was dozi
ng in a chair.
‘You shouldn’t have waited up,’ said Maureen. She looked drained and slumped down.
‘What’s up? Is Barney moving us because of Callum calling here?’
Maureen moistened her lips and made a couple of attempts at speaking before finally managing to whisper, ‘Winnie Jones is dead. She’s been murdered!’
Chapter Eleven
Lucy sprang to her feet. ‘But she was here only a few hours ago!’
Maureen took a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped her eyes. ‘That’s the trouble. She was here at the same time as Callum. Then they both turned up at the cinema and there was an almighty row. I don’t know how Barney managed to stay calm but he did and the shouting was mainly between the other two. In the end Callum stormed off. I think what made him extra angry was that Barney wouldn’t be provoked into losing his temper. Winnie followed almost on Callum’s heels. Barney was a bit worried about her so he didn’t hang around after the second house waiting to get the tram with me but left immediately.’
‘So how did you find out she was dead?’
‘I called at their house. It’s out of my way, I know, but I was all on edge after the row. There were things she said that didn’t make sense to me. I wanted to get a few of them sorted out. Instead I-I—’ Maureen lowered her head.
Lucy knelt in front of her and covered her hand with hers. ‘Take your time, Mam.’
‘Barney’d just found her when I got there. He said the front door was open when he arrived home. She’d been shot.’
‘Shot!’ Lucy was shocked to the core and crossed herself frantically as if to ward off evil. ‘You’re not believing it was Callum?’ She was wondering how could they be involved in such a thing again! Also thinking of Aunt Mac and how she’d feel about her son being accused of murder.
‘Who else could it be? The hot-blooded eejit!’ cried Maureen, and dissolved into tears.
‘But…’ Lucy had been about to say, Why should he kill her? But people did kill others in the heat of the moment and he’d said that people like Winnie needed shooting. Of course anybody might say such a thing and not intend doing anything of the sort. But he was hot-blooded and had been in such a state over her mother and Barney. Lucy knew what it was like to be frightened out of one’s wits. ‘What happened after you spoke to Uncle Barney?’ Her voice trembled.
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