by Rachel Green
“You do that.” Felicia paused as the bells of Saint Pity rang out. “Come on, it’s eight o’clock. I’ve got to go to work.”
* * * *
Julie re-focused her remaining eye and tried to see the state of her tongue in the bathroom mirror. She was almost certain the one in her mouth didn’t belong to her. Hers didn’t feel nearly as furry as the one she had now.
“Brush your teeth, sis, please.” Felicia bustled in, picking up the mouthwash and taking a long swig from the bottle. Since Julie was at the bathroom mirror she spat it into the toilet. “You’ll scare the customers with breath like that.”
“What did I drink last night?” Julie opened the cabinet for her toothbrush and paste. “My mouth feels like the paper on the floor of a harpy cage.”
“Harpic, more like.” Felicia leaned over her sister’s shoulder to check her make up. It was, as she knew, flawless. “What didn’t you drink? You were all right until you went to the bar and after that, you were knocking ‘em back as quick as we could put them in front of you. What happened to you? You were like a demon on the dance floor.”
Julie turned, one hand over a mouth wide with horror. “You were picking up blokes,” she said. “You and Gillian. I didn’t, did I?”
“I don’t think so.” Felicia brushed a speck of dust from her jacket and grinned over Julie’s shoulder. “You were a bit peeved about Winston with that bird in white, though.” She began flossing her teeth.
“He left with her.” Julie began to brush her teeth, forestalling further conversation. Felicia tapped her on the shoulder and she locked eyes with her sister’s reflection.
“You’d best get a move on if you want a lift in,” she said. “Harold went into work an hour ago and I’ll be going shortly.”
“Thanks.” Julie spat into the sink. “Is there any chance of a coffee first?”
“Sure.” Felicia finished flossing and dropped the string into the bin. “I’ll see you downstairs.” She paused at the door. “Talking of the bint Winston was in, any idea what her background is?”
“Not really,” Julie pulled a towel off the heated rail and dried her face. “Why? Want me to find out?”
“Yes please. Jasfoup and I found a package that suggested she was the target of a hit man.”
“Cool.” Julie put the towel down, grinning. “We get to protect her, then.”
“I wouldn’t go that far. It’s something to do with Jim Hunt.”
“Is it now? I always thought he couldn’t be as stupid as he looked. God knows what Latitia sees in him, apart from the money.”
“Perhaps he’s got a really big todger,” said Felicia. “That seems to please most girls.”
“It’s not the length,” said Julie. “Trust me. I’ve had ‘em long and I’ve had ‘em short, it’s the girth that makes all the difference in the end, no pun intended.”
“I’ll take your word for it,” said Felicia. “I’m happy as I am, thanks.”
“So I heard this morning.” Julie grinned. “You woke me up and I was two floors above you.”
“Sorry.” Felicia had the good grace to mean it. “I’ll try not to be as loud in future. Anyway, see if you can dig up anything on Winston’s new bird and her connection with Jim Hunt.”
“Apart from them both being partners of Latitia and her brother, you mean?”
“Apart from that, yes.” Felicia clattered down the stairs in the heeled boots. “Now hurry up. I’m leaving in ten minutes.”
“Coming.” Julie straightened the towels and trotted down the stairs.
At the bottom, before she went into the kitchen, Harold’s Uncle Frederick stopped her.
“Leave the girl be,” he said. “There’s eddies around her, eddies that should be left well alone.”
“So you say,” said Julie, pausing with her hand on the door knob. “But none of us can predict the future. Who’s to say my interference will bring calamity? Perhaps it’s me meddling in her aura that saves her from the likes of Jim Hunt.”
“Or the dislikes.” Frederick shrugged. “Do as you will, then, but don’t come crying to me when Jim Hunt sends a band of crack assassins here to chop you all into liver.”
“I won’t.” Julie’s face creased in puzzlement. “I have to ask, who are Jim Hunt’s crack assassins?”
“It’s a big company. Don’t all big companies have corporate hit men?”
