Peppercorn Street

by Anna Jacobs

  ‘She must be making a loss.’

  He shrugged. ‘She gets things wholesale and sometimes people give her stuff.’ He looked round at the groups of people, chatting and smiling. ‘Bit different from the parish church, eh?’

  It was half an hour before Janey left and she really enjoyed chatting to Al and his mother, who introduced her to a few other people. Afterwards they offered to walk her to the end of her street.

  It was his mother who noticed her relief and asked, ‘Is there a problem? Are you afraid to walk the streets?’

  She hesitated, then said, ‘When they’re quiet like this, I am a bit. I’m being stalked, you see.’

  ‘Who by?’

  ‘I … daren’t name him.’

  Al frowned at that. ‘It’s the only way to stop him.’

  She shook her head, not daring to let any more information out.

  His mother shushed him when he would have said something else and took Janey’s arm. ‘We’ll walk you right to your house, then. It’s not much out of our way.’

  ‘Thank you. I was going to ring my landlord before I turned off High Street. He offered to watch me up the street.’

  But Al wouldn’t be stopped. ‘Can’t the police do anything?’

  ‘I have no proof, so I daren’t complain. He’s … um, quite well known in the town.’

  His eyes went to Millie and then back to her. Had he guessed it was her baby’s father she was talking about?

  When they got back, she thanked them, but they refused to come in for a cup of tea as they were going on to some friends. She went to knock on Kieran’s door to let him know she was back.

  It had spoilt the pleasure of the morning to feel so scared of walking back. And how long could she keep Gary at bay, anyway?

  In an hour or so, she had to walk up the street to Miss Parfitt’s for her cookery lesson. Another risk. Was it worth it?

  She stiffened. Yes, it was. If she let fear take over, she’d never do anything and he’d have won. But she would be very careful. Very careful indeed.

  Dan crouched on the floor underneath his little table so that anyone looking into the hut through the small window wouldn’t easily see him. It hurt his knees to get down and it hurt his back to crouch for long, but he’d seen that fellow going wild, destroying things for no reason, and being a witness could put him in serious danger.

  He heard trampling sounds outside, coming closer, and pressed one hand against his chest, where his heart was alternately pounding and stuttering. Was he going to have a heart attack? He didn’t want to die, especially not like this.

  Where were the police?

  The sound of footsteps on the gravel path grew louder and then he heard glass smashing on the other side of the thin wooden wall. His little greenhouse was being smashed! Why? His heart hiccupped again.

  There was muttering as someone tried the door of his hut. It was flung open and the young fellow came inside. He laughed when he saw Dan hiding under the table and hauled him out without a word, jerking him upright and slamming him against the wall with enough force to rattle all the bottles, jars and seed trays on the shelves.

  But just as Dan had given up hope of avoiding violence, was waiting for that huge bunched fist to smash him into oblivion, there was the sound of a police siren in the distance coming closer. Realising he had a faint chance of escape, Dan seized it. ‘I called the police. That’s why they’re here. They know me and they know which hut I’m in.’

  For a few seconds the young fellow stared him straight in the eyes. ‘Are you scared of me, old man?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Good. They should all be scared of me.’ Then he threw Dan aside and took off running.

  Dan steadied himself against the wall, then tottered to the door, feeling as if his legs would hardly hold him. He watched his attacker trample across the plots and scramble over the fence at the far side. Once Dan wouldn’t have been vanquished so easily. Once he’d have chased after that fellow, yelling for help. And other people would have come running, because there was always someone nearby when he was younger.

  These days, even when they saw something bad happening, people didn’t always pitch in and help. Some folk just stood by, letting thugs take over the world.

  The car with its flashing blue light drew up. Clinging to the doorpost, Dan waved and two figures in blue came pounding across the bare earth towards him. Like the vandal, they ignored the paths and took the most direct route. He pointed in the direction his attacker had taken. ‘He went over the fence.’ Then he sank down on the outside bench, shaking from head to toe.

