Tim couldn’t help feeling suspicious. It sounded like a setup to him. Lure him to a place where something bad would happen. Needing to be sure that this was genuine, he would have to ask more questions. But what should he ask? Writing out a number of attempts, he finally sent back a message.
“I’m sure you understand that this has come out of the blue. Is there some way that you can prove what you are saying is true? Please don’t be offended, but I’ve had no contact with anyone from my past for many years.”
That had passed the buck to her. It would be interesting to see if she replied, and what she would say. The fact that the real Hugh had never met her was in his favour. He might just meet this woman, if he was happy that she was genuine. Already knowing that he looked like the real Hugh, even if she had seen photos of him, it wouldn’t matter. The message, sent back later that day, had a photograph attached.
“This is me and your mum. I looked after her for the last few years, she lived over the road from me. I’m happy to meet at a place of your choosing. I just want to keep my promise to find you and pass on this stuff. I understand that you are being careful.”
Kathy had included her telephone number and urged him to call. Tim thought about the situation. He had a few stories from Hugh’s background that he could talk about. The rest of the time he could blame his lack of memories on his alcoholism. The strange irony was that he was the fraud, and it looked like she was the real thing.
She could have sent a picture of her with anybody, he didn’t know what Hugh’s mum looked like. That would be unlikely, so she was probably telling the truth. The next day, Tim picked up the phone and dialled Kathy Elsdon’s number.
“Hello?” she answered.
“Hello, Kathy. This is Hugh.”
The woman Tim was speaking to had an Essex accent and a smoky voice.
“Oh, Hugh. I’m so pleased that you called. I’ve been checking the internet and social media for three years, hoping I would find something,” Kathy gasped.
“I was off grid for a long time. You probably know that I had a problem with alcohol. It took a long time, but I’ve finally sorted myself out. I didn’t know for sure, but I wondered if mum had died.”
“You never thought about getting in contact with her?”
“I thought about it, but I didn’t want to revisit the past, physically or mentally. Too much baggage. I’ve been struggling to get my act together, but I hoped to speak to her at some point.”
“Yes, your mum talked about your drinking. She wondered whether you were still alive. With no other relatives, there was no one to look after her when she got frail. I didn’t mind doing it. She was a nice lady. I lost my own mum when I was a teenager, so she was like another mother to me.”
“Well, I’m grateful to you, Kathy.”
“No worries. You live in Scotland then?”
“I did. I’m not really settled anywhere at the moment. What is it that you have for me? The stuff that mum left, I mean.”
“I don’t really know. It’s a package, feels like there’s a box inside. I’ve never opened it.”
“A mystery that needs solving, then.”
“I think so.”
The conversation revealed that Kathy had known his mother for about five years before she died. There had been a touch of dementia and problems with the old woman’s heart. The funeral had been attended by Kathy and a few neighbours. No family had turned up, despite an announcement in the local newspaper.
It was kind of sad. The story touched Tim, but it also suited his plans, too. Kathy would have heard scrambled stories about him, things that he could deny. If she had seen old photos of him, a lot of time had passed. He made an arrangement to meet Kathy in the town where she now lived. She had moved shortly after his mother had died. A café was chosen as the venue.
Tim prepared carefully for the meeting. A recovering alcoholic would not be snappily dressed. He was unshaven, in jeans and a creased shirt. Walking into the café, he saw Kathy and she turned and looked at him. A slight frown turned to a smile as he joined her.
“Hugh, I knew vaguely what you looked like from old photos. You look much better in the flesh, and not so scrawny.”
“The pictures must have been taken during my days of addiction. I’m like a new man now.” Tim laughed at the joke that she wouldn’t get.
Kathy told Tim about “his” mum’s last couple of years. A good friend and neighbour, she had shopped and cooked for Mrs Miller as well as offering her company. Tim wiped at his eyes as if he was crying, but there were no tears. Kathy was chatty and earthy, the antithesis of Caroline. There was something appealing about her and, before he knew it, Tim was arranging to meet her again.
The package was now in his possession. Tim promised to let Kathy know what was inside at their next meeting. She had said it felt like there was a box wrapped up in the package. Tim thought that too. It sat on the passenger seat of the car as he drove home. Glancing at it every now and then, he couldn’t wait to open it.
Once home, there was some hesitation. This package was not meant for him. It was meant for the real Hugh. Whatever it contained would likely have no meaning for Tim. Expecting old photographs, maybe a note and some knick-knacks, he opened the brown paper and a shoebox was revealed.
Taking a deep breath, Tim prised off the yellowing sticky tape and lifted the lid of the box. An envelope held documents: Hugh’s birth certificate – that could come in handy – a few photographs, and a share certificate in his name. Underneath the paperwork were some model cars and a small, faded teddy bear.
Looking at the small collection of objects, Tim felt a touch of remorse. He hadn’t killed Hugh, but he had taken his identity. His mother never knew that he had died before she had. The old lady had probably been hoping to the very end that she would see her son once more. He looked over the paperwork again. He wondered if the shares were worth anything.
