GeoffBD: I’m lending you my solicitor to handle this case. Allow me to send him your details? No charge.
JessyHope: I often come across as a troublemaker but sorry about what happened. He’s the kind of bloke I’d love to screw over. Want to give me his links and I’ll break up his new relationship lol! No-one can resist a piece of Jessy-pie.
D-Vow-R: You got exactly what you deserved.
Orange Michelle: Sending you lots of hugs. Hope your throat gets better soon and you can give that lowlife what for. PS: I kicked my husband out this morning. He was cheating and I found the text messages. At least I don’t need the counsellor anymore. Saves me $90 a session!
KentNP: Hope you recover quickly from your crisis. I have the number of a refuge if you need it, private message me.
DrJElvidge: Has your relationship reached crisis point? The Elvidge Wellness Centre can help. Click here for a 30% discount when booking in for our “Crisis Crunch: Reclaim Your Life course”.
***
Home Dry.
Daughter’s exhausted. I hadn’t told her everything about her father. I explained it away by saying he was angry and accidentally broke the window. Mr Dry’s house was surprisingly comfortable. It had four bedrooms, one of which Daughter fell instantly in love with. The room had the same white blinds which adorned the whole house but the walls were an icy shade of pink with a double bed in it. Daughter was small in it, her dark haired head poked from the top of the duvet and she looked fragile, tired. I sat with her while she fell asleep, wolf-toy safely under arm. How could such an innocent child have been spawned from a possible murderer?
‘Has she settled?’ Mr Dry stretched his long legs out from where he sat in his lounge.
I snuggled next to him and nodded. ‘Why do you have a pink bedroom in your house?’
Mr Dry rose from the sofa. ‘Fancy a drink?’ A strange look flitted across his face.
I followed him into the kitchen, the tiles cold under my bare feet. A single light above the black cooker cast the only illumination. Mr Dry’s gaze cut right through me. I shivered, more from his closed appearance than the chill of the kitchen.
‘Are you cold?’ Mr Dry suddenly focused on me.
Nodding, I accepted a glass from him.
‘Wait.’ He hurried from the room, returning moments later brandishing a fluffy dressing gown not dissimilar to the one I’d deemed unsuitable.
I gladly allowed him to wrap it around me; it fitted like a glove. ‘Not yours?’ I joked.
‘No,’ he replied abruptly.
I frowned. ‘And you definitely live alone?’
‘Yes.’
‘Have you lived here long? It’s close to your work, isn’t it?’
‘That’s why I chose it.’ His gaze stole out of the window towards the showroom across the road, the cars silent in the low spotlights.
‘Close to the allotments too, isn’t it?’ I repressed a shudder.
Mr Dry nodded. ‘The back garden leads onto them.’
‘Aren’t you worried? I would be if I lived here.’
‘You wouldn’t need to worry about anything if you lived with me.’
I didn’t know how to reply, did that mean the thought had crossed his mind? I turned the conversation back to his work. ‘Have you met the new manager?’
‘Owner.’
‘Have you met the new owner?’
Mr Dry smiled softly. ‘You could say I’m well acquainted with him.’
‘So my knife wielding ex won’t have any sway over having you sacked?’
‘He won’t have the opportunity.’
‘Sorry?’
‘He no longer works there since he tried to kill you.’
I gulped, hurting my throat. ‘He wasn’t going to kill me.’
Mr Dry looked at me sharply. ‘Don’t defend him.’
‘I’m not,’ I protested.
Mr Dry grasped my arms and shook me. ‘Don’t turn it onto yourself. He deserves far more than the loss of his job for what he’s done to you.’
‘But—’
‘Enough.’ Mr Dry pressed his finger to my lips. ‘He’s as gone from the garage as he will be from your life.’
‘How can you be so certain, have you spoken to the owner?’
‘Saze, I am the owner.’
‘What?’
‘I’ve always owned it.’
‘You have?’
‘I was the silent partner,’ continued Mr Dry. ‘When Henderson decided he wanted to sell his share, he offered me first refusal.’
‘You’ve always had the power to fire staff?’
Mr Dry shook his head. ‘Not when I was a silent partner.’ He caught the look in my eye.
‘It won’t be as easy to eject him from my life,’ I said miserably.
