Nasty Bitch

by K Leitch

  ‘Bloody hell Trace what an awful experience,’ said Maggie in horror, ‘I didn’t realise she was so batty. I mean it’s well known that Nora Tinker has got a screw lose, and her son was a nasty piece of work, but I’ve never heard of her being aggressive to anyone before. She’s lived in that cottage for as long as I can remember, long before I moved into the barn. The only good thing is you won’t see much of her…bit of a recluse is our Nora.’

  Carla was nodding, ‘Yes I seem to remember having to go to her cottage once when I was first here, trying to find her son, something to do with a robbery I think, she barely opened the door to us, we had to get quite firm with her before she would answer any questions. Having said that, I can’t remember any complaints made against her Trace, so I think if you leave her alone she’ll do the same.’

  ‘Well that’s a relief, I mean I know we got the place at a ridiculously knocked down price, but I wouldn’t want to live anywhere that I didn’t feel safe.’

  ‘When do you move?’ asked Helen trying to lift the mood, ‘do you need any help? I could come over to the new place and help you clean it up if you like, and I’ll even bring Lena with me she’ll have the place gleaming in no time, she’s a little marvel.’

  ‘Oh that would be brilliant love, the more the merrier if you’re sure. I am planning on going over the day before and cleaning it from top to bottom, so any help will be gratefully accepted.

  ‘Have you met your neighbours on the other side yet?’ said Maggie, ‘that house was for sale for ages, I never thought it would go and then all of a sudden there’s a ‘sold’ board outside, but I have yet to see anyone going in or out of there and it still looks as deserted as it ever did.’

  ‘Well after my experience with mad Nora I wasn’t so keen to go round, Simon went over the other day but no one was home. There’s definitely someone living there though because the central heating vent was puffing, and I’ve seen lights on occasionally…I expect they’re just quiet and keep themselves to themselves, which suits me fine,’ said Tracy defiantly.

  There was a lull in the conversation and so Carla, who had been waiting for the right moment said: ‘Actually girls there is something that I need to speak to you about.’

  ‘Oooer,’ said Maggie with a grin, ‘what have we done now…if it’s about my Range Rover being double parked on the high street last week, it was an emergency…it was! I had to urgently buy that gorgeous red, off the shoulder number, in Chloe’s window, before Wendy Hailsham got her mitts on it, sneaky cow. I was the one that told her about it, then would you believe I overheard her telling Sally Finkglass that she must dash because she has to get to Chloe’s before they close, well…’

  ‘No Maggie, it’s not about that, now if you will just give me a chance to speak…please…ok. It’s just that you know I told you that we found a fourth body underneath the helicopter that crashed into the woods,’ she paused as all the girls nodded and looked at her expectantly, ‘well looks like it’s Giles…Giles Poole I mean.’

  Three pairs of eyes stared back at her; Maggie typically was the first to break the silence.

  ‘Fucking hell Carla, are you sure?’

  ‘Yes, his dental records matched, he was reported missing a while ago by his probation officer…it is him I’m afraid.’

  ‘But who the hell would want to kill Giles?’ wailed Tracy, tears streaming down her face. ‘I know he did some awful things in the name of love…but he was such a victim Carla, he was always so nice to me.’

  ‘And me,’ said Helen quietly, ‘when Wills was first being a bastard Giles was such a sweet friend, always willing to talk…I think Vanessa hated him talking to anybody though, she sometimes gave me the dirtiest looks…’ Helen paused and turned to Carla, ‘you don’t think she could have been behind this do you Carla…Vanessa I mean?’

  Carla stared back at Helen in amazement; it was as if a light bulb had just switched on above her head…of course why hadn’t she thought of it before…fucking Vanessa Poole…but how…no she was going mad to even think it…wasn’t she?’

  ‘Carla?’ said Helen watching her closely, ‘are you ok?’

