She sat drinking her coffee and thinking for a while, it had explained the coughing, and then she re-membered, she could remember what had happened the day before, the park, the smoking, the café, why, she thought, why did I do that? She binned the full ashtray and the cigarette packet. She made herself some more coffee and tried to make sense of it all, it was like I was on another planet, she could visualise herself there, in the park, in the Café, even walking down the street ignoring everyone who had acknowledged her. She sipped more coffee, it was soothing her throat. The house was eerily quiet, a silence she was beginning to hate, it never used to be like this, she finished her coffee and went upstairs to get washed and dressed, she did her make up nice, there was people she had to go and see.
Sandy Potts had opened the café at the usual time. Wendy had stayed the night at hers, they had shared a small bottle of wine and chatted for a few hours, trying to make sense of what had happened. Sandy tried to persuade her to go to the doctors, but Wendy would have none of it, her concern was more for Katy. Wendy left for her home the same time as Sandy left for work, she was satisfied that she was ok, or as well as she could be under the circumstances. She certainly looked better then she had done the previous night, she told Wendy to take a few days off, she had two other girls in this morning to help so they would manage without her. Not as if they got anywhere else to go for their bacon butties, she told her, Sandy was feeling tired, not so much through lack of sleep but in seeing someone that she loved as her own daughter go further into decline, she wanted to mend her broken heart but had no idea how to.
She sat in the staff room, a freshly brewed tea on the table, she was on her lap top and googled the tragedy that happened at Wentwood. Of course she knew some of what had happened. Now she wanted to try to make some sense of it. She hit the search button, she wanted to try to help her friend but all that come up was some beautiful pictures and history of the forest. She googled Wendy’s name, nothing, Katy’s, nothing, she put in all combinations, then she put in Bill Fenton’s. Yes there were hits but only relating to the murder that happened 18 years ago. Daniel Felton, loads of hits all about his political career. The missing Todd Fenton, she thought, there’s bound to be something about him, but there was nothing. She tried all sorts of combinations but there was no mention of that day. She googled the rave, it was there, but it wasn’t described like it was, it was like that day at Wentwood forest didn’t exist anymore. How could that be, who took it away? She turned her lap top off and sipped her tea, who took it away? She tried more combinations, she used different search engines, and it was like that day on the mountain never happened.
Carol felt better, fresher than she had been of late, it was a beautiful sunny morning as she walked. Ashbourne looked lovely on days like this. For a council estate it was much loved. People she knew stopped and said hi, some waived from across the street, she acknowledged them all, so much different to the day before, but it was the day before that was clearly etched on her mind. She walked past the park remembering sitting there, smoking, she cringed a little hoping that not too many people had seen her. She got to the café, took a deep breath before opening the door. It was quite busy with two girls that she knew working the tables and cooking the typical bacon sandwiches. She asked where Sandy was and was told to go through to the staff room as they knew she was a close friend of Sandy’s, Carol took another deep breath and walked into the staff room.
“Room for a friend?” She said and gave a sad eyed smile,
Sandy looked up, stood up opened her arms towards Carol, Carol fell into them, they hugged, and Carol gave a big sigh,
“Always’ room for a friend,” she said “sit I’ll make you a coffee.”
They sat at the table drinking, Sandy asking the girls not to disturb her unless it was necessary, she had good staff and guessed that it would be unlikely they were disturbed. Sandy and Carol were facing each other, carol spoke first,
“I just want to apologise…….’ Before she could finish Sandy put her hand up to stop her,
“Shh,” she said “don’t apologise, just tell me what happened are you okay?”
“It’s like yesterday I was in a trance, I can remember it now,” she bit her bottom lip like a child being scalded, “it was like something was in my head,”
Déjà vu, Sandy thought,
“Are you okay now?” She asked.
“Yes I feel okay, I just wanted to say sorry.”
“No need really,” Said Sandy, she grabbed her hand put it between her two hands.
“There’s something I’ve got to tell you about Wendy but please don’t repeat it and don’t say it came from me,”
“What is it?” Asked Carol, she looked a little scared.
Sandy let go of her hands, sipped her tea, licked her lips she hated breaking the confidence of a good friend, but she thought these two things might be linked, she had to tell her. So she did.
“That poor girl’ hasn’t she been through enough?” Said carol after hearing her story.
“That’s not all,” said Sandy have you been on the internet at all recently.”
Carol gave it some thought,
“Well yes I suppose I have,”
“I don’t mean just shopping I mean have you been on looking at the stories from that day?”
“Why would I want to do that?” The memories were still vivid in her mind, she didn’t need no search engine to show her that.
“Well if you did, you couldn’t there’s nothing there!”
Chapter 24
Daniel stopped at Jezz’s and Tracey’s, even if he had wanted to get home to Becky he couldn’t, his head was to mixed up and to many whisky’s had not helped. He slept in their spare bedroom after finally convincing Becky that he had too much to drink and their place was nearer to his office and he had to be there early that morning. She just about bought it and part of it was true, he did have to be at the office that morning and he had arrived at 7.am. He had told Cindy to take the day off, she objected at first until Daniel ordered her to, he didn’t want to see her that day, he had work to do. The politics thing might have to take second place, his head was too much in a mess to concentrate, and he was in no frame of mind to listen to other people’s problems, did he not have enough of his own?
