Tales of Retribution

by Fiona J Roberts

  Arriving on a Friday evening or Saturday morning, he would take Kathy for a meal, a trip to the pub and then back to hers. They messaged each other to confirm arrangements and that was all. Tim paid for their excursions and that was fine by him and much appreciated by her. The odd bunch of flowers helped things run smoothly.

  A massive advantage of Tim’s affair with Kathy was that she lived fifty miles away from his home. He could keep this part of his life separate from his admittedly meagre social life in the town where he lived. There was some guilt about seeing someone only six months after Caroline died, but no one could judge him because nobody knew.

  Caroline’s will had been settled and Tim had found himself the recipient of £100,000. She had owned a large house and had money from her divorce. Ryan still received a large sum, even after the generous bequest to Tim. A little queasy about accepting funds following a tragedy, Tim could not afford to turn it down.

  There was no desire to buy a house. Tim was happy to rent a small flat. With few needs, a half decent car, clothes on his back and a bit of spending money, this inheritance would last a long, long time. While he was thinking about finance, Tim wondered once again about the share certificate.

  The circumstances under which Hugh had obtained the shares would never be known to him. It seemed an oddly responsible and adult thing for Hugh to have. The name of a tech company was printed on the certificate. At some point he would look it up on the internet. That could wait, now he was on his way to see Kathy.

  Knocking on the front door, Tim could hear Kathy before he saw her. “Hang on Hugh, I’m coming.”

  Flinging open the door, he was always enveloped in a hug as a kiss was planted on his mouth. Maybe there would be time for a quick fumble, depending on their plans, and then out for the evening. Leaving her house, Tim and Kathy were heading for a favourite Chinese restaurant. Kathy liked her food, tucking in to the sounds of mm’s and ah’s as she showed her appreciation.

  “I was thinking about your mum earlier. She said that there was a time, just for about six months, when you got it together. You would have been around twenty-two, she said. You had a job at a computer place, she wasn’t specific about which one. Anyway, you were a kind of janitor. Something you did was helpful, again she was vague, and they were happy with you. Sadly, you hit the bottle again and left. Do you remember that?”

  “Not really. I remember a name, Draper Systems, perhaps that is where that memory comes from.”

  The mystery of the share certificate had just been partially solved. Hugh had actually worked for the company. A search on the internet advised that Draper Systems plc was still going strong. It was time to see what his shares were worth. Tim took the certificate to a local stockbroker and was stunned by the result.

  Chapter 55

  Who would have thought that the message would lead to all of this? Kathy had met Hugh and been amazed at how good-looking and fun he was. The stories his mother had told were of a sad man with addiction problems. A man who could not find his place in life and stumbled from one bad decision to the next.

  Jean Miller had been a nice old woman. Life had definitely beaten her down. Her only son had been lost to her and she had been on the verge of alcoholism herself for a number of years. Worn out and old before her time, the poor lady was not well. Kathy had seen her going to the shops a few times, after she moved in across the road, and had one day offered to help.

  The odd bit of shopping and brief chats had turned, over the years, into more. Kathy did a bit of cleaning for her and cooked her a meal at least once a week. Sitting in the tiny lounge with mugs of tea, they would spend hours in conversation. Jean liked to listen to what Kathy had been doing and she talked about her son, Hugh.

  It had been hard for Jean, watching her son go down the same path as his father. Her husband had disappeared from their lives when her son was still a small child. Hugh hadn’t learned to be a drinker from his father, but it had been in his nature. Jean had started drinking because everyone around her did it.

  Many of the stories that Kathy heard were about scrapes that Hugh had got into. As a teenager he had hit the bottle and had run-ins with the police. Nothing too terrible, but enough to worry his mother. A few pep talks and punishments had made no difference. He was on his way to a wasted life.

  As Jean’s health got worse, the obsession with finding her son increased. Kathy did what she could, but Hugh had disappeared about twenty years before and she could see no trace of him. The carefully packed box was passed over in the hope that Hugh would eventually turn up.

  Every few weeks, Kathy did a search in various places for Hugh Miller. When she found him, she could hardly believe it. The message had been responded to, and here they were. A telephone conversation, a face-to-face meeting, and then a visit to her home. Ending up in bed with Hugh had been on her mind from the moment that they met.

  A casual liaison was all that Kathy wanted. Hugh did not ask many questions about her and she was quite happy with that. In return, she did not ask much about him. Jean had described Hugh’s early years and the man she had now met was quite unexpected. Polite, a bit of money in his pocket, and a looker. He paid for them to go out and treated her like a lady.

  The four previous husbands and the three children who no longer talked to her were not something Kathy wanted to discuss. Terrible choices, particularly in men, and being a doormat were not things to be proud of. Hugh didn’t know, Hugh didn’t care, and that was perfect.

  Everything about them meeting had a beautiful destiny to it. Kathy had fulfilled a promise, passing on the box that Jean had left, and she had got a kind and generous new lover. The time which she had spent caring for Jean had led to this. The reward for her efforts had come and was gratefully received.

