A Family Scandal

by Kitty Neale

  He’d laughed in their faces until they told him who they’d talked to. The Devon police had been busy, after a tip-off. They’d spoken to Mrs Hawkins. She’d informed them that before dinner last evening he had ordered a taxi to take him somewhere – she thought for something to do with work. The police had poured scorn on that because they’d talked to the taxi driver, who told them exactly where he’d gone and how long he’d had to wait. In fact it was the driver who had come to them, after recognising the picture of the dead man in the papers, and reading about the appeal for witnesses. He’d seen the man in an altercation with Tommy on the cliffs so had come forward.

  They’d asked to check his shoe cupboard and taken away the pair of sandals that he’d bought while in Torquay. There was still sand clinging to the soles which they’d checked very carefully and he was deeply worried because after what the taxi driver had told the police, he couldn’t deny that he’d been on those cliffs and that he’d met Alec there.

  Tommy wasn’t sure exactly what the taxi driver could have seen, but maybe when interviewed again he’d be able to persuade the police that it was just a heated discussion. How he wished now that he’d asked the driver to go after dropping him off, and then found some other way of getting back to the pub.

  He didn’t know when he’d be interviewed again. For now they had left him in this gloomy hot cell in the local station, probably to make him sweat. He knew that in all likelihood he’d eventually be put up before the magistrate and hoped then that he’d be allowed bail. On a charge of murder it would be set high, but somehow, rather than be stuck on remand, he’d have to raise it. Bearing in mind what he had been prepared to offer Alec Pugh, he could find a decent amount, but even that might not be enough. Tommy groaned. He dreaded to think what Mavis would make of all this. Would the police think that she was an accomplice? No, surely they wouldn’t arrest her as well? Angrily he stood up and paced around the cell, just a few steps long and two steps wide. He hit out at the wall in frustration, wincing when he saw the blood on his knuckles.

  He had to face it: this might mean he couldn’t marry Mavis. Even though they’d waited for it for so long, would it be better for her if he broke off their engagement?

  Pete had been expecting an empty house when he got home. Instead the flat was full of people: Grace and Bobby upset because the picnic hadn’t happened, James and Greg sullen for the same reason but taking their disappointment out on a football in the yard. Jenny looking stricken and Mavis was in floods of tears.

  Loudest of all was Lily, furious about something and saying before he could get a word in, ‘You’ve got to do something about this, Pete.’

  ‘Hang on, hold your horses,’ he said, taking a step back. ‘Do something about what?’

  Lily told him.

  Pete felt the room tilt and he grabbed on to the table to steady himself. On top of the injustice of the arrest, there was his last hope gone. Tommy would be in no state to help him financially if he was locked up.

  ‘Oh, Pete, it’s awful, isn’t it,’ exclaimed Jenny, mistaking his reaction. ‘We don’t believe a word of it. Tommy wouldn’t do such a thing.’

  ‘Course not.’ Pete tried to pull himself together. ‘It was an accident, stands to reason. They’re trying to make something out of nothing. They’ll have to let him out ’cos I don’t believe there’s any evidence against him.’

  ‘That’s just what I said!’ Lily insisted. ‘Tommy wouldn’t hurt a fly and we all know that.’

  Mavis nodded through her tears. ‘Thanks, Mum. It has got to be some sort of crazy mistake,’ Mavis said, but in her head she kept thinking back to that moment when she realised Tommy had known Alec was in Torquay. She cast her mind back to all the times he’d promised to keep her safe and now couldn’t help fearing about what he’d been doing on that last evening in Devon. Had he really been to a business meeting? Then she berated herself. Tommy was a good man and she refused to doubt him. Somehow she had to stay positive. She had to prepare herself: Some people were going to think the worst of him, but she wouldn’t be one of them.

  Whatever Tommy was doing that last evening, he’d have had his reasons – but killing Alec would not have been one of them.

  Rhona spent the weekend in a state of anxiety, waiting for news of Penny. She’d run back to the house and held her hand waiting for the ambulance, as Penny’s mother had almost collapsed with shock when she realised what was going on. Rhona could tell that she was going to be very angry with her daughter when all this was over, but for the time being she rallied and by the time the ambulance arrived she told Rhona very curtly that her presence wasn’t necessary and that she should go home. Not being a relative, Rhona didn’t have a leg to stand on when it came to riding in the ambulance or visiting her friend if Penny’s mother was set against it. She didn’t even know which hospital they were headed for.