“I think that means something other than crack assassins,” said Julie. She would have patted his arm if she could. If Frederick had been a child she would also have added ‘Bless you’.
“He’ll do something to retaliate,” said Frederick. “You mark my words.”
“I’ll be careful.” Julie watched him fade into the wall. He was one of the more harmless ghosts at the manor but he often gave good counsel. She pushed open the kitchen door to see Felicia with her coat on already.
“You took your time,” said her sister. “I’ve put your coffee in a travel mug.”
Chapter Sixteen
“Are we done?” Chase looked at his watch as he signed the last of the papers Jasfoup had brought. “I’ve got a little business to attend to.”
“At the bookies?” Jasfoup couldn’t keep the disdain out of his voice. “You wouldn’t be in this mess if it wasn’t for your gambling.”
“Want to bet on that?” Chase laughed and handed the papers to the accountant. “You’re right, though, I’ve got a sure fire winner in the two-thirty at Kempton.”
“Oh yes?” Jasfoup opened his briefcase. “Care to let a poor accountant in on the tip?”
“Poor?” Chase took an envelope out of his desk drawer and put the hundred pounds inside. “You’re about as poor as the Pope.”
“Funny you should say that.” Jasfoup pulled on his jacket. “The Pope is poor, because everything he uses is owned by the Catholic Church.” He shook his head. “Now, if you could find a way of getting their money you’d be richer than Midas.”
“I bet he eats better than I do.” Chase stood and opened the door for Jasfoup. “The horse is Racing Demon in the two-thirty from Kempton if you fancy a flutter. It’s the favorite.”
“Thanks. I might do that. I’ll see you at the end of the week, then.” Jasfoup strode out.
Chase watched him go, uncertain why he’d lied on the spur of the moment. Gambler’s superstition? He shook his head and went outside waving to Pennie on his way to the car. “I’ve got to go to the bank first,” he shouted.
He couldn’t hear the single syllable she shouted in return, but the hand cupped behind her ear made it clear. “The bank,” he mouthed, miming the writing of a cheque. He pointed to his watch and splayed his hands. “Ten minutes.”
He caught Pennie’s thumbs-up sign and waved again, climbing into his car and pulling an envelope from his pocket. “Well,” he said to his reflection in the rear-view mirror. “It’s a dead cert. It’s as good as putting money in the bank.”
Jasfoup’s Mercedes had gone by the time he pulled out onto the road. It didn’t matter. He’d soon see if his hunch was right. He drove into town and stopped at the turf accountant, still quiet at this time of the morning, and placed his bet. “£100 on Aikibatto in the two-thirty at Kempton,” he said.
“You are kidding right?” Pete, on the other side of the plexiglass, snorted. “That’s at fifteen-to-one. It doesn’t have a hope.”
Chase scowled. “Just indulge me, will you? It’s my money.”
“That’s not what I heard.” Pete counted the money and wrote out a receipt. “I heard Mister Benton was getting restless for his owings. Speaker and Dog were making inquiries about you.”
“He can have it when this baby romps home.” Chase tapped the receipt before picking it up and placing it carefully in his wallet. He ignored Pete’s snort of derision as he left.
>
Outside the day seemed suddenly brighter. Chase was almost tempted to do a jig in the street but resisted, contenting himself with a smile of anticipation as he crossed the road to buy a picnic for Pennie.
At twelve-fifty precisely he roared back into the parking area of the sanctuary, throwing up a cloud of dust and gravel which settled like the Turin shroud over the goat pens. Pennie opened the door to the rodent shed and backed out with a barrow full of straw and dung.
“Are you about ready?” said Chase, stepping out of her way.
“Just about.” Pennie let the wheelbarrow down and wiped the back of her arm across her forehead. “Give me time to dump this on the compost and clean myself up and I’ll be with you. There’re a couple of chaps waiting for you in the office. I said you wouldn’t be long.”
“A couple of chaps?” Chase’s face fell. “Who? What sort of chaps?”