  The police ran to the far edge of the allotments, going a good deal more nimbly than the heavy-footed young fellow. One officer boosted himself up to peer over the wall but shook his head. The other called in the information. Then they came back to Dan. He knew them by sight. He knew all the local police and they knew him.

  ‘Are you all right, Mr S?’

  ‘Shaken up a bit,’ he admitted.

  ‘We’d better get you to hospital.’

  ‘No need.’

  ‘Just a quick check-up, eh, to be sure?’

  He glanced down at his watch and pulled himself together. ‘No. I’ve arranged to visit someone and I don’t want to let her down.’

  ‘She’ll understand.’

  ‘I want to go and see her. I don’t need to go to hospital.’

  They exchanged glances and one rolled his eyes. Did they think he wouldn’t notice?

  ‘Can’t see your car here today, Mr S, and you’re in no fit state to walk anywhere.’

  ‘Take me to her house in the police car, then. You can do that, get me to a place of safety, can’t you? My friend lives at the top of Peppercorn Street. It’s not far. I can catch a taxi home afterwards.’ He held his breath, wondering if he’d gone too far by asking this.

  ‘OK, Mr S. If you’re sure you’re all right. Do you want to lock up here first? Shame about your greenhouse.’

  He looked sadly at his smashed lean-to. He’d been so pleased to build that for practically nothing, making it out of recycled bits and pieces that he’d picked up here and there. You had to be ingenious when you were on an old age pension. Now he’d have it all to do again, just when he needed to use it. ‘I’ll have to put the trays of seedlings inside the hut first, to stop the frost getting them. They’re not ready to face the world yet.’

  ‘We’ll pass them in to you.’

  It didn’t take long and it cheered him up a bit, because most of the seedlings were still intact, only a few having been damaged by shards of glass.

  Dan glanced at his watch again. They’d arrive a bit early, but he didn’t think Winifred would mind. She’d understand that he needed to be with people his own age, people who understood his frustration at not being able to fight back – though even in his younger days he’d not have been able to hold his own against such a large opponent.

  He picked up his backpack. Tomorrow he’d go and buy a couple of bolts for the inside of the door, top and bottom. It was a good solid door, another recycled piece, built to last. It’d hold an intruder for a while and he’d keep bringing his mobile phone.

  Thank goodness Simon had insisted on getting him one. Dan would never criticise those things again, even though he still didn’t want to leave his switched on all the time.

  Winifred went to peer through the front room window and saw Dan standing there, flanked by two policemen.

  She hurried to the front door. ‘Sorry to keep you waiting. I was just checking who you were.’ Then she noticed how white and shaken Dan was. ‘What’s happened?’

  ‘There was an intruder at the allotments, he was smashing things up and if the police hadn’t answered my call quickly, he’d have smashed me up, too.’

  ‘Have you been to the doctor’s?’

  ‘No. I’m not hurt, just upset. I wanted to come here and have a quiet sit down. I’m a bit early, I know.’ He looked at her pleadingly. ‘Do you mind?’

/>   ‘Of course I don’t. Go and sit in the kitchen. You know the way. I’ll see these officers out.’

  When Dan had gone, one of the men said quietly, ‘If he shows any signs of being affected, call an ambulance. But he’s a tough old bug— er, devil. I think he’ll be all right with a little TLC.’

  Winifred nodded. ‘I’ll keep an eye on him.’

  She went back into the kitchen and saw Dan sagging in a chair by the table. She remembered how she’d felt when her nephew threatened to break in. Helpless and upset. She moved the kettle on to the Aga. ‘Hot, sweet tea – or would you rather have drinking chocolate?’

  He brightened a little. ‘Drinking chocolate. Peggy used to love it. I haven’t had it for ages.’

  She soon had a mug of it steaming gently in front of him.

  He put his hands round the mug and relaxed a little more as if the warmth comforted him. ‘It smells wonderful.’

  ‘Do you want to tell me what happened?’

  He had a think, head on one side. ‘Just the short version.’ He explained quickly then looked at her. ‘What upset me most was how helpless I was, how I had to hide. If I hadn’t had that mobile phone, I’d probably be lying on the ground bleeding now. Or dead even. My son had to persuade me to have one, but by hell, he was right. Do you have one?’