  Not knowing what else to do, Rhona thought about ringing Jeff. She had to talk to somebody and he seemed the least likely to gossip. He’d even asked her to ring him once she’d broken the news of Gary’s betrayal, to let him know how it went. She’d never met a man who was so concerned and because part of her thought it was too good to be true, she didn’t call him straight away.

  On Sunday after tea Rhona went to the nearest phone box to her house and took out the scrap of paper with his number on it. Jeff had told her he had his own flat so at least she wouldn’t have to cope with an angry stranger picking up the shared phone in the communal hall, as she’d had to when ringing Gary. They were probably used to the calls coming in at all hours for him and resented every one of them.

  This time Jeff answered almost at once. He sounded pleased to hear from her.

  ‘So, how was it? Did you tell her?’

  ‘Yeah, of course I did.’ Rhona wound the flex from the receiver around her finger. ‘It was awful though.’ She told him as simply as she could what had happened. ‘And now I don’t know how she is, because her mother wouldn’t let me come with them in the ambulance and she doesn’t want to see me at the hospital. I don’t even know if Penny’s been kept in or which one it is.’

  ‘Bloody hell,’ Jeff sounded shocked. ‘The poor girl. I don’t know what to say. All I know is, even if she had told Gary about the baby, I don’t think it would have changed his mind. He’d still have gone with the group.’

  ‘Yes, I think so too,’ said Rhona. ‘Nothing else would have mattered to him and if she’d told him he would probably have told her to get rid of it.’

  ‘At least she’s got you,’ Jeff said.

  ‘That’s not saying much, is it?’ said Rhona bitterly. ‘I don’t know. I just feel helpless. I didn’t know what to do when I saw the blood and I panicked. I’ve never seen anything like it.’ Then she stopped herself saying anything more. Maybe Jeff was one of those men who didn’t like to think about such things.

  ‘You did what you could, and it seems unfair that you’re not allowed to see her,’ he said, not sounding offended or put off. ‘I may be able to help you there though. My brother used to work in a hospital and I know how things work. Why don’t I ring the local hospitals in your area to see if she’s in any of them? I can pretend to be a relative if they ask.’

  ‘Would you?’ Rhona was impressed.

  ‘Yes, of course. I’ll do it now while it’s still early. Do you want to meet for a drink later to cheer you up a bit? I might have an answer by then.’

  ‘Don’t you live a good distance away?’ Rhona asked. ‘I thought you were near Gary’s old place.’

  ‘Sort of but I’m closer to the centre. How about Soho, for old times’ sake? Just a pub, nothing special.’

  Rhona thought for a moment. ‘OK, but I can’t stay out late. I’ve got work tomorrow.’

  ‘So have I, and I don’t want to start the week with a sore head. How about the Dog and Duck? Do you know it?’

  ‘Of course,’ said Rhona. ‘I’ll see you there, in about an hour.’

  Leaving the phone box, she
cast a glance at herself in a nearby window. He’d have to take her as he found her. A few months ago she wouldn’t have dreamed of going out with a man without putting on full make-up and the perfect outfit. Now there was no time and, anyway, this wasn’t a date. She was only meeting him to find out if he’d traced what hospital Penny was in. Jeff had previously made it clear that they were just going to be friends, and that was definitely all she wanted as well. She certainly wasn’t interested in anything else. Gary had put her off men for life.

  Somehow Mavis managed to get through the weekend, constantly reassuring herself that even though Tommy was still being held at the station it was all a misunderstanding. She’d done her best to explain to the children but it wasn’t easy. None of them knew what would happen next. She tried hard to keep her spirits up, to believe that it would all be sorted out quickly, but she couldn’t get over the sensation of being back in limbo, not knowing what was going to happen, and being powerless to do anything about it. It felt like a punishment for daring to be happy so soon after Alec had died; for dreaming of a bright future.

