Lily swallowed. Repercussions? Her worries about her own skin suddenly outweighed her sense of betrayal by her so-called friend.
‘I will not have bullying in my school,’ barked Mr Smithson. ‘And, as I have said, this was no spur-of-the-moment unkindness; this was planned and coldly carried out.’ He stared at her with disdain. ‘How could you?’
Lily didn’t have an answer. Or rather, she did but she didn’t think that telling him she was jealous of Megan’s exotic beauty was going to help her case. She shrugged by way of a response.
‘You are suspended for a fortnight. On your return you will be in a different tutor group, well away from Summer and Megan. I will not have this sort of behaviour in my school. Do you understand? If there is any sort of repeat episode I will take steps to have you permanently excluded.’
Lily nodded.
‘You may go.’
She fled.
‘Let’s go home,’ said her father as they left the secretary’s office.
Lily nodded again, not daring to speak. She thought if she did she’d break down completely. Suspended. That happened to the losers – not the cool kids like her. And if it hadn’t been for Megan Millar this wouldn’t have happened. She loathed Megan even more.
They got to where her father had parked his Jag.
‘What were you thinking?’ said her father, the anger in his voice cold and bitter. He eyed her across the roof of the car before he unlocked it and got in. Lily slid into the passenger seat beside him. ‘I’ve had to resign as a governor. You’ve disgraced me.’ He slammed his door then turned to her as he switched on the engine. ‘How could you? And stop snivelling.’
*
‘I am so sorry,’ said Miles, coming out of the kitchen, shortly after Bex had started her shift at midday.
‘Why?’ Bex felt completely bewildered. Wasn’t she the one who generally cocked up and needed to apologise?
‘Because I promised to fix your gate and I haven’t been round to do it.’
‘Oh, please don’t.’ Crikey, Bex didn’t want to give him another stick to beat her with.
‘But I promised.’
‘It doesn’t matter. And I’m sure I can do it.’
‘Really?’ Miles raised his eyebrows. ‘Look, it’s no trouble and if I don’t Belinda will make my life hell.’
Belinda? Really? ‘Well...’
‘Exactly. I’ll pop round later. Anyway, how did Megan get on at school yesterday?’
Bex was surprised that he cared. ‘OK, I think. She’s a teenager so she sometimes isn’t terribly communicative but, yes, I think her problem is solved.’
‘That’s good. I’m glad.’ He sounded like he really meant it which surprised her even more.
A group of businessmen came in and, suddenly, Bex was rushed off her feet. The men picked up the bar menu and, with orders for food looking imminent, Miles disappeared back into the kitchen.
Then two women that Bex recognised from the school playground came in. If they recognised her there was no sign as they ordered a glass of Chardonnay each and then took the bar snack menus over to a table near the bar. Bex began to unload the glass washer.
‘Have you heard about Olivia Laithwaite?’ said one woman.
Hearing the name of her friend, Bex stopped putting glasses on shelves and openly eavesdropped.
‘What’s she done now?’ asked the other mum.
‘It’s what she hasn’t done, more like. She ought to have stopped those other houses that are going to be built, down on the ring road. She’s on the council to make sure that sort of stuff doesn’t happen to the town and then she does sod all about it.’
‘Really?’
‘And she’s been seen at the show house by the station – more than once. Looks like she’s going to buy a place at Beeching Rise. Buy-to-let, I’ve heard.’
‘Bloody hell. Mind you, I suppose if you’re that rich you’ve got to spend it on something.’
‘You could give it to charity.’
‘Huh – she’s the sort who thinks charity begins at home.’
‘And, do you know what else I heard about the Coombe Farm development?’
‘No.’
The first woman put her menu down and leaned across the table. Bex had to strain to hear what was being said. ‘That her husband has something to do with it. I was told he’s some big noise in finance. Got his fingers in lots of pies, apparently. It wouldn’t surprise me if he didn’t have something to do with the developers. I mean, you know what these city-slicker types are like.’
Her companion nodded.
‘That makes sense. Talk about greedy.’
Bex wasn’t sure about the logic of the argument – working in finance didn’t necessarily equate to being in cahoots with the housing developers – but it wasn’t her place to butt in and say so. What she did know was that the speculation was almost certainly slanderous. And more than anything she wanted to tell the pair that Olivia was thinking about downsizing and buying to let was the last thing she was about to do – but she could hardly do that, either.
‘I never did like that woman. Too much of a busybody if you ask me. And she’s bossy. Oooh, look at this, they’ve got wild garlic soup on the menu. I’m going to have that.’ And with that, the conversation veered away from Olivia, much to Bex’s relief who was feeling increasingly uncomfortable about hearing her friend bad-mouthed by people who knew nothing about her.
As the lunchtime rush gathered momentum, Bex had to call on Belinda to lend a hand.
‘I don’t know how you coped on your own,’ said Bex in a brief lull.
‘It takes a bit of practice,’ said Belinda.
Which reminded Bex of what Miles had said about her being completely inexperienced.
‘You should have hired someone who knew what they were doing.’
‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ said Belinda as she put a pint glass under the Guinness tap and opened it while she simultaneously measured out a large glass of Merlot. ‘I hired someone I like. That’s far more important. Anyway, you work with me, not Miles, so his opinion doesn’t count.’
Bex felt that it probably did. The pair worked in silence for a few minutes while they dealt with the queue.
‘One thing I need to mention,’ she said in the lull. ‘It’s half-term soon.’
‘I know. And you’ll want the week off, won’t you.’
Bex wrinkled her brow as she nodded. ‘I feel awful asking but I don’t think it’s fair to ask Megan to look after the boys on her own. I know I’m only next door, but she’ll have schoolwork to do over the hols and it’s an awful lot of responsibility to land on her.’
Belinda served another customer. ‘Nine pounds fifty, please,’ she said. Then, ‘I knew this would happen and I really don’t mind.’
‘But I feel as if I’m letting you down.’
Belinda took a tenner, rang it up on the till and handed over the change. ‘You take the week off. We managed before, we’ll manage again. There’s a chance that one of the girls who help out in the evenings might be able to take a shift but you’re not to worry.’
*
As she drank a cup of calming camomile tea in her kitchen Olivia felt her blood pressure start to return to normal. Maybe catching Amy red-handed had been a blessing in disguise because it gave her a copper-bottomed reason to get rid of her. She really didn’t want to sack her but Nigel was insistent that it was an expense they could do without once they moved into somewhere smaller. Olivia had been dreading the conversation.
She finished her drink and wondered how Heather had got on at the police station. She glanced at the kitchen clock. Maybe she’d go along to the meeting a bit early and call in on Heather on the way. Until then, she had to work out how far Amy had got with the cleaning before she’d helped herself to the gin, and try and finish the job. Olivia sighed. She hated housework.
At three-thirty, Olivia shoved the hoover back in its cupboard and, once again, cycled down the hill. If Heather h
appened to be out then she’d decided to take a walk in the nature reserve till the meeting – she would check up on that den in the thicket, make sure the council was keeping it litter free. She parked her bike against the wall of the vicarage and rang the bell.
‘Come in, come in,’ said Brian when he opened it. He sounded pretty jovial which was unexpected considering that until recently he’d sounded anything but, and then he’d had that funny turn in the pulpit, and to cap it all his house had been burgled.
‘Afternoon, Brian,’ said Olivia. ‘How are you?’
‘OK, thanks. I expect you’ve come to see Heather.’
Olivia nodded.
‘In the kitchen – go on through.’
Olivia made her way along the hall while Brian dived back into his study.
‘Is this a good moment for a quick chat?’ said Olivia as she reached the kitchen door.
Heather looked up from some papers she was reading at the table. She pushed them away. ‘Fine. Tea?’
‘I won’t, thanks. I’m so sorry about the break-in. I was livid when I heard. Even Amy thought the people that did it had to be utter scum.’
‘So, was that before or after she got caught drinking your gin?’
Olivia was dumbfounded. ‘How...?’
‘I met her in town on my way to the police station. She looked rather upset.’
Olivia snorted. ‘As well she might.’
‘So, I asked her what had happened and she told me. It was only a gin,’ said Heather.
‘It wasn’t only the gin. I think she might have pinched twenty quid from my purse, too.’
‘Amy? Surely not.’
‘Someone has. I know how much was in there and, when I went to pay Amy today, I was twenty quid short.’
‘It doesn’t mean it was Amy.’
Olivia was about to respond when the doorbell rang again. Once again it was answered by Brian and a minute later the pair was joined by Bex who was carrying a large pot plant.
‘Hello,’ she said. ‘I didn’t mean to interrupt, but I brought you this, Heather, to say thank you.’ She thrust the plant at Heather. ‘It’s from Megan and me.’
‘It was nothing.’
‘It was a great deal,’ corrected Bex. She turned to Olivia. ‘Megan was having some trouble at school and Heather sorted it. She came home from school yesterday so much happier than she has been of late.’
‘Bullying?’ asked Olivia.
‘Kind of. There’d been some trouble at her old school and – oh well... it’s all behind her now.’
‘And you know Mr Smithson knows who was responsible,’ said Heather.
Olivia looked from one woman to another, dying to know the details but not quite having the brass neck to ask.
‘Megan said. I gather Mr Smithson is seeing the girl today. Anyway, I can’t stop, I’ve left Megan in charge of the boys and I must get some more baking for the PTA fête done.’
‘Ah,’ said Olivia. ‘Did you know the church fête is a fortnight later?’
‘Erm... should I?’
Olivia thought she should but didn’t say so. ‘Heather and I are about to go to a meeting about it but we’re always looking for people to help.’ She looked expectantly at Bex.
‘I don’t mind producing a couple of cakes, if that’s what you’re after?’
‘That’d be perfect.’
‘Fine. I’ll get the school fête out of the way and then I’ll do some for you. And now I’ll leave you in peace. I’ll see myself out,’ she said as she headed for the front door.
Heather glanced at the clock. ‘I think we should go too.’
Olivia agreed.
They gathered up their things and followed Bex after a minute or so, with Heather pausing at Brian’s study to tell him they were off out and not to forget to lock up properly if he had to leave the house.
