Luke Adams Boxset 1

by Dawson, H A

  Keeping her back to Luke and Imogen, and her gaze away from the awkward glances, Leanne turned on the tap to little more than a trickle and filled a glass with refreshing liquid. Biding her time, she searched for composure. Her world had been shattered, Janet’s lies and the absent account of the facts burning her soul.

  She aimed her anger at Janet, yet it was pointless. She could never steam off, never listen to excuses, and would have to live with what had happened forever. She wondered if it was a trust issue. Maybe Janet feared Leanne’s response or maybe she thought it would open old wounds. Yet, it wasn’t her place to keep so many family secrets. Leanne was family too; they shared a common past.

  Imogen’s gentle tones interrupted Leanne’s simmering anger. ‘I’m sorry. It must be difficult to take in, but we felt as though we had to tell you everything.’

  She leaned into the unit. ‘Yes, of course. I don’t want you keeping things from me.’

  ‘It could have just been a phase Karen was going through. I’m sure a lot of teenagers act the same way.’

  Karen’s behaviour disappointed, but that was not news. She knew the rumours and had already heard about her mother’s occupation from Queenie. It was not as if she had been saintly during her younger years so she was in no place to judge.

  ‘Karen was probably misunderstood,’ Imogen continued. ‘And it does seem like their relationship had broken down.’

  ‘It was Gran’s fault. She was the adult.’

  ‘I can understand you feel angry, but-’

  ‘I’m more than angry, I’m furious. It’s made me even more determined to find my mother and get her side of the story. Gran had no right to do this to me, none at all.’

  ‘The decision may not have been hers.’

  Leanne’s nostrils flared. ‘You shouldn’t defend her. She may have disrespected Karen’s life choice, and that’s fine, but she shouldn’t have made decisions on my behalf. I should not have been dragged into their arguments.’

  She displayed sympathy.

  ‘I thought I knew her . . .’ she stopped speaking, shook her head and averted her gaze.

  ‘I’m sorry. It must be hard. We will do our best to find out what happened.’

  It may be better to know the truth in the end, but at that moment, her feelings comprised of regret. Why had she started something that was going to end in distress? Her wisdom seemed as though it had been lacking.

  She slumped onto a chair. ‘I’ve always had a high opinion of Gran. I thought of her as strong, understanding, caring and compassionate. We had a special bond that grew with every year. She was everything to me. A mother, a best friend . . .’ her chest heaved ‘. . . none of it was true. I didn’t know her at all.’

  ‘You’re wrong. Janet was still all those things. There could be a good reason for her actions. And even if it turns out that she hadn’t, it doesn’t change how she felt about you. She still loved you and may have thought she was protecting you.’

  ‘Her logic was twisted.’

  Imogen sympathetically locked eyes. ‘Try not to think badly of her.’

  Leanne’s tears bubbled. This woman was a stranger, yet she was offering her more understanding than she had received in weeks. Fighting for poise and tranquillity, she kept her eyes averted and her fist to her chin, and breathed slow steady breaths.

  ‘Janet could have been a little jealous of the relationship Karen had with Patrick,’ she said.

  ‘Karen and Patrick did seem to have a connection.’

  ‘Yes, and not only would Janet have seen how different Karen was with him, the opposite would have been true as well. Janet and Patrick obviously had a lot of unresolved issues.’

  Leanne pressed her hand to her stomach, suppressing a growing nodule of unease. ‘She was a snob. She would often say there was no excuse for a poor presentation and insisted that cleanliness came down to hard work rather than money. I think Gerry and Ann must have instilled those values into her.’

  ‘They could have already been there.’

  ‘I’m not so sure. I think it started after her evacuation.’

  ‘Life would have been different in the countryside compared to London. It was bound to have some kind of an effect.’

  ‘No, but Patrick never changed.’

  ‘His circumstances could have been different to hers,’ Imogen said, ‘I’m not saying the Coombs’ didn’t influence Janet, it’s just the extent of it that I’m unsure of. Even if Janet had managed to return to London there could still have been friction. She had grown up during her time away, and had experiences that far outweighed her childhood expectations.’