  Tommy had got himself a solicitor, who had managed to send her a message to inform her of what had happened so far. It had arrived by second post on Monday, but as she couldn’t read it, she’d had to ask her mother what it said.

  ‘He’s been before the magistrate and they’ve set bail … oh my God, Mavis, that’s a huge amount. What have they gone and done that for? He ain’t likely to run off anywhere, not with you and his business here in London. Where would he go? All his family’s here as well. That’s just picking on him, that is.’ She read on. ‘He says he doesn’t like to ask but can we see if Pete could lend him any money? He’s going to ask Stan as well. Finally he sends his love of course.’

  Mavis blinked back more tears. ‘Doesn’t he say when we can go to see him?’

  ‘No, but it may be because he doesn’t want you to see him in that place. You’ll see him once he gets bail. When Pete comes in we’ll ask him about the money.’

  The new term had started and Mavis had picked the children up from school by the time that Pete came home later that day. She was pouring a cold drink for Grace in her mother’s kitchen, because Lily kept Ribena there for a treat. Mavis thought the little girl deserved it. It wasn’t her fault that all the adults around her were so upset and distracted.

  ‘All right, Mavis?’ Pete said heavily, dropping on to a chair. ‘What you got there, Grace?

  ‘Ribena.’

  ‘Well ain’t you a lucky girl,’ he said, but it didn’t sound as if his heart was in it.

  Lily rushed in, just a minute behind him, back from the hairdresser’s where she’d finally had her roots done. Pete reached up to hug her.

  ‘Good to see you’re back early, Pete, we’ve got something to ask you,’ Lily said with no preamble. ‘We’ve heard from Tommy’s lawyer.’

  ‘Oh?’ Pete raised his head. Maybe if Tommy was being released he could still ask him for the money.

  ‘They’ve charged him and set bail. Look.’ Lily showed him the letter.

  Pete groaned and pitched forward, his head in his hands.

  ‘I know, I know, it’s a lot of dosh,’ said Lily, ‘but we can help him, can’t we? He’s almost family. You must have some put by from all the work you’ve had, and Tommy is sure to pay it back when they let him out. They’re bound to do that soon too ’cos there’s no way Tommy murdered Alec Pugh and I refuse to believe they’ve got even a shred of evidence against him.’

  ‘Lily, Lily.’ Pete’s voice cracked. ‘I’d love to help, of course I would. Tommy’s a great bloke, but I’ve got something to tell you though I wish I didn’t, especially on top of all this. I hoped to avoid telling you, to find a way out, but I can’t and you’d have to know sooner or later so it might as well be now.’

  ‘Pete, you’re babbling. What are you on about?’

  He ran his hand over his forehead and through what was left of his hair, his eyes closing momentarily before looking at her in despair.

  ‘What is it, Pete?’ Lily stared at him in sudden concern. ‘Don’t look like that, you’re frightening me. Are you sick or something?’

  ‘I wish I was. You’d all be all right then. No, it’s much worse.’ Pete paused, unable to get the words out. ‘It’s like this. I can’t lend Tommy any money because I haven’t got any. In fact I was gonna ask him if he could help me out, but then he got arrested.’

  ‘No money! Don’t be daft, of course you’ve got money.’

  ‘No, and I’m so sorry, Lily. I didn’t want it to come to this. I been working away like mad, trying to sort it all out, but it’s no good. If I don’t get something in soon, we’re gonna lose the house.’

  Lily and Mavis stared at him in disbelief. ‘No, that can’t be right,’ Lily gasped. ‘I don’t believe you. We own the house, it’s all done and dusted. You must have got your figures all wrong or something. The stress of what’s happened to Tommy must have addled your brain.’

  ‘No, Lil. I wish that was all it was.’ Pete sighed heavily. ‘Listen to me, both of you.’ And he poured out everything that he’d been keeping to himself since they’d moved in: the mortgage loan, the big construction project that he was sure would fund it, the problems at the council with the elusive official who had the final say-so, and then the final letter from the bank. ‘So, you see, they’ll want the house back.’

  ‘The house?’ Lily repeated, as if in shock.

  Mavis grabbed the back of a chair to stop herself falling. They were going to be homeless, and this on top of Tommy being accused of murder.

  Pete just nodded.

