The Stalking of Louise Copperfield

by Robert W Fisk

  Nobody knew the truth about Mr Bannister, she was certain. Louise had always assumed the school bullies had made up the chant because she was pretty and all the boys talked to her. Because of Mr Bannister, she would fob them off and have nothing to do with them.

  ‘That guy stuffed up the rest of my life,’ thought Louise. ‘My depression, my lack of self-esteem, lack of trust, my anxiety and my insecurity all go back to that time.’

  “Louise? I asked you if you wanted to come to the clinic. Didn’t you hear me?” asked Andrina.

  “Sorry, Andrina. Lost in sadness,” said Louise. “I can’t believe this is happening. Let me ring work and say I’ll be in late and I’ll follow you in my car.”

  Louise got to the Pet Pals Clinic just after Andrina so she was able to help carry Tess into the surgery where Andrina could do a full examination. Tess was put on a drip, which made an almost instant difference. Although still not able or willing to move, Tess looked more alert, her eyes focusing on Louise as she leaned over the dog.

  Mr Ross’s voice could be heard through the open doorway. He was talking to someone in another room.

  “Hello,” said a woman coming through the doorway. “I’m Janice Ross. I didn’t realise there was anyone in the surgery. How did you get in? The clinic is closed at the moment.”

  “Sorry,” said Louise. ‘Stop apologizing,’ her inner voice said. ‘You have every right to see what’s going on with your dog.’ “

  The woman continued, “What are you doing inside the clinic? We are closed, you know.”

  “My dog has been poisoned. Andrina needed help to bring him from the car. My name is Louise Copperfield. I think, Janice, we were at school together? I was Louise Moore then.”

  Janice’s face showed recognition. “Yes, I remember you. You were the shy girl, especially around boys.”

  ‘Nothing about Louise Moore the school whore,’ thought Louise. She smiled at Janice Ross, who smiled back.

  “Aren’t you looking after Youssef? He’s had a rough time,” said Janice. “Can you imagine what Syria was like before he left? No food, brutality, death. Or made to fight for one side or the other.”

  “His English is really improving, said Robert Ross as he came through the doorway. “His vocabulary has improved, but he needs operational words now.”

  “Well,” said Louise, “he is attending classes at school. That should help. We have an hour’s conversation a day. Maybe I could teach some medical words, but I don’t know veterinary science.”

  “Like sutures, emetic, blood test,” answered Robert.

  “Can you write down a list of the equipment he needs to know?” asked Louise.

  “I can do that,” said Janice. “Andrina will have your address, and I’ve no doubt you’ll be back to see, what was it? Your dog?”

  “I’ll take a look at it,” offered Robert. “What poison?”

  “Pindone,” said Louise.

  “Good God, no hope then,” said Robert as he hurried off to join Andrina in the surgery.

  Louise followed Janice as she left to open doors. Two people who were waiting to enter stepped back to let Louise by. She got into her car and drove home knowing that Tess was going to die and wondering how to tell Alexander.

  CHAPTER 31.

  It was not Alexander who posed a problem when Louise told him about Tess. It was Frank.

  First, Louise had to tell Alexander.

  “Alexander, Tess is very sick,” she said, holding his hand to comfort him. “She has eaten some poison.”

  “Will she die?” asked Alexander in the direct manner of seven year olds.

  “I think so. Would you like to see her to say goodbye?” asked Louise.

  Alexander nodded with his face muscles fixed in a mask so that he did not cry like a baby. His stomach churned and he felt unwell. He went with Louise to the car and they drove to the vet clinic without speaking. Louise was upset; she was upset because Tess was dying, she was upset because she had to deal with Alexander’s grief, she was upset that somehow the dog biscuits had been contaminated. She dreaded the inquisition that would come from Frank.

  Andrina was in the clinic, finishing stitching a wound on a dog, a small Corgi, which lay on its side, panting. Louise and Alexander sat down and watched through the open door. The owner of the Corgi sat across from them, not watching what was happening on the operating table. She smiled at Alexander, who smiled back.

