Murder at the Wedding

by M A Comley

  Ruth had been in court that day, and her eagle eye had detected that the judge found his tone offensive during the case and, upon hearing his outlandish remark, was sorely tempted to arrest him for contempt of court. How she had refrained from doing that Ruth would never know. She and her client had cheered and hugged each other in the courtroom under the hateful gaze of the husband, soon to be the ex-husband. The icing on the cake was that when he’d had all his assets stripped from him, even the girl, whom he had tucked up warmly in a flat, didn’t want to know about her ‘sugar daddy’. The last Ruth heard was that all the man could afford, after the sentence was passed, was a crummy bedsit in the heart of Bristol, after the judge had awarded the wife an exorbitant amount of maintenance for their two children. Karma, she was a wonderful ally at times.

  Ruth smiled and slid the thank-you note into a folder she kept, to do with her business, in the bookcase in the kitchen. The toast popped up as the kettle finished boiling. After slathering the toast in marmalade, she sat at the table to enjoy her breakfast before she set off.

  The ever-hopeful Ben sat at her feet just in case she dropped a morsel his way. She didn’t. After visiting the vet’s the week before, she’d put him on a diet. He didn’t look chunky, but since he’d been castrated, he’d put on an astonishing ten kilos. She was determined to shift at least five of those over the next few months by cutting back on his meals and upping his exercise regime. Oh, and possibly knocking his treats on the head, although she thought that would be their toughest challenge of all. Ben loved his treats.

  “Come on, you little monkey, it’s time for us to make a move.” She locked up the house, secured Ben in the back seat, placing his harness in the seat belt holder, and drove to Geraldine’s house. She parked behind an old Ford, likely twenty years old, and walked up the small front path to the semi-detached house Geraldine had shared with Bradley. Ruth poised ready to ring the bell but was distracted when she heard raised voices coming from the rear of the property. Dipping down the side access, she entered the back garden to find out what all the fuss was about.

  She found Mr and Mrs Cruise going at it, hammer and tongs. Mrs Cruise was in the process of hitting her husband with an umbrella of all things, until Ruth charged in and snatched the weapon out of her hand.

  “What in God’s name do you think you’re doing? You two should be ashamed of yourselves, behaving like this when your daughter needs you the most.” The couple had the decency to look mortified by their over-the-top actions. “Where’s Geraldine?”

  The husband and wife stared at her, and Mrs Cruise shrugged. “She went out about an hour ago and hasn’t returned yet.”

  “What? And you sat back and let her take off like that? What were you thinking? What frame of mind is she in today?”

  Mrs Cruise looked down at her slippered feet. “I’m sorry. We’re sorry. She was very quiet. Oh, gosh, what have we done, Ted?”

  Her husband swept Ruth aside to comfort his sobbing wife.

  “I don’t have time for your shenanigans. Any idea where she went? Has she taken her mobile?”

  “She mentioned something about going for a walk on the coast. I didn’t think anything of it. Thought the fresh air would do her some good and no, her mobile is on the dining room table.”

  Ruth let out an exasperated breath. “I’ll try and find her. I suggest you figure out what you both need to do with regard to your relationship before Geraldine returns. It’s your support she’ll be craving now, not your damn bickering like teenagers.”

  Mr Cruise opened his mouth to offer a rebuttal.

  Ruth silenced him with a raised hand. “I don’t want to hear it. Your daughter is my priority right now, and you know what? She should be yours, too.”

  Ruth tore out of the garden and ran back to the car. She floored the accelerator and drove up the hill towards the coastal path she and James had taken with Ben the previous evening. Something in her gut was urging her to get there quickly.

  Ben paced the back seat, sensing something wrong. He started whimpering when their destination became clear. They had come here regularly since he was a pup in arms. “Bear with me, mate. I have to find Geraldine, and quickly.” She parked in the gravelled area, scrabbled around in the console for an odd pound coin and stuck the parking ticket on the windscreen. Then she unfastened the clasp confining Ben and slipped the leash around his neck. “Promise me you’ll behave. We need to find Geraldine before we can go on a proper walk, lovely.”