It flowed surprisingly freely, he tried not to let his emotions get the better of him, most of the time he won. He had a story to write, and that’s what he did for 6 hours until his office door buzzed and Daniel let him in.
He could hear him walk up the stairs and he opened the door ready for the man.
Gordon Williams walked into his office, Daniel offered him a drink, he refused, he sat down in the chair opposite Daniel. He liked this politician, he trusted him but was a little concerned when Daniel had phoned him earlier that morning saying he wanted to see him as a matter of urgency. Now he sat opposite, he looked a little stressed he thought.
“Nice office,” said Gordon not really taking in the surroundings,
“You aint come here to admire the furniture,”
“So what have I come here for then Daniel?”
Daniel smiled, there was a mutual respect between these two Daniel had took to him first time he had met him and the TV interview he had done went exactly like Gordon told him it would. Now they were on his territory, he wondered if Gordon would be the same man outside of the security of his TV studio, it appeared that he was.
“Can I trust you?” Daniel asked,
“A politician, a reporter and trust, now there’s 3 words you won’t hear together very often,” he gave a wryly smile,
“Can I?” Repeated Daniel,
Gordon considered the question very carefully,
“You will have to be the judge of that Daniel, but I tell you what I will do, whatever you tell me I’ll be honest and tell you what I’ll do with the information,”
Daniel laughed, typical reporter he thought,
“What makes you think I’ve got information?”
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Gordon crossed his legs, shuffled in his seat,
“Have you?”
“No”
Daniel got up went to his filing cabinet, took out a brown A4 size package that was taped up very securely,
“I’ve been working on this all day,” he handed it to Gordon, Gordon took it felt the bulk of it,
“What is it your memoirs?” He sniggered, Gordon went to open it Daniel immediately stopped him,
“No!”
Gordon placed the package on the desk, Daniel had sat down now,
“I want you to keep it but you must never open it,”
Gordon grew curious, Daniel knew he had his interest,
“What’s in it?”
“Just tell me can you keep it safe, and you will keep it safe,”
“Yes I can and I will,” he paused, he run his finger against his bottom lip,
“But if it’s something dodgy something illegal, I’ll run you down Daniel Fenton,”
Daniel laughed, Gordon wasn’t sure whether he liked that.
“It’s my story,” Said Daniel looking for the surprise on Gordons face.
Gordon’s eyes widened, he knew there was a story, everyone did, just nobody knew what the story was, the interview on Wales today went down a storm, leaving the audience wanting more. Gordon wanted more,
“As in?” Asked Gordon, hoping it was about his brother,
“Everything!” Daniel looked confident, assured.
Gordon got up paced the room nervously, the package was still on the table, he stood and faced Daniel who remained seated.
“That interview was fantastic, but I knew there was a story, I knew you were hiding something,” he licked his lips went over to the desk put both hands on the desk, “what makes you think I won’t go home and open or report it.”
“3 reasons,” Daniel said, he also stood up now, Gordon felt a bit intimidated, he had felt in control when Daniel was sat down, now he felt as if the control had been taken away from him. He licked his lips to moisten them, it was a power game they were playing,
“1 I trust you,”
“2 if you do ill finish you,”
“3 you don’t have to.”
They now stood face to face both men with a smirk on their face.
“Shall we stop playing games?” Said Gordon.
“If anything should happen to me that stops me from telling my story I want you to tell it, it’s all there,” he pointed to the package, “and I mean if I’m dead, or I’ve disappeared for more than six months,”
“What’s going on?’ Gordon demanded,
“There’s my story on there, dead or missing six months you can open it and tell it, until then you lock it away safe,”
“And what if you not dead or you’re not missing?”
“Then you won’t need it,” said Daniel,
Gordon looked a little confused,
“Because my good friend,” Daniel put his hands on both of Gordons shoulders, “you’ll be telling the story with me there, it’s a win, win.”
Daniel expected a look of delight on his face but Gordon seemed more concerned than ever.
“Are you going to blow open the world of politics?”
“Of course not,” said Daniel,
“Then it’s about your brother?”
“Yes.”
Stuart gave it a moment’s thought, he knew this man loved his brother and he felt for him deeply, but there was a story to be told and he guessed it would be a big one.
“Then you have my word.” He said,
They both smiled, a smile of friendship and trust
Both men shook hands.
“Is this the only copy?” Gordon said as he held up the package.
“Yes, I’ve deleted it from my laptop.”
Gordon walked towards the door to leave with the package under his arm, he turned around to speak to Daniel once more,
“It’s never deleted Daniel, destroy the lap top.”
Gordon Williams left the office, feeling a lot better than when he first walked in.
Daniel took out his phone realised it had been off since yesterday, he trawled through some messages, then went to his voicemail, he listened to Madison’s voicemail.
He thought she had gone loopy when he listened to the message, he would phone her later.