  Her expression tightened. The Coombs must have continuously influenced Janet. She struggled to label them as innocent bystanders and imagined Janet having a far more harmonious relationship with her family had she returned to London.

  A thought struck her. ‘Do you think the Coombs’ played a part in making sure Janet never returned home?’

  ‘Janet was their daughter they could never have. Imagine if you’re looking after a child for four years, and then circumstance forces you to give them up, possibly never to see them again. It would be hard, especially since they had had no children of their own.’

  ‘I think they hid the letters addressed to Janet.’

  ‘Yes, we wondered that too. That’s something we’ll never know.’

  Leanne leaned back into the chair and looked to the scratches and marks on the table. ‘It was a horrible thing to do. No wonder they tolerated so much from Patrick. They must have known it was as a result of their bitter and twisted action.’

  ‘We don’t know anything for certain.’

  ‘I do, I can feel it.’

  ‘Then it seems that Janet may have been as much of a victim as anyone.’

  Leanne frowned. ‘I would love Gran to be innocent, but she’s not is she? Despite what the Coombs’ did, Gran still played her part. She was too strict with Karen and she lied to me over and over again. I’ll never be able to ask her why.’

  ‘I’m sorry.’

  ‘But you don’t understand. She never mentioned Fiona to me, either. Not once.’

  Imogen’s mouth loosened, her face expressing disbelief.

  ‘I’m so sorry,’ Luke interjected. ‘We found out about her a few days ago. I assumed you knew.’

  ‘Is she . . . is she still alive?’

  He shook his head. ‘I’m sorry. She died in her twenties. She was in a mental institute and had an accident. They tried to save her, but it was too late.’

  Leanne steadied her words. ‘Why was she there?’

  ‘She had suffered brain damage. We couldn’t find out the cause. There’s not a lot of documentation around.’

  ‘How long had she been there?’

  ‘Not long . . . a few months.’

  Exasperated, she ran her fingers through her hair. ‘I remember being at the hospital with Gran and Granddad. We must have been visiting Fiona. I had assumed it was for Mum.’

  ‘They had a difficult few years, that’s for sure. Losing one daughter would be bad enough, but two . . .’

  ‘You’d think that losing Fiona would have made them make more of an effort with Karen.’

  ‘Let’s wait and hold judgement,’ Luke said and glimpsed at the time.

  Wordlessly, she folded her arms.

  ‘I’ll just check I haven’t missed anything.’

  Simmering, she mulled over the life Janet had had with her daughters. It was as though she was discovering a different person, someone whom she had never encountered. How could she keep something as important as the loss of her two daughters to herself? If she had been in such a position, she would have been talking about them all the time, forever grieving.

  Her gaze drifted to Luke. He was fumbling in his bag for something, causing her to see a reference book on the paranormal. It triggered memories of curious conversations surrounding such an issue, that she had shared with her grandfather. Whilst she didn’t believe there
was any relevance to the search for her mother, it was an intriguing consideration and worth pursuing.

  ‘You do paranormal cases too, don’t you?’ Leanne asked.

  ‘Yes,’ he said. ‘Why do you ask?’

  ‘I think Gran’s parents’ were involved in something. She was dead set against all talk of the paranormal.’

  He gave Imogen a swift glance.

  ‘You’re right,’ Imogen said, ‘they were ousted from the area for witchcraft. It wasn’t anything illegal it just offended a few people.’

  ‘What did they do?’

  ‘I managed to get hold of a parish article,’ she said. ‘People accused them of spying. They knew things they shouldn’t have.’

  She swirled around the dregs of tea in her mug. ‘Like what?’

  ‘Private conversations. Molly, Betty’s mother once approached a family with a sick child and offered herbal drugs. At the time, no one else knew about the illness, only the immediate family. It frightened people.’

  ‘How did Molly know?’

  ‘She said she had psychic powers. No other explanation was offered.’

  ‘Do you think Janet had powers?’ Luke asked.