  Ben licked the side of her face as if he understood what she’d said.

  After locking the car, she and Ben raced towards the clifftop. There was a mist shrouding the coastal path up ahead, which was common at this hour of the morning most days, before the sun shifted position and its rays fully hit the top of the cliffs. She had no idea which way Geraldine had gone, or indeed if she had even come up here. She’d noticed Geraldine’s car was still outside the house when she’d left. That didn’t mean anything, though. Her friend could have easily flagged down a cab to bring her up here.

  She cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted, “Geraldine, are you here?”

  There was no response other than the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks beneath her. Fear wrapped itself around her heart. She’d never felt as alone as she did in that instant. Where was James when she needed him?

  “Come on, Ben. We need to up our pace, boy.” With every step she took along the narrow path, Ben on the leash close to her side, her heart beat louder and harder, mimicking a bass drum as it rose to a crescendo like in one of the old black-and-white movies. She rounded the crest of the hill that dipped down the other side and shouted again. “Geraldine. If you’re here, please answer me.” This time, above the sound of the wild sea below her, she heard a faint call, or thought she did. Ben stopped and whimpered, his nose to the ground. He peered over the edge of the path. Ruth yanked back on his leash. “Come away, Ben. What is it, boy? Geraldine? Is that you?”

  Again, a weak voice responded. She could just make out her name being called.

  “Geraldine. Where are you, love?” Although she’d asked the question, she had an inkling she knew the answer. Ben had already signified that her friend was possibly in danger.

  “Please, Ruth, get help. I can’t hold on much longer.”

  Ruth inched herself closer to the edge, at the same time restraining Ben by wrapping his leash around her hand several times. He barked as she lost her footing when a few of the smaller rocks shifted beneath her feet and tumbled over the edge.

  “Damn, if we’re not careful we’ll be joining her. I need to get help, boy. Let’s back up.” She fished her phone out of her pocket and dialled the emergency services. “I’m sorry to trouble you. Please, I don’t know which service I need.”

  “Calm down, madam. Just tell me what’s happened,” the male voice replied.

  “I’m up on the coastal path above Carmel Cove. My friend, she’s hanging on to the cliff. I think she lost her footing and went over the edge. Please, please, you have to help her. I can’t reach her. I’m frightened in case she falls.”

  “Okay, I have the coast guard and the emergency rescue team on the way. Stay on the line with me. Is your friend conversing with you?”

  “Yes, her voice is weak. She told me that she’s struggling to hang on. Please, help her.”

  “It would be better if you remained calm. Keep talking to your friend. Reassure her that she will be rescued soon. Can you do that for me?”

  “Yes. Please, don’t hang up. Stay with me.”

  “I will. Don’t worry about that. Talk to your friend. What’s her name?”

  “It’s Geraldine. Please, you have to help her. She’s been through such a traumatic time.”

  “What’s your name?” the controller asked, his voice calming in tone.

  “I’m Ruth.”

  “Okay, Ruth. I’ll guide you through this. Do as I’ve already suggested and talk to your friend. Keep her talking. I’ll b
e right here with you. The teams are on their way. They’re close now, I’m tracking them on my screen. We won’t let either you or your friend down.”

  “That’s a relief to hear. Okay, I’m going to shout. I’ll hold the phone away so I don’t deafen you.”

  The man chuckled. “That’s thoughtful of you.”

  “Geraldine. Can you hear me?”

  “Yes, Ruth. Help me. I’m losing my grip.”

  She gasped and relayed the information to the man on control. “Please, what shall I tell her? How far are the rescue teams now?”

  “Five minutes. You’re doing so well. Stick with it. Keep reassuring her.”

  “They’ll be here in a minute or two, Geraldine, just hang on tight. We won’t let you down.”

  “I can’t hold on much longer, I’m losing my grip, Ruth.”

