Behind The Pretty Pink Door: Have you met the new neighbours yet?

by M J Hardy

  Catching Lucas’s eye, I grin as he raises his eyes and excuses himself, leaving his wife to shoulder the Wickham responsibility on her own.

  As he heads our way, Liam offers him a beer. “Here you go, you’ll need a few of these to get through this evening.”

  Lucas pulls a face and says in a low voice, “Thanks, I think that woman just got hold of my last nerve and jumped on it. Honestly, I’m not sure how much more of this I can take.”

  Liam nods. “You’ll get used to it. Luckily, we manage to avoid them most of the time, but occasionally you have to take one for the team.”

  Spotting Nancy looking a little lost, I make my way over to her and she smiles with relief when she sees me coming.

  “Thank God, a normal conversation at last. I’ve just spent twenty minutes discussing planning applications and snagging lists with Keith. I’m sorry, Jasmine, but there’s only so much I can take.”

  “Tell me about it. I spent all morning weeding just so they didn’t find their way into their Chelsea inspired front garden.”

  “Maybe you should build a wall.”

  We laugh and Nancy whispers, “What do you make of Esme and Lucas.”

  “They seem nice, I haven’t spoken to them long enough to form an opinion, why, what do you think?”

  “They seem nice, normal really. They argue a lot though, which I’m not used to and the boys are rather loud.”

  “You should be used to that, I mean, you had boys yourself, it can’t be that different.”

  “Yes, I suppose, but you forget what it’s like. I’ve kind of got used to them staying locked in their rooms with only a computer to entertain them. I’ve forgotten boys like to play outside when they’re younger.”

  I nod and then remember what I wanted to tell her. “Talking of being locked away in your room, what do you make of that house around the corner, you know, the one with the pretty pink door.”

  “Why?”

  “I don’t know, it’s just that it always seems deserted from the front, as if there’s no one home and yet the window is always open at the back. I saw the man who lives there the other morning and he was a little strange if I’m honest.”

  “How strange?” Nancy looks interested and I shake my head. “I’m not sure. It was early and he was heading home, probably from the night shift. I engaged him in conversation, but he wasn’t interested.”

  “He was probably tired.”

  “Maybe but he didn’t look as if he’d been up all night. He looked as if he was heading off to work rather than from it.”

  “How can you tell?”

  “Oh, I can tell a lot just by looking at a person. It’s what I do, study people for a living to test reactions and build a picture of a person without them realising it. Well, as I said, he was heading home and I invited him over for drinks one evening with his wife, to meet everyone.”

  “What did he say?” Nancy looks intrigued and I shrug. “Said he wasn’t interested. He told me he was a loner and liked to keep himself to himself. He also told me he wasn’t married, but he was wearing a wedding ring.”

  “So, he’s probably divorced, or separated.”

  “And still wears his ring, I’m not so sure. He was also carrying a bag of what appeared to be groceries.”

  “Maybe he did the shopping on the way home.”

  “He could have I suppose, but it just didn’t really add up.”

  Sandra interrupts us and says loudly, “Grab your drinks please and follow me. We will all take a seat in the living room and Keith can run through a few things.”

  As she moves off, I whisper, “Kill me now.”

  Nancy grins and promptly refills both our glasses. “We’ll need this.”

  We head into their large living room and I note the antique furniture with disdain and whisper, “It’s like Miss Havisham’s front parlour, goodness, I think I’ve gone back in time.”

  Nancy giggles and Liam shouts at me from across the room. “Jas, I’ve saved you a seat.”

  Under my breath, I whisper, “He’s only done that so he can make me answer any awkward questions. That man’s a master at dodging a bullet.”

  Nancy giggles and sits beside Adrian, and I note he looks as interested to be here as the rest of us.

  Sandra claps her hands and says loudly, “I would like to take this opportunity to welcome our new neighbours Esme and Lucas. Now, as is customary on these occasions, please stand and tell us your potted history.”