  ‘What? Oh god yes Helen I’m fine it was just that it had never occurred to me to think of Vanessa, and I’ve got no reason to think that she’s back in the country. She would find it extremely difficult to get back here you know, immigration have her details at every airport or sea port…having said that though it wouldn’t be impossible. But then why would she kill Giles, I mean did she even know he was out of prison? It’s all a bit far-fetched, bloody hell if I was her and I’d somehow managed to get back into England the one place I would stay away from is round here, I mean so many people would recognise her surely,’ finished Carla uncertainly.

  ‘Well I hope I never run into her again,’ sniffed Tracy, ‘just the thought of it gives me the creeps, even when she phoned you…remember Carla… all those years ago, I was looking behind me for days after that had happened, half expecting to get a knife in my back or something. She really knows how to freak me out!’

  ‘Well I have absolutely no reason to think that it has anything to do with her so let’s not begin speculating…ok? As far as I know Vanessa Poole is thousands of miles away keeping her head down and I’m sorry I even put the thought of anything else into your heads…so let’s change the subject. Did I tell you about the letter I got from Harry’s geography teacher?’ She went on to tell them all about it making them laugh in the process, and then Maggie began to fill them in about Duncan’s date.

  ‘You’ve got to keep your eyes open because he is bringing her back here and I want to look her over ok.’

  ‘Maggie!’ spluttered Tracy indignantly. ‘That’s awful, poor Duncan how would you feel if we all started checking out your dates and giving them the once over, you’d be well embarrassed?’

  ‘Um excuse me, but that is exactly what you have always done, whenever I have had dates… remember Kevin Hartley, I didn’t know where to look, what with you three practically giving him the third degree, and you, Carla practically undressing him with your eyes.’

  Carla let out an indignant shriek, ‘Oh my god Maggie I never did…I was a married woman, how very dare you! Although now you mention it he was a total hotty, I never understood why you dumped him.’

  ‘Let’s just say ‘chipolata’ and leave it at that shall we,’ said Maggie giggling.

  ‘No…really, are you sure Maggs, he looked like a total sex pot,’ said Carla shocked.

  ‘Believe me honey…and we’re talking cocktail chipolata…I know it was shock for me too, and so embarrassing. I mean obviously I made the most of the situation, but it took some seriously creative thinking let me tell you! Anyway getting back to what I was saying, keep your eyes peeled for Duncan and this woman…I don’t want him sneaking past without us getting a good look…right now who’s up for another, Carla?’

  ‘Oh lovely hun, same again please,’ Carla said with a smile, Maggie turned to the other two.

  ‘I’ll have a lime and soda thanks Maggie’, said Helen.

  ‘And I know what you want my lovely,’ laughed Maggie picking up Tracy’s empty wine glass, ‘is it just the one glass you want sweetie or should I bring the whole bottle?’

  Helen turned to Tracy, ‘I bet you’re relieved you’ve stopped feeding now aren’t you Tracy, I know I couldn’t wait…all those embarrassing milk stains and cracked nipples.’

  ‘Well I was,’ said Tracy lowering her voice, ‘until I realised just how saggy my boobs had become…no I’m not kidding, it was like it was only the milk that was giving them their bounce. Now it’s like I’m in the advanced stages of furniture disease.’ Helen looked at her questioningly. ‘You know, furniture disease…’ explained Tracy, ‘when your chest falls into your drawers.’ Carla and Helen burst out laughing, Maggie returning with their drinks, demanded to know what they were all laughing about, then joined in.

  ‘Well in that case love, I know just the thing you need…a sheep d
og bra…it rounds them up and points them in the right direction!’ That set them all off again and they chatted away for the next hour or so about this and that. Helen told them about the letter from Wills solicitor.

  ‘What a fucking little shit,’ said Maggie once again articulating what they were all thinking, ‘I wouldn’t worry though Helen love, anyone can see what a great environment Abby is living in. A large loving family around her, what more does any child need?’

