by June Tate
Having arrived early, Percy wasted no time in visiting the first jeweller who bought second-hand goods. He entered the shop.
An elderly man greeted him from behind the counter. ‘Good morning, sir. Can I help you?’
Percy put on an act that would have graced any stage. He looked upset and spoke softly. ‘My old aunt died last month and left me a couple of her rings. Now, I’m not married and I don’t have anyone to give them to and I wondered if you would be interested in buying them?’
‘Let me take a look,’ said the jeweller.
Percy handed them over and the man looked somewhat surprised when he saw the quality of the jewels. He studied them through his eyeglass.
While he did so, Percy gave him his tale of woe. ‘My aunt married above her class. Her old man had money and we were happy for her, but what would I do with these? The cash would be a help with bills and a new pair of shoes. Maybe a new shirt.’
The jeweller put down his eyeglass. ‘These rings are quality.’
Percy feigned surprise. ‘Really? Well I thought they looked nice, but what would I know?’
‘You’re a lucky man, Mr …?’
‘James. Harry James.’
The jeweller took another look, then he thought for a moment. Percy held his breath.
‘I can offer you three hundred pounds for the two.’
Percy was delighted, knowing that old Blackmore in London would have halved the price. ‘Thanks, that’s wonderful. You’ve no idea what that money will do for me.’ He pocketed the cash and left the shop.
He took himself off to a small cafe and had breakfast followed by a cup of coffee, hardly able to cover his delight. He’d try the string of pearls next, but in a shop further away.
Here he gave the same sad story. ‘Someone told me they were real.’
‘Oh yes, sir. Your aunt was a lucky lady, these are certainly real.’
Percy emerged from the shop with another small wad of money and a big smile. Oh yes, he thought. Mr Harry James is a very lucky fellow.
Percy Stanley was having a great day, but back in Southampton, young Tim Collins was not. Children can be heartless and the questions that were asked of him during playtime were hard to handle.
A small crowd of boys surrounded him.
‘So you ain’t got no mother no more?’ asked one.
‘No, she died.’
‘So who is going to cook your meals and do the washing, then?’
‘My sister, Phoebe.’
‘Did you see her die?’
‘What was it like?’
‘Is she buried so the worms get to eat her body, then?’
This was too much for the boy and he lashed out, hitting the lad. Then he rushed into school in tears, cannoning into the headmaster, who, seeing his distress, took him into his study.
‘Sit down, Tim.’ He poured a glass of water and gave it to him with a handkerchief. Then he waited for the boy to recover.
‘Children can be cruel, Tim. Especially those who don’t know what it is to lose a mother. You mustn’t mind them, they don’t understand.’
‘One said she was buried so the worms can eat her body!’ Tim blurted out.
‘Now that was unkind, but we two know that your mother isn’t in that coffin. She’s in heaven with your father. Our bodies are what we use down here on earth. In heaven it’s different. We start again. Your parents will be young and without pain. Being happy together, looking down on the family, watching over them. She would have been cross with the boy that upset you.’
Tim looked up at the headmaster. ‘I hit him, sir.’
‘Oh dear, but I’m not surprised, I would probably have done the same in your shoes.’
‘You would?’
With a wry smile, the man nodded. ‘But you can’t go round thumping everyone who says stupid things.’
‘No, sir.’
‘Give it a couple of days, lad. They’ll soon forget. Now, I’ve got to blow the whistle for the end of playtime, so I suggest you return to your class.’ He watched the boy walk away, sad for him having to learn such a hard lesson so early in life, but knowing it would probably be the first of many as he grew into a man.
Chapter Twelve
Percy Stanley caught a train back to Southampton in time to help his brother shut down the stall for the day. Ben watched him as he arrived and saw how pleased he looked, surmising that the trip had been a success. Which indeed it had been. Before leaving Salisbury, Percy had offloaded all his remaining pieces of jewellery and now felt secure. The police hadn’t a chance now of putting him in the frame for the burglaries and therefore the murder of Frank Clarke, who might well have been to see him to purchase such goods. Now there was nothing to tie him into the man. But his confidence was disturbed before leaving the market that night.
