by Philip Cox
‘That’s a work locker key. Let me see the serial number,’ said Amy looking over. ‘B85. Mine’s B78, and my locker’s - let me see,’ - she visualized the bank of lockers and counted - ‘about half a dozen down, so that must be to hers.’
‘Is it still okay for us to go over to Lisa’s place?’ Tom asked Jane. ‘Not right now; tomorrow I was thinking.’
Jane shrugged again. ‘Sure. No problem. The key’s there.’
‘One of these I assume?’ Tom asked, fingering the two Yale keys. One was old and tarnished; the other shiny and recently cut.
‘The newer one,’ Jane said. ‘She had to have the locks changed a few days before she died. No idea why she kept the old key.’
‘Why did she have to change the locks?’ Tom asked.
‘Because she had a break-in,’ Jane replied.
‘A break-in?’ said Tom.
Sully answered. ‘Yeah, it was really weird. The bastard picked her lock and just ransacked her place. Turned everything upside down. Obviously looking, as I guess burglars do, but didn’t take a thing. She had some cash in the place, that jewellery, and some other valuables, but it was all still there.’
‘We think whoever it was,’ said Jane, ‘got disturbed, and fled without taking anything.’
‘That’s right,’ added Sully.
Amy was just about to say something, when Tom gently kicked her leg.
‘I’ll take the keys and the phone then,’ said Tom, standing up. ‘We’ll go over there tomorrow, then let you have these back.’
‘Fine,’ said Jane, as the rest of them stood as well. ‘Hope you find what you’re looking for. You know the address, don’t you?’
‘Yes,’ said Tom. ‘And thanks. I’ll let you know how we get on.’
They said their goodbyes, and Tom and Amy made their way back to South Croydon station.
‘I was expecting the offer of a coffee or something,’ said Tom as they hurried to get out of the cold.
‘Was it me, or was the atmosphere a little tense?’ asked Amy.
‘I felt that too. She obviously still isn’t happy about us looking at Lisa’s stuff.’
‘Don’t see why not. Do you?’
‘In all the time I was with Lisa, I never figured out the exact relationship she and Jane had. Apart from being sisters, I mean.’
‘We’ll go over there tomorrow, then? Where did she live?’
‘Gidea Park. So another day trip for us.’ He looked over at her as they both quickened their pace. ‘Why didn’t you tell me about that Jimmy Khan guy?’
‘It just didn’t come up. You accepted the suspicions I had were valid on face value, and we went on from there. Sorry.’
‘No, it’s okay.’
‘Why did you kick me? I was going to say something about my break-in. It was a carbon copy of Lisa’s.’
‘Precisely. I just felt it was better not to say, that’s all. Don’t ask me why.’
‘Can’t be a coincidence.’
‘Are you kidding? No way was it a coincidence. Whoever it was - and I bet it was our albino friend - was looking for something.’
‘And a few days later, she...’
‘Don’t even go there,’ Tom said, putting his arm round her. ‘They don’t know who I am, or where I live. You’re quite safe.’
‘Hope it’s warmer tomorrow,’ Amy said as they got onto the northbound platform.
‘Probably not.’
*****
Sully sprawled on the sofa and switched on the TV while Jane packed up the box.
‘Joining forces,’ he laughed. ‘I’ll bet that’s not all they’re joining. Did you see the way she was looking at him?’
Jane picked up the box. ‘None of our business, really. He and Lisa were history, anyway. In any case, not everybody thinks like you.’
‘Eh?’
‘With their dick.’
Sully pulled a face and picked a channel. Jane took the box into the spare room and put it away.
‘Well, whatever’s going on between them,’ Sully said as Jane returned, ‘they say two heads are better than one. They might uncover what happened to Lisa.’
‘I doubt it.’
*****
As they sat on the train heading towards Victoria, Amy rested her head on Tom’s shoulder and dozed off. He put his arm round her again.
As the train slowed down in its approach to Victoria, Tom looked out over the river. The lights from the office buildings were reflected in the water below. He looked down at Amy. Yes, she was safe. Safe with him; out of their reach.
