by Cathy Ace
Betty wished her husband were there to lead the questioning. ‘I see,’ she said, not really understanding at all. ‘That must be frightening. A difficult situation.’ She decided to take a chance. ‘You probably made one silly decision, and you didn’t realize how big a mistake it would end up being.’
Aled sat up a little straighter. ‘That’s exactly right,’ he said, a glint of what Betty believed was hope in his eyes. ‘All I did was get a job. Just a job. I love surfing, see? It’s what I do to be my true self. But surfing costs a lot; Stew’s been great, lending me all his new and used stuff, but Grannie couldn’t afford to buy the things that had to specifically fit me, so I got a job, delivering food, on my bike.’
Betty nodded her encouragement.
‘I’d take my bike to school with me, on the bus, then work up in Sketty, in the evenings. Delivering pizzas, burgers, fish and chips, that sort of thing. It was too late when I found out I wasn’t always delivering just food. By then they had me. I had to carry on because . . . because the blokes who ran the business, they could prove I’d broken the law, if they wanted to. The only way I could think of to get out of it all was to tell them I’d got a job down here, in the village, so I wouldn’t be doing bike stuff anymore. For anyone.’
Betty handed him a paper serviette to wipe his eyes.
He looked mournful. ‘I hate drugs; drugs killed my mum, see? Why would I ever want anything to do with them? I know people think everyone who surfs is always stoned, but you’ve got to have your wits about you when you’re out in the ocean. I won’t touch drugs. Nor will Stew. We hardly even drink. We’re the same that way, too. I couldn’t believe what I’d got caught up in. I never meant to. Working here at the pub was my only way to escape. The blokes who ran the delivery business believed that I wasn’t going to work at all in their area any longer, which was good, but then it meant I was stuck here, in the pub with Sadie, all the time.’
‘And that meant what, exactly?’ urged Betty.
Aled blew his nose. ‘It wasn’t too bad to start with, I suppose. When I began here, back in August, she seemed a bit keen, you know, just a bit of attention, and I could cope with that alright. Then, in September, she saw me hand over a package to a really nasty, older bloke who came to our school on a big motorbike to get it from me. He was from another gang who work up in the Swansea Valley area. Big noise, apparently.’
He looked terrified. ‘I wasn’t dealing, honest. I just had to pass it onto him . . . for the people who ran the delivery service. They made me do that one last thing. But . . . Sadie took a photo of me doing it, and she threatened me with it. All the time – blackmailing me. And if I ever ignore her, or disagree with her in any way, she holds it over me – tells me she’ll show the photo to the police, which would get me into a real mess. And if the photograph became public, the police would also get the bloke who’s in it with me . . . and that would be even more dangerous. She even tells me I have to buy things for her to make up for being . . . disobedient. I’ve spent a load of money on all this stuff she insists I give her. She’s really specific. And it has to be exactly the right thing, or I’m for it. I don’t know what to do. She never stops. I have nightmares about it.’
Betty took a deep breath. She hadn’t been expecting such revelations. ‘But you and she were down on the beach together the night you were accused of setting fire to that body on the hillside. So you’re at least having a sexual relationship.’ It had to be said.
Aled blushed. It had been a long time since Betty had seen a teenager do that. ‘No. We weren’t. We aren’t. I told you. There’s nothing like that going on between us at all. When she shouted it all out in court the way she did, I had to decide if I was going to go along with what she said, or not. I had to get out of there, somehow, so I took my chance. Backed up what she said about us. It was . . . unbelievably bad, being in prison. And now she’s got that to hold over me too. I mean, I know it got me out of jail, but she’s ten times worse now. The day of my gran’s funeral? It was awful. I loved Grannie so much. She was everything to me. As if it wasn’t bad enough that Grannie was dead, Sadie kept going on and on at me as we walked into the church about how it was the start of a new life for us – then her mother said something about how the whole village should see us as a couple, and some sort of symbol or other, and . . . it’s terrible. No one understands at all. Only Stew.’
Betty’s mind was racing. ‘But if you weren’t with Sadie the night she said you two were together, why didn’t you ever tell the police where you really were?’