‘I will handle this.’ Mr Dry held me tight.
‘I can’t believe he hurt me.’
‘He tried to kill you,’ Mr Dry said harshly. ‘Don’t you forget it.’
‘He can’t be capable of murder, he just can’t. I would’ve known, I would’ve seen it in his eyes, surely?’
I wondered if I imagined the hard edge to Mr Dry’s voice. ‘You’d be surprised at the lengths some people are prepared to go to,’ he said darkly. ‘For their own pleasure.’
Posted: 23:00 1 Sazement
SxyGrrl: I’m concerned about you and this entry hasn’t helped. Please, please call me. You have my mob no. in email.
***
Monday, 11th March 2013
Mr Cool Loses His Cool.
08:20
I wandered down to the end of Mr Dry’s back garden while checking my voicemail. The air was sharp against my face, my breath cold as I breathed in. Blue tents covering parts of the allotment were visible over the low fence.
‘Saze?’ Mr Dry called from the back door. ‘What time shall I drop you at school?’
I closed my phone and digested the voice message, jumping as Mr Dry touched my arm. I hadn’t heard him approach.
‘Are you okay?’ he asked.
‘I had a message.’
‘On your phone?’ Mr Dry asked with obvious deduction.
‘I’m unemployed. Apparently the IT position is not available, they made a mistake. An error on their system resulted in two letters of appointment being sent out. One to the correct candidate and another to myself.’
‘They can’t do that to you!’
‘I haven’t the energy to fight. Nor do I exactly have the strength of voice,’ I pointed out, my voice still light.
‘Call them back,’ Mr Dry snapped. ‘Bloody people. Does your daughter take a packed lunch to school?’ Abruptly he changed the subject and I nodded. ‘I’ll make up a box for her. You get on the phone.’
I conceded to return the call from the warmth of the kitchen. ‘May I speak to Mr Piper please?’
‘I’ll transfer you,’ replied a voice.
‘Good morning,’ chirped a second, bright voice. ‘Mr Piper’s currently unavailable. May I take a message?’
‘It’s Saze Monnivan calling with regards to a message left earlier asking me to call him.’
‘You’re speaking to Mr Pipers P.A, Ms Adams.’
My brain took a moment to process the surname. Adams. Did I know anyone with the same surname? Only Mr Sniff from my ex work place… and his sister, Kelly.
‘What’s wrong now?’ Mr Dry sighed. ‘You’ve gone all white.’
‘Fucking bitch!’
Mr Dry looked bemused. ‘Who?’
‘I’ll wait.’ Mr Dry stopped the car at the end of the road leading to Daughter’s school.
‘There’s no need,’ I replied. ‘It’s a short walk to mine from here.’
The darkness of his eyes dried further words in my mouth and I was reminded of why I’d considered him dry in the first place.
Sleet whipped through mine and Daughter’s hair, the pavement underfoot was grey and slippery. I watched Daughter safely enter the playground and fought my way back through th
e jostling hordes. I had squeezed free and was walking outside the length of metal fencing which separated the school field from the road, when a gleaming, red car screeched to a halt ahead. Mr Cool alighted, his head briefly disappearing back inside before he slammed the passenger door shut and sauntered towards me. The car sharply u-turned and zoomed past, I glimpsed a mass of blonde hair as the driver manoeuvred onto the main road.
‘Saze!’ Mr Cool waved as I neared him.
‘Saze!’ screamed a second voice belonging to a figure rapidly advancing from behind from Mr Cool. ‘You bitch! My fiancé is still in a police cell!’
I glared at Kelly. ‘Fiancé? Anyway, serves him right.’
‘Ladies,’ Mr Cool interrupted smoothly. ‘This isn’t the place to discuss whatever’s happened.’
‘Then you have the cheek to try and get a job at my work! We don’t want lazy bitches there!’ Kelly screamed.
From the corner of my eye I noticed a small group of parents gathering close by. ‘Aren’t you supposed to be at work?’
‘Nah, I only went in early to leave you the message telling you that you didn’t have the job! Mr Piper wanted nothing to do with you by the time I’d finished telling him exactly what you’re like.’
‘You cow!’