Suddenly his heart missed a beat, and he could feel his face flush. He was certain Lisa knew his address: there was a birthday card for him in her desk at work. Not addressed.
Yes, Amy was safe at his place. Unless...
The box contained passport, bank statement, phone, purse, jewellery, photographs, and keys.
No address book.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Amy stirred slightly on Tom’s shoulder, but did not wake. He stared out of the train window as his mind worked feverishly: when he was married to Lisa, did she keep an address book? Where did she keep details of contacts? If whoever went through her flat took an address book, and found his address, then it would not take them long to at least investigate him. But then, surely, if that was the case, he would have heard something by now.
Amy was awakened by the commotion of the other passengers alighting. ‘Where are we?’ she asked sleepily.
‘Victoria,’ he answered. ‘Come on; we need to get a tube now.’
As they walked across the station concourse, Tom continually looked around to check for anybody he recognised; in particular the albino. He was also still thinking through how secure his address was.
They walked down the steps to the Underground concourse and were met by a crowd of people standing around. There was a dot matrix sign saying that the Victoria Line platforms were closed because of a security alert.
‘Bugger. We’ll have to go this way and change at Paddington,’ he said, ushering Amy through the crowds along the passageway which led to the Circle and District platforms.
A Circle Line train was due in eleven minutes: as they sat down on a seat to wait, Tom got out Lisa’s phone and switched it back on.
‘What are you doing?’ Amy asked, still only half awake.
‘Just having a quick look. See if anything jumps out at me.’
Tom went straight to the Contacts menu and looked to see if Lisa kept addresses on her telephone; she did not. The battery indicator showed only one bar; hopefully they would find the charger at Lisa’s place. Unless his or Amy’s fitted. He put the phone away as their train arrived.
As they made their way round to Paddington, Tom checked his own phone: no signal. He decided to check with Jane that night about an address book, just to put his mind at rest, if nothing else. He would have to text her; no point in alarming Amy unnecessarily.
At Paddington, they changed on to a Bakerloo Line train. There was still no signal, but as the train came to the surface at Queen’s Park, the little aerial symbol appeared on his screen. Amy was once again resting her head on his shoulder; trying not to disturb her, he sent a text to Jane.
Hi Jane thanks again for tonight. Will get keys back to you asap. Btw do you know where Lisa kept her contacts names and addresses? Might be useful. Tom.
Two stops later, it was time for them to get off. As they did so, Tom quickly checked his phone, just in case Jane had replied and he missed the bleep. She had not replied.
As they walked back to his flat, neither of them spoke much. Amy seemed too tired to have much of a meaningful conversation, and Tom’s mind was elsewhere. He was half expecting to see the albino waiting outside his front door.
As they approached his building Tom stopped and looked all around: up and down the street; as always the road was filled with parked cars and he looked specifically for the vehicle he had seen outside Amy’s place; no figures lurking in the doo
rways.
‘Everything okay?’ Amy asked, noticing that he was being more vigilant than normal.
‘Fine; just checking,’ he said, not altogether truthfully.
He cautiously led Amy up the stairs. The building was quiet; it seemed Mrs da Costa and his other neighbours had gone to bed. Tom paused for a fraction of a second as his landing came into view: all clear. As a precaution, Tom climbed the stairs to the top floor landing. To his relief, all was clear there, too.
As he came back down to his landing, he saw Amy looking up at him, unsettled.
‘Are you sure everything’s all right?’ she asked nervously. ‘You don’t always check this much. You said they don’t know where you live.’
‘They don’t,’ he said as he unlocked the door, after quickly making sure the locks had not been tampered with. ‘But it can’t hurt to be doubly sure, can it?’
‘Guess not,’ she said, not one hundred percent convinced.
He shut and bolted the door and they went into the living room.
‘Do you mind if I took a bath?’ she asked. ‘Just feel a bit grubby, all that travelling.’