  ‘I’m not so worried that he might be able to take her from me,’ said Helen, ‘I’m more worried about what I might have to do to stop all this nonsense.’

  ‘What do you mean love, I don’t get it?’ said Maggie looking round for something with which to wipe up half her G&T which she had slopped all over the table.

  Helen looked a bit shifty, ‘Well it’s probably something I should have done two years ago when Wills turned up demanding to see ‘his daughter’, but I don’t know I was sort of pleased that he wanted to be a part of her life you know and she loved him being around so I guess I let it slide…’

  ‘Yes but what though?’ said an exasperated Tracy.

  ‘DNA…I should have made sure she was his. I mean it did occur to me at the time that it was a bit fluky that I got pregnant the first time I slept with someone other than Wills. And let’s face it Wills had a low sperm count which was why we did the IVF thing in the first place, so the chances are quite high that she is Mike’s…which I didn’t want, so I stuck my head in the sand…again.’ Helen trailed off looking slightly embarrassed. Mike had been a big mistake that Helen had made when her marriage was falling apart, she had ended up sleeping with him, only for him to announce that he was going to try and make a go of it with his wife again the following morning. It had driven Helen to an attempted suicide, a fact that had played a big part in her hoping that Wills was indeed Abby’s father.

  ‘Bloody hell Helen you do like to live close to the edge don’t you sweetheart?’ said Maggie wiping the table with her rather expensive ‘Hermes’ scarf. ‘So what you’re saying is that you wanted Wills to be the father, but now he is threatening to take her away from you, you need to find out whose she really is?’

  ‘Yes I suppose that’s about the size of it,’ said Helen, ‘and before any of you say anything…I know ok, I know I’m a complete idiot!’

  The rest of the girls didn’t say a word, all sipping their drinks and not catching each other’s eye. As luck would have it though, a commotion at the bar stopped the awkward silence from lasting too long.

  ‘Oh look,’ whispered Maggie excitedly, ‘there’s Duncan with that woman, see what you think…no, no not all at once…be subtle.’

  The girls took it in turns to look over so as not to make it too obvious. Duncan was standing at the bar, next to a quite voluptuous dark haired woman who looked to be in her late thirty’s maybe early forties. She was wearing a tight short skirt and her blouse was revealing much more than it was concealing. She seemed very excited to be there and was laughing loudly at everything Duncan was saying.

  ‘My god Duncan must be much funnier than I gave him credit for,’ said Maggie acidly, ‘ooh look at her, she’s all over him, look at the way she is pawing at his hands all the time, and I bet she must have paid at least a tenner for that outfit, I can practically see the static electricity coming off that blouse.’

  ‘Whoa…pull your claws in Maggs,’ said Tracy laughing, ‘she may be a really nice woman, she’s certainly smiley. Duncan deserves someone nice; he’s such a descent chap.’

  ‘And he definitely scrubs up well…phwaw, he looks gorgeous tonight, has he cut his hair or something?’ said Carla straining her neck trying to get a better look, ‘Oh watch it girls, act natural he’s coming over,’ she said urgently. All the girls began to concentrate on their drinks and the pictures on the walls, looking up in apparent surprise when Duncan and his lady friend appeared at their table.

  ‘Dulcie, I’d like to introduce my friends Carla, Tracy and Helen, and of course Maggie. Maggie owns the pub with me…she’s a sort of sleeping partner,’ he finished waggling his eyebrows at Maggie.

  ‘Oh ha ha ha Duncan you are such a scream,’ laughed Dulcie at apparently nothing, hanging onto Duncan’s arm in what Maggie thought to be a very possessive way. ‘And so far you’ve only introduced me to lady friends, next you’ll be telling me that you all belong to a sewing circle, hahahaha.’ She seemed to find her own joke inordinately funny…Duncan smiled the smile of a desperate man.

