Trodds Lane

by Nick Roteman

  She joined Freddy who had unpacked in less than five minutes, and they celebrated with a cup of tea and a surprise chocolate cake.

  They chatted happily until interrupted by the front door bell.

  Auburn her energy renewed and the sadness temporarily receded, ran to answer it.

  She re-entered the living room followed by a couple probably in their early fifties.

  “Rachel’s parents!” she announced to Freddy who jumped up off the couch to greet them.

  The next hour was awkward, but by the end Rachel’s parents had come away from the meeting feeling it had been a necessary part of their healing process, to meet some of her friends and swop stories about her. Freddy was pleased to be able to tell them in the flesh how wonderful a person she had been and to commiserate with their loss.

  The Parents took their leave, and Freddy and Auburn went back into the living room.

  “They were nice,” she said simply.

  “Yes they were but I still can’t really believe it, such a waste of a life, I loved her, she was great!”

  “And I miss her too,” Auburn solemnly stated. “Who’s going to share my curries?”

  “Hey I’m still here, and Pete will be back soon I’m sure.” He replied trying to reassure her.

  “Pete!” The mention of that name brought a sharp pain to her and she suddenly remembered how she had woken up this morning. She was determined to solve at least one problem.

  “I have to show you something, before I tell you what we are going to do, right.” She said leaving the room. “Wait here.”

  Freddy saluted.

  She set her laptop on the coffee table so both could see the screen. “You’re not going to like this, but you have to see it.”

  She showed him the pictures taken from Tom’s computer, all of them including those of Peter and him.

  He remembered that drunken night before he had been brutally set upon, allowing him to take some risqué shots before. But it had never occurred to him that he took pictures of all his conquests. It made him squirm just wondering how many of them had also suffered the violent advances of this brutal but still gorgeous man.

  He looked across at Auburn, the penny had dropped. “You’re sure something awful has happened to Pete, don’t you?”

  She nodded, switched off her laptop and stood up facing Freddy.

  “We have to go and see his mum again, in fact right now I think.”

  “Right now?”

  “Yes while that horrible man is down here we’ll be safe, she needs to see these pictures, perhaps that will shock her...”

  “Shock her, it’ll probably kill her, we can’t do that!”

  “Yes we can she must see them, it has to be now, lucky I have a car!” She grinned.

  “You do realise what you are inferring, you’re saying Tom has killed Pete, but why Aub, for what reason?”

  “I don’t know but he killed Rachel too!”

  “Aub I’m frightened, he’s already put me in hospital, I don’t want to die. He scares the pants off me; he’ll kill us both if you’re right!”

  “Oh is that how he gets your clothes off then?”

  “I see, very funny, this is not the bloody time to tell jokes!”

  “He murdered Rachel, he admitted it to me right to my face, in my face. I think Peter was suspicious of him moving in with his mum and probably taking her money, so he had to get rid of him.”

  “Knowing Pete, he was only jealous of losing Tom, plain and simple.” Freddy corrected her. “But murdering him I don’t know!”

  “No Tom is spending all Alice’s money; Peter knew he would. Me and Rachel were after him ready to expose him, so he killed Rachel first, I’ll be next if I let him, he’s evil he’ll stop at nothing to save himself!”

  “So what’s to stop him killing you?”

  “The police actually.” Auburn calmly responded. “DS Ash and her boss know, so he can’t touch me, but he can silence anyone else in his way or to stop me talking.”

  “I see, like me thanks, here we go again.” Freddy muttered.

  Suddenly he realised he was caught in the middle, but as there seemed no escape thanks to Auburn he would have to try to be brave, and at the very least protect his little cousin. Two little words sprung to mind, neither had ever been used to describe him before -Duty and Honour!

  “Duty and honour!” He said aloud.

  “What?”

  Alice welcomed them in and firstly offered them a drink; both said please to coffee.

  “It’s a nice surprise to see you again so soon.” She said looking over at Auburn, who was concentrating on drinking her coffee and not spilling it onto the expensive carpet.

  “And you Freddy, Peter often speaks fondly of you, he says you’re good friends and share a fondness for curries I gather?” she laughed.

  Freddy smiled back at her. “Yup that’s our staple diet I’m afraid.”

  “Mine too!” Auburn chimed in, having successfully finished her drink without spilling a drop.

  Freddy decided he had better explain why they were here today.

  “We have something on the laptop we need to show you, umm where is it?” He asked turning to Auburn.

  “Oops!” she said getting up and hurrying out of the drawing room. She shouted back. “Left it in the car, keep talking Freddy!”

  Auburn showed Alice all the pictures, but carefully excluded those of Freddy. Alice stared unbelieving at them, until the first one of Peter came up making her shriek, her right hand flying up and covering her mouth in an attempt to control herself.

  She was visibly shocked. “What is this filth, how dare you. I want you both to leave now!” She stood up glaring at them.

  “Please Mrs Chandler, let me explain, please...” Freddy implored her.

  “Explain what?” She screamed back at him. “That you and her are both sick coming here. Why should I want to see such pictures and how did you get those of my darling?” she questioned. “I knew you were trouble last time you came,” She screamed at Auburn. “Now get out of my house I don’t want to see you again!”

