by Wendy Gill
“Do you think I could come and work for you in your office? Like Aunt Fran did. Would you permit me to do that?”
“I should be delighted to have you. My filing system could do with sorting out, I am afraid I have neglected it since your Aunt Fran passed on. The filing was one of her jobs you see.”
“Then on Monday morning I shall accompany you to work and make a start on your filing system,” Ella smiled at him.
Their shopping bought and stored away in the larder, Mr Grundy and Ella made their way next door. There was no sign of anyone when Mr Grundy knocked on the door; no one came to answer it.
Mr Grundy waited a few seconds and knocked again and when there was still no sign of anyone answering his knock, he opened the door and went in.
Once inside, Mr Grundy shouted, “Hello! Is anyone home?”
“Do you think we should be entering the house when no one is around?” Ella wanted to know.
“Of course, you noticed the door was unlocked. Charlie leaves it unlocked for me to come and go as I please. I do the same, it is very rare we lock our doors, only when we go to bed or if I know Charlie is not going to be in, do I lock my door. It is a very quiet little town. Not much goes off here. That is probably why I forgot to lock the workshop door and our mystery man was able to gain entry.”
“You say not much goes off in your little quiet town, you could have fooled me. I have lived in some busier towns than this and I have never come across a body in a trunk before. I don’t think finding a body in a trunk is a very common event, even in a busy town.”
“No, I must say it has livened things up a little.” Mr Grundy started to ascend the stairs with Ella following.
Once again Mr Grundy knocked on one of the bedroom doors and when he got no response he entered.
Ella found herself in a sparsely furnished room with a single bed in it. Lying upon that bed was the gentleman from the trunk. He had been cleaned up and his shoulder had a clean white bandage made into a sling holding his arm close to his body to try and stop him moving it.
If his leg had a similar bandage on, they could not tell, for he was covered with clean white bed linen. His face was nearly as white as his bandage and the sheets.
Jackson was sitting by the window reading a book.
“Hello, I’m glad you are back from your shopping. Stay with the patient whilst I go and get something to eat, will you? Charlie doesn’t give a damn if I starve to death so long as he can go to his precious police station. One of these days he is going to come home, and I will not be here, then he will miss me,” Jackson grumbled heading for the door.
“We didn’t think anyone was in. Why didn’t you answer the door to our knock?” Ella asked his back.
“I heard you come in, you were making enough noise to wake the dead. I knew you would come to check on the patient so why should I bother getting up to answer the door, and anyway, I had just reached a very interesting chapter in my book,” Jackson said before he disappeared.
Ella went over to the bed and saw the gentleman’s shallow breathing and said to Mr Grundy, “He is alive, for I can see his chest moving up and down.”
“Jackson knows what he is doing.”
“I am surprised at Charlie, leaving him with nothing to eat.”
“Don’t let Jackson fool you Ella, he will have told Charlie to go and see if he can find anything out about the patient. Jackson likes to complain but it is only an act.”
The bedroom door opened and in walked Charlie, his face beamed at the sight of Mr Grundy and Ella.
Charlie walked over to Ella took her hand and kissed the back of it, “Ah, my fiancé.”
Ella looked him in the eye, “The very same.”
“Good girl,” he approved, patted her hand and went over to look at the patient.
“Have you found anything out about him?” Mr Grundy asked.
“Nothing, no crime has been reported nor anybody hearing gun shots or even seeing a man walking about bleeding,” Charlie told them.
“This might help.” Mr Grundy took the occurrence book out of his pocket and handed it to Charlie.
Charlie looked at Mr Grundy as he took the book from his hand.
Mr Grundy said, “Ella found it at the bottom of the trunk when she went to clean up the blood in case my two unwelcome guests returned.”
Charlie opened the occurrence book and looked at the front page and read: "PC 152, Melvin Keyser. Hotshell Division.