It was only once the words were out her mouth that Betty realized what she was asking. She wondered if she’d gone too far.
Aled shook his head. ‘I couldn’t.’
His eyes darted about. ‘It’s Stew, see? Stew hadn’t come out to his parents, then. I couldn’t say anything because he and I were together that night. Grannie always said she knew I was gay before I did. I never thought about girls, or boys, until a few years ago, and I knew then. Stew’s parents thought we were just – you know – good mates.’
Betty nodded as encouragingly as possible. ‘That night? November 5th?’
‘We went for a walk – just a walk – but we were alone, down on the beach, where Sadie said she and I were. When she shouted all that rubbish out in court I thought she’d seen us there, and that she was going to blackmail me about that too. But I had to agree with what she’d said, because I couldn’t cope with being locked up any longer. And I thought I could get out of there without having to drag Stew into it by just repeating everything she’d said. But I couldn’t tell the police where I really was. Because of Stew.’
‘And do Stew’s parents know about his sexual orientation now?’
Aled shuddered with a deep sigh. ‘He was terrified to tell them, but we both knew it had to be done. Stew and I talked and talked about it. He finally told them last night. About him, and about us, not about how Sadie’s been with me – no one else knows about that. In fact, Stew’s mum and dad even said how good it was of Sadie to lie for me. They have no idea what she’s put me through.’
He looked directly at Betty, his eyes pleading. ‘I’ve put my A levels on hold, and I’m not even sure if uni is right for me anymore. Losing Grannie’s been really hard for me – and being in prison? I don’t even know how to explain that. Stew’s been great. I don’t know what I’d have done without him. He was in court every minute for me. Sitting as close as he could get, just feet away from me. We think we love each other, see? We know we’re young, and this is the first time either of us has . . . been in a relationship. We talked to Stew’s mum and dad about this last night; we both know this might not last, but we are happy, now.’
Betty said, ‘That’s good. He must mean a great deal to you.’
Aled nodded. ‘I promised him I wouldn’t talk. That I wouldn’t say we were together that night. He thought his parents would chuck him out, see? Thought his whole life would be over if I told about us. He really loves his mum and dad. Everyone wants a family, don’t they? But he’s got this uncle who’s gay – his father’s brother – and he’s been cut off from the whole family for years so we thought . . . well, he thought. You know?’
Betty nodded her encouragement. ‘How did it go when he broke the news?’
Aled almost smiled. ‘It was weird. They were . . . surprising. They were fine with it. Said all they wanted was for him to be safe and happy. Apparently everyone turned their back on Stew’s uncle because he acted like a complete idiot at a family wedding; nothing to do with him being gay. Stephen and Maggie are good with it. Like Grannie was. Who knew? Stew didn’t. I didn’t. But we’re going to be okay. So I kept my mouth shut for him, see? And, no, I didn’t set fire to that bloke on the hill. I was with Stew the entire night. First on the beach, and then at home. Grannie knew, but I made her swear on the Bible to not tell, too, and she didn’t. She did that for me, even though it was very hard for her.’
Betty sat up, feeling the strain of cro
uching forward, hunched over for so long. ‘Do you still think Sadie gave you that alibi because she wanted an additional insurance for your compliance with her demands?’
Aled nodded. ‘Yeah, I reckon. She’s nuts, you know.’
Betty’s annoyance at the use of the word must have shown.
He added, ‘No I mean it, seriously nuts. Everyone at school says so, ask anyone. She hasn’t got a single friend, never has. But since this school year started? Now she freaks everyone out with all her mumbo-jumbo about how life and love are “mutable”, and how there’s some saint or other who’s better than God himself. Oh, I don’t know, I swear she makes it up as she goes along. She’s merciless. Everywhere I go – she’s there. She sent me thirty texts before seven o’clock this morning. I jump when I get a text now. I can’t escape her. I met her father after the funeral. He was really nice – not like her at all. I wondered if I should say something to him about her. I don’t think her mother would believe it, see? Well, that’s my problem, really. I don’t think anyone will believe me. Do you?’