Ben had closed early, wanting to report Percy’s return to his superiors and Phoebe was putting away her stall, when one of her displays slipped off the barrow, spilling out of the doorway. Percy was passing at the time and picked up some of the fruit and stepped inside Phoebe’s shed to hand them over. Phoebe didn’t hear him and turned to be faced by the man she’d seen murdering a stranger. She screamed with fright.
Percy glared at her. ‘I was only trying to help,’ he snapped, but he paused when he saw the look of sheer terror on her face. His eyes narrowed as he moved closer to her. She stepped back from him and he could see she was shaking.
‘What’s the matter, girlie?’ He stared hard at her. ‘Why are you looking so scared?’
‘You made me jump, that’s all.’ But her voice trembled as she spoke.
‘You sure that’s the only reason? Why are you shaking? Think I’m going to harm you in some way, is that it?’ He grabbed her by the wrist.
Phoebe snatched her hand away and pulled herself together. ‘No, of course not! You shouldn’t creep up on me like that, it gave me a fright!’ She took the fruit from him. ‘Thanks.’
He watched her replace the goods, but her hands were shaking as she did so. He walked away, puzzled by her extreme reaction.
When he’d gone, Phoebe leant against the wall and slowly slid down it until she was sitting on the ground, still shaking. Never had she been so frightened in all her life! Now Percy Stanley was aware that she was scared of him and she’d seen the expression on his face as he’d questioned her. He’d been surprised at her reaction − rightly so, as he was unaware of the fact that she’d witnessed the murder. But what if he eventually realised the reason – what then? But as she sat there, she argued with herself, there was no way he could discover the truth. He hadn’t been aware of her presence. But as she finally locked up, she was a worried woman.
As Percy sat in the pub having a pint of beer with his brother, he couldn’t get out of his mind the look of terror on the face of that girl from the fruit and veg stall. He knew that his reputation made some of the stallholders wary of him and that his presence sometimes made them uncomfortable. That he was used to, but tonight was very different and he couldn’t put a finger on the reason behind her fear. It bothered him.
Phoebe arrived home and started to get her and Tim’s supper. Her own worries were forgotten as Tim told her about his day and the teasing he had suffered from the schoolboys in the playground, but she was heartened when he told her of how the headmaster had taken him to his study and talked to him.
‘He was right, Tim. It will be as Mum used to say – a seven-day wonder. It will pass, just try to ignore it, then they’ll get tired of teasing you. One day the same thing will happen to one of them and only then will they truly understand.’
Tears filled his eyes. ‘I miss her so much, Phoebe.’
She went over to him and held him close. ‘So do I, love, every day, but we must be brave and carry on. It’s what she would expect. She is with us all the time, Tim, here in our hearts.’ She held her hand over his. ‘She never will be far away.’ Taking a deep breath, she said, ‘We’ll try and do something nice on Sunday. We need a
treat. Perhaps we could take the ferry over to the Isle of Wight. That would be nice − a good sea breeze will blow the cobwebs away. What do you say?’
He cheered up immediately. ‘Can we take a picnic and sit on the beach?’
‘What a great idea. I’ll buy some bread rolls on Saturday.’
‘Perhaps Ben would like to come too,’ he suggested.
‘You can ask him on Saturday when you help me with the stall.’
Ben had readily agreed when Tim approached him. ‘What a great idea! I could do with a day out away from work.’ He wandered over to Phoebe. ‘Thanks, I’d love to come with you tomorrow. Do you want me to bring anything?’
‘No, I’ll pack a picnic. The water will be too cold to swim, so we’ll just sit on the beach.’
‘I’ll bring an old rug,’ he offered. ‘Which ferry had you in mind?’
‘There’s one that leaves just after ten o’clock. We can have a walk round Cowes first and look at the shops.’
Grinning, Ben said, ‘You women and your shops! But Cowes is a quaint place. We’ll stop and have a coffee before we settle on the beach. I’m really looking forward to it.’