  ‘No. I don’t go out much.’ She pointed to the pendant hanging on the wall. ‘The social care people gave me that, though, in case I need to call for help. I hate having it. I hate being so old and feeble. I’m supposed to wear it all the time, but it drives me mad.’

  ‘I’m not so fond of being old, either. But look on the bright side. We’re both still on the right side of the grass and we have all our marbles.’

  She smiled reluctantly. ‘That’s one way to put it. Janey will be here in a few minutes. Should I put her off?’

  ‘No. We both want to learn to cook cakes. And I want – no I need, to do something normal.’

  Winifred could understand that, so stopped talking about the attack. ‘That girl’s mother doesn’t seem to have taught her about cooking, does she?’

  ‘No. And she didn’t sound to have stuck up for her against the father, either. What a bully he is! But we could keep an eye on that lass, couldn’t we? Hazel could do that as well, if she wants. You can’t have too many fairy godmothers.’

  Winifred looked at him, a scrawny old man with sparse silver hair and rather big ears, then glanced at herself in the mirror, an equally scrawny old woman, with iron-grey hair, though she still had plenty of it, thank goodness. ‘Fairy godmothers! Look at us!’

  They both laughed and suddenly Dan’s smile was back to normal. ‘You’re doing me good, Winifred. Better than a doctor.’

  ‘Oh. Well, I’m glad about that.’

  She felt flustered by this compliment, hadn’t had enough of them in her life to get used to them. Her mother had always found fault. Nothing had ever been good enough.

  She wished things had been different. Her life might have been – more enjoyable. She’d done her duty, always, but that was cold comfort now.

  As the police car drove off down Peppercorn Street, one officer said to the other, ‘There’s old Yarford again and outside the same house. That’s in our area. If he suspects someone there, he should have passed the information on to us.’

  ‘He always goes his own sweet way. It’s probably someone he’s got a grudge against.’

  ‘Hmm. I’m taking down the number and address. I’ll see if anyone in our office knows about that house.’

  His companion grinned. ‘Tell Sergeant McNaught. She’s got issues with Yarford from way back, though no one knows exactly what. She’d love to be able to complain about him. Fearsome woman, that. I’d not like to get on the wrong side of her.’

  ‘I hope he puts a foot wrong.’

  They both grinned.

  Janey saw to Millie’s needs and grabbed a quick sandwich for herself before getting ready to walk up the street to Miss Parfitt’s. It wasn’t far, just a couple of hundred yards. Surely she’d be safe for that short distance? There was no sign of Kieran, so she waited till someone else was walking up the street and set off, staying behind them, even though they were walking slowly, lost in conversation.

  Was he watching her from somewhere? How would she ever know? She might be imagining she saw him so often. But if she wasn’t … There was too much at stake. She wasn’t going to let him do that – no, she said the word to herself – rape, that was what he’d done, raped her. And if she made him aware how determined she was, well, surely he’d lose interest after a while?

  If he didn’t, if he continued to pursue her – she swallowed hard, upset at the mere thought – then she’d have to ask to go into a women’s refuge. She’d been thinking about that during the night. It would be the very last resort, though, because if she had to move to another town, she wouldn’t be able to take her exams this year and she’d lose her lovely new friends.

  It wasn’t fair!

  She blinked away the tears. She didn’t want to arrive crying.

  The people she’d been following turned into one of the houses, but there wasn’t far to go then to Miss Parfitt’s house, so she walked along briskly, shivering with relief not cold as she went through the gate.

  She was safe here, surely?

  Chapter Eighteen

  Nicole felt tired and the cut on her head was still painful. She watched Paul pick at his lunch and thought he looked as washed out as her mirror said she did. They’d both spent half the morning lying in bed, reading. ‘You all right?’

  He shrugged. ‘How can any of us be all right when Dad’s lying there unconscious?’

