by W W Walker
She smiled. “I have my business to keep me warm,” she said.
“What kind of business?”
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
Rhianna’s eyes widened. “You’ll have to spill the beans now. I won’t be able to sleep tonight.”
They laughed.
“I’ll show you.”
She got up and gave a torch to Rhianna. They went into a small room, with a single bed against one wall and a desk with a swivelling chair on the other. On the desk was a big box with a screen and a keyboard. Over the walls were charts and formulas, randomly hung, and fixed with drawing pins.
“What’s this all about.”
“I’m a research consultant for an American company,” Tammy shrugged as if it was no big deal. “Eight years ago, in ’73, I worked for a guy who developed an Ethernet, for connecting multiple computers.”
Bemused, Rhianna shook her head. “I don’t even know what you just said.”
Tammy laughed. “One day, we believe everyone will have access to a computer and they’ll be able to connect…and maybe even talk to each other.”
“I think I’d prefer a telephone.”
Tammy stroked a chart on the wall next to the window. She shone the torchlight upon it. “This is what I’m working on now, along with many others,” she said as if it were her baby.
Rhianna stepped closer unable to decipher the numbers and formulas. “What is it.”
“We call it Word Processing. We think it might be big one day, especially since we hope to add a print function.”
“That reminds me,” Rhianna said. “Do you have a typewriter I can borrow?”
It was almost six. Still huddled together discussing the demise of Eddie, Marigold realised that the cocktail party would soon start soon and that she was nowhere near ready. “Oh, my god,” she announced as they sat huddled together.
“What?” Constance asked.
“I still haven’t checked on Mrs Butler next door. I should go.”
Gladys stood up. “Wait.” Marigold shone her torch just past her. “We need to know if you’re going to keep this to yourself. We need to be prepared you see.”
“I’m not going to say anything, but honestly I’m at a loss to know what to do. You could perhaps make it look like suicide, but now that you’ve buried the wetsuit, it wouldn’t fit into the scheme of things.”
“You’re being very matter-of-fact about the whole thing.”
“I don’t know what else to say.” Marigold’s anxiety levels were increased by the minute. Goodness knows what Wilbur was going to say about it all. He wouldn’t want her involved.
She shone the torch on Constance’s slumped shoulders, and she softened. “Look, I never liked Eddie and what he did to you, as far as I’m concerned, he deserved everything he got. But honestly, I can’t afford to get involved in all of this. My husband will kill me. You understand, don’t you?”
“Yes, of course,” Constance said softly. “You mustn’t worry, as soon as the phone comes back on, we’ll call the police. It’s time to end this.”
Marigold squeezed her shoulder. “I’ll come back later, to see how you are.”
“What will you say to Eva?” Gladys asked.
“Nothing. I’ll simply say you’re not well.”
And then she left.
She went next door to No.8. It was really dark and blowy. Usually, the gate lights illuminated the Butler’s garden, but with the electric off and with the matter of Eddie still on her mind she felt like she was walking around a graveyard at night.
She couldn’t see any candles burning inside. Maybe they had gone to their daughters after all.
She didn’t know what made her open the garage, but she felt it was prudent to do so. Just to exhaust all possibilities. Constance said she hadn’t seen Mrs B all day, but perhaps they’d been too wrapped up in their own problems to notice.
Marigold twisted the handle and the garage door glided upwards. The car was still in there. Odd! She squeezed between the vehicle and the breezeblock walls to the door at the far end. She banged loudly on it and waited to hear footsteps or for Mrs B to call out. Anything to let her know she was all right.
When no one came, she went out of the garage and around the other side. She looked up at the bedroom window at the back. It was the same place she’d stood earlier when she’d heard Constance and Gladys discussing Eddie. She saw no lights, candles or otherwise, but maybe it was because the curtains were closed. She wondered if they had a spare key. She decided to try the greenhouse.
She opened the door inwards and shone her light.
The horror of what she saw made her gag, followed by a muffled scream as she dropped her torch and went running, almost tripping, back to the house next door, banging on the windows of Constance’s house as her knees threatened to give way.
Chapter Twenty-six
Eva opened the door to her first guest. It was Kiki from No.1. “Come in,” she said, “Come in.”
Kiki looked splendid wearing a red dress and black boots. A gold pendant hung around her neck and above it all she wore a denim jacket. With her long dark hair falling down her back and gold hoops in her ears, she looked sassy. She was only 5’5”, but she was most obviously her own woman, independent and smart. Eva admired her and wished she could look that good.
“What can I get you to drink?”
They walked through to the kitchen. Jade was in there, mixing martinis in a shaker. She still wore her sparkly top, since she hadn’t brought anything to change into. Compared to Kiki, Jade looked like a classless tart.
She introduced them. “Kiki works at Phillips with Roger,” Eva said.
“Really?” said Jade. “Are you a secretary or something?”
Kiki curled her lip in a half-snarl while she tilted her head. “What makes you ask that?”
Jade shrugged. “I just thought…”
“Yep, I know. Because I’m a female right?”
