by Roberta Kray
‘Are you sure?’
Lolly nodded. ‘Yeah, I’m sure. Only…’
‘Only what?’
‘There were other people around on the estate, people coming back from work and the rest. Someone else might have noticed me. I don’t know.’
Jude raised a hand to his mouth and chewed on his knuckles. The panic had come back into his eyes.
‘But they probably didn’t,’ she said quickly. ‘It was dark by then.’
Jude started nodding again. ‘Yeah, yeah, it was dark. It should be okay. But if I say we were together, the cops are going to want to speak to you, Lolly. They’ll ask all kinds of stuff, how long you were at mine, what we did, what we talked about. We’ll have to get our stories straight. They’ll try and trip us up. They’ll double check everything and if we get it wrong…’
‘So what do you want me to say?’
‘Er… what about… we could… no, not that…’
Lolly waited, but she could see he was in no frame of mind to follow through. His head was too frazzled to think straight. If their stories were going to tally, she was the one who’d have to sort it. She didn’t stop to consider what she was getting herself into. It was enough that Jude needed her. ‘Look, we have to keep it easy so we can both remember. I’ve got some ideas. Come on, I’ll tell you while we walk.’
‘What? Where are we going?’
‘I have to get back. I’m late enough as it is.’
Jude stared at her as though she was crazy. ‘I can’t. What if someone sees me?’
‘What if they do? There’s no reason you shouldn’t be here. You’ve got to start acting normal. You’ve got nothing to hide, remember?’
Jude gazed over at the high street and swallowed hard. She could see his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat. He took a few tentative steps, stopped and shook his head. ‘I can’t. I can’t do it.’
Lolly linked her arm through his. ‘You can,’ she insisted. ‘You have to.’
15
As she hurried through the back yard Lolly braced herself for a tongue-lashing, but that was the least of her worries. She was scared Jude would lose his nerve and crumble when the police finally caught up with him. It was all very well agreeing to lie, quite another to be caught out in the process. She wasn’t sure if she could trust him to stick to the story. He might crack under the pressure and then they’d both be up to their necks in it.
The light was on in the kitchen and she could see the Cecils seated round the table. How late was she? It was well past half five by now. It must be. She took a deep breath, opened the back door and walked in.
Brenda glared at her. ‘Oh, so you’ve decided to grace us with your presence, have you?’
‘Sorry,’ Lolly said. ‘I didn’t realise what the time was.’
‘Too busy getting up to no good, I imagine. Where have you been? I don’t make your tea for the fun of it, you know. If you can’t be bothered to come home, I don’t see why I should be bothered to cook it.’
Lolly tried to look suitably contrite. ‘Sorry,’ she said again. ‘I was only doing homework at Sandra’s. I thought it was earlier. I ran all the way back.’
‘You don’t look like you’ve been running,’ FJ said, sticking his oar in. ‘Why aren’t you out of breath? And why isn’t your face all red?’
Lolly ignored him.
Tony looked up from his half-eaten dessert, something soft and mushy covered in custard, and glanced from her to FJ. ‘It’s ’cause she ain’t got any blood. She’s not really alive, you see, she’s just one of those zombie things. Like in that film. You’d better watch out or she’ll come and get you in the middle of the night.’
FJ gave a snort. ‘Hey, Lolly, are you a zombie? Is that true? I bet it is.’
‘No, but you might be one. I’ve heard they haven’t got any brains.’
FJ glared at her, his eyes narrowing. ‘Zombies are liars. They never tell the truth. They don’t know how.’
Brenda lumbered to her feet and went over to the oven. ‘It’ll be burnt to a crisp by now,’ she grumbled. ‘Don’t blame me if it’s not fit for a cat to eat.’
Lolly hung her bag over the back of an empty chair and began to take off her coat.
‘And don’t go leaving those there,’ Brenda snapped. ‘Put them where they belong. Go on. I’m not having the place looking like a bleedin’ cloakroom.’
Lolly grabbed her bag and went though to the small stretch of hallway that separated the main part of the house from the pawnbroker’s. She could hear FJ and Tony laughing, something to do with her, no doubt. It was clear they hadn’t heard about Amy yet, but it was only a matter of time. In a place like Kellston, news travelled fast.
She hung up her coat and bag and went back to the kitchen. Act normal, she instructed herself, trying to take the advice she’d doled out to Jude. Except it was easier said than done. She sat down, picked up her knife and fork and attempted to eat the dried-up cottage pie. Her throat felt tight and she found it hard to swallow. She pushed the food around the plate, taking tiny mouthfuls while her stomach churned.