  Leanne turned to face him. ‘I don’t know. She hated anything paranormal . . . had a real aversion to it.’

  ‘How so?’

  ‘She always stopped me talking about it, no matter what I said. In fact, Granddad and I used to joke that steam came out of her ears and she’d turn purple whenever it was mentioned.’

  ‘So it was an intense hatred?’

  She nodded.

  ‘Was it normal for her to have such strong opinions?’

  ‘Oh yes. But . . . but I think there’s more to it.’ Her eyes flitted. ‘I think she had powers too.’

  ‘What kind of powers?’

  Leanne shook her head. ‘I don’t know. Premonitions maybe. I think she saw something to do with Karen, something that caused their parting.’

  ‘Go on.’

  She plucked at the skin around her neck. ‘We’d been talking about being a parent and how it was not always possible to protect your children from unknown dangers, and I made a glib remark. I suggested I tried using psychic powers, like developing telepathy, to monitor Tyler. It didn’t go down too well. The piercing stare she gave Granddad after he made an encouraging remark, made me extremely uncomfortable. He flushed and shot out of the room . . . almost panic-stricken. Nothing more was said.’

  ‘Did you ever find out what had happened?’ Luke asked.

  ‘No. I assumed it was to do with Karen.’ Leanne hesitated. ‘But of course I never knew about Fiona. Anyway, Granddad continued to joke with me, but always out of earshot of Janet. I never dared ask questions. She could be a very scary woman when she wanted to be.’

  ‘You say he was flushed and panic-stricken. Any ideas why he reacted like that?’

  Uneasy, she wrapped her arms around her middle. ‘I don’t like to think badly of him. He was always wonderful to me.’

  He waited for her to continue.

  ‘I used to think it was something to do with Karen, but . . . but it seems unlikely. I think he’d been seeing another woman. I prefer not to think about it to be honest.’

  ‘I can understand that,’ he said. ‘Do you have any abilities?’

  ‘I don’t think so. Sometimes I get a sense about things. For example, when I arrived in the house I went into a bedroom and felt a very deep sense of loneliness. I assumed it was memories from my childhood, but I felt as though I missed other members of my family, brothers and sisters. I wondered . . .’ pausing, she fidgeted with the skin around her neck. ‘Could I have been sensing Janet’s loneliness, as a little girl?’

  ‘It’s possible. Some people can touch things and get a sense of its history. Have you felt anything else?’

  ‘No, I don’t think so. I would love to be psychic. I’ve even tried meditating to develop it. Does that sound silly?’

  ‘No of course not. It takes a lot of practise developing the right state of mind.’

  ‘Do you think it actually works?’

  ‘Yes, I do. Psychics acquire information using Extrasensory perception, or ESP as it’s often known, rather than normal senses. I’ve heard it described as a strong sixth sense. There’s a lot of people, especially women, who claim to have that ability, even just in a mild form, so I think it makes sense that it could be developed with practise.’

  ‘Is it dangerous?’

  ‘If you’re careful about what you do, there’s nothing to fear. Your interpretations are what matters. You must not take everything you see as the absolute truth. Images can be deceiving . . . as can snippets of conversations.’

  ‘Could it help the case?’

  He rotated the pen between his fingers. ‘It might do. Do you fancy having a go?’

  ‘I’m not sure. It terrified Janet.’

  He nodded and started to gather his notes into his bag.

  ‘Are powers inherited?’

  ‘I have no idea.’ He stood up and glanced at Imogen. ‘I’m sorry, but we must go, it’s getting late.’

  ‘Yes, of course. Thanks for coming.’

  ‘That’s okay.’

  The prospect of following in her great-grandmother's footsteps caused her to tingle with excitement as she watched Luke and Imogen leave. It was wonderful to talk to someone who didn’t think her yearning was bizarre. However, when she returned to the kitchen the newly acquired information regarding Janet, Karen and Fiona, crept back into her mind, and her ache intensified. What more secrets did Janet carry? The thoughts and possibilities were perturbing.