‘No, of course not,’ Tom replied. ‘I said make yourself at home while you are here, didn’t I? I’ll probably grab a shower myself afterwards.’
Amy took off her coat and went into the bathroom to run her bath. Tom flopped onto the sofa and yawned. Looked over at the clock: ten past midnight. Took off his overcoat and felt in the pocket for his and Lisa’s phones. A little envelope icon was showing on his screen. Sitting up, he clicked on message inbox, and took a deep breath as he saw that Jane had replied. He couldn’t have heard it over the noise of the traffic as they were walking back from the station.
Sorry tom 4got still had lisas filofax she kept contacts there police rturned with phone kept it out 2 tell about funeral u can pick up when rturn keys jane.
He sat back and breathed a sigh of relief. Thank God for that. He sent Jane a message back thanking her and said he would get back in touch when they had finished at Lisa’s place.
He could hear Amy in the bath. He decided not to tell her about his false alarm. He walked over to the windows and peered round the curtains. The street was dark and quiet. There was the faint rumble of traffic from the main road and a distant click clack from the railway line. He rubbed his eyes; it was almost twelve thirty, and he had had a long day. He turned round as the bathroom door opened and Amy stepped out. She was wearing the long white tee shirt, now freshly laundered, that she had worn every night. Her hair was wet.
‘Thanks. You can take that shower now. You got a hair dryer, by the way?’
‘Sorry - got a what?’ Tom was miles away.
‘A hair dryer,’ she repeated, holding out her wet hair.
‘Sorry; yeah, sure: it’s in the second drawer down.’
As Amy went to dry her hair, Tom took his shower. A short one, as Amy appeared to have used most of the hot water. He wrapped himself in his bath towel, and went into the bedroom, after switching the lights off and double checking the door and windows. Amy had just finished drying her hair and was climbing into bed.
‘That was a quick shower,’ she said.
‘Yeah,’ he answered. ‘Wanted to get to bed.’
‘It’s been a long day,’ she said. ‘We’ll go over to Lisa’s tomorrow, then?’
Tom turned round and nodded. ‘U-huh. See if we can find anything there.’
‘Think we will?’
‘No idea,’ replied Tom as he leaned across the bed to grab his shirt and boxers. Once dressed, he threw the towel on the floor and climbed into bed as well.
‘Before you turn the light off,’ she said as he reached out for the switch.
‘Mm?’ he replied, looking over to her.
‘I know what I said when you stopped over at my place, but if you want to do it, it’s okay.’
‘No, I don’t - I mean, it’s just -’
‘I’ve noticed you wanted to,’ she said, her eyes briefly indicating lower down.
Tom blushed. ‘Oh, yeah. I hoped you hadn’t... Sorry.’
‘Well, if you want to, it’s okay.’
‘I just - I just don’t want to take advantage.... Make you feel obliged -’
‘You’re not. And I don’t.’
He sat up in bed. ‘Well, if you’re happy to, I’ve no problem. Oh shit,’ he said, slapping his forehead.
‘What?’
‘I wasn’t expecting this. It’s been so long since I...’
‘What?’ she said again.
He looked down at her, shaking his head. ‘I haven’t got any condoms. I suppose I could run down to the supermarket. It’s open twenty-four hours.’
‘No need,’ she said, leaning over the edge of the bed. Her bag was on the floor there, and she pulled out a packet.
Tom’s eyes opened wider.
‘Picked these up when we went shopping,’ she said opening the box, and taking one out.
‘Oh, the women’s things?’ Tom asked, grinning.
‘A little just in case item,’ Amy replied, tearing open the wrapping.
Tom put his hand out to take it off her.
‘No, let me,’ she said.
Tom took off his shorts and kneeled in front of her.
‘I see you’re ready,’ she laughed and slipped the condom on, then hitched up her tee shirt and lay back.
‘I see you are too,’ said Tom as he climbed on her and she raised her knees to accommodate him.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
‘I’m sorry,’ groaned Tom as he rolled off her half a minute later. ‘It’s just that’s it’s been so long ...’
