‘Sorry, Drew, it’s me. Some rotten little shit has s dropped a huge bucket load of muck in the hallway. I think it was intended to go much further, but I scared them off.’
‘Do you want me to come back?’
‘No, but it means I’ll be a while before I get home.’
‘OK, love. You’re sure you don’t know who it was?’
‘No idea. Another hoodie-clad monster.’
‘What sort of mess is there?’
‘I don’t know yet how much damage has been done. It’s horrible. I’d better get on with it now. Just wanted you to know why I’m going to be late.’
She switched her phone off and went back to shovelling. Who on earth can be causing such persistent damage? This latest attack seemed almost childish to Rosie, but was very inconvenient all the same.
Chapter 7
When she felt she had cleaned up as best as she could, Rosie went back to Drew’s place. She found him fast asleep in his chair. He stirred as she went inside and said sleepily,
‘Sorry. I was exhausted. Have you cleared up the mess?’
‘Most of it. And, yes, I’ve locked up carefully. Though how effective our door locks are remains to be seen. And I’ve been thinking. It would be good to have a lodger. Assuming it’s going to be you, that is. I’d feel much safer having a man about the place. But we have to make sure it stays on a business footing.’
‘Of course. I can hand my notice in for here any time you say. That’s really great. Come on, let’s go and celebrate! My treat.’
‘OK, you’re on. I do need to change first, though. I’m sure I must stink after all my efforts.’
She went and showered, then changed into one of her few remaining outfits. She made a mental note to go shopping as soon as she moved into her new place.
‘So, how’s it going?’ the barman at the local pub asked. ‘Heard you’ve been having a few problems on the site?’
‘Not so bad.’
Rosie was deliberately being quiet about the difficulties she’d suffered.
‘Bad business. I suppose you don’t know who’s responsible?’
‘Not really. Someone with a quirky sense of humour. Now, shall we decide what we’re going to eat?’
The barman left them to choose, keeping his eye on them both.
‘Honestly, some folks are so nosy,’ she murmured.
‘He’s only trying to show an interest.’
‘I don’t care. I don’t like being questioned.’ She paused. ‘Think I’ll have the fish.’
‘OK. Take your drink over to the table. I’ll order and join you in a minute.’
She did as she was told and watched Drew as he chatted to the barman, Bob Jones.
‘Don’t worry about her,’ he was saying. ‘She’s very stressed by everything that’s happened. The latest was someone tipping a bucket of crap in the hall. That was when she was inside too. I suspect they’d have made much more of a mess, given time.’
‘No kidding? That’s awful. Have you reported it?’
‘Not this time. As Rosie said, they must be getting sick of her constant reports.’
‘Amazing they haven’t found anyone responsible. I mean to say, it’s been quite a time now, hasn’t it?’
Drew nodded, then pointed at the menu.
‘Anyway, Rosie would like the fish and I’ll have the chilli, please. I’ll pay later, in case we want puds.’
‘Right. I’ll bring it over to you.’
He took his drink over and sat down.
‘Cheers. Here’s to our new tenancy arrangement,’ he said with a grin.
‘Least I could do, after all your help. You’ve been a good friend to me, Drew. When you put your number into my mobile, I bet you didn’t realise what was coming.’
He shook his head.
‘I hope I shall be more than a good friend one day,’ he murmured.
‘Course you will.’
He looked at her, wondering if she actually knew what he meant. He changed the subject.
‘Bob asked if we’d any idea who’s been doing all the damage. We really ought to think of everyone possible and, hopefully, discount them.’
‘OK. There was Martha, of course. But she’s now in prison. I don’t think she did kill her man but, all the same, she’s now out of the running.’
‘Could have been her at the start. Looking for her boyfriend.’
‘Who turned out to be down the mine shaft.’
She gave a shudder at the thought of him lying there. If it had been the old couple who did that, they were now long gone.
‘But there’s still someone wandering round. The wreckage from the digger – that must have been someone else. Not everyone can drive one of those things.’
‘Maybe it was one of the lads. I don’t like to think of that but it could have been. All the tools that went missing too.’
‘So you think there may be several people involved?’
‘It’s certainly possible. I was thinking about those tools. I somehow doubt the list they all gave us. I’m sure they added quite a few things to it. Let’s face it, they’re not turning out to be the most honest of workers, are they?’
‘I suppose not. Oh good. Here comes the food. Let’s leave this for now. It’s enough to ruin anyone’s appetite.’
‘Didn’t know if you wanted chips, so I put them on anyway,’ Bob said, as he put their plates in front of them.
‘Thanks. That’s fine.’
She added salt and vinegar to the chips, and ate hungrily.
‘I really should stop eating so many chips. Trouble is, they are so delicious.’
‘You don’t need to worry. You never seem to put on weight.’
‘I suppose that’s the stress. And of course, I seem to be working pretty hard lately. You know, thinking about it, I bet it isn’t always the same person or people doing the damage and robbing us.’
‘How do you mean?’