‘I won’t,’ he reassured his wife.
Heather banged the door shut behind her. ‘Now, about Amy...’ she said as they headed down the path.
‘Look,’ said Olivia, ‘It has to be her who took the money. First the gin, now the twenty quid. And I’m starting to worry about the burglaries. You and Jacqui... and she’s got keys to both your houses and there was no sign of a forced entry.’
‘But think about all the other houses that have been broken into, houses that Amy has had nothing to do with.’
‘Huh.’
Heather stopped on the pavement that ran beside the cricket pitch and turned to her friend. ‘I heard something today. I’ve been in two minds whether to tell you or not but I think you ought to know.’
Olivia didn’t like the sound of this. ‘What?’
‘When I was talking to Amy she asked me what I thought she ought to do. I said that if nothing else she ought to offer you a really heartfelt apology but I suggested she ought to wait a while to give you a chance to calm down. And I don’t know why, but I added that life wasn’t very easy for you right now.’
‘You did what?’ screeched Olivia.
‘I know, I know, but that was all I said and I’d have never gone into any details... I wanted her to know that you’ve got some stressful stuff going on, which was why you might have been more cross than under normal circumstances. And that it might take you longer to become more receptive to an apology.’
Olivia still didn’t look happy. ‘Given how I feel right now I think hell might freeze over first.’
Heather shook her head. ‘It was only some gin.’
‘And twenty quid.’
Heather shrugged. ‘I can’t see Amy doing that, really I can’t. Gin is one thing, cash is something else.’
Olivia rolled her eyes. ‘Really? Then I think you’re in for a sad disappointment.’
‘Anyway, to get back to what I want to tell you; in response to me telling Amy life isn’t a bed of roses for you she said, “Oh, you mean Zac and his drugs.”’
Olivia reeled. ‘She said what! The little madam.’ She was incensed. How dare Amy make an accusation like that?
‘So there isn’t any possible truth in this?’
‘Of course not. Zac wouldn’t do drugs. She said that out of sheer spite – anything to draw fire away from herself. That does it, I’m going to have it out with Amy Pullen once and for all.’
Heather put her hand on Olivia’s sleeve. ‘Please don’t. I told you because I’m your friend. You have to ask, why would Amy say that?’
‘As I said, spite. Besides, how on earth would she know?’
‘Zac and Ashley are close. She didn’t say it in a spiteful way – it was something she believed to be true that slipped out.’
‘Huh – then I bet it’s Ashley who’s been experimenting but has blamed it on Zac. Zac wouldn’t do drugs, that’s why I sent him to St Anselm’s so he wouldn’t mix with the wrong sort. Fat lot of good that’s done when the kids on the council estate hang around the skatepark where Zac spends his free time.’
‘You’re absolutely sure about Zac? You would swear he’s not smoking pot or anything? No funny mood swings, no odd behaviour, not sleeping a lot?’
‘Well... yes. But he’s a teenager. They all do that, don’t they?’
‘I’m only saying, Olivia, that maybe Amy has heard something – maybe from Ashley – and she believes it to be true. But if I were you, I’d check everything out before I dismissed it out of hand. Lots of kids have a go – it doesn’t mean they’re mainlining heroin. But wouldn’t it be better to find out whether or not Zac is taking illegal substances for sure? Because if he is, you might be able to nip it in the bud now.’
For a second Olivia thought about telling Heather to mind her own business but then a few little things began to bubble into her head; the overpowering smell of body spray in his room – was that to cover up the smell of something else? His apparently guilty conscience. The way he always looked a bit dopey... Maybe he was, literally. She took a deep breath. ‘OK, you may have a point,’ she conceded. ‘Maybe I should ask some questions. And if yo
u don’t mind, I’d like to offer my apologies for the meeting. I think I want to go home and have a good look around Zac’s room while he’s still at school.’
Heather nodded. ‘I sincerely hope you don’t find anything and Amy is mistaken.’
‘So do I.’
39
Once again, Olivia retrieved her bike and cycled up the hill back to her house. She had a while before Zac returned which, she thought, would be enough time to have a proper search.
She went upstairs and opened the door. Even in the twilight of half-drawn curtains Olivia could see the room was in a disgraceful state; clothes littered the floor, schoolbooks, DVDs and papers were strewn over the surfaces, the bed was unmade and there were half a dozen dirty mugs sitting on shelves and the bookcase and near his computer. Olivia picked her way through the mess and threw the curtains fully open and then followed suit with the windows. She turned and looked at the room now it was bathed in light. It was as if Amy had never had a go at it. She shuddered.
Where, she wondered, would a teenage boy hide stuff? She had a rethink. Where would she hide stuff? She began by pulling each one of his drawers open and checking right at the back and under everything. Nothing. She wasn’t too fussed about leaving signs that she had moved his stuff, had a good rummage – how the hell would he tell, given the overall state of his room? She checked under the mattress, behind every book on his bookshelf, inside all of his shoes in his wardrobe, in the pockets of all his clothes hanging up... Nothing, nothing, nothing.
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