Percy Stanley stood watching them chatting. The girl looked relaxed and normal, he thought, but then she looked up and caught him staring and the smile on her face disappeared and she looked away quickly.
Ben noticed the change in her. ‘What’s the matter? You suddenly looked worried, is something wrong?’
‘It’s that older Stanley brother,’ she said quietly. ‘He scares me for some reason. I feel uncomfortable around him.’
‘He has that effect on most people, Phoebe. He’s an unsavoury character. He hasn’t bothered you, has he?’
She shook her head. ‘No, but the other evening as I was putting my stall away, some of my goods fell off. He picked them up and walked into the shed. I didn’t hear him and turned round and there he was. He gave me such a fright, I’m afraid I screamed.’
‘If he gives you any trouble, any at all, you come to me. Understand?’
She gave a wan smile. ‘Thanks, I’ll do that.’
‘I’ll help you and Tim close up tonight before I move my stuff, all right?’
She nodded, but Ben could see she was really disturbed.
‘You never have to worry about anything, Phoebe, because I’ll always be around.’ He gave her a brief kiss and walked back to his stall. He did notice during the rest of the day that Percy seemed to watch her every move. Now why would he be so interested? he wondered.
Marj walked over to Phoebe. ‘I couldn’t ’elp overhearing your plans for a trip to the Isle of Wight.’ She looked slyly at her young friend. ‘Things getting serious, then?’
‘Not that I’m aware of. Ben’s been a rock during Mum’s death and the funeral, and he’s been great with Tim, but nothing’s been said about any future.’
‘Give it time, love, ’e’ll tell you when ’e’s ready.’
‘What about you and Tony, then?’ Phoebe asked, eyes twinkling with mischief.
‘Oh, we’re chugging along nicely, thanks, and that’s all I’m saying!’ She walked back, her throaty laugh lingering in the air.
Yes, she was enjoying her new relationship with Tony, mused Marj as she stood behind her stall. He was a nice chap. Kind, considerate. They’d been out for the occasional drink, a film or two, a meal now and again. She realised she was getting used to having him around. It was comforting, she admitted to herself. They had enjoyed a kiss and a cuddle, but that was as far as it went. She knew that she’d only have to give him a little encouragement for it to go further, but if she did, she mused, she’d be getting into a serious relationship and she wasn’t at all sure she was ready to commit to that. Did she want a man around permanently? Was another marriage something to be considered? She enjoyed her freedom; did she want to have to look after a man again? Cook his meals, do his washing? No, she didn’t! A lover, maybe? Now that was more like it. All the enjoyment and none of the domesticity. But was Tony the sort of man who would agree to that? She wasn’t at all sure. He had old-fashioned values; he might be shocked at such a suggestion. She giggled to herself as she thought about it. She quite liked the idea of being a ‘scarlet woman’.
On Sunday, Phoebe, Ben and Tim caught the ferry to the Isle of Wight. They sat outside on the deck chatting while Tim wandered around exploring. Phoebe told Ben about her brother’s experience in the playground and how upset he’d been and how kind the headmaster was to the boy.
‘It’s a lot for him to handle,’ Ben agreed. ‘But children are surprisingly resilient. It’s just a shame he hasn’t a father to help him get over such a loss, but he’s got us, Phoebe. He’s not alone.’ He put his arm round her.
She leant against him, her head against his shoulder. ‘I don’t know how I would have coped without you, Ben. I’ll always be grateful to you.’
He didn’t answer. Knowing that he’d fallen in love with Phoebe he was faced with a predicament. If he wanted to further their relationship, to have a future together, he’d have to be honest with her. She’d have to know who he really was, what his work entailed and at the moment it wasn’t possible. This subterfuge didn’t sit well with him, but he didn’t have a choice. Once his duty in the market was over, then he’d be free to tell her the truth.
The ferry arrived in Cowes and they wandered around the quaint streets, looking in the shops, bought ice creams, had a coffee, then made their way to the beach, laid out the rug and settled in the sun. It wasn’t warm enough to wear swimsuits, but they were able to sit comfortably without coats.