“If this book belongs to our patient, his name is Melvin Keyser, he is a policeman and he is based at Hotshell. That is about four miles away. I wonder what he was doing on our patch. I had better go back to the station and let them know. Where is boy wonder by the way?”
“Who is boy wonder?” Ella asked.
“Jackson of course,” Charlie replied.
“He has gone to get something to eat,” Ella told him.
“Eating me out of house and home as usual, for an old man he can certainly put it away. Look after the patient. I shall see you when I get back.”
“Another policeman. I wonder what is going on. I wonder if those other two who came and searched the house are policemen too. I wonder if our patient is a good policeman or not,” Ella looked at Mr Grundy.
“There are a lot of wonders there Ella.”
“Well, there is a lot to think about.”
“If I were a betting man, I would say the patient is the good policeman and the other two are the villains. They might have been stylishly dressed but I do not think a good policeman would push his way into somebody’s house and search it like those two did. I don’t think they were policemen at all.”
There was a knock on the door and Ella went over and opened it to find Jackson had returned bearing a tray with a steaming bowl of soup and a glass of milk on it.
“I am going to try and get some food down him. Will you give me a hand with these pillows? I will lift him up while you pile the pillows behind him to get him into a semi-sitting position. It should stop him from choking as I feed him the soup.”
Jackson placed the tray on the table near the window then went back to the bed and gently lifted the patient up and Ella piled the pillows up behind him.
Going over to the table Jackson dragged it to the side of the bed and said, “There is nothing more for you two to do here. I will be alright now. I have had something to eat and I am sure it will not be long before Charlie is back.”
“He has already been back and gone again,” Mr Grundy told him.
“The devil he has. What is he up to now?”
“Ella found an occurrence book in the trunk this morning, so I gave it to Charlie. He has gone back to the police station to try and find out who he is.”
Jackson looked at his patient, “He is a policeman, is he? Why didn’t Charlie recognise him if he is a fellow policeman? I must admit I have never seen him before and I go to the police station occasionally.”
“He is from Hotshell, or at least that is what it says in the book. But we don’t know that the book does belong to him. That is another thing we do not know. So, in fact, we know nothing,” replied Mr Grundy.
“We will go back home now Jackson and leave you to tend to your patient. Would you and Charlie like to come around to Mr Grundy’s house around 7 o’clock this evening and I will have a meal ready for us all? Mr Grundy has bought a very nice piece of beef for dinner.”
“That would be marvellous Ella, but Blanche is coming here this evening,” Jackson informed her.
“Then we shall expect Blanche as well. I should very much like to meet her. Mr Grundy has told me all about her, how you and she met, besides that, I would like to meet anyone that knew my Aunt Fran,” Ella replied.
“7 o’clock it is then, I shall look forward to it.”
Chapter Five
Ella enjoyed herself in the kitchen pottering around preparing the evening meal. She pondered as she worked on how her life had suddenly become exciting and interesting.
Mr Gr
undy had given her permission to do as she wished in the kitchen. He was more than happy to let go of the reins where the kitchen was concerned. Two days ago, things had certainly been very different for her.
She was going to have to see about getting somewhere of her own to live, she could not expect to stay with Mr Grundy forever but, she decided, for at least a few weeks she was going to stay where she was and enjoy herself. She decided she didn’t care a fig for what would be said about her, this was the happiest she had been since her father died.
She felt at ease and that she belonged in the company she had now found herself in. There was also a mystery to solve. Things were certainly looking up.
When their guests arrived, Ella was dwarfed by Jackson’s, Blanche. In fact, Jackson was dwarfed by his Blanche. Only Charlie was just inches taller than she was.
Blanche was dressed in a bright orange and tan gown, her face was framed by mousey brown curly hair that hung down passed her shoulders in two thick ringlets, tied loosely back with a bright orange ribbon.
“This is Blanche, Blanche this is Ella. We met Ella yesterday for the first time when she landed us with that body I have been telling you about. The one that is upstairs in Charlie’s spare bedroom.”