‘Well, think about the gear the travellers took. They took stuff they could sell easily. But the damage that was done … well, that seemed to be malicious in the main. Someone doesn’t like what we’re doing here. And there are the notes, as well. Obviously written by someone who is barely literate. But my computer was hacked. So that must have been done by someone with certain skills.’
‘Perhaps you’re right. You’ve got sauce on the end of your nose, by the way.’
She wiped it off and carried on with her meal. She was thinking about her idea of multiple attackers. She looked at Drew and suddenly thought about the incident with the digger. He could have been the one. He could easily have gone out in the night and partly demolished the house. Then she felt guilty. He’d been so kind and supportive to her all the way through the build. And he’d housed her right from that first desperate night when her caravan was burnt down. No, she couldn’t even consider Drew as being guilty of any such dramas. All the same, the doubts had crept in. However unlikely, he could have done it, to ensure he had work for a while longer perhaps.
‘Penny for them?’ Drew asked her.
‘Not worth a penny,’ she replied, starting violently. No way could she say anything to him about her current thoughts. She felt very guilty for even entertaining them.
‘Now, are we having pudding?’
‘Not sure if I’ve got room.’
‘OK. Fine by me. Wouldn’t mind a coffee though.’
‘I’ll go and order them.’
He rose and went to the bar. She watched him, suddenly knowing he couldn’t possibly have done anything to damage the house he’d so carefully built. He was much too close to seeing it finished. She felt ashamed at even thinking him being responsible. They simply had to find another suspect.
As they walked back up the hill to his home, she reached for his hand and kissed it. He started in surprise.
‘What did I do to deserve that?’ he asked.
‘I … I’m just grateful to you. You’ve been so much more than a friend to me. Thank you.’<
br />
‘Don’t mention it. You mean so much more than a friend to me, too. Rosie, I … no, I shouldn’t say anything more at this time.’
‘What do you mean? What were you going to say?’ She stopped, waiting for him to say something more.
‘I don’t want to spoil things between us. Sorry. I won’t say anything now.’
He continued to walk up the hill and, slowly, she followed him, wondering what he had been about to say. She thought she might have an inkling but had hoped he’d come out with it himself. She certainly didn’t have the confidence to say anything herself. With a slight shrug, she followed him into the house.
Gradually, the memories of all the upsets were fading as the new house neared completion. There had been no more incidents since the four men had finished work on the site and moved on to other jobs. Every now and then, Rosie gave thought to some of the problems they’d suffered and wondered if any of the men had been to blame. She broached the subject again with Drew one day.
‘Do you really think one of them might actually have been responsible?’ she asked him.
‘I wouldn’t have thought so but who can tell? I mean to say, they were all involved in the work. It meant a lot of things they were doing had to be done again.’
‘Made the job last much longer though, didn’t it?’
‘I s’pose. But which one? Have you thought of that?’
‘Fred … well he’s the husband of the lady who works in the shop. Can’t imagine he’d do anything like that. Bill, he seems like a decent bloke. Tom, well I’m not so sure about him and nor do I feel I anything much for Jimmy. Perhaps one of those two?’
‘They’ve not been bad workers, though. Plus I doubt whether either of them would be able to hack your computer. And could they really have been involved in killing Dennis?’
‘Maybe we’re trying to connect things that aren’t actually related.’
She paused, thinking carefully.
‘Perhaps. You know, I think whoever it was making the build take so much longer, might have been linked. We know the travellers were stealing stuff. Thefts got worse after Martha went to live with them. And I’m pretty sure it was Martha wandering round the site in the early days. Actually, she didn’t do any damage. Just ferreted around looking for something. Maybe she was searching for any sign of her old boyfriend.’
‘Maybe. Still, it leaves so many unanswered questions.’
‘Did any of the men have connections with someone much more computer-savvy than them?’
‘I don’t know. Hang on … I have the feeling Jimmy has a brother who is working for a company in Truro. He might be capable of interfering with computers.’
‘That may be a significant point. Jimmy could be his man on the ground, as it were. I bet he’s well capable of doing some damage to anyone. What’s Jimmy actually doing now this job is finished?’ he asked.
‘Dunno. I doubt any of them will be sitting around. I did hear something about a new project to keep them all busy. Maybe we need to look at the local council’s planning applications.’
Rosie booted up her laptop and waited. She typed in a heading and waited even longer.
‘Come on,’ she muttered. ‘Why does it always have to take such an age? Ah, here we are. I’ll type in Porthcullion and we’ll see what’s going on.’
Drew leaned over her shoulder and they scrolled down a fairly short list.
‘Look here,’ he exclaimed. ‘Danter’s Farm. Planning permission is being sought for sixty-five houses. Sixty-five? That must mean practically the whole of the farm. They must be going to demolish the old farmhouse and possibly the barn as well. It would make a huge site., Good grief, we’ll be surrounded by houses everywhere!’
‘This is only an application. They haven’t got permission yet.’
‘No, but I can’t see it being turned down, can you? Apart from us, who’s there to raise any objections?’
‘I simply don’t know. Who’s applied for it?’
‘It just says on behalf of some company – Truro Developments. I haven’t heard of them, have you?’
‘No idea. Possibly a new company or an old one with a new name. I’ll look them up and see.’