Betty was honest. ‘I believe you.’
Aled managed a smile. ‘Thanks.’
‘So what happened this morning?’ Betty used her coaxing voice.
Aled shifted on his chair. ‘After last night’s heart to heart, we all had dinner at Stew’s house, then he came over to the cottage.’ Aled paused. ‘It’s funny to think the cottage really is mine now; it’ll always be Grannie’s in my heart. It feels so empty without her being there. Anyway, Stew and I were going to go down to catch some waves this morning, when Sadie rang the bell. We didn’t answer. Then there she was peering through the back door – where she had no right to be – and she saw Stew and me messing about in the kitchen. I mean we weren’t doing anything . . . you know . . . just kissing. Anyway, she went ballistic. She smashed the glass in the door, fought her way – through Stew – into the house, then she starts waving her bloody gun about and this long thing, like a big rusty sword. It was terrifying. I honestly thought she was going to shoot me, but she whacked me really hard with it, and down I went. I don’t know how I cut my leg. No idea.’
‘I think she might have sliced you with that blade you saw. We’ll tell the medics when they get here that it was rusty.’ Betty worried about the cut more than she had done.
‘I was woozy, you know? I don’t know how long I was like that. Then I sort of came to, and she was going on and on about how I’d let her down. She kept saying I was telling her in the court room that I loved her – that I’d asked her for help, and she’d given it to me. I had no idea what she was talking about . . . there was no way I would have talked to her. No way I could have done. I just sat there in front of the judge, looking ahead of me, numb. Thinking about the surf, like I did when they were asking me questions in the police station. I just allowed myself to be in the waves, in my head. Riding. I do it in class, sometimes, too. If I concentrate I can feel the waves in my hands, feel the water rushing between my fingers and across my palms, it’s wonderful. It’s like stroking an animal, sort of . . . at least, that’s how it feels to me. Like the sea is alive. Anyway, I eventually tried to get up off the kitchen floor, when she finally stopped gibbering, but she smacked me with her gun again. I’m sure I saw her pushing Stew out of the front door with the gun in his back – like they do on TV. I was shaking such a lot. Then they were gone. I managed to stagger over to the Cwtch to get hold of the Wingfields, and they brought me here. I’m not surprised she’s taken Stew to the Devil’s Table – she’s obsessed with that place, too.’
Betty reached forward and held his hand as his tears started again. ‘Come on now. It’ll be alright.’
Aled looked panicked. ‘But what if it’s not? What if she really hurts him? She was screaming that no one should get between her and me, because we’re a family now – which is crazy. If she thinks I’m her “family” then why does she hit me every time I’m alone with her? Trust me, that’s as infrequently as possible. If I have to give her a “gift”, as she calls them – my penance for having not replied to her texts fast enough, or not having talked to her in school, or whatever – she makes me meet her out by the Devil’s Table, always as the moon is rising for some ridiculous reason, and then I have to apologize, and she whacks me with her fists, as though I’m some sort of punch bag. Like I said, she’s nuts. If I try to back away she threatens me with showing that bloody photograph to the police. So I have to stand there and take it. I can’t hit a girl. It’s not right. I will admit I grabbed her once – just once – to try to push her off me, but she even took photos of the bruises on her arms and threatened to show them to the police too. So what can I do?’
Betty smiled. ‘You’ve done it, Aled. You’ve told someone. It can’t have been easy for you; I know you don’t have a mother, and now your grandmother’s gone too, but there’s me.’ Betty tried to get another smile out of him, but reckoned it was too much to hope for.
‘I couldn’t have let Grannie know what Sadie was like. No way. Nan Jones was horrible enough to her, without Grannie having a reason to hate Nan back. I couldn’t risk Grannie wanting me to give up my job here – I needed the money, and this is the only job in the village I can do . . . otherwise I’d be thinking about having to go back on the bikes. I had no way out of it – I couldn’t escape Sadie at all. Here. School. Everywhere except at home. That was the only place I could get away from her. In person, anyway. Grannie was my protector as far as me and Stew went, that was enough for her to do for me, having raised me and everything. I didn’t want her to know about how Sadie’s been with me. It’s so . . . embarrassing.’