“Well, of course, I don’t know anything about you…”
Eva was watching Jade’s discomfort and she enjoyed every second of it. “She’s management,” Eva said touching Kiki’s arm. “A very clever lady.”
Turning her back, Jade poured a martini from the shaker. She placed a cherry on a stick on the side.
Kiki was frowning, trying to get a better look at Jade’s face. “Have we met?”
Jade shook her head. “I don’t think so.”
The air between them was thick as mud and even though Eva had thoroughly enjoyed, immensely, the uncomfortable tete-a-tete, she didn’t want the party ruined. She placed her hand on Kiki’s arm and guided her away. “I can’t believe the power’s not on yet.”
“I know. I intend to put in a serious complaint on Monday,” said Kiki. They went into the lounge. “Pretty with just candles, though.”
“Thank you.”
“I thought Marigold might have been here already.”
“She’ll be here soon. Last time I saw her she was going around the houses with a torch checking on everyone.”
Kiki chuckled. “Typical Marigold.”
They laughed together as they sat down.
The fire was glowing, keeping the room warm and cosy. The candle flames danced in shadows over the walls, making the room looked like it was alive. “The other guests will be here soon,” said Eva. “I told everyone six.”
Then Kiki held her finger in the air. “I’ve just realised where I’ve seen your friend before.”
“Jade? Where?”
Kiki hesitated as if she was reluctant to say anything. “Well…at work. She was with your husband in his office.”
Marigold stumbled her way across the Butler’s lawn to the house next door, to Constance’s house. She could hardly get her breath. And she’d been struck dumb. She literally couldn’t force any sound from her mouth. She almost tripped up the step to the patio and then she caught her foot on the hose attached to the tap, abandoned on the floor like a preying
rattle snake.
For the second time that day, she banged on the glass of Constance’s patio doors. Now she was gasping for air as a stray tear fell down her left cheek. She didn’t know if it had been the wind stinging her eyes that had made that happen, or that it was indeed tears of fear.
Constance quickly slid open the window and the wind blew Marigold inside. She leaned against the door as Gladys rushed to bring her a cup of water. “Here, drink this,” she said as Marigold sat down.
“What is it, Marigold?” Constance yelled. “What’s wrong?”
“The Greenhouse…” she spluttered. “I looked inside.”
“What, what?”
“Mrs Butler’s cat,” she sobbed. “He was hanging from a chain around his neck.” She took a breath. “His body had been slit from the neck down to his belly…blood everywhere…and guts…spilling out…” She couldn’t finish. She put her hands over her face to block out the gruesome sight. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“No, you must be wrong. Who would do something like that?” Constance said.
She shook her head. “I don’t know, but now I’m worried…about where Mrs B is right now.”
Rhianna hadn’t changed her clothes and she hoped the hostess wouldn’t mind.
“Come in,” Eva said when she opened the door.
Rhianna stepped around some lanterns on the front doorstep with candles burning inside. Even though they were surrounded by glass, the flames still flickered as the wind picked up.
Eva shut the door. She looked as if she had something on her mind. Rhianna was often good at picking up on things like that. Her mother often called her psychic, but that wasn’t true.
“The wind is strong,” Eva said. “It may prevent the power coming back on if this keeps up.”
“They might be fixing it as we speak,” Rhianna said, optimistically.
“I hope you're right. We really could do with a break, don’t you think?”
They went into the lounge. Two women were sitting on the sofa. One was Jade, whom she’d met earlier that afternoon, but she didn’t know the other one.
“This is Kiki from No.1,” Eva said.
“Hi.”
She looked at Rhianna as she introduced her. “This is Rolf’s at No.6’s niece,” she said.
“Rhianna.” She offered a little wave.
“What would you like to drink?”
“Do you have wine?”
“Blue Nun?”
“Lovely.”
“Sit down,” Jade said. Rhianna noticed Eva give Jade a look of distaste. Rhianna wondered why Jade was there if Eva didn’t like her. She may never find out.
She directed her attention to Kiki. “Lived here long?”
“Almost two years. I rent.”
Rhianna nodded. The small talk would be difficult to get through while her mind was still on Tom.
Just half an hour ago, after Tammy had shown her the work she was doing, they’d returned to the sitting room.
Tom was back in his wheelchair.
“I should go,” Rhianna had said reluctantly. “Eva’s party starts around about now.”
Tom propelled toward her. Wow, she was enamoured by him, his strength, his dignity, his intelligence. “I wish I had more time to talk about writing,” she offered. “I’d love to know about your preferred genre.”
“There’s always tomorrow,” he said.
When Eva had guided Rhianna into the sitting room, Kiki had been sitting with her legs elegantly crossed, and her smart black leather boots up to her knees. Eva had made introductions and offered Rhianna a drink, and Jade had invited her to sit down. The nerve of her, Eva had thought. Whose house was it? Certainly not Jades.
Eva had had a shock earlier. Kiki said that she’d seen Jade in Roger’s office at work. It hadn’t made sense and she’d planned to quiz Roger about it when he got back from his golf trip. Why would Jade be there, at Philips Electronics?