  “My dog’s dying,” he said in the matter of fact voice boys use when facing the end of their world.

  “Are you sure?” asked the lady. “The people here can save most animals.”

  “She has been poisoned,” said Louise. “Pindone was mixed in with her biscuits.”

  “Oh, poor thing,” said the lady. “I am so sorry for you.”

  Andrina came from the surgery and spoke to the lady.

  “Mrs Beatson, Cam is fine. I’ve stitched him up and he should be as good as new. Shall I keep him in overnight? Or will you come back in about an hour?”

  “I’ll come back,” said Mrs Beatson. “Thank you, Andrina. It wasn’t so much the bite I was worried about, although it bled quite a lot. It was the risk of infection.”

  “You should notify the police,” said Andrina. “I am sure the owner of the wandering dog will be made to pay for the damage to Cam the Corgi.”

  “Shall I pay now?” asked Mrs Beatson.

  “When you pick him up,” said Andrina. “Louise, would you like to come through?”

  Andrina looked at Alexander. “What’s your name, young man?” she asked.

  ”Alexander,” he replied. “Is Tess dead yet?”

  “No. But she is very sick. Do you think you could talk to her? Say some nice things about how much fun you had?” asked Andrina.

  Tess lay in a cage, on her side, struggling to breathe.

  “She’s not responding,” said Andrina. “She’s suffering badly. Would you like me to euthanize her?”

  “What’s you-then-eyes?” asked Alexander.

  “Put her to sleep,” said Andrina.

  Alexander did not understand that put her to sleep meant end her life.

  Louise said quietly, “I’ll talk to you in a minute, privately.” Then louder she said, “Alexander, would you like to tell Tess about the fun you’ve had and that it’s now time to say goodbye?”

  The two women moved back into the waiting room. Mrs Beatson had been the last customer and nobody else had come in since with a pet for treatment. They listened to Alexander talking to Tess.

  “You’re a good dog Tess. I liked it when you chased rabbits at the beach and the time when you chased one round a big bush and it ran into me. I didn’t like it when you ran away and hid from us and stayed out all night.”

  “Please put Tess down after we leave,” said Louise. “I don’t want Alexander to know. Just say she died in her sleep.”

  Although brave on the outside, Louise was suffering and as a result her breath kept catching and her eyes kept filling with tears. She had to work hard to control her feelings for Alexander’s sake.

  “Say good bye now,” she said to Alexander. “I think Tess wants to go to sleep.”

  Alexander kissed the dog on the forehead. “Goodbye Tess. I’ll come and play with you in heaven one day,” he said.

  CHAPTER 32.

  Alexander was in bed when Louise told Frank about the Pindone biscuits and Tess being put down. Frank was scarlet with rage.

  “You left Alexander to look after the dog?” he roared. “He’s only seven. What a stupid thing to do.”

  “Kids need to develop responsibility, Frank,” Louise replied.

  “Responsibility!” he roared. “How responsible was it to let the kid handle a deadly poison?”

  His arms began to swing, which they did when he was very angry. They swung up in front of his face and then down to his sides, up to his face and down to his sides. Louise knew from experience that to get too close to Frank at a time like this was dangerous. If
he got angrier, the movement of the arms would change, flinging out from his hands held in front of his stomach to as far aside as he could reach, and back again. The flinging outward started at the level of Frank’s waist but as he got more violent the hands would fly higher. Anyone within range of his long arms would be hit, not deliberately but definitely powerfully enough to knock one down. Or in Louise’s case, break her nose.

  “I didn’t know the green bits were poison,” said Louise.

  “Well, you should have checked. Good God, do I have to do everything myself round here!” said Frank in a loud voice.

  “Don’t you raise your voice to me!” said Louise sharply.

  “I’ll say what I bloody want, in any way I want,” said Frank.

  “And bet money on seducing your wife?” said Louise. “Is that the way you want this marriage to go? I heard you and Larcombe. You’re scum. Is that why Larcombe is always here? Because you bet he couldn’t seduce me without drugs?”