  ‘But you own the house,’ said Lily, baffled.

  ‘You do don’t you?’ Mavis added, dread settling on her like a heavy chill despite the heat of the day.

  ‘Not quite.’ Pete sighed deeply. ‘I got it on a mortgage, like I said. A big one. If I can’t make the payments then the bank will want it back. That’s the whole building, but when I took out the mortgage I didn’t think there would be a problem. When I did the deal everything was fine, money was coming in regular from small jobs, but there was a big job coming up which I pinned everything on and I was as good as promised I’d get it. There was nothing to worry about, I thought nothing could possibly go wrong.’ He spread his hands. ‘How was I to know it would all come to a standstill? I’ve been going to meetings about it since we moved in, and they always say everything’s fine, the contract’s just around the corner, and I believed them.’ For a minute it looked like he was going to break down but he shook his head and straightened his shoulders. ‘I’ve been hoping against hope to spare you this, but things have gone too far. Tommy getting arrested was the last straw.’

  Lily gaped at him. ‘Oh my God, Pete. What are we gonna do?’

  Pete looked at her with desperate sadness. ‘As of this moment, sweetheart, I don’t know. I just don’t know.’

  Lily gazed around her kitchen, every bit of which had been put together with such love and hope. She wouldn’t let the bank have it. This was hers and nobody was going to take it from her. ‘We’ll pawn or sell stuff,’ she said. ‘I’ve had to do it in the past and I can do it again. I’ll sort out stuff I can get good prices for and though it’s been a while since I did any selling, I doubt I’ve lost my touch. We’ll raise some money. The bank isn’t going to turf us out of our home.’

  Mavis nodded resolutely. ‘You can have my locket,’ she said as she drew it out from the neckline of her dress. ‘I think it is worth quite a bit. Tommy gave it me as an early birthday present,’ and now she had to hold back a sob at the memory of it.

  ‘And the christening presents,’ said Lily, determined now. ‘Bobby was given all sorts of stuff for his christening, some of it real silver. We’ll use that and pay it back to him when he’s older.’

  Pete shook his head. ‘I don’t want you losing all your precious things. I know you mean well but it’s a drop in the ocean compared to what I owe.’

  ‘I
f it puts us off being evicted for even a week or two, it’s worth doing,’ Lily said as she held out her hand. ‘Mavis, I hate to take your locket but I will.’

  Mavis handed it over. ‘Tommy would understand, and I’ll go all out to sell more sketches.’

  Pete looked away as if he couldn’t bear to watch. ‘I hate to do this to you. I should have been able to stop it but no matter what I did it wasn’t enough. All this trouble because one man is away from his office. You wouldn’t think it could happen and nobody seems to know when Andreou will get back.’

  ‘Andreou? That’s a strange name,’ said Lily as she took the locket. ‘Don’t worry, if I pawn it, we can make sure you get it back one day.’

  ‘Yes, I know, Mum,’ said Mavis, more to comfort Pete than because she actually believed it.

  Grace had been sitting there watching them all this time but now she spoke up. ‘It’s not a strange name. My friend’s called that.’

  Everyone looked at her.

  ‘Really?’ said Lily.

  ‘Are you sure, Grace?’ asked Mavis. ‘You’ve got lots of friends. You might be getting mixed up.’

  Grace put down her Ribena with dignity. ‘I’m not silly. I’m not a baby and I don’t get mixed up.’

  ‘No, of course not,’ said Lily. ‘So who’s your friend?’

  ‘She’s Maria Andreou and she’s in my class at school. She learnt to swim with her granddad, I told you that ages ago. Everyone knows her because she always goes at the front of the line and her name gets called first on the register. It’s because it begins with an A,’ Grace explained.

  ‘Maria. Maria.’ Mavis tried to picture the girls in Grace’s class as they poured out of the school gates each day. ‘Is she the one with the very dark hair?’

  Grace nodded. ‘Yes, it’s black. Darker than yours, Mummy. It’s because her granddad comes from far away.’ She stopped as she remembered something. ‘She’s been sad since we started school again. Her granddad died. You’re not going to die, are you?’ She looked up anxiously at Pete. ‘I don’t want you to die. Is that why you’re all sad?’