by K Leitch
Gwen the other carer, who usually did the night shift, was a different kettle of fish. She was cold and unapproachable and seemed to try and get through her eight hour shifts with as little effort as possible, and usually with the help of a few stiff drinks. It wasn’t uncommon to find her slumped in the armchair in the kitchen snoring her head off by about 8.30, with an empty whisky tumbler by her side. Of course if Miss Taylor had ever found out about her she would have been for the high jump…but who was going to tell, the kids didn’t mind it meant they could raid the fridge and stay up late, and the only other person that might have noticed was Clive Tutt, the caretaker, and he had his own reasons for keeping quiet.
One day after dinner Lilly was sitting with Andy telling him all about her youngest granddaughter’s latest escapade, laughing at her own jokes as she told the tale, when the back door opened and Mr Tutt walked into the kitchen.
‘Ain’t you got no tea on the go Lil?’ Tutt said as he went over and looked into the huge teapot that sat on the side, ‘me mouth’s as dry as a nun’s twat.’
Andy felt Lilly stiffen as she looked at Tutt with dislike. ‘I made you tea not an hour ago,’ she said shortly, ‘I’m not here to be your slave, make your own tea…you know where the kettle is. Anyway I thought you finished ages ago, what are you doing still here?’
‘I had a few things to take care of,’ he said vaguely. ‘Old lady Taylor’s not ‘ere is she, gone to some convention or something, I thought it was Gwen’s night tonight?’ he started rummaging around in the cupboards noisily looking for teabags.
Lilly gave an irritated sigh and heaved her body out of the chair next to Andy and went over to fill the kettle tutting as she did so. ‘Ok, ok I’ll make you a cup of tea and then you get out…Gwen called in sick, so I’m doing her shift and I have still got to clear up the dinner things so I don’t want you in here under my feet,’ she grumbled.
‘Ooer “don’t want you under my feet”,’ mimicked Tutt trying to make Andy laugh, ‘bloody hell Lil I wouldn’t want to be under your feet believe me…I might never recover, you’d squash the life out of me, ha ha,’ he laughed at his own joke again looking at Andy with a wink. Andy just looked at him, he didn’t like the man, he was a bully pure and simple and just lately he’d been picking on Andy and on Andy’s only other friend little Shauna Mathews.
Shauna had bright red hair and a face full of freckles, her pale blue eyes were magnified through the thick lenses in her glasses giving her an owl like appearance and she was at present missing two of her front teeth. That seemed to be enough to qualify her for special treatment from Mr Tutt. He took every chance he could to tease her about her looks, or to ‘accidentally’ knock her glasses off her face and then laugh while she scrabbled round to find them. Andy had seen him bullying a few of the younger boys as well and he had noticed that a few of them were particularly nervous when Tutt was around. But what bothered him the most was his inappropriate talk and his fondling of Andy at every opportunity. He was always very careful never to do anything when any of the adults were around, but if ever he caught Andy on his own or even with Shauna he would inevitably find a way of getting his hands into his trousers…even pulling his pants down on one occasion which had left Andy with his cheeks flaming with embarrassment. Tutt would always laugh in that mocking way of his as if he was only joking and Andy was a big baby to be upset…but Andy had seen plenty of men like that when he had lived at home, men that had come to do business with his mum, but had been more interested in him or Lucy. Tutt was one of those men and Andy hated him.
He kept his thoughts to himself though, he was just beginning to fit into this new life at Marshall Street so he didn’t intend to rock the boat. He just made his mind up to try and always be around other people when Tutt was around, no matter how hard the man tried to get him on his own.
‘You on all night tonight then?’ Tutt was asking Lilly.
‘Yeh…I’m here till 8…not that it’s any of your business,’ snapped Lilly.
‘Ooer,’ mocked Tutt again, ‘ok don’t get you knickers in a twist, I was only asking like…just trying to be friendly.’
With a blank face Lilly handed Tutt a steaming mug of tea, but stopped him before he sat down at the table to drink it. ‘Um…outside I think,’ she said opening the back door for him.