Chapter 25
Jezz and Tracy said goodbye to Daniel the next morning, neither of them had a really good sleep. They were sat on the settee both in their dressing gowns, both had phoned their respective workplaces asking for the day off, the night before had been a strange one. A story if repeated would be regarded as nonsense, but because of what happened that day almost a year ago both of them thought it was probably true. The people on that mountain that day had somehow been bonded together, that’s what Tracy thought, that’s what she believed. Somehow she thought it wasn’t over yet, not by a long way. They had tried to persuade Daniel not to go into the office and to spend the day with them but he had refused. He had looked a little better this morning, though still looked as if he had the world on his shoulders. They too were both feeling the effects of too much drink, they both took some paracetamol and drank plenty of water, their heads were clearer now, though that wasn’t necessary a good thing as their thoughts went from their headaches to what Daniel had told them the night before.
They were sat at the dining table eating a full English that Jezz had cooked. It had been a strange night and hearing Daniel tell them what happened brought it all back. At the time Tracy was sure she saw a man flying after crashing through a roof, but somehow it had been taken away from her, as if she had imagined it and she had no longer believed it. Now as she sat at the table eating her last bit of bacon she wasn’t sure, did it really happen, is that at all possible?
Jezz hadn’t said much, he sipped his coffee.
“A flying brother hey!” he simply said, Tracy wasn’t sure if it was meant as a flippant remark or if he was really sat in wonderment.
They both sat there for a while seemingly distant, looking at each other but not really seeing each other, there was a strange feeling in the room, something that felt overpowering, it neither came from Jezz or Tracy and instantly they were subconsciously embracing it.
“Make love to me.” Tracy said out of the blue.
Jezz took her by the hand led her into the bedroom, undressed her and made love to her, they had done this a thousand times before, but somehow this was different, it felt different.
They made love deeply and passionately, they made love in a way they had never made love before, as if this was going to be the very last time they ever made love to each other, the very last time they ever made love at all. They both lay on the bed naked now, sweat oozing from their bodies, feeling more content than probably anytime in their lives, as if heaven had fallen upon them.
They had not spoken to each other during their lovemaking and now as they lay on the bed they still had not spoken. Jezz got up, put some clothes on and without saying goodbye left the flat, if he had said goodbye it was doubtful weather Tracy would have heard him. She still lay there naked, enjoying the feeling in her body after her love making. She still tingled, she knew she would have to have a shower soon, but it felt good to lie here for the moment. She dozed for about 10 minutes, now she was looking at the ceiling, trying to think about what Daniel had told them, then as hard as she tried she couldn’t remember what he had told her, she felt confused, her head was fuzzy, she put it all down to the drink and lack of sleep. She still hadn’t noticed that Jezz was gone, I need a shower, She told herself, she lay there for another 5 minutes, she got up put her bra and panties on, got a pair of jeans from a drawer and put them on, she chose a sweatshirt from her wardrobe and finished dressing with a pair of trainers. She went to the bathroom turned on the shower and stepped into the shower. She could feel her face being hit by the water as she grabbed the shower gel and began to wash her still clothed body. Feels so nice, she told herself.
Meanwhile Jezz walked towards the transporter bridge that ferries the cars from across the river.
Ten minutes later he could see the transporter bridge in front of him, it wasn’t impressive to him as he had seen it a thousand times, this time he stood and stared for a moment. He couldn’t remember how he got here, he remembers making love in the flat and it seemed the next minute he was standing looking at the bridge. What was I going to do? He thought, he couldn’t answer his own question. A horrible thought came over him that he was actually going to throw himself off the bridge, a chill went through his whole body. Why would I do that when things are so good? He knew there was a café around the corner he fancied a coffee and see if he could make sense of this, surely I wasn’t going to end my own life, was I? He took the short walk to the café, feeling confused. There was only 2 other customers in there and they took no notice of him as he entered. Jezz was pleased with that, he felt strange and he didn’t want to look strange as well, he sat at the table, a waitress came over and Jezz ordered a coffee and a full English breakfast. He felt a bit confused wondering how he could go from making love so sensually and passionately to be standing at the bottom of the transporter bridge. His coffee arrived soon followed by his breakfast. Two more people walked in, a man and a lady they sat opposite Jezz, he sipped his coffee it tasted good, 3 young lads walked in, they were laughing at something one of them said. Jezz looked at his plate, bacon, egg, sausages, mushrooms, hash brown, tomatoes, baked beans and fried bread, he couldn’t take his eyes of his plate. I’ve not long eaten, why did I order this? He had no appetite, he just wanted a coffee not the amount of food that stood on a plate in front of him, he stared a moment longer, then took hold of his plate and emptied the contents over his head. He stood up and paid for the meal and left the café. No one had said anything in the café, they just looked on in amazement. It was the strangest thing they had ever seen. As Jezz walked the street, people stared and some even laughed at the man walking covered in breakfast. But Jezz couldn’t see or hear them, he just wanted to get home to Tracy.
The Fenton Saga: Never Say Goodbye / There Was No Body. Page 38