She typed Truro Developments into her search box and waited. The name came up in seconds. She clicked on the website. They claimed to be a new company making huge progress in housing in Cornwall.
‘Lots of blurb about how wonderful they use eco-friendly materials, and how their homes would be self-sufficient in power et cetera, et cetera. So, what do you think? Do we have a fight on our hands or what?’
‘Any mention of personnel in the company?’
‘Not that I can see.’
‘Any contact numbers? Addresses?’
‘Just a PO box. Why?’
‘I was thinking I might see if they have any jobs going.’
‘Drew? You can’t be serious?’
‘Oh but I am. So much easier to find stuff out by applying for a job.’
‘I suppose. Would you really go and work for them? No. It really wouldn’t be safe.’
She suddenly felt really concerned for him.
‘I thought we were going to start a business? Or was that just a whim?’
‘Course not.’
‘Maybe I should contact them too and ask if they need any help with architecture. I’m qualified, after all, said Rosie’
‘So am I.’
‘Really?’ she replied in surprise.
‘I also did a degree in building design.’
‘You never mentioned it before. And you’ve been so hands-on all the time.’
‘Never needed to mention it. I approved of everything you were doing.’
‘Well, thank you! I am a bit surprised though.’
‘You thought I was just a grubby builder, did you?’
‘I knew you were pretty bright. That much is obvious. I just thought you were doing it because you enjoyed it.’
‘Well I do. You left me to decide most things so I was very happy to do the work. It’s good to be hands-on for a while. Most of my time on other jobs is usually spent sitting behind my computer doing estimates and designing stuff. It’s been good to actually do physical work for a change.’
‘You really are quite a bloke – full of surprises, aren’t you?’
‘I aim to please,’ he said, grinning wickedly.
‘I bet you scrub up really well too. Yes, I remember at times you’ve looked very smart.’
‘That was me at my best. Me being really smart? Hmm. Think that was it.’
Rosie smiled at him. He really was such a nice person. She felt completely at ease with him and looked forward to having him as her lodger.
‘It’ll do for me.’ She steered the conversation back to his earlier suggestion. ‘So, are you going to apply to this company?’
‘Oh yes, definitely. I won’t take any old job they may offer me, of course, but it’ll be interesting to find out more about them. I need to know who they are exactly. And we’d also better get our campaign of objections off the ground. Sixty-five houses? I don’t think so. That’s plain greed.’
‘You’re right. It would be terrible to have so many people living there. Maybe thirty would be more realistic. Besides, what are they all going to do? I mean, work round here is somewhat scarce.’
‘Oh, I can think of loads of arguments to put forward. The water supply is a bit scratchy and there’s limited power available. No schools, doctors or dentists. Heaps of stuff against.’
She contemplated what he was saying. He was quite right about most of it, but she felt it wouldn’t stop anyone driving such a major development, especially in these times of desperate housing shortages.
‘You’re right. But we need to get a co-ordinated campaign going, don’t you think?’
Drew smiled at her enthusiasm.
‘Why not? There are loads of people down the end of the lane who’d be involved. I think there are some pretty bright folks too. Meantime, I�
��m going to put togther a CV that Truro Developments won’t be able to resist. We’ll take it from there. Once I’m on the inside, I’ll get a better idea of what’s going on. I wonder if I’ll find your Mr … what was his name? Wilbury?’
She nodded.
‘I might even use my parents’ address, so the- company don’t know where I’m from. Mum and Dad would always forward stuff to me.’
‘Sounds a bit extreme.’
‘I don’t want them suspecting I could be a neighbour to their glorious scheme.’
‘We’ve moved away somewhat from deciding who could have been the perpetrators of the plan to stop my build.’
‘Maybe. But have you thought how much extra land they’d have if this plot were added to the farm? I reckon it might have been connected in some way.’
‘That’s ridiculous. You’re suggesting one of them came and bumped off Dennis so they could get hold of the farm?’
‘I don’t know. But it’s a thought.’
‘On that note, I think I’m going to turn in. I’ll say goodnight.’
‘Goodnight.’
Shaking her head, she went off to her room. She heard him wandering around for quite a while before she fell asleep.
He was in the kitchen when she rose the next day.
‘Want some bacon?’ he asked.
‘I’ll just have toast today, thanks. Have you thought any more about the Truro company?’
‘I’ve sent off my application. I worked on it last night and then emailed it.’
‘Wow! I heard you moving around – you certainly didn’t waste any time! Good luck with it, anyway.’
‘Thanks. Now that’s done, I’m going to do some more detailing on your house today. What are you planning?’
‘Thought I’d go and look at some furniture. I’ll need to order it in, I expect. I don’t suppose you’d fancy coming along, would you? I’d appreciate your input.’
‘I suppose another day or two won’t matter.’
Although mostly frustrating, the trip did turned interesting later. To begin with, they trooped round endless furniture stores and picked up a load of brochures. By four o’clock they both felt knackered and called it a day.
‘If I have to listen to another salesman, reeking of aftershave, I’ll go mad,’ Rosie said wearily. ‘Let’s go home.’
The Phoenix Project Page 9