Having bought a bucket and a spade, Ben helped Tim build a splendid castle with a moat and a drawbridge using a piece of wood found in the sand.
Phoebe watched the two of them together, as they constructed their castle, concentrating, working together, laughing when things went wrong, thrilled with the end result. Ben was so good with Tim. A father figure was just what her brother needed, but if Ben left the market, how Tim would miss him – as would she. She quickly brushed the thought aside. Today they’d enjoy all being together.
The police enquiries at all the second-hand jewellery shops in Salisbury had paid off. The diamond rings and the string of pearls had been found. The jewellers had given a description of Harry James and it was obvious that Percy Stanley was the seller, which was verified when mug shots of him had been shown to the unfortunate buyers who had to return the goods, and on Monday morning, a warrant had been issued for Percy’s arrest.
The market wasn’t particularly busy on a Monday morning. The stallholders would clean their stalls and make a list of goods that had to be bought to replace that which had been sold the previous week, therefore it was with some interest that the sudden arrival of a police van and several uniformed police stopped everyone from working.
Phoebe and Marj stood together as they converged on the brothers’ stall.
Arthur paled as they stood in front of him. Percy stood straight and just glared at them.
Holding up a piece of paper, a police sergeant walked behind the stall, looked at Percy and spoke. ‘I am a police officer and I have a warrant for your arrest, Percy Stanley.’ He produced a pair of handcuffs. ‘Arms behind you and don’t give me any trouble, I’m not in the mood!’
‘Arrested on what charge?’ Percy demanded.
‘Burglary and selling stolen goods, for starters.’
‘I don’t know what the bleedin’ hell you’re talking about!’
‘They all say that. Now … hands!’ The constable put on the cuffs and read him his rights.
Arthur watched in silence as Percy was led away and glared at his brother as if to warn him to remain silent.
There was a sudden buzz around among the vendors. Ben looked across at Arthur, who was standing with a stunned expression.
Arthur was now a worried man. If his brother had been found as the seller of the stolen jewellery, how much longer would it be before the murder would also be pinned on him
, and if that happened it would mean a term of imprisonment for him too. The thought terrified him. For all his pretence of being big and tough like his brother, inside he was a weak man. He’d seen the inside of a prison and the men who inhabited such a place when he used to visit his brother. He’d heard the stories of what can happen inside, how dangerous a place it could be, and he was scared.
No one else was sorry to see Percy taken away, except perhaps Phoebe. In one way she was glad she wouldn’t have to see him every day, but what if the police found out that he was guilty of the murder of the person found in the churchyard. What if it was suspected, but she was the only one who could prove it was him … what then?
Marj broke into her thoughts. ‘Bloody good job that bastard’s gone. I never felt comfortable when ’e was around. A villain of the worst kind, ’im! Cruel bugger! You only ’ad to look at ’is eyes to know ’e didn’t have a scrap of compassion. Doubt that ’e even knew what it was.’ She looked across at Arthur. ‘I ’ope he shoves off, an’ all. Without ’is brother around to look after ’im, ’e’ll be bloody useless. Full of ’ot air, not got a brave bone in ’is body!’
Ben wandered over. ‘Well, it’s all going on today! Any idea what it’s about?’
‘The coppers say burglary and selling stolen goods,’ Marj told him.
At police headquarters, Percy Stanley was in an identity parade. In a side room were the unfortunate men who’d purchased the jewels. They were to be sent in, one by one with an officer, and told to walk down the line, look carefully at each man and if they recognised anyone, to tap him on the shoulder and walk away.
Both of the men picked out Percy Stanley.
Chapter Thirteen
In an interview room, Percy sat at a table with two detectives sitting opposite. A look of defiance on his face, he stared at them but inside he was shaking. He knew he was in trouble as soon as he’d been picked out in the identity parade, but no way was he going to show the coppers how he felt. He leant casually back in his chair and waited.