  Frank rushed at Louise. He hit her in the middle of the chest. Louise couldn’t breathe. She sat on the floor on her backside trying to get some breath. Then Kezia hit Frank with a small wooden baseball bat that belonged to Alexander. Frank staggered and went into their bedroom, slamming the door shut behind him.

  Kezia stood still, her mouth open and her eyes wide open like a startled horse. She held the bat loosely in two hands as if she was putting a golf ball. Louise got up and left the room. Kezia found her crying on Kezia’s bed.

  “Mum. You couldn’t help it,” said Kezia. “That’s unfair. Where did you buy the biscuits?”

  “At the supermarket,” Louise replied. “I can remember there were no green biscuits when I changed the bags from the old one to the new one, because Charlotte was here and we liked the pretty colours.”

  “Kezia,” roared Frank from the lounge, “get back here. Now.”

  Kezia ignored him.

  “It’s all right, Mum,” she said. “Alexander is fine. He’s upset at Tess dying but he hasn’t been poisoned.”

  “Kezia!” Frank’s voice was very loud. “I won’t tell you again!”

  “You’d better go, love,” said Louise. “I’ll be all right. Just don’t answer him back. He can’t stand that.”

  “Kezia!”

  “Coming, Frank.”

  “Where the Hell is your brother?” asked Frank. “I want to see he’s all right.”

  “He’s playing footy in the park,” said Kezia. “I’ll make him a sandwich when he gets in.”

  “No you bloody won’t,” said Frank. “That should be your mother’s job. Lazy cow. Bloody good for nothing sheila.”

  “Don’t speak about my mother like that!” said Kezia. “She’s a lot better than you deserve. And if you hit her again, you’ll be dog tucker. Go away and leave us alone!”

  Frank’s arms swung and hit Kezia across the chest, knocking her down. Louise flew out of the bedroom to intervene in Frank and Kezia’s shouting match.

  “Oh, sorry!” said Frank. “Sorry Kezia. It was an accident.”

  Frank bent down to help Kezia to her feet. She was not hurt but needed to catch her breath. Louise clawed at Frank with her hands and nails.

  “Get off her! Get off her you drunken bastard!” she roared.

  Frank fended Louise off. He was now contrite with all the anger gone from him.

  “Kezia, I’m sorry,” he said. “Forgive me please!”

  He helped Kezia to her feet. Kezia said, “Mum, are you alright?”

  Frank, who had blood running down his face from Louise’s raking nails, turned to Kezia.

  “Please, Kezia. I didn’t mean it.”

  Without a word the two of them turned and left Frank standing where he was.

  CHAPTER 33.

  Louise and Kezia walked to the park. A small crowd of children was playing touch rugby. How they told the sides apart was anybody’s guess but the players seemed to know without the need for uniforms. Alexander was one of the smallest players, smaller even than the girls in the game who were a little older. Alexander’s skill was speed. He could catch anyone on the field and touch them to make them relinquish the ball.

  Kezia and Louise watched him for a while, pleased to be away from the unhappy house. After some time, Alexander became aware of them and left the game. He seemed to have forgotten about Tess.

  “Hi Mum. Hi Kezia,” he said. “Did you see my tackle?”

  “We saw five great tackles,” said Louise. “Wow! You can run so fast. When did you learn that?”

  “Tess teached me,” he replied. “She was a good dog. Is she dead yet? Did that lady you-then-eyes her?”

  “Good Grief,” said Louise with a laugh. “Where did you learn that word?”

  “I asked my friends. They said it means to make a pet go to sleep and not wake up. Ever.”

  “I haven’t asked the clinic, but I think Tess is in Heaven now,” said Louise.

  “Will she be playing with Grandma?” asked Alexander.

  Grandma was actually Louise’s maternal grandmother, Joy Meade, who had passed away three years before.

  “I think so, dear. Let’s get you home and get some food for you,” said Louise. “After such a good game you must feel very hungry.”

  She felt better now, more in control of matters with both of her children beside her. She felt she could protect them. That’s what a mother should do. Protect her kids; what her own mother Hester had failed to do.

