by Cathy Sharp
‘I think I’ve proved myself and my loyalty.’
‘We could have been lovers, Angela,’ he said in that soft voice of his and reached for her hand. She snatched it away from him and his eyes narrowed. His handsome face was marred by a look she could only describe as threatening. ‘I should have liked to be more than a friend – but you’ve obviously made up your mind to oppose me. Believe me, I don’t take kindly to enemies.’
Angela was silent. He stared at her for a moment, turned and left her standing in the hall. The door closed behind him with a sharp snap. Her mouth felt dry and her heart beat loudly in her chest. Why had he been threatening her? Why should it be so important that the Board approved the purchase of a piece of land for the future? What did Henry Arnold expect to get out of it? He would earn a small profit on the building of a new children’s home, but that was surely not important to a man who made no secret of the fact that he was very wealthy?
There must be more to it. Angela felt the icy tingle at the nape of her neck. She’d been uneasy about Arnold from the start, but now she was utterly convinced that something underhand was going on.
She went back into the kitchen and finished drying the coffee cups, then paced up and down the room trying to get her thoughts in order. Desperate to talk to someone she could trust, she ran through the possible candidates: her father was on his way home, Sister Beatrice was convalescing … which meant there was only one person she could turn to: Mark. She only hoped he would be at his apartment.
Picking up the receiver, she dialled his number and waited. It rang for several minutes and then, as she was about to replace it, Mark answered.
‘Mark, I was afraid you were out …’
‘Is something wrong, Angela? I was having a shower after my morning run.’
‘I didn’t mean to get you out of it, but I really need to talk – if you’ve got time to come round?’
‘I have the rest of the day. I’ll be there in half an hour. You can tell me what’s on your mind and then we’ll have lunch – if you’d like?’
‘Yes,’ Angela said and gave a shaky laugh. ‘I’d love that, Mark. I’ll get changed and be ready when you arrive.’
TWENTY-EIGHT
Alice hesitated outside the police station. A week had passed since she’d arranged to meet Jack at the zoo. She could never really have gone, of course, and in her heart she’d known what she had to do. Despite that, it had taken her a while to make herself come this far, and then she’d hovered outside, unsure whether she was doing the right thing – and yet what else could she do? She’d approached the door three times and then changed her mind, torn between doing what she believed was right and fear of what she might start if she went through with her decision to hand in that key.
‘Can I help you?’ a police constable asked, and with relief Alice realised that she knew him, because he’d been to St Saviour’s to talk to Sister Beatrice.
‘Constable Sallis?’ He was a stalwart young man, solidly built but with a pleasant face. ‘I used to work at St Saviour’s …’
‘You’re Alice Cobb – or you were. Didn’t I hear that you’d got married?’
‘I’m Mrs Bob Manning now. My husband is in the military police.’
‘Ah yes, I know of him. We sometimes have to work with the military police when there are important people in town. Is something bothering you?’
Alice made up her mind and thrust the envelope at him. ‘I think there’s something hidden here that you might be interested in,’ she said. ‘I don’t want anything to do with … pinched stuff. I think you might be pleased if you open this locker, Constable Sallis.’
He took the envelope and saw the number of the box at the railway station written on the outside. Holding it in his hand without attempting to look inside, he asked, ‘Where did you get this, Mrs Manning?’
‘Someone I used to know sent it to me and asked me to fetch the stuff in that security box – but I don’t want to; it ought to go back to the people it belongs to.’
‘Did Jack Shaw give you this key?’ he asked, and caught Alice’s arm as she turned away. ‘We know he’s still alive, Mrs Manning. He’s been seen in Southend – and recently in London.’
‘It might have— Yes, it was,’ Alice said, deciding she might as well go all the way. ‘I think that stuff once belonged to some dangerous people, but where it came from before that I don’t know. They’ve been following me around, and I think it’s because of whatever’s in that locker. Jack and Arthur Baggins stole it from them and they want it back. If they knew I had that key …’ Alice shivered. ‘Please, will you take it and do whatever needs doing?’
‘Yes, I’ll take it,’ he said, looking serious. ‘I believe you, Mrs Manning – but the inspector might want to talk to you about this.’
