It Started at Sunset Cottage

by Bella Osborne

  From the comfort of her steamer chair, Kate watched Tim and Amy playing jungle explorers. This didn’t last long as she was soon roped into an impromptu game of football when Tim found a ball in the shed. They all took turns in goal. Tim made the most elaborate dives whenever Amy neared the goal and let the ball in every time, helping it on its way on a couple of occasions. When it was Amy’s turn in goal, Kate found herself up against Tim in more ways than one. He teased her with the ball and then kicked it away when she got close. There was some contact that was deserving of a yellow card and lots of laughing. Apart from when the ball landed on Marmalade, who was asleep in the bushes. She gave them all a stern stare, flicked her tail in the air and stalked off to find somewhere quieter for her nap.

  When they all got tired and out of breath, Kate made ice-cream floats and put them on the garden table. Amy came running over to investigate.

  “Wow! My favourite!” exclaimed Amy, grabbing a spoon and digging into the nearest glass.

  “Sit down please, Amy,” instructed Kate, and Amy inched her bottom onto a cushioned seat without taking her eyes off her float. Tim sauntered over. His sunglasses were now resting on top of his head and, with the sun behind him, he looked as though he’d just stepped out of an aftershave advert.

  “Has she worn you out?” Kate asked.

  “No, I’m fine,” he said, sitting down next to Amy. “Any good?” he asked, pointing at Amy’s ice-cream float.

  “The best!” Amy gasped in between slurps. For a while they all sat in silence exchanging glances and smiles as they tucked in. Amy finished first and was soon off to do more exploring.

  “So is she from Rent-a-child or Ebay?” said Tim, flinching at his feeble joke.

  “No, she’s my goddaughter, my friend Sarah’s little girl.”

  “She’s a lovely kid.”

  “She is. She seems quite taken with you.” It was a surprise to Kate that Tim was so comfortable with children, not having any of his own. They both watched Amy as she played happily at the far end of the garden, picking flowers and twirling around whilst chattering to herself.

  Kate swept her hair off her neck and pulled it into an untied ponytail on one shoulder. Tim stopped watching Amy and studied Kate. Her mane of golden hair shone in the sun but had now moved to reveal her slender white neck. Tim followed the line of her neck up to her delicate chin and beautiful cheekbones. He was lost in her features, as if examining a painting. Tim felt so at ease in her company, even when they didn’t speak. He had never been keen on long silences, but silence with Kate was peaceful. She turned to meet his gaze and smiled a warm smile.

  “I’m sorry, Kate, I can’t come to Bath tomorrow. Something’s come up.”

  “Did you come all this way to tell me that?” she laughed.

  “Well, if you won’t answer your phone.”

  “Sorry about that, but a message would have been okay.” Tim knew he could have left a message, but it didn’t feel right. Kate deserved better and it had been a chance to see her, although not on her own, as he had hoped.

  “Maybe we can go another time? One evening after filming, perhaps?” he said.

  “Perhaps. It’s okay. I’ll see Bath soon enough.”

  Tim glanced at his watch. “Bugger. Sorry I need to dash,” he said, getting to his feet.

  “It’s been lovely to see you. I mean, I know I see you on set, but…”

  “Yeah, it’s not the easiest place to chat.” They stood looking at each for a moment before Tim cracked first. “Okay, best say goodbye to Amy,” who, as if on cue, came skipping across the lawn towards them. Tim whispered something to her before he left and she giggled.

  “Kate?” said Amy

  “Yes,” Kate said, feeling something ominous was about to happen.

  “Knock, knock!”

  Didi handed out the three cups of tea off the tray and walked steadily back to the kitchen, where one of the staff was washing up.

  “Look at me – I can carry a tray of tea and not spill a drop. I must be ready to go home or are you keeping me here as slave labour?” Didi asked.

  “Didi, we can’t bear to lose you. You brighten everybody up.”

  “But I am completely better now, and you must need the bed.”

  “The doctor is seeing you this week about being discharged, so I think you’ll be heading home very soon.”

  “Excuse me, I’m looking for the garden centre?” asked a very small grey-haired woman, with a hint of fear in her eyes.