“They said they were business partners.” Pennie smiled. “Here they are now, look.” She nodded toward the office and Chase turned to see a pair of gentlemen in expensive black suits. They couldn’t have looked more like gangsters if they’d been wearing trilbies and carrying Tommy guns.
“Mister Spenser,” said the first, stepping forward and raising a gloved hand. “Mister Benton was worried that you’d forgotten your little arrangement.”
“Not at all.” Chase forced a jovial smile. “Shall we step inside my office? Can I offer you some refreshment? Tea? Biscuit?”
“Nothing for us, thanks.” The speaker of the pair gave him a tight-lipped smile. “We prefer to work on an empty stomach. Less chance of getting queasy that way.”
“Quite,” Chase squeezed past them through the door. “What can I do you for then?” He sat at his desk, happier now there was a block of veneered chipboard between them.
“Mr Benton would like to review your contract with him,” said Speaker. “Were you aware that the deadline…” he paused to emphasise the word, “is due in under seventy-two hours?”
“Friday at noon, yes.” Chase smiled pleasantly. “Actually, I’ve come into a bit of an investment and might want to take out another loan to tide me over until it comes through.”
“Oh?” Speaker looked at his associate. “What sort of investment?”
Chase lowered his voice. “The sort that pays out a hundred grand in a month or two,” he said. Through the window he could see Pennie hosing down her Wellingtons. “Life assurance.”
Speaker nodded. “I’ll pass that on to Mister Benton,” he said. “I’m sure you and he could come to some sort of arrangement.”
“Splendid.” Chase looked at his watch. “Is there anything else I can help you with? I have an appointment shortly.”
“No, Mister Spenser, that’s all, thank you.” Speaker ushered his friend out of the office door. “We’ll look forward to seeing you on Friday.”
“Will you?” Chased stood and offered his hand. Neither gentleman took it. “I’d be happier not to, to be honest.”
“Oh, we’d be happier if you didn’t turn up,” said Speaker. “César and I and Mister Baseball Bat.”
“César?” Chase frowned.
Speaker motioned to his bulldog-faced associate. “The new name for Mister Dog.”
Chase lost his smile for only a moment. “Just as well I’ll be here, then.”
Speaker looked at his companion and back to Chase. “That’s almost a pity.” He stared at Chase for several seconds before jerking his head. “Come on César,” he said. “We have more appointments before the day is done.” The two of them ambled out through the gates, ignoring Pennie as she called out a goodbye, and climbed into a red Honda Civic, Chase kicked himself for not noticing.
He waited until the black smoke from their exhaust had dissipated before calling Pennie over and locking up the office. He put up a sign stating Closed for Lunch. Please Adopt a Pet later and led her to his car.
“Where are we going?” she asked. “Am I dressed enough for it? I have something more posh in the boot of my car if I need it.”
Chase looked at her angora roll neck sweater in pure white, her leather jeans and calf-length boots. “You look fine,” he said, trying to remember if he’d put clean underwear on this morning. He unlocked his car. “Hop in.”
“This is exciting,” Pennie said. “I haven’t been on a lunch date since before I got married.”
“That’s right, I’d forgotten you’d been married.” Chase glanced at her as he drove. “What happened, if it’s not too painful?”
“With Steven?” Pennie shrugged. “He was a scientist doing research at the Magelight plant on the other side of town. Quite high up in the echelons, he was. He worked all hours but had the salary to show for it. One night I got fed up of waiting, it was our wedding anniversary and I went up there. I knew the night watchman by then and got waved straight in. I came face to face with my devoted Steve shagging his boss on the boardroom table. It was a bit of a shock, I can tell you, but give him his due, he didn’t contest the divorce.”
“That must have been awful.” Chase tried to sound sympathetic, but shagging the boss was a long way down his list of things to get angry about. Of course, he was usually the boss but still…
“It was.” The memory had caused Pennie genuine distress and she sniffed, lifting up her sleeve to dab the tears from her eyes. Chase reached under the driver’s seat and pulled a tissue from a box. He handed it to her and she smiled gratefully, wiping away the tears and blowing her nose before tucking the tissue into her sleeve.