Betty had to ask. ‘So does Sadie know about you and Stew being a couple?’
Aled didn’t hesitate. ‘No, see, that’s the weird thing . . . I thought when she blurted all that stuff out in court she’d seen us together on Guy Fawkes Night. But she didn’t mention it after I got out, and now I don’t think she’s worked that bit out at all. Seeing how she was this morning, I reckon just knowing he kissed me is too much for her. I’m so frightened for Stew. Is that policewoman any good? And your husband – is he up to it? If Stew’s dad gets hold of Sadie, he might hurt her, even if she has got a gun. Maybe especially if she’s got a gun pointed at Stew; Stephen Wingfield is ex-army – a paratrooper. They’re all bonkers; you’ve got to be to go jumping out of planes all the time.’
Betty hoped an ex-paratrooper, a retired DI, and a young DS would be able to defuse the situation she could only imagine was developing at the Devil’s Table. The information about the gun terrified her, even more than when it had first been mentioned. A teenage girl, sounding as though she had some serious psychological issues, in possession of a gun and a grudge? It worried her a great deal.
The weight she’d felt descend on her shoulders every time Evan had walked out of the front door to go to work was back again, and this time it felt much more difficult to bear.
‘There, there,’ she said to Aled, patting his hand, ‘I’m sure it’ll be alright.’ She could feel his entire body trembling. He sobbed freely. Betty suspected the cathartic effect of sharing his story with her was beginning to take effect; she’d seen it often, though usually in the more controlled confines of her office.
Betty knew she had to get word to her husband about the true nature of the relationship between Sadie and Aled, and about how Sadie probably thought of Stew relative to her perceived power over Aled. She’d dealt with enough victims of abuse to know Aled was telling the truth, and it gave the whole situation a very different dynamic.
Betty didn’t want Evan making a wrong move, or saying something that might touch a nerve with Sadie, who was clearly not as stable as she’d believed her to be.
Evan
‘Thanks for waiting, Stephen, you did the right thing.’ Evan shook the anxious man’s hand as the threesome finally met up with each other at the ruined RAF listening station, where the path they needed to take toward the Neolithic monuments diverged from the main one.
Liz said, ‘As you know, armed response and backup are on their way, so, please, leave it to us, Stephen. We’ve been trained for this. Stay here – we’ll handle the situation. ’
‘Utrinque paratus – Ready For Anything. Paras. Fifteen years in. Lead scout of my section. I can still live up to our motto,’ replied Stephen Wingfield.
Evan processed the information. He knew Liz was the only one of the trio with any legal standing to act in any confrontation. He watched her face contort as she weighed options – a habit she’d always had.
Liz had made her decision, he could tell. ‘Great to know I have two men with me who are trained in a wide variety of skills, many of which might come in handy. Evan knows where we’re headed, as do you, probably, Stephen. I’ll allow either one of you to take the lead for now – but I am in command of this, understand? If I say step back, you do it. Right?’ Evan and Stephen exchanged a glance, and each nodded. ‘Both got a phone?’ asked Liz. More nodding. ‘Right, get them out and let’s all exchange numbers. Set them to vibrate, and place them somewhere on your person where you have easy access.’
Stephen led off. Evan didn’t believe for one minute that the man intended to take orders from Liz if he saw his son in mortal danger and – of the three of them – Stephen was likely to be the only one with any practical experience of being shot at; Evan had never come under fire in all his years of service, and knew he’d have heard if Liz had done. Knives, blunt instruments and even cars had all been used against him while on duty. But a firearm? This would be a first for him.
He was impressed by the way Stephen moved; he’d obviously kept himself in shape, and Evan wondered if he might be one of the locals who enjoyed hang-gliding – he seemed the type. Or maybe, like his son, he was a surf fanatic. Either way, he nimbly led them along a slightly more circuitous route than Evan would have chosen, but it had the advantage of bringing them to a spot just above, and adjacent to, the Devil’s Table.