  “Hello, Alice, you’ve come to the right place. Let me show you to the tea rooms, then after a nice cuppa you can have a look at the plants,” said Didi, with a wink as she helped Alice turn her zimmer frame around and head back out of the kitchen.

  Chapter 16

  Sarah was more than surprised to open her front door to a policeman early on a Monday morning. And even more surprised when they presented her with a search warrant. A friendly policeman had called the previous week, when he’d knocked at a few other houses in the road asking everyone when they had last seen Shaun, and she’d thought that was the end of it. Clearly she was wrong.

  “Can I get dressed?” Sarah asked, as she pulled her dressing gown around herself.

  “No, I’m sorry. You need to sit down, out of the way, while we have a look around.” A policewoman came and sat with Sarah at the kitchen table whilst the other officer went from room to room methodically searching. Sarah was very grateful that she’d asked Kate to have Amy last night so she could work a late shift at the pub, otherwise she would be worried about the effect a police raid, however low-key, would have on her daughter.

  “Can I ask what you’re looking for?” asked Sarah.

  “Anything that can help us in the search for Mr Greasely.”

  “He’s still missing, then?” asked Sarah, and the policewoman nodded. “It’s a lot of effort to go to for a missing adult, isn’t it?” Sarah was sure there was more to it than that.

  “We take all missing persons enquiries seriously.”

  “I’m sure you do. But you seem to be taking this one very seriously indeed,” said Sarah. The policewoman didn’t reply, but her poker face wasn’t as good as she thought it was.

  “Have you got a ladder, Mrs Greasely?” called the other police officer from upstairs.

  “In the garden,” she called back. He couldn’t have been long in the loft as he soon returned downstairs with the ladder and took it back outside. He came back into the kitchen.

  “New patio is it, love?”

  “Yeah, it’s Indian sandstone. Do you like it?” said Sarah.

  “It’s very nice. Done recently, was it?”

  “Last week.”

  “Did you do it yourself, by any chance?”

  “No, a friend of mine did it. Would you like his business card?” Sarah was always keen to drum up business for Andy. Even if this wasn’t exactly his day job, it was still a referral.

  “I’d like to have a chat to him, if we can,” Sarah saw him exchange glances with the policewoman.

  “Oh, come on! You don’t seriously think Shaun’s buried under the patio, do you? That’s not very original, now, is it? Give me a little more credit! At least check out the batch of lasagne in the freezer,” Sarah laughed, but both police officers scanned the kitchen until their eyes rested on the freezer.

  “Madam, we’re just making enquiries.”

  “Look, if you let me call Andy, I’m sure he’ll come straight round and tell you about how he did the patio as a surprise. Okay?”

  “Okay,” said the police officer.

  Sarah called Andy and gave him the basics of the story and he set off immediately. Sarah was pleased to be able to get dressed; it made her feel a little less wrong-footed. When Andy arrived, the male police officer was on his hands and knees examining Sarah’s hall carpet. Andy introduced himself and went through to the kitchen, where Sarah virtually threw herself at him.

  “The police officers are just doing their job. It’ll
all be okay. Trust me,” he said, soothingly, and she did. Sarah went to sit in the living room whilst the two officers talked to Andy about the patio. She could hear the conversation and it was best that she wasn’t in the room as the temptation to butt in was very strong. Especially when they were asking the same question over and over again, “So Mrs Greasely approached you about the patio… It was Mrs Greasely’s idea for you to build the patio… Mrs Greasely wanted the patio building quite urgently…” When eventually they finished, they called her into the kitchen and Andy gave her a friendly hug.

  “I’d like to ask you about the damage to the front-door frame and the stains on the hall carpet, Mrs Greasely,” asked the male police officer. Andy squeezed Sarah’s hand.

  “It was Shaun that damaged the door and frame. He was trying to get in the last night I saw him.”

  “What did he use?”

  “He used a spanner,” said Sarah, “I opened the door and shut his hand in it to make him stop.”

  “I see and is that where the blood on the carpet came from?” His stare was unblinking as he studied Sarah’s response.

  “Er, I think you’ll find that’s a coffee stain.”