  I daren’t look at anyone. What the hell, since when did we divulge our potted histories as she put it? Esme looks shocked and Lucas uncomfortable and to be honest, if I were them, I’d invent a babysitter problem and get the hell out here but Esme stands and blushes a little as she says nervously, “Well, um, yes, thank you, Sandra. Well, as you know, I’m Esme Williams and this is my husband Lucas. We moved from Streatham with our two boys Archie and Billy, not forgetting our fur baby Pixie.”

  Liam mutters under his breath and I elbow him sharply in the side, maintaining an interested smile on my face.

  Lucas looks uncomfortable as Esme says loudly, “Um, Lucas works long hours as a mechanical engineer and I am employed as a full-time mum, although I am actively seeking part time work.”

  “What did you used to do?”

  Sandra interrupts and I see a flush break across Esme’s face as she says, Retail supervision, mainly.”

  “What does that mean?”

  I want to punch Sandra because it’s obvious Esme feels uncomfortable and so I go to her rescue and say brightly, “Well, whatever it means, it sounds exciting, unlike my own job where I get to defend useless criminals who deserve the electric chair more than a fair trial.”

  I take a swig of my wine and there’s an awkward silence before Nancy says with interest, “What are you working on at the moment, anything you can talk about?”

  “Not really, it’s all top secret and if I tell you, I would have to kill you after.”

  Sandra looks astonished and the curiosity in her eyes makes me smile inside. Of course, I could tell them little bits of what I do, but it’s much more fun watching Sandra hate the fact she can’t discover the juicy gossip for herself. This time Liam nudges me and I feel bad. I’ve always been the same. People rub me up the wrong way and I go in for the kill. I try to make them uncomfortable and I sometimes forget it’s not appropriate. Liam looks at Esme and Lucas and says loudly, “Jasmine and I moved in a few months ago and I work in the building trade. I own a small yard near Brighton and business is good. Jasmine’s a lawyer in London and work consumes her life, so what little time she has, I dominate it, isn’t that right babe?”

  He winks and throws me a lascivious look that I know is purely for Sandra’s benefit and I rise to the challenge, rubbing his knee and saying flirtatiously, “Hush, don’t tell them our secrets, babe, well, maybe not yet, anyway. You never know, some of them may like to play the same games.”

  I almost laugh out loud at the look that passes between Sandra and Keith, and the astonishment in Esme’s eyes brings out the devil in me. I know that Sandra and Keith think we’re a couple of swingers and I’m keen to build on that. I’ll fill Esme and Lucas in later on and smirk as Nancy catches my eye and shakes her head, grinning as she says loudly, “Um, yes, well, as you know, Adrian and I moved from Norfolk because of work commitments. Adrian secured a position heading up a new operation at the Phoenix group near Lewes. We’ve moved a lot over the years and so I don’t work, preferring instead to make a happy home for him to come home every night.”

  Sandra looks as if she wants to adopt Nancy because she obviously approves of everything she does because they are similar in a lot of ways, although I know they are different in the ones that count.

  Nancy has become a good friend to me and the more I’ve got to know her, the more I understand how underestimated she is. Adrian may bring home the bacon as they say, but Nancy rules the roost. She is a force to be reckoned with, and if anyone’s in charge in that hou
sehold, it’s her.

  Sandra nods and then stands as if she’s addressing an auditorium and I stifle a grin as she claps her hands and says regally, “My husband and I took the extremely hard decision to downsize from our rather large estate in Surrey.”

  I stare at her incredulously as she wipes an imaginary tear from her eye and sniffs, “It was the hardest decision we ever had to make because we were pillars of the community and in huge social demand.”

  “Why did you move then?”

  I resist yawning and if looks could kill, Sandra would be up for murder as she glares and says tightly, “Personal reasons that I don’t want to go into now.”

  Once again, Liam nudges me and I take another swig of my wine, wishing I could just close my eyes and sleep through this whole debacle. I can’t remember the last time I had over four hours sleep and it’s taking its toll.