  Auburn stood her ground. “Off Tom’s computer,” she coolly replied. “He took them all because he is sick and very dangerous, you have to know that.”

  “This is absolute rubbish!” Alice warned her. “Leave my house right now, that is after you have wiped them off your laptop, or I will telephone the police right now! I want them deleted, all of them.”

  Auburn did try to argue the point that although they were disgusting, Tom had taken them and it should mean something.

  “And I want to find where Peter is, it’s only right.”

  “Do not mention his name again in this house, I won’t have it, in fact just go, right now, no more talk, just get out will you.” She yelled moving to the drawing room door and dramatically pointing at the front door.

  As they walked down the driveway back to their car, Alice shouted out at them.

  “I would have thought better of Peter’s friends. You’re both disgusting, don’t you ever come back here again, I warn you!”

  She slammed the front door shut and standing shaking in the hallway promptly burst into tears.

  They were both in shock at the way it had panned out with Alice and returned to Bournemouth in silence.

  As they reached the outskirts of Bournemouth Auburn couldn’t stay silent any longer. “But why didn’t she believe us, I don’t lie you know I don’t!”

  Freddy corrected her. “I think she did believe us, that’s the real problem. The thought of her son pictured butt naked was too much, would have been for any mother I’m sure. We should have been more subtle.”

  “Bollocks!”

  Freddy smiled. “Yes that too, you’re probably right Aub!�
��

  “What now?”

  “I’m too tired to think properly. Bed, sleep, tomorrow we’ll think again.” Freddy said sighing deeply.

  Auburn parked the car, reversing into a tight spot first time and jumped out to survey her work. “Perfect, I’m ready for my test you know!”

  “And I’m ready for bed, I’ll see you.”

  I’m hungry!”

  “Good night!”

  “Oh poo!”

  Tom was in The Owl and Parrot with Wayne, sat in their usual place to the left side of the bar counter.

  “Yeah but if this girl’s such a pain, can’t you get rid of her, yeah just get rid of her, simple.” Wayne suggested.

  “She has got it in her mind, I’m a fucking murderer, killed her stupid friend Rachel and disposed of another called Pete, who’s the son of Alice who I’m shacking up with at the moment, now you see the problem.”

  “Yeah I understand now and why would you bloody kill her son, that’s bloody stupid mate!” Wayne answered in total agreement.

  “Precisely Wayne, why would I jeopardise a cushy number by killing him? It’s all in her mind, and personally I couldn’t give a shit what she thinks, but when she starts blabbing to the police that’s a different matter!”

  “That’s not right. She needs to learn a lesson my friend. Look if you need backup...”

  “Thanks, maybe.” Tom conceded.

  “Alright but if you need some real help, just tell me. You’ve done me enough favours, I owe you mate, I’m just saying...”

  “You’re a good mate Wayne, but the police know what she thinks about me, and they came around just after you left the other day. The silly bitch was still there, so I have to be extra careful, nothing must happen to her that could implicate me, if you see what I mean.”

  Wayne nodded, “Understand mate, we’ll say no more; drink yeah?”

  “Of course, is the Pope Polish?”

  “Nope!” Wayne replied, as was their usual joke.

  He was ordering another round of beers, two packets of crisps and a packet of salted nuts when Steve entered the pub and made straight for them.

  Wayne looked over at him and twitched his head in the direction of the counter. Steve nodded, and Wayne ordered another pint.

  “How you doing Steve, you feeling better now?” Tom asked him.

  “No not much, still waiting for that knock on the door. What am I to say? Shit I want to be out of here.”

  “Look they know nothing,” Tom replied. “ And if they come to see you, and I say if, if, just play dumb Steve, say nothing. It’ll be fine trust me, and you tell me anything that goes on, anything, I’ll protect you remember that, we’re mates.”

  Wayne returned with the drinks and opening the packets spread the eats over the table for them all.

  “Dive in boys! So how you holding up Stevie, you still look crap?”

  “Not well, can’t sleep.”

  Steve kept staring down at the table as he spoke and when he continued, his speech was slurred. “Don’t want to eat either. Keep thinking about Darren and Big Jim....”

  He picked up his pint and drunk deeply. He seemed to have aged since last they had seen him. His once youthful face had sagged and he had deep bags under his eyes, his clothes looked slept in, and to be honest he could have done with a bath.

  Wayne attempted to be upbeat. “Hey could be worse Stevie, least you got us!” He raised his glass. “To old mates past and present!”

  They drank to that and the drinks flowed. Steve seemed to buck up after a few pints, and even managed the odd smile.

  “So anyone watch the game?” Tom asked.

  “At least we won.” Wayne added.

  “Yeah right!” Steve chortled. “I could have won against them. One nil, bleeding pathetic, typical bloody England!”

  Wayne cut in changing the subject before Steve bored them to death. “Talking about football, I went to see Bournemouth play last Wednesday. Haven’t told you about this have I?”

  “Bournemouth, you gone mad?” Tom retorted stifling a laugh.