  Chapter 23

  Leanne slowed the car to a virtual halt, turned the steering wheel to park in the makeshift drive, and turned to face Tyler. His mouth was ajar, his eyes wide with wonderment.

  ‘What do you think?’ she asked.

  He ran his slender fingers through his short, blond hair. ‘This is all ours?’

  ‘It is.’ She unbuckled her seatbelt. ‘Come on, I’ll show you around.’

  She exited the car, and careful to stay on the trampled grass, escorted Tyler to the rear of the house. His bewilderment silenced him. She kept turning, checking he was still there, ensuring it was not just a dream, and noted his eyes scanning the land and the house.

  ‘I’m going to have to spend some money on the garden,’ she said.

  ‘Just a bit.’

  ‘It won’t take that long to sort out. Don’t look so overwhelmed.’

  ‘I didn’t think it would be this large.’

  ‘Wait until you see inside.’

  Leanne lifted the key from her bag, unlocked the door and pushed it open. It was still sticking a bit, but nothing too severe.

  ‘Wow!’ he said, standing in the lobby. ‘This is almost as big as our living room.’

  ‘Have a wander around. This is your home too. I’ll go make a drink.’

  ‘Have you any fruit juice?’

  ‘Of course. I’ve bought in everything you like. Do you want a piece of flapjack too?’

  ‘Please.’

  She flicked on the kettle, removed the juice from the fridge and extended her arm to reach for a glass from the top cupboard. Her smile was constant and her happiness bubbling.

  ‘There’s a piano,’ he called out.

  She headed towards him. ‘Now’s your chance to learn.’

  He smoothed his hand across the shiny surface then meandered around the room. ‘I don’t like the wallpaper.’

  ‘Me neither. It was fashionable once upon a time.’

  ‘No taste,’ he said.

  She followed in his shadow as he moved between the rooms, occasionally commenting on the furniture and décor and peering into every corner, every alcove. His expression of delight was beautiful, and she secretly studied his slender frame, wanting to keep this moment forever carved into her mind.

  They headed up the stairs and into the bedrooms, and remarked on the paintings, old pieces of furniture, and
the view across the fields. She prayed that she was correctly analysing his expression and that he was as enamoured with the place as she was. However, a reminder of the fact his stay was for two days crushed any feelings of delight and triggered a sense of hopelessness. She wanted to tackle him for his brainless decision, persuade him to abandon Darren, even command him to stay with her. Was she being unreasonable? Dismissing her desperation, she told herself it was not forever. He would return next weekend. He would return every weekend. He would always be her son.

  Determined to enjoy every moment, they headed back downstairs where she asked him about his time with Darren and the activities they had shared. As the conversation progressed, and Tyler described his father as funny, easy-going, and a man’s man, she sensed a lack of discipline and feared that Darren only saw his role as that of a friend. She envisaged them sharing beers over a late-night movie and making crude comments about women in bars, thoughts that turned her stomach. However, clutching at the immense pleasure that was his company, she maintained her silence and her upbeat mood.

  There was a knock at the door. She bolted to her feet, glanced out of the window, and headed to the outer door. Steven had his hands huddled in his pockets and Tansy was panting by his side.

  ‘Hello,’ she said brightly.

  Steven glanced over her shoulder. ‘Sorry, I didn’t know you had company.’

  ‘This is my son, Tyler. He’s staying for the weekend.’ She turned to her son. ‘And this is Steven, a friend.’

  ‘Nice to meet you,’ Steven said, ‘do you like the house?’

  ‘Yes, it’s bigger than I expected.’

  ‘That’s what your mum said. I can imagine you having a party or two here. What music are you into?’

  ‘Anything rocky. I like a few of the local groups. I doubt you’ve heard of them.’

  ‘Are you in a band?’

  ‘No. I’ve thought about it though. I can sing pretty well.’

  Leanne caught Steven’s eye. ‘He’s very good. He’s always singing in the shower.’

  ‘Mum!’

  ‘You shouldn’t be ashamed, you have a beautiful voice.’ She turned to Steven. ‘He sang at Gran’s eightieth birthday party. Everyone loved it.’