  Reaching inside my pocket, I slip another pill from the packet and surreptitiously take it with another swig of my wine. I know I’m walking a fine line here, but I rely on my pills to keep me awake because I need to get through this case before I can think of a normal sleep pattern.

  Liam stiffens beside me and I know he noticed, making me feel annoyed with myself. I promised him I would stop taking them and now we’ll have the usual argument when we get home.

  Great, the only promise I’m on tonight, is the one that will have me backed into a corner while he shouts at me, probably ending with me dissolving into hysterics and promising to change right before we have make-up sex.

  Keith stands and my heart sinks as I see him wielding his usual clipboard and I watch as he perches his tortoiseshell glasses on the end of his nose and says in his nasal voice, “Now that you’re all here, I wonder if I can sign you up to sit on the neighbourhood committee. I am chairman and Sandra sees to the refreshment and social side of things. We need a secretary, a treasurer and active committee members. Esme, can I count on you?”

  He turns to her first which gives the rest of us time to come up with an excuse and she stares at him like a deer caught in a hunter’s sight. “Oh, um…”

  “Of course, she’ll sign up, what else does she have to do?”

  Sandra butts in without giving Esme a chance to decide for herself, and Keith nods and reaches behind him.

  “Good, then your first job will be to deliver these leaflets around the development, inviting the residents to a meeting here two weeks from today.”

  Esme takes the wad of leaflets looking slightly stunned but I have no time to commiserate because Keith turns to us and says firmly, “Jasmine, you will be our legal expert who will advise on a free of charge basis, should the need arise.”

  I open my mouth to tell him where to shove my advice and Liam blurts, “Of course, no problem.”

  I glare at him and then grin as Keith says, “Liam, you can assist me with the neighbourhood watch project. There is a meeting in town on the subject that we will attend together next Thursday evening.”

  Without stopping for breath, he says, “Nancy and Adrian, you can assist and Nancy, I feel as if you have time to take on the role of Treasurer. You possess all the qualities and it would be churlish of you to refuse.”

  Now I know the real reason we were invited this evening. We’ve been trapped and played, and if I wasn’t so angry, I would be suitably impressed. Yes, the Wickham’s are a force to be reckoned with and I need to be one step ahead of them because as sure as I want to be anywhere but here, they’ve got us all over a barrel.

  Chapter 14

  Lola

  I’m so frightened. Ever since Mr Evans left this morning, I’ve been trying to think of a way out of here. What happened in this room earlier has changed everything. The way he looked at me, the menace in his eyes and the realisation that he’s dangerous has caused me to completely re-think my situation.

  I need to get out—but how?

  I’m a victim of my gullibility, and I wonder if my father knows by now. I shiver as I think about the picture Mr Evans took of me. My face burns and my body heats as I imagine how he’ll feel when he sees me so vulnerable and afraid. This is all wrong and the more I think about it, the more I see this was never right. If these men are from the police, why lock me in this room like a prisoner? Why not let me have the run of the house and why deposit bags of food instead of allowing me to fix my own meal?

  All day long I worry about him returning. Normal life goes on all around me and I look enviously at people who don’t know the horror being played out a few feet away. Would they help me, or would they look away? I’m not sure because I know a lot about people looking away.

  My childhood wasn’t the same as those boys who live opposite. A pleasant garden to play in, toys and freedom. It scared my father to let me out because our neighbourhood was the sort of place you sprinted to your flat and bolted the door against people who wanted everything you have. Drugs, prostitution, and poverty. They were normal in Triton towers and the screams mingled with the sirens as yet another body was spirited away, another investigation launched and another life ruined.

  It’s why we came to Brighton. It’s why my father did what he did to ensure our safety, and it’s why I’m sitting here now. He went against the code. He stepped outside the lines drawn by society and dared to stand up to the bullies.