‘Please, I don’t want any trouble,’ Alice begged. ‘I’m married now. I don’t want anything to do with Jack or his gang.’
‘I understand,’ Constable Sallis said, his expression serious. ‘You’ve done the right thing, Mrs Manning – but if the gang know you’ve handed in this key you could be in trouble. I suggest you take care to keep your doors and windows locked, and if you go out at night, make sure you don’t walk home alone.’
‘I’m no use to them if I haven’t got the key,’ Alice said, but his warning frightened her.
‘If you think you’re being followed, let us know. We’ll keep an eye on you.’
‘Yes, all right …’ Alice turned and wheeled her pram away. She was glad she’d handed in that key but she hoped it wouldn’t cause her trouble either with the police or the Lee gang.
Jack wouldn’t keep on waiting for her to join him. She’d been tempted for a while, and she’d even got Susie ready, but it was as she was packing a bag with her daughter’s stuff that she’d seen the little teddy bear Bob had bought for Susie. She’d broken down and wept, knowing that she couldn’t leave her husband. Bob didn’t deserve to be treated like that, and even though it had cost Alice, she’d stayed home and baked cakes instead of meeting Jack. By this time he would surely have given up on her and bought himself a passage on a ship to America. She certainly hoped so, because if he came looking for that stuff he would be very angry when Alice told him she’d given the key to the police.
Glancing over her shoulder, Alice started to walk home. The constable’s warning had her worried. If only Bob was around more – when he was there, she felt safe. Feeling nervous and lonely, Alice decided she’d go round to Nan’s house later. She needed to talk to someone she could trust …
Alice heard the knock at her door and stared at it uncertainly. For a moment she was almost afraid to answer, fearing it might be one of the Lee gang.
‘Who is it?’ she called.
‘It’s me, Nan. Alice, are you all right?’
Nan’s voice was reassuring and Alice opened the door, smiling with relief at the sight of her friend. ‘Come in, Nan. I’m so glad you’re here,’ Alice said, standing aside to let her through. ‘I just put the kettle on …’
‘I could do with a cup of tea,’ Nan said, then stared at her, eyes narrowing. ‘You’re shivering, Alice love. What’s wrong?’
‘Nothing, it’s just … I felt a bit lonely,’ Alice said, leading the way into the kitchen. ‘Nothing important.’
‘Now you’re being untruthful,’ Nan said. ‘Whatever it is, Alice, you can tell me. I’m your friend. If you’re in trouble, I’d like to help you.’
Somehow, Alice found herself pouring out her troubles. How Jack had sent her that key then come to see her, wanting her to fetch the stuff for him, asking her to run off with him.
‘Surely you wouldn’t think of leaving your husband, Alice? I like Bob. He’s a good man and he loves you.’
Alice nodded. ‘Bob is a better man than I deserve, Nan. It took me a while to realise what I’ve got, but I know it now. I’m very fond of him and I’ve no intention of leaving him for a rogue – that’s why I handed the key in. Constable Sallis told
me to be extra careful for a while, not to go out on my own after dark. Now I’m frightened.’
‘But these men don’t know you had the key, Alice. If they’ve been trying to find Jack Shaw, they must think he has what belongs to them. You’ve no idea what’s in that locker, you say?’
‘No.’ Alice took a deep breath. ‘Thanks, Nan. You’ve made me feel a bit better. All the way home I kept wondering whether I’d done the right thing, giving the police that key.’
‘Of course it was the right thing to do, Alice. Jack isn’t worth a tenth of Bob. He’s a thief and a liar and goodness knows what else. I know it’s hard, but you have to try and forget about him.’
‘Yes, I’m going to,’ Alice said. ‘What made you come round?’
‘I wanted to make sure you’re ready to start doing a few hours for us again. Jean has had a nasty cold and we’ve been a bit short-handed. I could do with you for a couple of hours every day, to tell you the truth.’
‘I should like to, but it’s finding someone to look after my Susie.’