  “I think we’ll find that it’s blood, Mrs Greasely, so it’s best to tell us now,” said the officer. Andy looked to Sarah for an explanation. Sarah ignored him.

  “It’s coffee.”

  “Did he come inside that night?”

  “No, I told you already that he didn’t come inside.”

  “So how did the blood get on the carpet?”

  “It’s coffee, but there may be blood from when I jammed his hand in the door.”

  “I think that’s unlikely, given that the patch on the carpet is three feet away and you say he didn’t come inside that night.”

  “It could be my blood,” said Sarah, feeling her scalp start to prickle. “I locked myself out and had to smash the glass to get in. It was a while ago now, though. I cut myself, so there could be some of mine. Andy repaired the glass for me,” Sarah gave a half-glance in Andy’s direction. Andy looked aghast and quickly tried to hide his reaction by staring at the floor.

  “Okay, Mrs Greasely, Mr Shaw, I’ll just take some samples of fibres from the carpet, if I may, and then that’ll be all… for now. Thank you for your co-operation.” When they left, Sarah broke down in tears and Andy held her. He didn’t know what else to do.

  After a few good scenes with a few retakes, Lumina made a strange squeaking noise, which Kate later discovered was actually a sneeze. Lumina called for her PA and was whisked off-stage in a flurry of drama and white fluffy robes. She then demanded that she be seen by a herbalist before she would continue. Everyone took a break whilst Che discussed options with his senior team. Tim jogged over and interrupted the group briefly and, after a short discussion, he bounded over to Kate with a broad grin on his face.

  “Che loves your idea of us checking out the Bath locations whilst we have some down time, so I’m shooting two more scenes that we don’t need Lumina for and then we’re free to go.” He stood there expectantly.

  “Is this not going to put us hideously behind?”

  “No. They’re rescheduling the scene order and they’ll carry on filming some scenes today that don’t feature me or Lumina. I’m not in every scene, you know!”

  “As long as I’m not needed.” Kate was feeling increasingly superfluous.

  “Marcus has it covered. You are free to go. Could you just track Pip down for me and ask her to get a chopper for about one o’clock?”

  “Er, yes, okay,” said Kate, feeling suddenly excited by the prospect of a ride in a helicopter.

  “Great, you’re a star,” and he kissed her cheek. They both froze as if struck by something and then both looked to the floor. Tim mumbled something about the next scene and disappeared. Kate just sat there wondering if anybody had noticed.

  Kate tracked down Pippa, who was fielding phone calls with Lumina’s new PA, who was looking very flustered and a little tearful.

  “Hi, Pippa. I have a request from Tim.”

  “He’ll have to get in the bloody queue!” she snapped.

  “Problem? What can I do to help?” ventured Kate, pulling up a chair to show she meant business.

  “Horse has swallowed the herbal aspirin that was put out for Lumina and now she’s having a blue hairy fit,” said Pippa, and at this Lumina’s PA broke down and started to cry big heaving sobs.

  “Pull yourself together or go home!” shouted Pippa, which only made the young woman sob harder. “Well?” she snapped. Lumina’s PA ran out crying. “Do you see what I have to contend with?” barked Pippa.

  “Yes, I see,” said Kate, going into ultra-calm mode. “How about you tell me what needs doing? I make a quick list, we agree what order we do them in, and then we divide and conquer?”

  “Right, okay. Emergency vet needed.”

  “I presume to put Lumina down,” joked Kate, which only produced a weak smile from Pippa. Kate grabbed a pad and pen off the desk “Vet. Got that. Next?”

  “Herbalist for Lumina, car to take her back to her apartment, release a press statement about her illness because they’ve already been on the phone.” Kate raised an eyebrow at this quick response, but carried on scribbling. “Get someone, anyone, to go and calm her down before I shoot her, and cancel dinner reservations in Tim’s name for tonight and… that’s it, I think,” said Pippa, who was screwing up her face as she mentally checked that she’d covered everything.

  “And Tim wants a helicopter for about one o’clock,” added Kate.

  “Okay, that’s one for Terry. He can sort that out and work out his pick-up timings for it. Christ, who’s he schmoozing now?”