Tutt looked for a minute as if he was going to argue with her, but Lilly just gave him a stern look, so with a short laugh and a reluctant shake of the head he went back outside.
Lilly rolled her eyes and shook her head as she came back and sat down next to Andy, ‘You steer clear of that man Andy, you hear me?’
Andy just nodded.
‘He’s always up to no good…I wouldn’t trust that man as far as I could throw him,’ she muttered. ‘Any how sitting here talking to you isn’t going to get these plates cleared is it, off you go now Andy and let me get on.’
By and large Andy’s days passed uneventfully enough, until one day Miss Taylor asked to see him in her office, she told him that his mother had been charged with Lucy’s murder. She felt, she told him, that he ought to hear about it from her rather than find out from the newspapers. Andy reacted to the news very badly, hysterically shouting and screaming that his mum hadn’t done it, and that he wanted to see her…it had taken all Miss Taylor’s strength to hold him long enough so that the nurse could give him something to calm him down. He had slept then, but for days after he withdrew into himself again, not even Daniel or Shauna could get through to him, it was like he had re-erected the walls around himself that had been beginning to crumble.
A couple of nights later, Andy woke in the night needing to pee. He stumbled out of his bed still half asleep and made his way to the bathroom, it wasn’t until he was on his way back to bed that he realised that Daniel’s bed was empty. He looked at the new little digital clock which sat next to his bed, Miss Dronski had given it to him the last time she had visited (now he had no excuse for being late for school she had said with a smile) it said 2.56. Where on earth was Daniel at this time of night, maybe he was hungry…yeh that could be it, Gwen was on duty tonight so he might have gone down to sneak some food from the fridge. He was just about to get back into bed when bright headlights shone through the curtains and filled the room with light, and he heard a car’s wheels crunching over the gravel as it pulled into the drive under his window, he peeped round the curtain to see who it was.
The white van that Mr Tutt used was in the drive with its lights on and the engine still running. Tutt was there opening up the back doors of the van and ushering a small group of children out of it and into the house. The children were in their nightclothes and they looked half asleep, stumbling all over the place, a couple of the little ones were grizzling. Andy spotted Daniel bringing up the rear; he seemed to be in charge of the children and was trying to quieten them down as they crept back indoors. Once the children had disappeared back into the house Tutt went round to the back of the van, he seemed to be looking around inside for something…suddenly the dark figure of a man appeared out of the shadows, making Andy’s heart jump into his mouth. The man came up behind Tutt saying something to him in a low growling voice. Tutt swung round startled and then started backing away from the intruder with a look of terror on his face. The stranger grabbed Tutt by the throat and pushed him up against the van; Andy watched wide eyed as Tutt flapped his arms around trying to get free from the man’s grip but his attacker was much bigger than him. He seemed to be talking to Tutt growling and threatening…it sounded like Tutt was whining back at him pleading with him…trying to appease him. Suddenly he was released and he slumped back against the van. After brushing himself down nervously, Tutt went into the back of the van again and produced a large brown envelope from which he pulled out a thick wodge of banknotes. Andy could hardly believe his eyes; he’d never seen so much money in his life before. Tutt started counting out some notes, but his assailant wasn’t having any of that, grabbing the whole lot and stuffing it into h
is jacket pocket. Tutt let out an angry yell of protest which was quickly quashed by the man forcing him back up against the van again. More threats were issued until at last the man dropped Tutt and began to stride almost casually back down the drive, he had almost got to the end when he turned and looked back at the house, straight at Andy’s window. Andy couldn’t help letting out a squeal of terror and he quickly pulled his head back from the window. He had seen the man’s face clearly in the street light, the long scar that split one side of it was quite distinctive. Andy started shaking with fear because Mr Tutt’s attacker was the man that appeared in all of Andy’s worst nightmares…it was Nellie.
So caught up in his fear was he, that he didn’t notice that Daniel had crept into the room.
‘What the hell are you doing awake?’ hissed Daniel in Andy’s ear making him jump out of his skin once more.
