by Mel Sherratt
‘It does seem a bit suspect,’ he said after studying them. ‘They’re obviously from the same person: they all have a threatening tone to them. Even so, we have no proof unless there are fingerprints that we could match up to our database.’
‘It’s him.’
‘The ex-husband?’
Cathy slid a mug of tea across the table and sat down opposite him. ‘I think so. But what about you?’
Andy nodded. ‘It’s more than likely. You don’t think they’re for either of the other girls? Jess or Becky?’
‘No. I think what needs to be said to them would be said direct.’
‘You mean with a punch and a slap rather than a grown-up taunt.’
Cathy grinned. ‘Precisely.’
Andy read the notes again, spreading them out on the table. ‘Do you want me to warn him off?’ he asked.
‘Will it work?’
‘I can’t be certain of it.’ He held up a hand for silence as a voice came through over his radio but then continued to drink his tea when he realised it wasn’t for him. ‘But sometimes it does the trick. I’ll mention harassment warnings to see if he gets the message. Most of the time they do.’
‘Thanks.’ Cathy felt her shoulders relaxing as her problem was shared. ‘Will you keep it to yourself, though?’
Andy raised an eyebrow inquisitively.
‘I haven’t said anything to Liz.’
‘Ah.’
‘I don’t want to worry her,’ Cathy spoke out defensively. ‘She’s trying to forget him and move on, not be reminded of his every move.’
Andy nodded. ‘No, I’m with you on that one. If we can sort it out without her knowing, then it will be better all round.’ He pointed to the notes. ‘Keep these safe for now and leave it with me. I’ll see what my wonderful persuasive tactics can do.’
‘I want you to do something for me,’ Danny Bradley said as he tucked his shirt back into his trousers.
Becky rearranged her skirt and climbed back into the front of his car. She pulled down the visor and applied a generous layer of strawberry burst. The sickly scent invaded the small space but it didn’t make it smell any better.
Since Jess was now seeing Mickey Grainger three nights a week, Becky had become a regular in the back of Danny’s car. After her talk with Cathy, she’d stopped sleeping around but Danny seemed to always be available when she was tired of waiting for Jess. And Austin Forrester had gone slightly off radar. Twice Danny had picked her up on her way to the shops and both times Austin hadn’t been around.
Danny watched her for a moment before he spoke. ‘You like sex, right?’
Becky rolled her eyes. ‘That’s so obvious,’ she fibbed. She didn’t so much like the sex, as the attention that it gave her but he didn’t need to know that.
‘I’m doing a job tonight and I need to make sure the security guard is… kept busy.’
Becky flicked her eyes to his. ‘You are joking.’
‘Nope.’
‘You want me to have sex with a security guard?’
‘No… yes… no… well, actually whatever it takes for me to get in and out unnoticed.’
‘Get stuffed!’ Becky folded her arms and turned away. ‘I’m nobody’s whore.’
‘You’re a whore when you want to be,’ Danny smirked. ‘Austin’s told me how you’ve been giving him the come on.’
‘I have not!’ Becky turned back so quickly that she cricked her neck. She rubbed at it angrily.
‘All right, keep your hair on.’ Danny lit a cigarette. ‘I just need you to flirt with him really. There’s money in it for you, if you do.’
‘How much?’
‘Twenty quid.’
‘I’m doing nowt for a twenty.’
‘Thirty then?’
Becky paused. ‘How come you’re not including your new best friend, Austin?’
‘That’s none of your business.’
‘It is if you want me to do a job for you.’
Danny exhaled loudly. Becky wafted her hand in front of her face as the smoke engulfed her.
‘All I need you to do is keep the guy on the gate busy, long enough for me to get in and give you a signal when I’m out.’
‘What are you going in after?’
‘Someone’s given me a tip off that there’s money to be had. If you can keep the guard sweet once I’m in, it’ll be a doddle. Then do the same while I get out again.’
‘I don’t know, Dan.’
Danny leaned across and pulled her top down lower to show a little more cleavage. ‘Use these,’ he said. ‘Shove them in his face and he’ll probably come in his pants.’