  Kate paused before answering. “It’s a location check in Bath and, with the filming schedule up in the air, it was a good time-filler.”

  “Okay,” said Pippa, but Kate could feel colour filling her cheeks.

  “How about you sort out the vet, herbalist and the press and I’ll sort out the rest?” suggested Kate, admiring the list she’d made.

  “Brilliant.”

  “But first I’ll get you a cappuccino. Do you want sprinkles?” asked Kate. Pippa gave an exaggerated shudder.

  “No! Never again will that mean a nice little dusting of cocoa, thanks to that bloody dog!” And both women laughed.

  Kate found that she really enjoyed the pressure of trying to sort out the things on the list and she also loved the feeling of ticking them off as they were completed. She quickly worked through the items, and was then left with only one thing remaining, which was to calm down Lumina.

  Kate headed over to Lumina’s trailer, which was her home while she was on set and, as she approached, she could hear the commotion inside. She steeled herself before banging with authority on the door. It was quickly opened by one of the young actors, who looked very stressed.

  “I hoped you were the vet,” he said, his jacket in his hand.

  “No, sorry, but there’s one on the way.” The shrieking from Lumina went up an octave and the actor just stared at Kate. “Okay. You can go. I’ll take over,” and he gave a grateful smile before he disappeared. The trailer was very plush and draped in white from top to bottom. Lumina was lying on a bed wearing a white, towelling bath robe with Horse clutched to her chest as she wailed.

  “Lumina, it’s Kate,” she said gently, as if talking to a child.

  “He’s dying and nobody will help.”

  “The vet will be here very soon and they’ve said that willow bark is usually safe for dogs. He’s not going to die, Lumina.” Kate sat on the edge of the bed and gave a very distressed-looking Horse a stroke.

  “But he’s sick. Look at him!” Lumina spat the words forcefully, as she turned the poor creature eyeball to eyeball with Kate. Kate took a deep, calming breath.

  “He’s fine, Lumina, they give dogs willow bark sometimes; their stomachs can handle it better than humans. He’s okay, apart from looking very scared because you
’re making such a fuss.”

  Lumina stopped the tears instantly and gave Kate a cold look, “I am sick and I thought my dog was dying, I think I had a right to make a … to make people aware.”

  “Of course,” said Kate calmly, “but it’s upsetting Horse and that’s the last thing you want to do.” Lumina nodded and a few small tears escaped. “He is going to be okay, I promise.”

  “I love him,” Lumina sniffed.

  “I know,” said Kate stroking Lumina’s arm. “We get very close to our pets, don’t we?”

  “I do love Horse. But I meant Tim. I love Tim.”

  “Oh right, well that’s nice, too. Did I say that the herbalist will be about an hour and then Terry will take you home?” said Kate, reverting to efficient mode and handing Lumina a clean tissue from her cardigan pocket.

  “I think there’s someone else,” sniffed Lumina into the tissue.

  Kate really wished the vet would arrive so that she could escape from this conversation, since clearly Lumina had worked out that Jackie was also a fixture in Tim’s life. And Kate just wasn’t comfortable discussing Lumina and Tim’s relationship. Even though a curious part of her really wanted to know, there was a bigger part that just wanted to stick her fingers in her ears and chant la, la, la.

  “You need to talk to Tim about that,” Kate said, as calmly as she could manage.

  “I can’t,” the wailing starting to return. “He won’t talk to me. He’s only with me to keep the peace on set. As soon as we finish filming he’ll be off and I’ll be d…dumped!” The wailing increased and Horse struggled to free himself; his ears had had enough noise-induced trauma for one day.

  “Shh,” soothed Kate, “you’re upsetting Horse again,” and thankfully Lumina did appear to quieten a little. She let Horse go and he jumped off the bed and went to eat some food from his handmade ceramic bowl, which featured his name and a series of paw marks. So he was clearly feeling fine and showing no signs of any after-effects of the herbal tablet he’d devoured.

  Kate struggled to think of what best to say. All she could think of was that Lumina would get another ream of pages written about her when Tim dumped her for the second time, which she didn’t think would help to stem the flow of tears. Kate could see that for Lumina this really wasn’t just about the publicity, she looked genuinely upset.