  Carla came to his rescue, ‘Oh Duncan has loads of men friends too I can assure you, my husband for one, they all play footie together on a Saturday. Now the sewing circle is on a Thursday, Duncan you must show Dulcie your embroidery…Dulcie you would be amazed at what delicate work those huge fingers can produce…’ she trailed off as Duncan laughingly went to chase her round the table. Dulcie looked bewildered and not quite so happy now that the focus wasn’t on her.

  ‘Soooo Dulcie,’ began Maggie with a glint in her eye, ‘tell us, how you know our nimble fingered friend here?’

  ‘Sorry, who?’ said Dulcie looking confused, ‘Oh you mean Duncan…well we used to work together, years ago. I just spotted him on Facebook recently so I got in touch and…well he poked me back, so here we are,’ she finished with a nervous giggle.

  Tracy, who was a gentle soul, took pity on Dulcie. ‘Well we are all pleased to see that Duncan has finally got himself back on the dating market,’ she said, but then giving Duncan a wicked smile she added, ‘I mean there’s only so much embroidery one man can do…and surprisingly the lace making was a non-starter. I’ve never seen a man get his little wooden toggles so tangled…no I’m not kidding it was a right mess.’

  ‘God yes,’ said Carla, warming to the theme, ‘but you have to admit he was a wiz in the corsetry class, I’m serious Dulcie if ever you need a beautiful handmade corset…embellished with tiny embroidered roses, Duncan’s your man.’

  Duncan just shook his head at them and resigned himself to a good teasing; unfortunately Dulcie didn’t quite understand the humour and just looked from one girl to another completely bewildered.

  The evening broke up not long after that and the girls made their way home. They had all come away from tonight’s meeting in a thoughtful mood.

  Helen was trying to work out how she would be able to discreetly get some DNA from Wills so that she could find out once and for all who Abby’s real father was.

  Tracy was seriously considering whether to ask Simon if there was any way he would be happy with her asking…just asking mind…her doctor about being referred for a breast reduction on the national health.

  Carla was determined to find out if there was any way that Vanessa Poole had come back to Kenley. She needed to find out when and where the last reported sightings of her were, and if Giles had had any contact with her from his prison cell.

  And Maggie…well Maggie was trying to understand why she had felt so bitchy about Duncan’s date this evening. She had felt her fingers turning into claws as she had watched Dulcie hanging onto his sleeve and touching his hand. I mean Dulcie…what sort of name was that…silly cow, well she for one thought that Duncan could do better, and she was going to tell him so first thing in the morning!

  CHAPTER 20

  She poured herself a cup of tea, and buttered some bread, carefully arranging it on the plate in neat triangles. Father had always insisted on doing things properly, afternoon tea was no exception. China cups, thin triangles of buttered bread and a small piece of fruitcake, this had been a tradition that had been observed all her life, first with her mother making the tea and then after she died the duty had fallen to her. She had often got it wrong in the beginning, tea too cold or strong; bread buttered too thickly and had paid for her mistakes with the strap. She’d soon learnt to be more careful, as father said “if something is worth doing, it’s worth doing well”. She cut the fruitcake with care and placed it on a separate plate on the tray, and then carried the whole thing in
to the living room setting it down on the small desk near the window next to her laptop. She could feel the excitement welling up inside her before she had even opened up the screen. She ate her tea slowly as she read the replies that she had received today.

  There were three of them; one she dismissed immediately, he had the look of a married man about him. She was very careful never to date married men; she was not in the business of breaking up marriages after all. The other two were both interesting; the first one Michael, was 57, divorced with two grown up children, but he lived in Oxford…that might be a problem, she didn’t know the area at all, she liked to work in an area that she was familiar with, although obviously not too close to home. She looked at candidate number two; he seemed nice, younger than her at 36 but that wasn’t a problem, he’d got in touch with her after all. He was single with no kids and he lived in an area that she was reasonably familiar with…he was quite good looking actually, oh yes he might just be the one. She finished her tea and then set about answering his email.