  “You have to, sweetheart. For all our sakes,” she shouted. Returning the phone to her ear, she asked the control operator, “How long now? I don’t think she can hold on much longer. Damn, if only I had a rope. I have one in the car, but it’s a good ten-minute walk back. I fear that might be too late.” She strained her ears. In the distance, she could hear the faint wail of sirens. “They’re here, the cavalry is coming up the hill. Oh, thank goodness.”

  “That’s great to hear. Stay with me, Ruth, right up until the time they find you.”

  “I will. I’m going to tell Geraldine now.” She held the phone away from her and shouted, “Geraldine, stay still, they’re almost here. I can hear them coming now.”

  “Please, tell them to hurry. My hands are slipping.”

  Something caught Ruth’s eye out at sea. It was a small boat; the coastguard had located them. Tears filled her eyes, tears of relief as a helicopter appeared from around the bay. “They’re here, Geraldine. They’re all around us. Please dig deep and hang in there.”

  “I’ll try. It’s so difficult, though. I’m trying to grip the edge so hard my fingernails are snapping off.”

  “Sod your nails. You can have new ones. I’ll even pay for them, love. Just hold on as if your life depends on it.” Never a truer word spoken.

  Behind her, two burly men arrived in orange coveralls, with ropes over their shoulders.

  “Thank goodness. She’s down there. I think she must have lost her footing. Here, I almost did the same, please be careful.”

  A man with a moustache and a kind face smiled and moved her away from the edge. “We’ll take it from here. Don’t worry, she’ll be safe.”

  “Thank you. Please hurry, she’s struggling to hang on.”

  “Ruth, are you there, Ruth?” the control operator shouted down the line.

  She’d forgotten all about him. “I’m here. Sorry, the teams have arrived,” she shouted above the noise of the helicopter overhead.

  “Okay, Ruth. I’m going to hang up now. Good luck. Your friend is in safe hands.”

  “Thank you for all your assistance. I couldn’t have done this without you.”

  “Just doing my job. Take care now.”

  Ruth pressed the End Call button and got down on her knees to hug Ben, tears streaming down her flushed face. “We did it, boy. We saved her.”

  She watched as a man was lowered from the helicopter. Moments later, he was being winched back up, now grasping tightly to Geraldine.

  Ruth waved frantically while Geraldine clung tightly to the man rescuing her.

  One of the rescuers stood alongside Ruth and rubbed his hand up and down her arm. “Your call just saved your friend’s life. You should be very proud of your actions. Not everyone would have had the gumption to do what you did.”

  “Thank you. I didn’t do anything out of the ordinary. You see, she only got married yesterday.”

  “Wow, what a way to celebrate,” the young rescuer said, laughing.

  Ruth shook her head and sighed. “You don’t understand. Her husband was killed after the ceremony.”

  “What? That’s unbelievable. Hey, wait a minute, you don’t think she was trying to do away with herself, do you?”

  Ruth’s shoulders met her ears in the deepest shrug she could muster. “I really can’t answer that.”

  “Blimey! Either she’s going to be all over you with gratitude or she’s going to hate you for the rest of your life.”

  “Don’t. I hadn’t thought about that. Let’s hope it’s the former. What will happen now? Will she be taken to the hospital to get checked over?”

  “That’s usually the case. We’ll wrap things up here. Let me place a call to the helicopter to ensure she’s okay and what their next step will be.” He turned his back and walked a few feet away from her.

  Ruth’s gaze drifted back to the helicopter. The rescuer was just pulling Geraldine into the helicopter. She didn’t wave back at Ruth. Perhaps Geraldine was too traumatised by her adventure, or maybe not. She pondered what the rescuer had said to her. Had Geraldine tried to end her life? Was she in such a desperate state to even contemplate that? Had her parents’ arguing sent her over the edge? Or was this truly a simple case of Geraldine misjudging her footing during a walk? Perhaps she’d been distracted by the events of yesterday and hadn’t noticed where she was treading.

  Ruth would need to find out the truth, if Geraldine was keen to share. If not, the questions would linger while she investigated Bradley’s death.