Then she stopped as realisation hit her like a bowling ball smashing into a cluster of ninepins. The two of them! No, it couldn’t be. She thought back to the times she’d heard Jade’s name associated with her husbands. That night of the dinner party when Jack accused them of having an affair! Was it true? Would Roger betray her with an ageing tart like Jade? She didn’t know what to think. But she was going to think about it. She was going to think about it real hard.
Chapter Twenty-seven
Constance was trying to placate Marigold. She had been shaken by the vision of the cat in the greenhouse, shaken to the core. “Listen to me,” Constance said.
Marigold blew her nose in a handkerchief tucked up her sleeve.
“Your eyes were probably deceiving you. You saw something else, maybe a stuffed cat…or something…It wouldn’t surprise me that you were spooked after hearing what had happened to Eddie, but I honestly think you’re off the mark here.” Constance looked at Gladys who had her arm around Marigold’s shoulder. “I just think you were seeing things…that you’d had a shock. After all, you only had the torchlight. The beam from a torch can distort things, make things look worse than they are.”
Marigold took a long sniff through her nose. “You really think so?”
“I do.”
Gladys squeezed Marigold’s arm. “We can go together and prove it, okay?”
Marigold nodded. “I dropped my torch.”
“That’s okay, we have a torch.”
“Mum,” Constance said. “Stay here. I don’t want you tripping up.”
Constance had surprised herself. She was in charge for what seemed like the first time in years. And she wasn’t afraid. She felt invigorated and she welcomed the distraction from the issue that hung over her head, the issue of Eddie. When the lights came back on, she would ring the police and confess to killing her husband. She couldn’t let Gladys take the blame for what she’d done. Maybe the courts would be lenient. She had enough witnesses to attest to Eddie’s behaviour toward her. He was gone now. She wouldn’t have to fear him anymore. She could start again.
Maybe Marigold had seen something that resembled a dead cat. A plant or something. “I’d still like to check on Mrs B,” Marigold said. “Just to see if she has indeed gone to her daughters.”
“To her daughters? No, that can’t be right. Mr Butler has been in bed with the flu. She wouldn’t have gone anywhere.”
“If that’s true, then why haven’t we seen them all day?”
Then Constance had a notion. “Oh, my goodness,” she said. “Maybe Mrs B went down with the flu too. They could both be laid up.”
“The poor things!” Gladys said. “And with no power on.”
“I’ll take the key,” said Constance.
Marigold looked relieved. “You have a spare key!”
“Yes, and she has mine.”
Marigold could hardly believe she was going back to the greenhouse. Constance had tried to convince her she’d been seeing things, but the more Marigold thought about it, she was convinced she saw a hanging, slaughtered cat.
Leaving Gladys in the house with the candles, Constance led with a torch shining down into their path. “Don’t trip,” Constance said stepping over the discarded hosepipe.
Marigold followed close behind.
Up in the heavens, dark clouds blocked the light from the moon while the wind stirred them up like a whisk in a pot of beef consommé. The sky moved far quicker than life in Seaview. In Seaview, everything was moving slowly, as if the day had been stretched into the night and now the night stretched before them, first light so far away.
They arrived at the greenhouse door and Constance bent down and picked up Marigold’s torch. It still worked even though it had shut down on impact when she dropped it on the floor. The door had closed on its own, so now, Constance offered a reassuring smile before she pushed it inward. The torchlight shone inside to potted seeds and tomato plants, but there was no cat, dead or otherwise.
Marigold moved past Constance standing in the doorway.
Now she was spooked because she was utterly convinced that only ten minutes before she had definitely seen that hanging slaughtered cat. “I don’t understand it,” she murmured.
“I told you,” Constance said. “You were spooked, and you saw something that looked like a dead cat. It’s the only explanation.”
“I suppose so.” But deep down, Marigold wasn’t entirely convinced.
“Come on, let's go check on Mrs B.”
They went around the front and put the key in the latch. The door opened, then shuddered as it hit the security chain. “Damn,” Constance said. She pushed it open again until it stopped six inches in. “Hello,” she called. “Mrs Butler are you there? Are you all right?”
The two women stopped and listened, but they got no response.
“I’ve got the strangest feeling,” said Marigold.
Constance remained upbeat, but Marigold was sure she was trying to be brave for her benefit. It was a side of Constance she’d never seen before and Marigold liked it. Good on her!
“Let’s try the back door.”
As they closed the front door and removed the latch key, they both turned to look towards the top of the eight, to see Kiki knocking on No.5’s door. They watched as Eva opened it and welcomed her inside.
“The party has started,” Marigold said from behind her.
Constance could feel her hands shaking. She was trying to keep a brave face on things, for Marigold’s sake, and for her own, but the day had truly taken its toll on her. After everything that had happened with Eddie, now there she was creeping around in the dark looking for Mrs Butler.
They went around the side of the house. On impulse, Constance tested the handle and pressed it down.
The door opened.
“I can’t believe it,” said Marigold.
“Didn’t you try the door before?”