‘It’s okay; don’t worry,’ said Amy, patting his arm. ‘There’s always tomorrow night.’
‘Yeah, but -’
Amy pulled her shirt back down and the bedclothes up. Leaned over to Tom and kissed him tenderly on his lips.
‘I said don’t worry,’ she whispered.
Tom did worry, of course. Amy went to sleep about a minute later but it was almost one o’clock when he finally drifted off, embarrassed that it was over so quickly their first time. Would there be another time? Angry with himself that he was so quick. Slightly intrigued about where things were going with him and Amy.
*****
They both woke just after eight o’clock. Upon waking up, through getting up and having breakfast, neither mentioned the previous night. Tom checked Lisa’s phone with his own charger and with Amy’s, but neither was compatible.
‘Let’s hope we can find Lisa’s,’ he said. ‘Otherwise we’ll have to buy a new one. There might be a lot of information on here.’
‘Can’t you put the SIM card into one of ours?’
‘Possibly. But I think that sort of data is held on the phone itself, unless it’s specifically saved to the SIM.’
‘If you say so. We’d better get going, if we’ve got to get to Gidea Park, then back to Croydon.’
Tom checked the time: now it was nine-thirty. ‘Yeah; you’re right,’ he agreed. ‘Let’s get going.’
*****
Lisa’s home was a good half hour’s walk from the railway station and it was almost one when they arrived. Tom was expecting to find a flat: either a purpose built place in a block like his, or a house conversion like Amy’s, but Lisa’s was an actual house. Small, mid-terraced, but a house in a newly built development.
‘Very nice,’ he said, staring up at the house.
‘I think it’s called a starter home,’ Amy said, looking up at the place.
‘She was hardly a starter,’ muttered Tom as they walked up to the front door.
Once inside the house, Tom closed the door and looked around. Inside, the place was very small. Lisa had very little furniture: any more than the small circular coffee table and two chairs and a sideboard upon which the small flat screen television rested, and there would have been very little room to move. On the other side of the room, at the back of the house, there was a glass door which looked out
to a small patio and a tiny garden. The grass was long, and the flowerbeds had not been maintained.
To the left of the room was the staircase, and literally beneath this was the kitchen area. Separated from the living room by a sort of breakfast bar arrangement, the kitchen comprised a sink, cooker, and washing machine. Some crockery was still standing in the rack on the draining board.
‘Tell you what: as time’s getting on, why don’t you search through things down here, and I’ll do upstairs?’ Tom suggested.
Amy looked over with a questioning look on her face. ‘You sure?’ she asked.
Tom nodded and walked over to the staircase. ‘Be quicker that way.’
‘What exactly am I looking for?’ she called out. Tom was already halfway up the stairs. He stopped and turned to look down at her.
‘Anything,’ he said. ‘Anything that might give us a clue. It’s bound to be something to do with where you both work, but other than that, I can’t say. If we’re not sure, we can always take it home with us and check through there. She won’t be needing it.’
‘Okay. I’ll see if I can find anything,’ Amy said and started to go through the kitchen.
Tom climbed the stairs. The first floor comprised a bathroom, an airing cupboard, and the one bedroom. There was nothing in the bathroom and just some towels and some clothes in the airing cupboard. He went into the bedroom, pausing in the doorway. A double bed was in the centre of the room, the headboard against the far wall. A small cabinet one side, with a matching dressing table and wardrobe the other side. The cupboards were white, with a light blue trim. A chair was under the window. The bedclothes were a light shade of pink, the pillows having a lacy edge. A teddy bear rested on the two pillows. Tom recognised the teddy bear: Lisa had had it since she was a child; Cuthbert was its name, he recalled.
Meanwhile, Amy had completed her search of the kitchen area and walked over to the sideboard. She looked up at the ceiling as she heard him move about upstairs. This must be weird for him, she thought, going through his ex-wife’s stuff like this. Another thought crossed her mind: did he say if they found anything they could take it home with them? Not take it back to my place? She shrugged: just words - no point reading too much into things.