  Telling the stories, which had been recited by his mother, to Hugh had been heart-warming too. Especially as he had forgotten so much of his earlier years. Leaning forward, listening intently, Hugh absorbed all of the information that was passed on. In fact, there were barely any tales that he could recall. It was almost as if he hadn’t been there, which, if he was drunk all the time, would be true.

  There was an air of mystery about Hugh and that was attractive. What had he been doing for all those years when he had disappeared? Kathy had never really got to the bottom of the missing years. A couple of enquiries had been met with a shrug or a frown, so she had backed off. It made no difference to her.

  Tonight, they were going out to a very nice restaurant. Kathy would have to be on her best behaviour. Hugh had bought her a dress, not her usual style. Duck egg blue, down to the knee, a modest neckline, but when she put it on it suited her. The demure dress made her apply less make-up. A subtle look, for her, was achieved.

  A couple of vodkas, a nice meal, some good sex: Kathy was living the high life as far as she was concerned. Long may it continue. Hugh arrived and picked her up in his car. Even opened the door for her like she was a lady. Kathy had been many things over the years, but tonight, on Hugh’s arm, heading for a posh restaurant, she was a lady.

  Chapter 56

  Good old Hugh. He had managed to get one job when he was younger, between bouts of alcoholism, and the result for Tim was excellent. The shares had grown in value and were now worth nearly £30,000. It had been worth taking the risk to get in touch with Kathy in many ways.

  No one else knew about the windfall. Tim was cashing in the shares and this money would be added to his other savings. In a moment of generosity, he had taken Kathy shopping and bought her a very nice dress and shoes. A more modest style, the outfit was perfect for their trip to the posh, expensive restaurant in town.

  The deep chuckle that burst from Kathy was a little quieter and her language less laced with profanity, in consideration of the civilised surroundings. A sip of the fine red wine had seen her pull a face and then order a vodka and Coke. Tim had a great time, especially when Kathy burped loudly after her fine meal.

  Caroline would have loved the
restaurant, Tim thought, and then her image was gone again. Kathy was particularly enthusiastic in bed that night as she showed her appreciation. Two women, so very different, and yet they had both captured a piece of his heart. Kathy had only got a sliver, but she had never demanded more.

  Towards the end of the following week, Tim sent the usual message to Kathy. He had worked long hours and was staying home on Friday night, He told her to expect him around 11 a.m. on Saturday. She simply sent a thumbs-up in reply. No complications with her. Smiling at the text, Tim looked forward to seeing her.

  Ringing the doorbell and then knocking impatiently, Tim waited for Kathy to let him in. The curtains were closed, but a light was on. Ten minutes later, he was still waiting. He had made a call to her phone and had walked around the house to the back garden. At the front of the house again, a neighbour approached.

  A woman in her sixties, badly dyed hair and clad in Lycra, spoke to him.

  “Hi, I’ve seen you here with Kathy before, haven’t I.”

  “Yes, I come most weekends.”

  “You better come and have a cup of tea, love.”

  The hair stood up on the back of Hugh’s neck. This could only mean bad news. Following the woman without a word, he went into her house and sat down at her kitchen table.

  “I’m so sorry, love. Kathy’s gone. There was an accident on Thursday night. She was hit by a car. She didn’t suffer, it was instant, that’s what the policeman said.”

  Tim accepted the cup of strong, sweet tea. After a couple of sips, it was abandoned.

  “I need to get my head around this. I can’t believe she’s gone.” Tim stared at the wall and concentrated on holding his emotions in check.

  “You sit there as long as you like, love. I’ll get you the details of the undertakers and the name of the policeman. You can get some more info from them. I’m so sorry, love.”

  The pat on the shoulder, the kindness of this stranger, brought tears to Hugh’s eyes. What on earth should he do now? It took a while even to be able to stand. Eventually, Tim got to his feet and thanked the lady who had given him the news. He went back to his car and drove home.

  The secret he had kept about the new woman in his life had seemed like a good idea. Now he was mourning again, and he couldn’t share his grief with anyone. He phoned his office at the port and told them that he needed a few days off. Sounding shaky and upset, his leave was granted without any need for an explanation.

  He had only been a small part of Kathy’s life. He had met a couple of her friends in the pub, but now he realised that he knew as little about her as she knew about him. The piece of paper with name of the funeral home was still stuffed in his pocket. Tim would not be going to the service.

  The fancy meal they had shared the week before was a good finale to their relationship. Kathy throwing her head back and laughing, wearing her new dress and shoes, snuggling next to him in bed later that evening. Tim cared for her more than he had thought. Maybe it was that her death had followed so soon after Caroline’s. Whatever the reason, it took him months to get over the loss.

  Chapter 57

  There were now three women and a man associated with Tim who had died. Yes, he had killed Alison himself, but she was still gone. Was he unlucky, or was something else going on? Tim threw himself into his work so that he would not have to spend every waking hour pondering the twists of fate.

  Karma, as he understood it, meant that doing good deeds brought rewards, and doing bad deeds brought repercussions. He had murdered his wife and he had fully expected to pay in some way. Of course, he’d hoped that he would not get caught and go to prison. A slight inconvenience was his preferred option. The reality was very confusing.