‘Nancy is very good with the younger ones,’ Nan said. ‘She will be leaving school this Christmas and I expect her to stay on at St Saviour’s, helping out where she’s needed until she’s ready to move on. Sister Beatrice hasn’t decided on her job yet, but she seems good with nursery-age children and I dare say she’ll do a bit of this and a bit of that for a while. I think she might be willing to take charge of your baby for a few hours a couple of times a week, and if Michelle’s mother has her there a couple of days, that would do nicely. Once your Susie is a bit older, she can play with the others in the mornings. With a home to run and a baby, I think a few hours in the morning would be all you’d really want.’
‘If I could bring Susie with me, it would be perfect,’ Alice said. ‘Have you heard from Sister recently?’
‘She sent me a postcard from Bournemouth. The boarding house is Church-run, I think she is quite enjoying her retreat, though she said there was a cold wind off the sea – “bracing” was the word she used. I’m sure it must be pleasant for her to have a bit of a break at the seaside; we Londoners seldom go further than Southend.’
‘Bob’s taking me to the seaside soon,’ Alice said. ‘He has leave coming up and he wants us to go visit his auntie – she helped bring him up when he was a boy and his mother was ill. She lives on the coast so we’ll stay nearby and visit her, but have a few days for ourselves.’
‘Good. It will be nice for you to get away.’
‘Yes. It’s our chance for a proper honeymoon. We didn’t get one the first time, because I was expecting Susie …’
‘You should make the most of it,’ Nan said. ‘When I got married there was a war on and we had only a few nights together …’ She smiled at the memory. ‘It was wonderful all the same. I kept hoping my Archie would come back to me and he did – until I lost him and my son to diphtheria …’
‘That was sad for you, Nan,’ Alice said, pouring her a second cup of tea. ‘But you’ve still got your memories, haven’t you? No one can take those away from you.’
‘No, they can’t,’ Nan agreed, smiling. ‘That is perfectly true, Alice. We keep our memories – at least until we get old and senile …’
TWENTY-NINE
‘Michelle, I wanted a word, if you have time?’
Michelle had paused on the steps of St Saviour’s to pull up her coat collar. Although the weather was mild for November, the evening air was cold on her skin. She’d decided to walk home across the bridge, taking the road that followed the river; the money she’d save on her bus fare would help buy Freddie the new football boots he needed for school.
‘Dr Kent … Richard,’ she said and smiled. ‘Yes, I have time. Was it something to do with the children?’
‘It concerns Matty,’ he said. ‘Do you have a bus to catch? I could take you home if you wish?’
‘I was going for a walk by the river – it’s good to get a breath of air after work.’
‘Yes, I’m sure it is,’ he said. ‘Your hair looks lovely. Have you had it cut again?’
‘Yes, a bit shorter this time; it was getting long and this is easier for work. I’m not sure I like it brushed back off my face, but it doesn’t take as long to wash and set in the mornings.’
‘You have lovely hair,’ he said, falling into step beside her. ‘I’ll walk with you, Michelle, but we could go somewhere, take the bus. Perhaps we could have a drink in that pub by the river, it’s a nice evening for it?’
‘Why not? Yes, I’d like that, it’ll make a change for me,’ she said as they caught a bus and found seats near the back. Richard paid their fares and they smiled at each other, chatting easily as the bus negotiated the busy streets. It was a short walk to the pub once they left the bus. In summer there were tables outside and lights strung in the trees, but inside it was low-ceilinged and smelled strongly of spilled beer – and yet Michelle felt at home, far more than she had at that posh hotel they’d gone to in the country.
‘You were going to tell me how Matty is?’ she reminded Richard.
‘Feeling pretty low, I’m told,’ Richard said. ‘They’ve given him several tests and he’s been feeling very ill. He also misses his friends from St Saviour’s. I couldn’t advise taking any of the children to see him, but I wondered if you could visit … not as a member of staff, but as a friend. Perhaps you could take some comics or a few grapes?’
‘Well yes, of course I will,’ Michelle said. ‘Have they told you what is wrong yet?’
‘They’ve found a small growth on his spine, and they think that’s what has been causing the fitting and the falls.’