Chapter 51
Beth had met up with Alex the following Saturday, and they had never looked back. Lucy was unbearably smug for a few weeks, because she had previously noted how suitable Alex was. It seemed that one could be both good-looking and a decent person.
Everything was so much easier with Alex. Beth understood him and he understood her. They watched and endlessly discussed episodes of Tales of Retribution. He didn’t need an explanation of Beth’s appreciation of Retribution, and when he heard how it was all tied in with the death of her mother, it was appreciated even more.
“You were literally watching an episode when your mother died?” Alex sought confirmation.
“Yes. I was only ten, and I was watching it in the lounge as my mum and dad argued in the kitchen. They were always arguing and he often hit her. It was best to stay out of the way, so I didn’t go to see what was happening. I heard Dad leave, and then when I went to find Mum, she was dead.”
“That must have been terrible for you.”
“I remember being, I don’t know, sad, but it seemed so inevitable that it would end like that.”
“And your dad has never been seen since?”
“No. Anna, my policewoman friend, says that he is still a wanted man. They took a sample of my DNA. If he turns up using a different name, which is highly likely, or a body is found, they can check whether it’s him. If they find his body, well, at least that would be something, but I would rather he was caught and faced prison. Actually, I would rather that I found him and shot him myself.”
“Do you think that you could do that? Kill your own dad?”
“I’ve imagined it so many times. What would Retribution do? This man beat up his wife on a regular basis and then killed her with his bare hands. And he abandoned me. I don’t think that he should be shown any mercy.”
It was a subject they returned to again and again. Alex could understand the sentiment, but he was not sure that Beth could do the deed. After all the trauma in her life, she was surprisingly well balanced. This was just a fantasy.
One conv
ersation which was over and done with quickly was about Beth’s brief romance with Martin. After explaining her theory about good-looking people being bad, Alex had been flattered that she deemed him good-looking and began to understand her choice.
“I’m so sorry about that. Lucy said I was mad not to choose you.”
“I agree with Lucy. At what point did you realise what an arrogant pig he was?”
“I managed four dates, but it was probably after the first one. I couldn’t give in and prove Lucy right straight away, so I suffered through a few more. Anyway, what were you doing hanging around with him?”
“We’ve known each other since we were kids. I’d kind of got used to the way he was. I put up with it, even though he was a pain. Then, after the comic con, we drifted apart. He knew I liked you and he went ahead and made a move anyway. He always had to win, but this time he went too far.”
“So, you didn’t know that it was all over with pretty quickly?”
“No, because I wasn’t really in touch with him. I heard on the grapevine later. I didn’t know how to get hold of you, and I could hardly ask him for your number. It took a while, but finally fate intervened and here we are.”
Not a big believer in fate, prayer, karma or divine intervention, Beth was grateful that something had brought them back together. It was just luck, she thought. The next week, Anna was coming over for dinner and she would meet Alex for the first time. As the parental figure in her life, it was important for Beth to get her approval.
Chapter 52
“I’m pleased to meet you, Alex.” Anna was happy with the first impression.
“Pleased to meet you too, Anna. I know it’s a cliché, but I’ve heard a lot about you.”
Beth left them to chat as she headed for the kitchen. After learning the basics of cooking from Anna, and from her experiments with Lucy, she had become proficient. Tonight, a paella was heating on the hob. Taking a quick peek, it appeared that everything was going according to plan. Sitting down to eat, Beth sighed and smiled.
“What do you do, Alex?” Anna was playing the role of Beth’s mother, checking that Alex was suitable.
“I went to university and studied law. Now I’m working at a local firm to complete the training.”
“Do you know what you’re going to specialise in?”
“I like contract and employment law.”
“You don’t fancy criminal law, then?”
“Er, no. I’m too trusting. I’d believe everything my client told me. And that whole courtroom thing – too confrontational for me.”
The three of them chatted over dinner and then, as they were drinking coffee, the talk turned to Beth’s father. Anna spoke about the ongoing search for Timothy Travers, who was wanted for murder. There had been no sightings or reports of his whereabouts for years. Admitting that they may never find him was hard for her. Beth bristled at the thought that he would get away with murder.
“I know the police, and especially you, are still looking for him, but with each year that passes it gets harder. He will look different, probably have a new name, and knowing him he’s likely landed on his feet and is doing quite nicely, thank you. It does frustrate and annoy me.”
“Does it hurt you too? I mean, the fact that he has never got in contact?” Alex asked.
“I’ve thought about that a lot. Part of me never wants to lay eyes on him again after what he did, and part of me wants to have that confrontation. I want to have retribution. The fact that he has not bothered because he just doesn’t care enough – well, it’s disappointing but hardly a surprise.”
“Do you think he has gone abroad?” Alex asked Anna.
“He could have done. He had a bit of money on him, and with determination and a bit of luck, who knows what he could achieve.”
“We’re going to Spain next month. I can just imagine walking into a bar and seeing him sat there. All tanned and happy with some young woman on his arm,” Beth said, frowning at the thought.
“What would you do then?” Alex asked.