Becky had huge doubts of that working. ‘What if he’s old and manky?’ she asked.
‘Then use your mouth.’ Danny sniggered snidely. ‘You’re good at one thing. I’ll give you that much.’
‘I am not going down on some old man just so you can rob somewhere!’
‘Fifty quid?’
‘Not for a hundred!’ Becky opened the car door and scrambled out.
‘Becks!’ Danny shouted after her. ‘Come back!’
‘Piss off and do your own dirty work,’ she yelled before disappearing through an alley and back into the estate.
Hidden behind a row of industrial bins a few yards away, Austin watched the drama unfold. It had been a good idea to steal a car and follow them tonight: he’d sensed something was going down with Danny. Danny had been way too preoccupied that afternoon. Four times they’d driven past Cookson’s Factory. On the third, Austin had asked Danny if he had anything planned. But Danny had flatly denied it.
He grinned when he saw the indignant look on Becky’s face as she marched off. He was looking forward to getting to know her better. By now, he could tell that she was the trusting sort, very much what he had in mind to occupy his time while he waited.
Austin had seen enough of Danny’s attitude with Becky over the past week to know that he only saw her as a quick shag whenever he fancied getting his leg over. He hated how Danny made a fool of her, one put down after another when she wasn’t around. She was a sweet girl really. She could do far better than hang around with that prick.
As Becky made her way home, Austin watched Danny roll a balaclava over his face and, with a quick glimpse around to check the coast was clear, sling a rucksack over the fencing away from the main gate and climb over after it.
Austin threw his cigarette to the ground, stubbed it out with his heel and followed him. When he got to the fencing, he pulled himself up and jumped to the other side. Grinning, he followed after Danny. What a stupid bastard he was. He’d handed things to him on a plate.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
As usual when Cathy had things on her mind, she found herself up early, sitting in the kitchen drinking tea while everyone in the house slept around her. Despite wanting to think about a certain good-looking, dark-haired man who kept trying to invade her thoughts, she couldn’t get the image of Rose out of her head. She pictured her wasting away in that hospital bed. Every now and then her face morphed to that of Rich’s, even though, strangely, he had been nowhere near a hospital when he’d died.
Cathy didn’t want her friend to leave her but she knew that time was running out for Rose. She would miss her knock on the door, followed by a smile and a jokey remark. She’d miss chaperoning her – her own personal taxi service, Rose used to tell everyone – to the shops, into town, luncheon clubs, bingo, to the cemetery once a week.
It felt as though she’d always been there for her. Most of the time, Cathy was okay to carry everyone else’s problems around like a packed-to-the-brim-holdall but sometimes she needed to unpack her own worries. Who was she going to turn to when Rose had gone?
Along with that, the house was going to be so different after today when Liz and Chloe moved out. She was going to miss Chloe belting around as only an eight-year-old can do and asking for bunches in her hair as ‘Cathy doesn’t pull as much as Mum.’ Yet she couldn’t tell anyone that. Li
z had made a momentous step towards gaining her independence. Who was she to come over all self-pitying and sulky because she was going to be left alone again?
It was then that she thought of Matt. Cathy really liked him and she knew the feeling was mutual, but was that all there was to it? And as much as she didn’t want to make a fool of herself, she also didn’t want to think of anyone taking Rich’s place. Rich hadn’t left her for someone else. He’d died. Of course he’d want her to move on and stop being lonely but she couldn’t. Not yet anyway. Gently, she pushed Matt to the back of her mind again. It was the only space she could muster for him right now. Because at the forefront of it was Simon.
‘Morning,’ said Liz as she came into the kitchen. ‘I can’t believe it will be my last one waking up here.’
‘Morning, traitor.’ Cathy smiled as she pulled out a chair for her to sit on.
‘Have you been up long?’
‘I couldn’t sleep.’
‘Thinking about Rose?’
‘Among other things. I didn’t expect you to be up yet, though.’