The others left the table and went through into the living room. As soon as Brenda’s back was turned, Lolly got up, scraped the food into the bin and put the plate in the sink. It was the first time she hadn’t finished a meal since coming here. She ran hot water into the bowl and began the washing-up. It was nothing to do with placating Brenda, just something to keep her mind occupied while she waited.
Lolly grew more and more nervous with every minute that passed. How long before the telephone rang or the knock came on the door? She had a sense of foreboding like a weight pressing down on her. She knew what was coming and that it couldn’t be avoided. A storm was about to blow through the Cecil household and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Amy Wiltshire was dead, murdered, and the news would reach here soon.
When all the dishes were washed, dried and stacked in the cupboard, she stood in the middle of the kitchen until she couldn’t put it off any longer. She had to go through and join the others. It might start to look odd otherwise, like she was deliberately avoiding them.
Lolly sat down in the only space available – between Tony and FJ on the sofa. She stared at the TV without seeing anything, without hearing a word. All she was thinking about was Jude. She wondered if he’d got it wrong. What if Amy had simply slipped and banged her head? It could have been an accident. He might be panicking over nothing. In her heart, however, she knew this was only wishful thinking.
A quarter of an hour passed before Lolly heard the back door open and close. Freddy poked his head into the living room and gestured to Brenda.
‘I need a word, love.’
‘If it’s your tea you’re after, you’re too late. I’m not going to start cooking again at this time of night.’
‘In the kitchen,’ he said, abruptly withdrawing.
For a moment Brenda stared at the space where her husband had been, but then she hauled herself to her feet and padded across the room. The kitchen door closed firmly behind her.
Lolly didn’t need to hear the conversation to know what it was about. She had seen the look on Freddy’s face. Her body stiffened, her pulse starting to race. She had a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach and was glad she hadn’t eaten much. Beside her, the boys kept their eyes fixed on the TV; if they were curious about what was happening they didn’t show it.
It was a while before Brenda opened the door again. ‘Tony,’ she said. ‘Come here a minute.’
‘What is it?’
‘Just come here.’
Tony sighed and rose to his feet. ‘I ain’t done nothing,’ he said plaintively as though he thought he was in for a bollocking.
‘What’s going on?’ FJ asked.
Brenda shook her head. ‘Not now.’
Once Tony was in the kitchen, the door closed again. FJ, annoyed that he was missing out on something interesting, slouched in the corner. His gaze flicked between the TV and the door.
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‘No one ever tells me nothin’,’ he grumbled.
Lolly, pretending to be engrossed in the programme, didn’t say a word.
When Brenda, Freddy and Tony came back into the living room, their faces were grim. Tony didn’t speak. His eyes were dull, almost glazed. He looked stunned, as though he hadn’t quite taken it in yet. He went straight through to the hall, got his leather jacket and came back.
‘Let’s get it over with, then.’
‘Maybe I should come too,’ Brenda said.
Freddy shook his head. ‘No, you stay here with the kids. It don’t take three of us. Call Jim and let him know what’s going on.’
‘What is going on?’ FJ asked.
There was a long ominous silence before Brenda finally answered. ‘It’s bad news, I’m afraid. It’s Amy. There’s… er… there’s been an accident.’
Lolly felt a fountain of relief bubble up inside her. So Jude had been wrong after all. Amy hadn’t been —’
‘An accident?’ Tony hissed, suddenly finding his voice. ‘This wasn’t any bloody accident. Why are you saying that? Someone killed her, for fuck’s sake! Someone knifed her!’
There was a clear intake of breath from FJ. ‘What? No way!’
Lolly gasped too, her relief disappearing like air from a deflating tyre.
‘Let’s get going,’ Freddy said. He took hold of his son’s arm and led him away. ‘The sooner it’s done, the sooner it’s over.’
‘Where are they going?’ FJ asked his mother.
‘Down the nick,’ Brenda said, ‘before they come here.’
‘Why would they do that?’
Brenda’s mouth tightened into a thin straight line. ‘You know what the law are like. Tony’s her boyfriend. When it comes to suspects, he’ll be top of the list, won’t he?’
‘But they can’t… they can’t think he had anything to do with it.’
‘That’s what your dad’s sorting out now. He’ll take care of things.’
‘When was it? Where?’
‘I don’t know all the ins and outs, not yet. On the Mansfield, I think.’
‘Only Tony’s been at work all day and then he was here for his tea so how could he have —’
‘Yeah,’ Brenda said. ‘Exactly. It won’t come to nothing. It’ll be fine. You don’t have to worry.’ Except worry was etched all over her face. ‘I’ve just got to call your Uncle Jim. I won’t be long.’