“After throwing my glass of sangria in his face, I would find a way to finish him off.” A smile had returned to Beth’s face.
“And then you would spend years in prison for killing him. The right answer is that you would notify the authorities. In other words, me.” Anna had obviously made this point many times before.
“I dream about killing him. Having a gun, like Retribution, and shooting him as he tried to escape. Throwing a knife as he comes for me. Chasing him into traffic where he is mown down by a lorry.”
“You forgot pushing him off a tall building,” Alex added.
“That would be tricky, because I’m not fond of heights myself.”
“Doesn’t this terrify you, Alex?” Anna said.
“No. It’s highly unlikely to ever happen, and I don’t think she feels murderous about anyone other than her father, do you?”
“No. You are both quite safe.” Beth kissed Alex on the cheek.
Chapter 53
Coming to the end of her college course, Beth had to think about what she would do next. She owned a house and there was money in the bank. The usual financial concerns of a person looking for their first job did not apply to her. That did not mean that she would be idle. Beth wanted to be a journalist.
Her calm, friendly manner and diligence had impressed the editor of the local newspaper. Beth was invited to an interview for a role as a junior reporter. Thinking the chance through, Beth realised that she could make this the first step on the ladder. Ambition might push her on to better things, but this could be a good start.
Dressed in a grey trouser suit, something Nana would have approved of, Beth set off for her interview. Already known to the editor, she would have to do something really stupid to mess it up. At least, that’s what she hoped. Who knew how many more people were being considered for the job?
“Hello, Beth. Good to see you.”
“And you, Mr Spencer.”
“Call me Keith.”
“Hello, Keith.”
“We’ll keep this informal. You know me and I know you. I already know what you can do and how you will fit in. The main question is, what do you think about working for us? A local newspaper is a good grounding.”
“I enjoyed it when I did my work experience. I don’t expect to run before I can walk. Working with you and the other staff would be great.”
“You would start on the local news pieces, like you did when you were here before. We will assign things to you, but if you find something that you want to report on, come to me and we can discuss it.”
“That’s great. I’m sure that I’ll be finding my feet for the first few months, but after that, who knows.”
“Exactly. Right, let’s get the boring stuff out of the way. Contracts, pay, paperwork.”
Beth practically skipped up the path to her front door. She had a job as a reporter. Calling out to Lucy as she went in, her friend replied from the kitchen. When Beth found her, there were many surprises. Alex was there and they were either side of the table, on which stood a cake.
“You did get the job, didn’t you?” Alex said, beaming.
“Yes. Just as well, really. It would have spoiled the celebration if I hadn’t,” Beth said.
“If you hadn’t, this would have been a sympathy cake. As it is, it’s a congratulations cake.” Lucy was waggling a knife, desperate to set about the cream-filled sponge.
Work wasn’t thrilling. Beth wasn’t dashing to various parts of the world reporting on international stories, but she was happy. Her colleagues were pleasant, she and Alex were in love, her best friend, Lucy, lived in her house. Village fetes and local traffic works needed to be covered, and that was her job. Not earth shattering, but important in their way.
The biggest story that had happened in the area was probably the murder of Alison Travers. Beth knew more about that than anybody else. When her father was caught, she might write the insider’s view of the crime and her li
fe. It would likely be the only scoop she would ever have.
Chapter 54
Much to his surprise, Tim had grown to like Kathy. She swore occasionally, liked a pint of lager and often dressed in tops that were too low, or skirts that were too short. Spending time with her meant that he would smile, laugh, chat and forget all his troubles. The fact that she was so different to Caroline made it seem acceptable.
A woman like Caroline could never be duplicated. Any search for a woman like her would be impossible. They might look similar, be clever and witty, or stylish and generous, but always a pale imitation. Kathy was the polar opposite of Caroline. Not a replacement, a whole new experience.
He described the contents of the package to Kathy when they next met. For some reason, he didn’t mention the share certificate. It was the one item which seemed incongruous amongst the reminders of Hugh’s youth. Kathy’s eyes had filled with tears as he spoke about the toy cars and the teddy.
There was a lot of talk about Hugh’s mother at first. The struggle in her final years and the stories she told about Hugh as a young child. Tim enjoyed these tales, because he was hearing them for the first time.
“I don’t remember doing that,” was his response on most occasions. “The drinking, it killed a lot of my brain cells. There are huge gaps in my memory. That was why, when you got in contact, I didn’t know whether I had met you or not.”
“Well, I’m glad that we met. I was able to pass on the stuff that your mum left, and we’ve become friends.”
They both smiled and then laughed at that comment. Tim and Kathy had become more than friends. He would drive the fifty miles to see her and would stay overnight. Gone was the sensitive, gentle lovemaking which he had shared with Caroline. Kathy was definitely a rough and tumble girl.
The best thing about their relationship was that she never asked anything of him. There were no demands on his time, they only saw each other at weekends. She didn’t ask lots of questions about him. Tim had not told her exactly where he lived, what he did for a job, about past relationships or any financial details.
Tales of Retribution Page 14