  “No, not at all,” Wayne assured him. “Got a freebee to the Members Club. Didn’t see a minute of the fucking match. Free drink, anything, and a meal after the game. Roast Beef with all the trimmings, brilliant mate I tell you. It was a winner!”

  “Nice one thought you’d gone soft: Bournemouth!” Tom said with a laugh making the other two join in.

  “Mind you,” Wayne said becoming serious for a moment, “They are four and one so far, not bad!”

  “Ahh fuck off!”

  “You twat, it’s your round for that!” Steve yelled at him, slamming his empty glass on the table.

  “Hoi lads, take care, yeah!” the barman warned, glancing over at them.

  “Fuck you, you come here and bloody say that I’ll fucking have you, you ponce!” Steve growled back, attempting to stand up.

  Tom put a restraining arm on him while Wayne smiled and apologised to the barman.

  “Think we best call it a day Wayne, what you reckon mate?” Tom whispered, while still holding onto Steve, who was suddenly very drunk and struggling to get up again.

  Wayne nodded in agreement. “What we gonna do with matey-boy?” he asked.

  “No worries, I’ll walk him home.”

  Tom helped Steve back to his feet but he glared at him through glazed and screwed up eyes, still ready to fight the world. “Come on Steve you old bugger, let’s go outside, have a fag yeah?”

  At the sound of Tom’s reassuring voice, Steve seemed to relax somewhat and unsteadily walked towards the door with the assistance of the other two. Outside Steve smoked a cigarette although Tom still had his arm around his mate holding him up, while Wayne just stood alongside and watched them.

  Across the road hidden in the darkness, Orla Gray stood carefully watching this spectacle unfold.

  “Think I’m for home. You need a hand first?” Wayne asked Tom.

  Tom shook his head and smiled back. “No we’ll be fine cheers, a little walk, see the sea will wake us up, eh Stevie?”

  Steve grunted and lurched forward slightly before Tom restrained him.

  Together they set off at a slow pace along the road for a while, before cutting through the lower Pleasure Gardens they descended to the sea below and came out opposite the pier.

  Maintaining a discreet distance Orla followed them, fascinated as to where they might be heading.

  Tom still had his arm around Steve, who stopped, and asked with an almost childlike innocence. “We going on the pier, I like the pier!”

  “No let’s walk along the front yeah.” Tom suggested, then as if suddenly thinking of it added. “Hey let’s go see the funicular, it’ll look great all lit up, come on be good.”

  “You and me yeah? Will it be open?”

  The effects of the sea air were making Steve worse rather than better, and Tom found himself supporting him more and more as they progressed at a snail’s pace along the path up the steep incline to the top of the funicular.

  There were three Bournemouth cliff railways better known as funiculars. The one ahead of them was the East Cliff one, built in 1908. The cable car run stretched 170 feet from the cliff face straight down to the beach below, and was as popular today as it had ever been.

  As they were nearing the railway, it was obvious it was closed, but Tom nevertheless pushed Steve along towards it.

  They now stood right above it looking down on the cable car, which was parked and locked at the top for the night.

  Steve hung on tightly to Tom’s arm, and managed to look up at him.

  “You and me we’re mates yeah, I’d never forget that. Secrets that’s what we have, good yeah, mates yeah?”

  Tom smiled and offered him another
cigarette, which he willingly took although he struggled to light it, forcing Tom to take it off him, light it, and hand it back.

  They were standing right on the edge of the cliff, and the time had come.

  A miscellany of emotions flashed through his head at this critical juncture, as he prepared to do the inevitable. Why had it come down to this and all stemming from that bloody silly episode with Pete? He could have handled that better, then none of this would have been necessary but on the other hand it proved he was a real man. He could do whatever it took whenever he fancied and that thought made him excited. The power of life or death was a mighty aphrodisiac, and he already had a hard-on, no one could stop him.

  Enough he was too excited, he’d explode in his pants. This was it he let go his hold on Steve and with one violent push he said goodbye to his mate.

  Orla was stunned, she hadn’t expected that, although knowing what a violent bastard he was perhaps she shouldn’t have been that surprised. Anyway it had saved her from her act of revenge, one less to worry about.

  She stood back in the shadows careful not to be seen and waited for Tom to walk past her, no more than a few feet from her, before she rang Neil to once again ask where he was, as they were both still on duty.

  They met up in The Square, which was ostensibly the centre of the town, where the majority of the main shops and stores were located. Neil suggested they take their coffee break now, as there was a café up ahead which was often not too crowded, which afforded them a modicum of privacy while they had their drinks.

  Over coffee, Neil felt duty bound to ask what she had been up to this time, especially as it had not been the first time he had had to cover for her.

  “I don’t really want to talk about it, if it’s ok, I just needed a few minutes to do something. In fact...” She punctuated this with a short laugh.

  “In fact it was a wasted journey after all, so here I am, ok, can we leave it at that?”

  Neil sighed. “No not really, you keep running off, I’m just concerned for you, don’t want you getting yourself into any trouble.”

  “Promise no trouble nothing happened Neil.”

  Neil went quiet, and Orla did wonder if he would become a problem somewhere down the line. He was fun and reliable, probably the best combination for a partner, but....