  Louise and Kezia walked on each side of Alexander. Kezia took one of his hands and Louise took the other. Suddenly the world was calm with one clear goal, support Alexander.

  When they arrived at the house, Frank had gone. There was a bloody face cloth and towel in the en suite bathroom. Louise rinsed both items in cold water and placed them on the heated towel rail. Kezia was busy making sandwiches with Alexander requesting his favourite fillings. It was hard to believe that the violent exchange had ever happened.

  Frank came back silently that night. He slept in the spare bed in Alexander’s room. Louise heard him even though for a change he was not drunk. She did not bother to go through to him. She lay awake thinking of how to split up with Frank without hurting the children. She barely slept but no matter how she approached the problem she still had no answer.

  In the morning, Louise heard Frank get up. He did not shower or shave. He seemed to be sorting something out in the garage which he used as an office. He came back into the house briefly and then left.

  Louise heaved a sigh of relief. Life was so much easier when Frank was at work. She went to Alexander’s room to get him ready for school. He was not there.

  Louise saw a note on the dresser. It was in an envelope, obviously used to stop children reading it.

  “Louise”. Not even Dear Louise. “I am off. I have a new lady. I am moving in with her. I have Alec and will get him to school and home each day. Leave him alone or you will not live to see the consequences.”

  The note was not signed. It did not need to be.

  CHAPTER 34.

  The Pet Pals Veterinary Clinic notified the police of a poisoning of a pet. The notification sat for some time before time allowed a visit to the dog owner. DC Jayne Hyslop was chosen to investigate by Inspector Chadwick because the dog owner was the same as the complainant in the date rape case. Others only knew the victim as Ms X.

  First Jayne checked for any other similar incidents. There were none. Then she looked for suppliers of Pindone. It was available only through farm supply businesses, vets, and garden shops. All required a name, address and telephone number before a sale could be made. Jayne knew she would have to visit all the businesses, but thought she would start with Louise Copperfield first.

  As a Detective Constable Jayne Hyslop did not need to be in uniform, whereas her husband, PC Bernard Smith did except when undercover. In fact, she found that people, especially women, were more inclined to share confidences with her when she was in mufti.

  Jayne liked Louise from the tim
e that she had taken her to the hospital with Father Larkin. She thought Louise was level headed, not given to complaining. She had not filed a complaint about her dog being poisoned. Were the two incidents related?

  Jayne looked at her woman before her. She saw an attractive woman in her early forties, around five foot two compared with Jayne’s five six, someone who was highly stressed, and not just about a dog being poisoned. She could understand that but there seemed to be more behind the dog’s death that Louise realised.

  First Jayne got the details of Tess’s death, of Alexander finding the dog in distress, of the vet’s opinion and Tess’s treatment. Because Pindone works by thinning the blood, once an animal collapses it is too late for treatment. Poor Tess had to be put down.

  They sat at a table by the window, looking out over the garden. Louise remained silent, staring out of the window as she tried to gather her thoughts.

  “Louise, when you were doped, I asked you if anyone was paying you a lot of attention. You said no. What else has happened, Louise? You seem so stressed out. I mean outside things, like Tess being poisoned,” said Jayne. “Graffiti on the front door. Plants poisoned with what looks like RoundUp.”

  RoundUp was a brand of a gramoxone based weed killer, too common to be traced to its origins.

  “Basically, it’s the party where... you know what happened. Now I can’t let Frank touch me.” Louise said nothing about the wager

  “You’re going to suffer quite a lot from the date rape,” said Jayne. She thought that if she was matter-of-fact about it, Louise might also be.

  .“He locked away the garden tools. He said I spent too much time in the garden and then I was always too tired for him,” said Louise. “I nearly told him why I couldn’t but I didn’t.”

  Jayne had heard a similar story many times: a situation where a wife who was too stressed and tired to get in the mood and a husband who was impatient for sex too often led to domestic violence. She changed her tactic, remembering her thought that Frank might have been behind the drug rape that Louise had suffered. Had he been teaching his wife a lesson? Was he looking for grounds for divorce?