  ‘It’s horrible, isn’t it? Are you coming to the hospital with me this afternoon?’

  ‘I suppose.’

  ‘Don’t come if you don’t feel up to it. He won’t know.’

  ‘I have to come, don’t I? In case …’ His voice wobbled for a moment, then he finished his sentence. ‘In case Dad dies. You’re going there every day for the same reason.’

  ‘Yes. It’s … well, what you do.’

  ‘So I’m coming.’

  The phone rang and she let Paul pick it up because he was nearest.

  ‘She’s here.’ He held out the phone to her. ‘It’s the hospital.’

  ‘Mrs Gainsford? I have bad news for you, I’m afraid. Your husband’s condition has deteriorated suddenly and it might be wise if you came to see him today.’

  ‘I was coming later on.’

  ‘It might be wiser to come now. He seems to be failing quite rapidly.’

  ‘I’ll come straight away.’

  ‘It’s a good thing your older son came in to see him last night, isn’t it?’

  ‘What?’

  ‘Your son William came in just after one o’clock. He didn’t stay long.’

  ‘I wasn’t sure he’d make it. I’m … glad.’

  She put the phone down and turned to Paul. ‘William went in to see your father last night.’

  He closed his eyes, shaking his head helplessly, unable to speak.

  ‘You did well contacting him,’ she said softly, rubbing his arm for comfort.

  He scrubbed at his eyes, then asked, ‘Are you going to ask Kieran to take us there?’

  ‘We can’t keep turning to him. He’s done more than anyone could have expected already.’

  ‘If you don’t ring him, I will. He’d want to be there with you. And anyway, you need him. You’re still wincing when you touch that cut on your head and you’re very pale. You shouldn’t be driving.’

  ‘Nor should I be using Kieran like this.’

  ‘That’s what friends are for, isn’t it? I feel as if we’ve known him for years. Look, I’ll do it. No hassle.’ He picked up the phone and dialled the number without needing to check it. ‘Kieran? Paul here. No, things aren’t all right. We’ve just had a call from the hospital. They think Dad’s … failing. I agree. Mum definitely shouldn’t drive there on her ow
n. Thanks.’ He put the phone down. ‘He’ll be round in five minutes.’

  He came across and gave her a quick pat on the shoulder, but she needed more, so she grabbed him and hugged him tightly, rocking slightly. ‘Thanks, darling.’

  ‘I’m coming with you. I didn’t see him yesterday. It’s, like, the last chance today, isn’t it? Something I’d always regret if I didn’t do it?’

  She nodded.

  ‘Even William went in to see him. I’m glad about that. It means he’s not quite a total shit.’

  She could only nod again. How her life had changed in the past few weeks! No, it had been changing for a while, but the rate of change had suddenly accelerated. Sometimes she couldn’t believe this was happening at all, kept thinking she’d wake up in her old bed and find it had all been a nightmare.

  But it hadn’t and wishing wouldn’t change things, especially the way she’d treated him.

  If only she hadn’t left him. If she’d still been at home, she might have made his last weeks easier. She’d never forgive herself for jumping to conclusions about him having an affair. Never.

  By the time Kieran drew up, they were waiting in the entrance hall. An icy wind whistled round them as they hurried out to the car. But even with the car heater on full blast, she still felt cold.

  Winifred went to answer the door, feeling more secure about doing that with Dan in the house. ‘Janey, dear! I’m so glad you could come. Let me take your jacket.’ She hung it up and beamed down at Millie. ‘Isn’t she gorgeous? Bring her through to the kitchen before you take her outdoor things off.’

  Mr S was already there, smiling at her but not looking his usual self.

  Winifred explained briefly what had happened and Janey stared at him open-mouthed. ‘You mean, this man, a complete stranger, attacked you for nothing?’

  ‘He was looking for something to steal. Must be stupid if he thinks people keep anything valuable at the allotments. I don’t even take my credit card down there.’

  ‘You shouldn’t stay there on your own again, Mr S.’

  ‘I’ll be all right. He won’t come back. He’s found out now that there’s nothing to steal.’