Liz yawned and stretched her arms above her head. ‘Chloe kept me awake for most of it. She’s as excited as if it was Christmas Day. Now she’s fast asleep and I am wide awake.’
‘And are you all set?’
‘I’m still scared to death about it,’ Liz admitted candidly. Then she came across all shy, blushing as she spoke. ‘Talking to you is like having my own personal counsellor. You’re like my fairy godmother really. Even after knowing you for such a short space of time, I’m going to miss you so much.’
Cathy was touched. ‘I’m not far away and always at the end of the phone.’
‘At least I have Chloe on side. She’s been an angel, as usual. I don’t know what I did to deserve such a good little girl.’
Cathy smiled at the memory of Chloe when she’d first seen the flat. She hadn’t taken any notice of the peeling wallpaper, the smelly kitchen cupboards, the overgrown jungle of a garden, the rubbish that had to be removed before they could move in. Even having her own bedroom again had been second best. The main thing that had swung it for Chloe was that her best friend, Emily, lived three doors away.
‘I know,’ Liz agreed. ‘She can’t decide where to put her bed in her new room. That was mainly why she couldn’t sleep last night.’
‘What time is your furniture arriving?’
‘Anytime from nine until midday. I’m so grateful for Josie’s help.’
Josie had put Liz in touch with a place that sold second-hand furniture. For a small fee and proof that she was claiming benefits, she could take away as much as she wanted. Josie had warned her that sometimes the donations weren’t up to much but other times she’d seen people come away with some wonderful items. Liz had trotted off with a list and apart from a coffee table had got the lot: double bed, single bed, wardrobes, drawers, small table and chairs that folded up out of the way, bookcase for Chloe and a wall unit for the living room, washing machine, cooker, small television and a nearly-new, grey, dralon three-piece suite. Not exactly the colour she would choose but the quality was superb. And although most things weren’t up to much in the fashion stakes, everything was clean and tidy. She’d even spotted a mirror and a couple of table lamps.
‘Praise the Lord for decent people who donate what they no longer require,’ she added with a grin.
‘I’m going to miss you so much,’ Cathy said suddenly. ‘It’s been great having you around.’
‘Even though I brought along an eight-year-old maniac and a wayward husband?’
‘Works both ways.’ Cathy nodded. ‘Didn’t I say welcome to the mad house when you first came to stay?’
Liz faltered. It seemed such a long time since she’d first arrived at Cathy’s house yet the mention of her vulnerability was enough for all the fear to come flooding back.
‘Do you think I was right to get away, Cath?’ she asked now, in a voice similar to Chloe’s when she was at fault.
Cathy sat forward and covered Liz’s hand with her own. ‘Of course! It took a lot of courage to do what you did. Why do you think it was wrong?’
‘I thought I could forget him if he wasn’t around to remind me. But the memories came with me. Not to mention the man himself. I can’t stop thinking about him, yet I know that I don’t want to be with him anymore. It’s like his ghost is following me around. Watching my every move in case I do something he disapproves of. Every time I go out, I keep looking over my shoulder, expecting him to pounce on me. Do you think he’ll ever give up?’
Cathy shrugged. ‘I don’t know, Liz. My experience over the years hasn’t taught me how to anticipate these things because every man I’ve dealt with has been different. I’ve only had a couple who have gone on for a while, though. Maybe Kevin will get fed up eventually.’
‘You’re such a good listener,’ Liz told her, which brought her neatly onto the subject that was intriguing her. ‘I think you would have made a great mum. It’s a shame you and Rich didn’t have any children.’
Cathy endeavoured not to look too sad as she tried to explain some of the pain in her heart. ‘We did try for years before he died but nothing happened.’ She went off into a world of her own, her eyes glistening as she thought about what might have been. Especially if she had told him about Simon. Why hadn’t she told him!
Liz realised that she’d touched a nerve. She smiled at Cathy to make amends. ‘Thanks for listening to me going on. I’m still getting used to everything changing. It’s good to have someone to confide in.’
Cathy stood up and suddenly Liz was hugging her.