The two ladies shook hands, and both had a mischievous smile on their lips and Ella said, “I am Fran’s niece. Mr Grundy thankfully tracked me down and gave me the opportunity to come here. I am so pleased to meet you all. Any friend of my Aunt Fran’s, I hope will be a friend of mine.”
“I was wondering where old Clarence had got you from. So, you are Ella, Fran’s niece, are you? I should have guessed. You look a bit like her,” Charlie commented.
“Please come through into the kitchen, dinner is all about ready and Mr Grundy will pour us all a drink.”
During dinner Charlie told them they knew nothing at all about the mystery man at the police station. Nobody had ever heard PC Keyser’s name mentioned, so he was going to ride over to Hotshell tomorrow and take the occurrence book with him. They would be able to tell him if he did indeed work for the constabulary.
Jackson looked across at his beloved Blanche and said, “Is something wrong poppet? You are very quiet tonight.”
Blanche put her knife and fork down and announced, “I am pregnant.”
Everything went quiet in the kitchen and they all sat looking at Blanche who kept her head bent forward and her eyes downcast.
Ella was the first to speak, “How wonderful Blanche, congratulations.”
“You would not be saying that if you knew my parents. They will be furious with me,” Blanche whispered.
“It has nothing to do with your parents,” Jackson said. “My God Blanche, this is wonderful news, me having a baby, who would have thought that?”
“Certainly not me,” said Charlie, “I would not have thought you had it in you. Congratulations to you both, this is a happy occasion indeed, let us drink to the mother and baby.”
“What about the father?” Jackson asked, “Why can’t we drink to me as well? After all it is my baby too.”
“My apologies Jackson, let us drink to the mother, father and baby?” Charlie amended raising his glass of wine.
Jackson stood up and took Blanche’s glass of wine out of her hand.
“Not for you my poppet. No more wine for you until you have had the baby. I don’t suppose you have a glass of milk Blanche could have, do you Ella?”
“Milk!” exclaimed Blanche.
“Lots of calcium for the baby,” Jackson told her.
“Aren’t you mad with me?” she asked looking across at Jackson.
“Mad at you, why the hell should I be mad with you? It is fantastic news. We will have to get married now, whether you want to or not.”
“Of course, I want to marry you Jackson, I adore you. But we have nowhere to live, no money and I will not go cap in hand to my parents. This is our baby and I want to bring it up as our baby. My mother will try to take over, but I shall not let her, I shall tell her she will not see her grandchild if she starts telling me what to do and how to bring the baby up. I will not have it.”
“You are putting the cart before the horse Blanche. I am sure your mother will be delighted that you are having a baby. You are too harsh on her,” Charlie told her.
“She will not be delighted you know, when my mother finds out I am pregnant out of wedlock, she might well turn me out of the house,” Blanche replied.
“We have been idling along for far too long. Now the situation has come to a head, we are going to have to take the bull by the horns and get married and see where it takes us. Something will turn up,” Jackson told her.
“Why have you not married before now?” asked Ella.
"Jackson and I are happy as we are. I will not force him into marrying me if he does not want to. My parents keep throwing eligible young men at me, but I am not interested in any of them. I know they are only after my money, or I should say my father’s money.
“Jackson is the only man I have ever met that treats me like a delicate flower. I am a giant of a woman and not very elegant and my teeth should have been removed at birth, but none of that matters to my Jackson, he makes me feel small and delicate and I love him.”
“Anyone that loves Jackson and is willing to take him off my hands has my support any time, day or night,” Charlie said.
The tension in the room became more relaxed and the little party laughed.
Ella asked, “Have you thought of any names for the baby Blanche?”
“If it is a boy, I will tell you what it is not going to be called and that is Charles,” Jackson said.
“Well don’t call it Clarence either, poor little thing,” Mr Grundy remarked.