‘She’s accused my fiancé of attacking her!’ Kelly shouted loudly. ‘But he didn’t do it. He’s innocent. She’s a jealous psycho bitch who attacked him!’
I heard a collective gasp from the rapidly growing group of gawping parents.
‘Is that true?’ Mr Cool turned his icy eyes to me.
I shook my head. ‘I don’t want my daughter upset,’ I warned Kelly.
‘Does she know her mum’s trying to shaft her innocent dad?’ Kelly shouted.
‘He’s not innocent!’ I yelled, ignorant of the pain in my throat. ‘He strangled me until I passed out.’
Another gasp spread like a Mexican wave through the bystanders.
‘You’re faking it.’
‘Am I faking the window he smashed? The hospital report? The marks on my neck?’
‘You delusional bitch,’ Kelly spat. ‘You’re making it up because you can’t accept he left you for me.’
Mr Cool interrupted. ‘You’re causing a scene. Stop or I will have to call the police.’
‘I threw him out because he was sleeping with you and you’re still married to another man!’
Another gasp was peppered with murmurs of “slut”.
Mr Cool tugged at his shirt collar. ‘Please,’ he said in a low voice. ‘Stop it.’
‘He wants to marry me!’ Kelly held up her left hand to show me a ring which adorned her wedding finger.
This time I gasped. ‘That’s mine!’
The crowd, which had trebled in size, drew in a sharp intake of breath, they seemed to be becoming a single organism.
‘Delusional!’ Kelly howled. ‘He bought this from a vintage jeweller. It cost him two thousand pounds.’ She grinned triumphantly. ‘He told me he only paid forty quid for your engagement ring.’
I laughed. ‘It didn’t matter as I never intended to marry him. That.’ I pointed at the ring. ‘I picked up from a car-boot sale.’
Kelly’s face paled.
‘Enough now,’ interjected Mr Cool.
‘For fifty pence,’ I added serenely.
‘Liar.’
‘Take it to a jeweller. Have it valued.’
‘Fucking bitch,’ Kelly shouted. ‘You lied and said he was about to slice your throat with a kitchen knife.’
The listening parents were shocked into silence.
‘He could be the murderer!’ one voice called out suddenly.
Other voices joined in: ‘Lock the murdering bastard up!’
‘Don’t trust that slag either!’
‘She could be in on it too!’
‘Murderer, murderer, murderer!’
‘Murderer’s whore!’
‘What about our kids?’
‘He needs to be sorted out!’
‘Kill him!’
‘Kill her!’
Mr Cool stepped closer to me. ‘This has gone too far.’
Kelly turned to me, a ferocious expression on her face. ‘Look what you’ve started. It wasn’t even our knife. Ours don’t have green handles. You must’ve planted it!’
‘While I was unconscious?’
Kelly reached into her handbag and sprung forward. ‘These are our knives!’ she screeched madly, hair flying wildly in the whipping sleet.
I stepped back instinctively but she grabbed my hair in her other hand and waved the knife in my face.
‘Do you need a closer look?’ she screamed.
I became transfixed by the blade. The school and the people faded into oblivion, it was just me and the knife. I noticed the handle was most definitely not green, it was red. Bright red like blood. I became aware of Mr Cool’s hand around my arm, I heard him telling me not to move before he turned his attention to Kelly and lowered his voice to a soothing tone.
‘Think,’ he told her. ‘About how your daughter would feel if she could see you now.’
‘I’m not allowed to see her anyway,’ Kelly hissed.
‘She could look out of her classroom window and see you,’ reasoned Mr Cool slowly. ‘See you holding a knife at another parent. Is that what you want?’
Kelly’s arm jerked and I screamed in anticipation of pain, squeezing my eyes shut. When there wasn’t any, I snapped them open. Mr Dry stood behind Kelly, his large hand wrapped around hers which held the knife, his other pressing her free hand behind her back.
‘Drop it,’ Mr Dry instructed briskly.
Kelly shook her head. ‘Fuck off. I’ll have you and then I’ll get her and stab anyone else who stands in my way.’
‘Has anyone called the police?’ Mr Dry shouted.
‘Yeah mate,’ shouted a parent. ‘I called them as soon as the crazy woman got the knife out.’