‘I had to pee,’ said Andy nervously, ‘where did you go? I saw you get out of the van…what were all those children doing out?’
Daniel didn’t answer just started getting into his pyjamas.
‘There was a man outside,’ Andy went on regardless, ‘he was arguing with the old Tutt.’ Daniel just raised his eyebrows. ‘He is the one that said he would cut my mum’s eyes out…why is he here Daniel…why did he want Tutt?’
‘Well I don’t bloody know do I?’ said Daniel irritably. ‘Look you just forget what you saw tonight ok…it’s none of your business and you will just get yourself into trouble if you go around talking about it…’
‘Yes but what were all those kids doing out so late? And you…why…’
‘Look Andy I said forget about it…it’s nothing ok…best you don’t know about it. Now just shut the fuck up and go back to sleep.’
But Andy couldn’t sleep, why was Nellie coming to the house…was he looking for him? What did he want? Andy had told no one about what had really happened to Lucy, so why was he here? And what did he want with Mr Tutt?
CHAPTER 32 - TRACY
‘Ooh my stomach,’ groaned Simon from the other side of the bed. ‘Tracy darling much as I love the fact that you are trying to be more inventive in your cooking, I think the egg curry you made tonight was a step too far.’
‘Ha,’ exclaimed Tracy indignantly, ‘well that didn’t seem to stop you having three helpings of the curry and then an enormous slice of treacle tart with custard, did it?’
Simon didn’t answer, just let out an enormous fart that had Tracy flapping the duvet frantically, ‘Oh my god Simon that’s disgusting,’ she laughed in spite of herself.
‘I can’t help it,’ said Simon pathetically, ‘you’ve given me deli-belly.’
‘More like treacle tart trots,’ retorted Tracy giggling and rubbing his tummy. ‘I tell you what though sweetheart, we have seriously got to start on a healthy eating regime, my tummy is nearly as big as it was when I was expecting Tilly, and although it pains me to say it so is yours… aaarrgh…no…NO SIMON…no tickling you know I can’t bear it…ha ha ha…NO I said…’
‘Ok, ok there’s no need to get violent,’ Simon said rubbing his arm where Tracy had thumped him. ‘Anyway,’ he went on lowering his voice to a seductive whisper, ‘I’ll have you know that I am in perfect shape for a man of my age,’ he turned and propped himself up on his elbow and started trailing his fingertips slowly up and down Tracy’s arms and neck causing hot little flutters of desire to course through her. She lay back with a contented sigh, flinging her arms above her head, a flagrant invitation for him to continue and soon all talk of diets and deli-bellies were replaced with gasps and moans of pleasure, until sated and contented, they lay in each other’s arms and drifted off to sleep.
Tracy woke from her cosy sleep to the sound of voices…laughter, car doors slamming. She looked at the time on her phone…bloody hell it was bloody two in the morning, who the hell was making all that noise?
Simon was gently snoring beside her, so she crept out of bed as carefully as she could and made her way silently into three year old Zack’s room which was at the back of the house. It seemed like the noises were coming from the big house and she would have a good view of it from that window.
Sure enough the house was lit up like a Christmas tree; the Robinson brothers were obviously doing some corporate entertaining. From her position Tracy could see the house and the drive side on. Big, expensive, highly polished cars were slowly being driven to the steps at the front of the house and uniformed chauffeurs were rushing round to open doors for their illustrious passengers. Tracy was captivated by the glamour of the whole thing and soon her earlier irritation was replaced by good old fashioned nosiness. Over the last week or so she had come to recognise the two Robinson brothers, both were rather tall and thin, Freddy the elder of the two had receding sandy coloured hair which he kept very short, whilst Gordon had a thick mane of dark blond hair which must have been the envy of his brother. He was a much more flamboyant character and reminded Tracy somewhat of a hero from a regency romance, with his frilled shirts and tight trousers. Tracy could spot both of the brothers from where she watched; shaking hands with their retreating guests…there was a lot of back slapping and raucous drunken laughter as the party ended.