“I am going to have to get my thinking cap on now and find a suitable place to set up a veterinary practice instead of relying on word of mouth and the odd job for the police,” Jackson muttered.
“What about Fran’s workshop? Why not set up there, it is empty now and it would be ideal for you, surely? We could build some kennels at the back and there is also the meadow next to it which belongs to me. There are no neighbours to worry about only Charlie, and he does not count,” Mr Grundy told him.
“I could not afford that, but thanks for the offer Clarence. I am going to have to start small and work my way up.”
"You insult me Jackson, who mentioned money? You do not have to pay me for the use of it. It is yours if you want to use it. A gift to Blanche, you and your baby, from me and Fran. Fran would have been delighted at the thought of a baby. I am sure she would be the first to insist you use the meadow and workshop to set up a surgery.
“You were there for me when I needed you when Fran died. Now, I can repay your kindness and be there for you both in your hour of need,” Mr Grundy said.
“What about you Ella? I think Fran intended you to have the workshop. She always said it was to come to you when anything happened to her and Clarence of course. I do not think she intended it for Blanche and me,” said Jackson.
"I think it is a wonderful idea. Aunt Fran can still have a hand in helping you both. I think she would be delighted at the thought of her friends having a baby and being able to lend them a helping hand. Aunt Fran was very fond of you both, Mr Grundy has already told me that.
“He has also told me you have all been very kind to him and helped him through his worst days after Aunt Fran died. I think it is a very nice gesture Mr Grundy, and I think Aunt Fran would be proud of you for making it. If it will help you out Jackson, I should grab the offer with both hands,” Ella told them all.
"It most certainly would. I think it is the perfect solution for us, but where are we going to live? We cannot expect misery guts here to put us all up. The house is not big enough anyway, or it will not be once the baby arrives.
“We will all have to sleep on it, but I think if you are still in the same frame of mind in the morning Clarence, Blanche and I will be most grateful and take you up on the offer. In fact, if
the worst came to the worst, we could always sleep in the workshop as well until my practice gets on its feet then we could find somewhere to live,” Jackson told him.
Jackson looked up at Charlie, “You have gone quiet.”
“I was just thinking about the baby, a real live baby. Well done Blanche. It is a wonderful thing to have happened and I cannot wait to see it. It will be a pleasure to behold, watching Jackson change the nappies. I only hope the baby has your face Blanche and not Jackson’s,” Charlie said.
“I bet I do a better job of changing a nappy than you ever would,” Jackson countered.
“We’ll see Jackson old boy, we’ll see,” Charlie told him.
Blanche used to this banter, looked ’round the table and a tear came to her eye.
“Thank you all for your support. I thought I was going to have to go begging to my parents. I am willing to sleep in the workshop if Mr Grundy permits and try to keep out of everybody’s way.”
“What on earth are you talking about Blanche? Once you and Jackson are married, you must, of course, come to live with him. There will be time enough before the baby arrives to sort something more suitable out for you, Jackson and the baby. As for keeping out of everybody’s way, why would you want to do that? I thought we were all friends?” Charlie wanted to know.
“I always felt I was in the way at home, so I kept out of the way as much as I could when my parents had visitors, I think they are ashamed of me. They wanted some tiny, dainty little thing to show off in front of their snobby friends and they got me. I am a great disappointment to them,” Blanche sighed.
“I think you are doing your parents an injustice Blanche. They seem to have done a good job in bringing you up, but then again, I have not met them. Is your coming to live here with us going to make you feel you are missing out on the grand lifestyle your parents provide for you?” asked Jackson.
“Why do you think I would prefer to live with them rather than come and look after you?” asked Blanche.
"I will never be able to provide for you the way your parents do. It is going to be a struggle to make ends meet but if Mr Grundy is going to let me use his workshop and use his meadow as part of the surgery, and Charlie is letting us stay with him for a few months until the baby arrives, then things might not turn out to be so bad after all.