  What he saw bought us our freedom, but that’s a joke because there is no freedom for either of us—not yet. Not unless he plays his part and delivers on his promise, then they will deliver on theirs. A new identity, a new home, a new life, far away from the desperate one we’ve run screaming from. But now everything’s changed because of him—Mr Evans. He looked at me as if I was dirt under his shoe. Disposable and a pawn in a dangerous game. The thought of my father seeing me stripped and vulnerable makes the tears fall and the shame set in. I’m not stupid, I know how these things work, I’ve lived among it all my life.

  I heard the whispers in the hallways at the local comprehensive. Girls spoke of parties they were taken to in exchange for money, drugs and a little affection where they never had it before. I listened eagerly as they giggled in the girl’s toilet. Speaking of things that would make your hair curl and your heart almost give out. The only thing girls had in my school of any value was their body, and there were endless chances to use it for monetary gain. A ticket out of hell by selling their souls to the devil. It happened—a lot, and I avoided it myself. It wasn’t for me and yet here I am, waiting for Mr Evans because the look in his eye told me my fate had been sealed. That room with the camera, the black sheet on the bed, I knew as soon as I saw it, this is no safe house.

  Darkness falls and my stomach growls, reminding me my body continues to operate even though my mind is scrambled. The creaking of the garage door lifting alerts me to the fact he’s back and my heart races so fast I’m hopeful on it giving out on me.

  Clutching my hoodie tightly around me, I almost hyperventilate as I hear the dull echo of his footsteps on the wooden floor below. Then it changes as his feet hit the carpeted steps of the staircase, bringing him closer, bringing my situation to a head.

  My mouth goes dry as I hear the key in the lock and blind panic sets in as it inches open and he slides in, filling the space with threat and terror.

  “Here.” He throws the bag at me and instinctively my arms reach out to catch it and he says in a dull voice, “I’ve no time for you tonight, so be grateful I’m feeling in a good mood.”

  He turns away and I stare after him in surprise. Thank God, he’s leaving.

  Just before the door closes, I hear another sound, a muffled groan and the sound of movement below and I strain to listen as the door slams shut behind him, effectively cutting off any sound.

  Quickly, I move to the door and press my ear to the wood and listen for any sign we are not alone.

  Muffled voices reach me and I press my ear to the crack under the door to listen.

  Whoever is here is whispering because there is more than Mr Evans out there.

&nbs
p; The sound increases as whoever’s downstairs makes their way upstairs and I make out a few words, “Hurry!”

  Somebody groans and I hear an object being dragged and then a door slams.

  There are voices from down the hall but that’s all I hear and I wonder what’s going on.

  I’m not sure how long I sit by the door, but it feels like hours as I listen for anything that will enlighten me. Then I hear footsteps heading my way and I race and stand by the window, nervously playing with my fingers as the key turns once again.

  Mr Evans heads into the room looking as if he’s run a marathon. Gone is the self-assured detective with no emotion, and in its place is a man on the edge of something I can’t quite place.

  He looks at me with an interest I hoped would have gone away and says darkly, “Move away from the window.”

  Nervously, I step to the side and he snarls, “You know the rules, you stay hidden and if anyone sees you, you may as well be dead. Don’t make me handcuff you to the bed because I’m starting to think that’s the best idea.”

  He advances towards me and I shrink under his lustful gaze because there is interest in his eyes as they burn right through my soul, stripping me of any dignity I have as his intentions become clear.

  As he reaches me, he grabs my wrist and pulls me roughly against him and I smell sweat mixed with alcohol and a scent I can’t place. I want to wrinkle my nose in disgust because it’s a pungent odour that I’ve never smelt before and as his arm hooks around my waist, he pulls me against his body and growls, “I’m getting tired of this shit. Your father is not playing by the rules, and so I think it’s time we do the same.”

  His hand moves lower and he grabs me hard and growls, “I’m done with this. My patience is wearing thin. If your father doesn’t cooperate, then this ass is mine. I will teach him not to mess with me and you will pay the price for his mistake. I’m almost tempted to show you what that means right now, but I have a job to do and don’t have the time.”