  “She’s going to the Royal Infirmary. The Accident and Emergency department. Do you need a lift?”

  “No. I have my car. I can’t thank you enough for saving her. I’ll be eternally grateful to you all.”

  “Let’s hope she’s as grateful as you,” the man said.

  She watched him and the other rescuer walk away, his words rattling around in her head. Her gaze rose skyward once more. By now the helicopter was close to dipping around the edge of the bay. Ben was sitting beside her, patiently waiting, seemingly oblivious to what had just taken place. She ruffled his head. “Come on, boy. Let’s get you home, and then I’ll have to shoot over to the hospital to see if Geraldine is all right.”

  Ruth was halfway back to the car when her phone rang. The caller ID told her it was Hilary Makey ringing. She finished putting Ben in the car and then leaned against the door to take the call. “Hi, Hils, how are things going?”

  “They’re all right with me. How’s it going with you? Or should I say Geraldine? I’ve only just heard the damn gossip. I didn’t get back from Mum’s until late yesterday. Denis filled me in.”

  “How is your mum?”

  “She’s fine. Her hip is still sore after the operation, but she’s home now. I stocked up the freezer for her and Dad before I left. I bet he’ll cremate the meals when he heats them up. He has no idea about what the oven looks like, let alone how to use one.”

  Ruth smiled. “Typical man, eh? Well, I’m in kind of a rush right now. Would it be all right if I ring you later?”

  “It’s Am-Dram club tonight, won’t you be there?”

  Damn! Rubbing a hand over her face, she tried to conjure up a genuine excuse not to attend, but her mind was that fuzzy she couldn’t come up with one. “Of course. I’ll fill you in later. See you at seven in the town hall then.”

  “Don’t hang up, Ruth, are you sure you’re okay? You sound a bit distant.”

  “It’s been an eventful morning so far. I’ll be there, I promise.”

  “See you later. Take care of yourself until then.”

  “I will, Hils. Thanks for ringing.”

  After ending the call, she inhaled a large lungful of the fresh sea breeze and hopped back in the car. A few minutes later, she had dropped Ben at home, and fed and watered him before she drove to the hospital.

  It was a half-hour journey. The Accident and Emergency Department was relatively quiet. She walked up to the blonde receptionist. “Hello, my friend was brought in by a rescue team via helicopter. Is it possible to see her?”

  “Ah, I know the lady you’re talking about. Wait here. I’ll go and check for you.”

&
nbsp; Ruth paced the area for a bit and then stopped to read some of the announcements pinned to the noticeboard. She smiled when the one she had posted herself caught her eye. It was regarding the Am-Dram club she’d formed a few years earlier. They were always on the lookout for talented volunteers to join them. She loved spending time with the group, each of them slightly different in character. She couldn’t wait to meet up with them that night. By then she’d need the escapism she always felt when she attended the club.

  “Hello there.” The receptionist suddenly appeared beside her, startling her a little.

  Ruth placed a hand over her heart. “Sorry, you made me jump. I was miles away.”

  “No problem. If you’d like to come with me, I’ll take you to see your friend. She was very lucky by all accounts.”

  “She was. I was told by her parents she’d gone up there so I set off to look for her. My dog actually located her. He sniffed the edge as if something was there. I called Geraldine’s name and that’s when I heard her faint cry. If the rescuers hadn’t arrived when they had…well, I can’t even imagine what would have happened to her.”

  “Must have been a horrendous ordeal for the pair of you. Here we are.” She swept back a curtain to reveal Geraldine sitting up in bed.

  Ruth rushed forward and hugged her dear friend. “Oh, Geraldine, I’m so glad you’re all right. What happened?”

  Geraldine’s eyes appeared glazed. Is she in shock? Have the doctors given her medication?

  “I don’t know.”

  Ruth didn’t push her for more answers. It was obvious she was struggling after her ordeal. “Have they contacted your parents?”

  Geraldine shrugged. “I don’t know and I don’t care. I wish everyone would stop bombarding me with questions. All I want to do is curl up and sleep.”