‘Does that mean it’s cancer?’ Michelle asked, upset at the idea.
‘Not necessarily,’ he said. ‘They operated this morning to remove the growth, so we shall soon know. If it is malignant, he will need further treatment, but anything related to the spine is risky. It may just be benign tissue, in which case, now that they have cut it away, he should start to recover.’
‘I do hope so,’ she said, looking intently at him. ‘But there’s more, isn’t there? What haven’t you told me?’
‘The surgery to remove the tumour may have damaged his spinal cord. It could have a lasting effect on mobility – his ability to walk …’
‘You mean he could end up in a wheelchair?’ She sipped her drink as she contemplated the awful outcome if the child suffered such damage.
‘It is a possibility,’ Richard said. ‘A terrible prospect – but the surgeon didn’t have much choice. If they hadn’t removed the growth, Matty would have continued to suffer fits and severe discomfort – and if it was cancerous, he would’ve died anyway.’
‘He’s such an energetic child … it would be awful for him to be paralysed.’
‘Let’s hope that’s not the case,’ Richard said. He finished his drink. ‘Well, I shan’t keep you any longer. Perhaps we could go out again one day – somewhere a bit better than this?’
‘Yes, when we both have time,’ Michelle said vaguely. She wasn’t sure she wanted to repeat the experience of that trip to the country, although she couldn’t have said why. Richard Kent was a gentleman and generous with his money – but perhaps that was the problem. Michelle wasn’t sure she wanted to go on with a relationship that seemed wrong for her. He was attractive and seemed interested in her, but he was hard to get to know, there seemed to be something amiss, something she couldn’t quite put her finger on. ‘Do you think I should put off visiting Matty for a little while, if he isn’t feeling well?’
‘It doesn’t matter if he is unwell when you visit; he needs someone to make a fuss of him, care for him. He doesn’t have anyone else to visit him and I’m a doctor. He needs someone he knows well – someone who can be more than simply a visitor to him …’
‘I’ll visit then,’ Michelle said. ‘I’d better get off. My mother will be expecting me home soon.’
‘Yes …’ he hesitated, then, ‘I’ve been asked to help take a party
of St Saviour’s children to the British Museum this weekend. Mrs Morton said you might be going?’
‘Well, yes, I have said I will,’ Michelle agreed. ‘So you’re coming too?’
‘It looks that way,’ Richard said. ‘I thought we might get a moment to ourselves afterwards, but I dare say the children will take up most of your time.’
‘And yours,’ Michelle replied. ‘Don’t imagine Angela will let you get away with simply being there. I expect you’ll be on drinks duty or taking the boys to the toilets.’
‘I dare say you’re right.’ Richard made a wry face. ‘We shall have to find time for a day out ourselves again, Michelle.’
‘That sounds lovely,’ Michelle said politely, because she didn’t like saying no. ‘Not this weekend though. I promised Mum I would help her on Sunday. She wants new curtains in the front room and it takes two of us to hang them, though she has made them all by herself.’
‘Perhaps the following week, or the week after,’ he said vaguely. ‘I promised my mother I’d take her visiting a week on Sunday – and I have surgery on the Saturday.’
‘Oh well, some other time then,’ Michelle said. She finished her shandy and set the glass down. ‘That was very nice but I ought to get home now. My mother will worry if I’m late.’
‘I’ll see you on Saturday for the museum trip,’ he said. ‘Take care of yourself, Michelle – and don’t forget about Matty, will you?’
Michelle promised and they parted company. It was as she turned to look back at Dr Kent that she saw Eric with some Army friends. They had taken the table Michelle had vacated and Eric was watching her, a disappointed expression in his eyes. She lifted her hand in greeting, hesitated and then walked on.
She knew he must have seen her with Richard Kent, which explained the way he’d looked at her, as if he felt she’d let him down, but she hadn’t promised him anything. Michelle walked on, feeling vaguely guilty. She liked Eric. He was attractive in his quiet way with his sandy hair and greenish eyes, and she knew he was keen on her – at least, he’d claimed to be enough times, but she’d never led him to expect anything more than friendship, though she knew he was hoping for a lot more.