  Alison had died, and as a result he had broken free from a bad marriage and had run from his responsibilities. Beth seemed to be doing okay, he had seen pictures of her and her boyfriend, and he’d convinced himself that he had done the right thing for her. It was a terrible thing to do, killing Alison, but he had somehow profited as a result.

  Depriving a child of her mother and Heather of her daughter were the consequences of the death. Leaving Beth an orphan, more or less. Tim had become a wanted man and had found himself sleeping rough. That was something he’d never thought would happen. But somehow, he had survived and moved on to a better life.

  Poor Hugh. That man was never going to live very long with his lifestyle. They had shared a home out of necessity and Tim had done what he could for the alcoholic. When he had died, an opportunity presented itself. Adopting the dead man’s identity had meant that he could truly start a new life.

  The result of burying Hugh and not informing anyone had only been brought home to him recently. His mother, longing to see him and pass on a meagre box of possessions. She had died without knowing that her son was already gone. Tim had thought that no one cared what had happened to Hugh. He was wrong.

  Caroline. How did he even start to analyse his feelings about her? That had been true love. Attracted by her beauty, her serenity and intelligence had made him stay. The cruelty of the cancer that had stolen her from him had been terrible. Who knew that he had the bravery to face it with her?

  When the contents of Caroline’s will had been revealed, Tim had been stunned. Not only had she helped to reveal to Tim what he was capable of, she had also made a bequest which would see him financially secure for life. It had taken him a while to appreciate the money. For so long it had been inextricably linked with her death.

  And then, another benefit from the stolen identity: Kathy had contacted him. How unexpected that had been in a number of ways. His decision to contact her, despite the risks. How great she was and how much he had come to like her. And then the delivery of the bequest which contained the share certificate.

  A few months of Kathy’s company had been delightful. He had been genuinely upset when she had died so suddenly. And yet he was £30,000 better off from having met her. Not only that, he had learned so much about Hugh’s early life. Information that would maybe come in handy one day.

  Alison’s death had set him free. Hugh’s death had given him a new identity. Caroline had taught him so much and given him a chance to love someone else more than he loved himself. Kathy had helped him heal and had brought laughter back to his life. All of them had affected Tim in some way.

  The downside was that knowing them had brought grief, heartbreak and unwanted change. That was the karma for his actions. The new identity, and the money, were benefits which were difficult to fathom. Tim should not be profiting from the deaths of those around him.

  Were the repercussions of the murder going to hit in one devastating blow? If he was caught, would he be blamed for the deaths of all of them? Would he lose his life next? Now that he had money, Tim set about making a will. He did it himself using a form from a stationery shop. The contents would be a big clue about his real identity. Everything would go to Beth.

  Thinking about his daughter took him back to the internet so that he could look at her profile. There was Beth, smiling with Alex. They seemed so happy together. Would they get married? One thing was for sure, he would not be walking her down the aisle. Perhaps this was his punishment. To never see or talk to his daughter again.

  Chapter 58

  Beth and Alex had done well so far. They had made the trip to the airport and got onto the plane without any drama or arguments. They were heading to Spain for their first vacation together. The holiday, a test of their relationship, was nervously anticipated. Spending ten days together, twenty-four seven, would determine if they were really suited.

  Fairly sure that it would be a success, Beth was looking forward to going abroad for the first time in years. Alex was far more relaxed about it. In general, he was laid back and all the packing and travel had not fazed him. Checked into their hotel room, they emerged briefly for dinner later that day and then went back in.

  Alex, being part Greek, was deeply tanned two days into the holiday. Beth was fairer skin
ned and sought shade at various times throughout the afternoon. Reading books, chatting, swimming, a bit of sightseeing: everything was just as Beth had hoped it would be. She often thought about the day she had walked into the restaurant and what good fortune that was.

  It had gone well from their first date. Beth had been cautious, though. The spectre of her parents’ marriage was ever present. The same mistakes were not going to be made by her. Alex was considerate and without a towering ego like her father’s. The only thing her dad had in common with Alex was that they were both good-looking.

  Knowing about Beth’s tumultuous childhood, Alex had let everything happen slowly. They were young and had plenty of time. Beth appreciated that she had never been put under pressure to go faster than she was comfortable with. Before the holiday she had met more members of Alex’s family – there were lots of them – and they had been most welcoming.

  It was a year later that Alex moved into Beth’s house. Lucy had a boyfriend and a new job, and was ready to move on. As Lucy left, Alex moved in. He arrived with so much stuff, Beth wondered where they would put it all. His family had all bought gifts for the couple.

  Beth had no family – her father, wherever he was, didn’t count. It was sometimes overwhelming being surrounded by the Panos tribe. So many aunts and uncles and cousins. They were a friendly, boisterous crowd. Lots of hugging and kissing ensued whenever they got together. Not used to so many people being so affectionate, Beth had struggled at first, her body stiffening as she was gathered into someone’s arms.

  Loud and gregarious, the Panos family shared their stories and their feelings. The only negative result of Beth’s induction into the family was that she had to repeat her story several times.