‘You’re only moving five minutes away,’ she said, wiping away a tear. ‘You can come back as often as you like.’
‘Don’t say that!’ said Liz. ‘If you say it too many times, I might have to stay here. It will be much – what’s the matter?’
‘Sorry.’ Cathy had gone to turn the radio up. ‘There’s something going on at Cookson’s Factory down the road. I’m sure I heard that someone’s been murdered.’ As the hourly broadcast moved on to the next story, she switched on the television to see if the story had caught the morning’s news.
Becky heard Liz go downstairs but didn’t want to get out of bed just yet. But ten minutes later, when Liz came back up to her room, she stretched and decided that she might as well get up.
‘Morning, Cath.’ She yawned loudly before plonking herself down beside her at the table.
‘Morning.’ Cathy kept her eyes on the television.
‘What’s up?’
‘Someone local’s been murdered. I’m looking to see if it’s anyone I know.’
‘Cathy!’ said Becky. ‘That’s so morbid.’
‘Everyone’s interested in something when it happens on their doorstep. It’s a local factory – Cookson’s. It’s not far from here. A security guard was shot last night.’
Becky gulped. She knew exactly how far away it was.
They sat in silence, both engrossed as they watched Sky News. The man was reported to be in his forties, had worked at the factory for nine years and was rumoured to come from Stockleigh. He’d been shot twice, once in the chest and once in the leg. The reporter was saying there’d been an anonymous tip off by a member of the public.
A few minutes later, the news bulletin changed to another story. Cathy stood up.
‘Suppose I’d better get ready for my shift at the den,’ she said. ‘Do you want me to leave this on?’
Unable to speak, Becky nodded. She began to shake. This time it was she who kept her eyes peeled to the screen. But they soon filled with tears as it all became too much for her. Her skin tone changed to a sickly grey colour, eyes deep pools of horror.
‘What’s the matter?’ asked Cathy, catching her eye.
‘I know who killed that security guard.’
‘Dear God!’ Cathy caught her breath. ‘I might have known one of you girls would be in the thick of things!’
‘No! Danny Bradley wanted
me to help him but I wouldn’t. I left him there, I swear!’
Cathy sat down again. ‘Tell me everything,’ she said.
When the phone rang twenty minutes later, Cathy took it into the hallway. Becky dragged her knees up to her chest and balanced precariously on the chair. Stupid, stupid cow. What was wrong with her? First there was the business with Uncle James. Then there was the trauma of losing her baby. Now Danny Bradley had murdered someone. Would she always attract trouble, no matter where she went?
‘Was that the police?’ She looked up as Cathy came back into the room, trepidation plain to see in her eyes.
‘Yes. They already have Danny in custody. Andy says he can’t say much right now but Danny was found injured on site. He claims that he had nothing to do with the shooting, and he has come up with some cock-and-bull story. He says he was hit over the head and passed out. When he came round, the gun was in his hand. What the hell were you doing –?’
‘He had a gun?’ Becky stood up, her eyes widening in horror. ‘He had a gun!’
‘Yes, a flipping gun! Have you any idea who you’ve been messing around with? Danny Bradley is a troublemaker and –’
‘He had a gun?’ Becky repeated.
Cathy pursed her lips. ‘Don’t come all innocent with me and tell me that you didn’t know.’
‘I didn’t! Oh God, I – what happens if they think I’m involved? They’ll lock me up too and then I’ll get hooked on drugs and end up dying like Cheryl. I –’
‘Becky!’ Cathy placed her hands on the young girl’s shoulders to calm the hysteria that was mounting. ‘If you’re telling the truth, you have nothing to worry about.’
‘But if I grass him up, I’ll have all the Bradley family coming after me. They’re a bunch of nutters.’ She began to hyperventilate. ‘What if –’
‘Becky, calm down!’ Cathy looked her directly in the eye again. ‘Danny’s prints were all over the gun. And they’ve found his rucksack. Andy says he’ll need to talk to you.’
But Becky could only register one thing.