It seemed a little odd to Tracy and a tad disappointing that there were no women in their glamorous outfits to ogle at, but it soon became obvious that this was a party for just the men. Very distinguished men at that, Tracy had recognised quite a few of the faces of local councilmen and once again the mayor had been in attendance. She had even spotted Tim, her new neighbour which had made her giggle, obviously he’d wasted no time in getting friendly with the Robinsons…she thought as she watched Carla’s new boss slap Gordon on the back, as he too sauntered out to his waiting car.
‘What are you looking at?’ Simon whispered into her ear making her nearly wet herself with shock.
‘Oh my god Simon!’ whispered Tracy furiously, ‘what are you doing creeping up on me like that, I nearly died of fright!’
Well I could ask you the same thing…what the hell are you looking at?’ he peered past her through the window. ‘Oh…now I get it…snooping on the neighbours, Tracy Burton you should be ashamed of yourself…’
‘It’s not snooping,’ Tracy said hotly, ‘they were making such a noise that I just wondered what was going on that’s all. Anyway you should have seen who was on their guest list…most of Redbank’s ‘A’ listers if I’m not mistaken…all very posh, you should see the cars…’
‘Back hander’s for elected councillors more like,’ said Simon disapprovingly. ‘Robinson’s are obviously bidding for more public building work…greasing a few palms to get the contract, it’s all so corrupt.’
‘Well they certainly know how to put on a good party…’ Tracy said, ‘outside caterers too by the looks of things,’ she mused, watching as a white van pulled up to the side door of the building, the door opened and a little trail of children were ushered out to the waiting van. ‘What the hell are those kids doing out so late,’ Tracy said shaking her head, ‘you’d think their parents would get someone to watch them rather than bring them to work with them…on a school night as well,’ she tutted.
Simon was watching the children as they climbed up into the van, with the none too gentle help of a thuggish looking man who, once the children were all on board, went over to where Freddy Robinson had come round to meet him. They exchanged a few words and then Freddy handed something over to the man, before turning his back on him abruptly and walking back into the house. The man then went and opened up the back of the van again for a moment, before climbing into the front and driving away.
‘I’m not sure about that,’ said Simon thoughtfully.
‘Humm…sorry what?’ Tracy whispered as she carefully smoothed the quilt back over Zack as he slept on.
‘Those children…I don’t like the look of that. Why would there be children at a corporate entertainment, I mean what could they possibly be doing there?’
‘Oh well I assumed that t
hey were the children of the staff, or something like that,’ said Tracy sleepily. ‘They are probably using cheap labour…you know, no questions asked type of thing and I expect that they had to bring their kids with them…or maybe they use them to help out in the kitchen,’ Simon rolled his eyes at her, ‘well I don’t bloody know do I…anyway I need to get back to sleep, Tilly will be up and about in a few hours, and my feet are turning to ice…’
‘Well don’t think you’re warming them up on me my girl, I’m not the one that decided to get up in the middle of the night am I?’
Tracy didn’t think anymore about what they had seen in the night until she sat down for her cup of tea the next morning. Simon was right, she thought, that had been very weird…she would be sure to mention it to Tim and Louisa next time she saw them.
CHAPTER 33 - CAULDRON MEETING
‘Oh god love what a nightmare, so they didn’t even go to the meal?’ Helen asked Maggie as they started placing drinks onto a tray to carry back over to the table.
‘Well actually they did come in the end,’ Maggie said with a grimace. ‘Greg, the smug bastard, had a word with both the girls and they sort of ‘made up’ but you could have cut the atmosphere with a knife, so it wasn’t at all the lovely birthday dinner that I had planned.’ Maggie shook her head, ‘I don’t mind telling you Helen I am at my wits end…I just don’t know how to deal with this nastiness.’
‘It’s so awful Maggs,’ Helen said sympathetically, ‘especially Dom and Jed being at each other’s throats…’
‘I know, that’s the worst…I just never thought that it would ever happen, not in my family…oh hi Carla I didn’t see you arrive you must have sneaked passed the bar. I got you a white wine sweetie, I hope that’s ok,’ said Maggie as they arrived back at the table.