“I’m sorry that was painful,” said Chase after a few minutes silence. “I can only imagine how difficult it was to see your husband with another woman.”
“Another woman!” Pennie snorted. “I could have coped with him shagging another
Woman, Steve’s boss was a man.” Her voice faded. “A very well endowed man.”
“Oh!” Chase bit his lip. “That could have been difficult. He turned right at the park and accelerated up the hill out of town. It was probably tactless of him to drive this route too, since Magelight was on their left but Pennie seemed to be lost in her own thoughts and didn’t seem to notice. He pulled into the lay-by at the top of the hill.
“Why are we stopping?” she asked, suspicious but nonetheless hopeful of his intentions. “This is the top end of Laverstone Woods. There’re no restaurants for miles.”
“That,” said Chase, switching off the engine, “is why I brought a picnic lunch.”
“How lovely!” Pennie opened the door and climbed down, the heels of her boots sinking into the soft leaf mold. She balanced on the balls of her feet. “What did you bring? Champagne and strawberries?”
“Strawberries are out of season,” Chase said, “but I brought the next best thing.” He opened the tail gate of the car and pulled out two supermarket carrier bags. After a moments thought he also added the travel rug from the back seat, deciding that Pennie wouldn’t mind a little dog hair from its last occupant.
“Where shall we go?” Pennie turned half a circle, looking for somewhere sunny that was out of sight of the road.
“That way.” Chase pointed to a path leading into the wood. “It opens up a bit further in and you get a view of the river.”
“Lovely.” Pennie smiled. “Do you want me to carry anything?”
“No, I’m good.” Chase locked the car and started toward the stile. He paused to let her catch up and they walked together, Pennie holding his arm when they came to steep slopes or muddy paths. “So he let you divorce him without any trouble?”
“Sort of,” said Pennie, as if she’d been married so many times she was losing track of her husbands. “More or less. He moved out until the divorce was settled. I had the money after that to buy my little flat and invest enough for a modest income. I’m not rich or anything, but I get by on enough to be able t
o help out with a good cause.”
“And very grateful I am too,” Chase said. “On behalf of the sanctuary I mean. Do you regret divorcing him?”
“A bit,” Pennie reached down and picked up a discarded red leather pump. “Why do people always leave one shoe?” she asked. “Not only why but how? How do you not notice you’ve lost a shoe?” She flung it in the bushes.
Chase chuckled. “Perhaps she was walking back to her car after a midnight tryst and her mind was wandering.”
“It’s possible,” Pennie conceded. “Look! It’s brighter over there, the trees thin right out.”
“That’s where I thought we’d have lunch.” Chase smiled. “Here. You take the blanket and find somewhere nice to sit, away from nettles. I’ve just got to make a phone call and then I’m all yours.”
“Careful,” Pennie winked. “I might keep you to that.” She hurried toward the edge of the wood.
Chase waited until she was out of earshot then opened his phone. “Jasfoup?” he said when the number had connected. “Did that paperwork go through?” He listened to the answer and a grin spread across his face. “She’s insured for a hundred grand as of mid-day?” He looked at his watch. “That’s an hour and a half ago.”
He listened as his accountant said something else and laughed. “No. I’m out on a picnic with her…no, I won’t. Okay. Bye.”
He closed his phone, staring into the middle distance as he thought of Pennie. Finally, he put the phone away and followed after her, leaving the woods for the gently sloping ground above the river. He could see Pennie standing on the edge, looking into the water roaring over rocks thirty feet below. “Careful,” he said, approaching the edge cautiously. “You don’t want to fall.”
“Don’t worry about me,” said Pennie. “I’m as sure footed as a cat.”
“Of course you are.” Chase winked, sparing a glance at the jagged shards of granite directly below. His brain wibbled and tried to convince him he was about to fall so he drew back hastily. “Shall we have lunch, then?”