Another piped up, ‘She’s a lunatic walking around with a kitchen knife in her handbag!’ The crowd murmured agreement.
‘I won’t let you hurt anyone,’ said Mr Dry softly. ‘Especially not Saze.’
‘Who are you anyway?’ Kelly’s nostrils flared, her eyes blazed and she struggled in Mr Dry’s hold. ‘Get off! I bet you’re the prick she’s been seeing. You and her were having an affair all of your own so I don’t know why she’s so pissed off with me.’
Mr Dry, unaffected by Kelly’s bucking, repeated his instruction.
Kelly conceded defeat. Her fingers opened and the knife dropped to the pavement. ‘I just want my fiancé back.’ She broke down into tears, her body slumping in Mr Dry’s hold.
Sirens screamed and it was only then I noticed Mr Cool’s arms were around me. Police vehicles skidded to a halt and I watched in slow motion as Kelly was bundled into the back of a van.
‘Are you okay?’ Mr Cool asked.
I nodded.
‘I suppose now isn’t really the time to ask why you stood me up in my own house, is it?’ Mr Cool teased.
I shrugged his arms off my shoulders. Mr Dry beckoned to me. I knew I would have to answer questions for the police. ‘Let’s just say your taste differs somewhat from mine.’
‘Pardon?’
‘Naked. Blonde. Your lounge.’
‘Sorry?’ Mr Cool reached for me again.
‘What the hell are you doing?’ Mr Dry interrupted.
‘Hello,’ Mr Cool held out his hand.
‘Stay away from Saze.’ Mr Dry looked at me, ignoring Mr Cool. ‘We need to go to the police station. You too.’ He turned back to Mr Cool. ‘I’m watching you.’
‘Saze, please!’ Mr Cool tried again but he had lost, both me and his cool.
14:15
The police station car park was half full when I returned to it. I couldn’t see Mr Dry’s car. I tried his mobile phone but it was switched off. Where had he disappeared to? It was an hour’s walk to Daughter’s school and I didn’t have any cash on me for a taxi s
o I selected a number from my phone.
Posted: 14:55 2 Sazements
SxyGrrl: I’m even more worried. Do you think this Kelly woman is capable of hurting you? Would you like somewhere to stay? You can come and stay with me and G, yes, I’m crashing at his at present because I lost my job. Stinking redundancy. I’ve decided to freelance. I’m off to meet with my sister but still available by phone.
SxyGrrl: Update: The bitch! She asked to stay with me and my G! She had the cheek to ask for more money as I’m dating a “rich” fella. Did I tell you G is really Geoffrey that Jessy was harping on about?
***
As Cool as ICT.
15:40
I spied Mr Nice standing outside of the school gates with Sam sitting on the brick wall of a neighbouring house. ‘Hey,’ he called in greeting.
I hurried to him, alarmed I couldn’t see Daughter anywhere. ‘Where is she?’
A frustrated expression creased his face. ‘I wasn’t allowed to take her out of the school.’
‘Who said that?’
‘The headteacher but I don’t know why he had to get involved.’ Mr Nice beckoned to Sam. ‘I waited so you wouldn’t panic. Shall I pop over later?’
I nodded in appreciation. ‘I’d like some company.’
I watched them walk off, hand in hand, before pressing the reception buzzer. The door clicked open and I expected Daughter to be seated in the foyer but still she was not to be seen.
‘Ms Monnivan?’ One of the receptionists stuck her head through the open counter window. ‘Your daughter’s in the ICT suite. Go on in.’
I followed the winding corridor to the ICT suite and pushed open the heavy, fire door to the first room. Daughter was engrossed at a computer terminal. I tapped her on the shoulder. ‘Sorry I was late.’
‘Can I just finish this game?’ she whined.
‘The school’s closed. Come on,’ I said briskly. A cough from behind made me jump. ‘Sorry, we’re leaving. Apologies for any inconvenience caused.’
‘A word if I may.’ Mr Cool indicated for me to follow him to a door at the far end of the ICT room.
‘Look,’ I said as he closed the door behind us. ‘I am very sorry. I had to give two statements at the police station and by the time I’d finished it was late and I’d run out of cash so I had to walk all—’
Lies Love Tells (Eastcove Lies Book 1) Page 15