FJ jumped up as his mother left the room. Then, as if he didn’t know what to do with himself, sat straight back down again. ‘Jesus Christ,’ he muttered. ‘Amy’s dead.’
16
Lolly stared at the floor. The enormity of it all was finally sinking in. She hadn’t really thought about Amy until now, not properly. She’d been too wrapped up with trying to help Jude. She hadn’t liked the girl – how could she after what had happened on Bonfire Night? – but she’d never have wished this on her.
‘She was the same age as me,’ FJ said.
‘How could anyone do that?’
‘Some bastard. They won’t get away with it.’
Brenda came back, but she couldn’t stay still. She started pacing round the living room, glancing impatiently at the clock, even though it was only minutes since Freddy and Tony had left.
‘What did Uncle Jim say?’ FJ asked.
Brenda, lost in thought, went from the fireplace to the window, played with the edge of the curtain and stared into space.
‘Mum?’
Brenda looked over at him and frowned. ‘Huh?’
‘Uncle Jim,’ he prompted.
‘Yes, they locked up at five. Tony was there all day. He didn’t leave the car lot, not even at lunchtime, so —’
‘So he’s in the clear.’
The phone rang and Brenda hurried back into the hall. It was the first of many calls that evening. As the grapevine buzzed, more and more information began to come in. Some of it might have been accurate, but most was just rumour and gossip. What was established, however, was that Amy had still been alive at four o’clock when she’d left school with her friends and headed home to the Mansfield. What had happened after that was simply a matter of conjecture.
Lolly sat and listened, trying to piece together what she was hearing with what Jude had told her. As yet his name hadn’t come up and that had to be a good thing. She was on tenterhooks wondering if anyone had noticed her on the estate and, if they had, whether they were going to share this fact with Brenda.
An image came into her head of Amy sitting in the café, flicking back her long blonde hair. That was the day Jude had been there with Tracy Kitts, holding her hand while stealing quick furtive glances at Amy. But that didn’t mean anything. All the boys looked at her; she was… had been, the prettiest girl around.
Lolly fought against the flicker of doubt that entered her mind. Jude couldn’t have done it. He wasn’t the type to carry a knife, not like some of the lads on the Mansfield. And he never got into fights. Occasionally he got angry, but didn’t everyone? She tried to figure out how long it had been between when she’d seen the two of them together and when Jude had come running after her. She’d sat on the wall for a while and then chatted to Joseph. Twenty minutes, maybe. Enough time for Jude to have left Amy and for someone else to have attacked and murdered her. That’s how it must have been. There wasn’t any other explanation.
She thought about that dark space at the base of the stairwell where she had once found her mother, cowering and afraid. It was an ugly place to die. Amy must have been lying in the dirt and the litter like some unwanted piece of rubbish. And Jude must have discovered her there when he’d gone back to look for her. Another question instantly jumped into Lolly’s head. Why had he gone back? And he wasn’t the one who had called 999 so what had he been doing in the time between his initial discovery and someone else stumbling on the body? Panicking, most likely.
Lolly understood why he’d run. She’d probably have done the same in his position. The police would have him right in the frame. They wouldn’t even bother looking for the real killer. Jude would be judged and found guilty and that would be that.
A couple of hours went by and there was still no sign of Freddy and Tony. In between phone calls, Brenda made and drank copious mugs of tea. Sometimes she went out to the yard, walked to the gate and stared along the alley.
‘Why aren’t they back yet?’ FJ asked. ‘Why’s it taking so long?’
‘If I knew that,’ Brenda snapped, ‘I wouldn’t be tearing my hair out, would I? Typical of your dad. He could have called – they’ve got phones down there – but no, not a bleedin’ word.’
‘Maybe you should get a solicitor,’ FJ said.
‘What does he need a solicitor for? Your brother ain’t done nothin’. He was at work all day so how could he have…’ Brenda shook her head, put her hands on her hips and scowled. ‘I always knew that girl was trouble. He should have left well alone.’
‘They’ve only been going out two weeks,’ FJ said.
‘Yeah, well, it’s two weeks too long. ‘I’m going to call the nick, see what’s going on.’
Lolly watched Brenda go through to the hall and lift the phone to her ear. Then, as if she had suddenly thought of something, she put the receiver back in the cradle, got out her keys and unlocked the door to the pawnbroker’s. She disappeared from sight for a couple of minutes and then came back into the living room holding the oblong metal tin she usually used for petty cash.