by K Leitch
‘Oh my god Maggs it is fantastic…I’ve done both small chest of drawers in it and now I’ve decided to do the little table in the hall, because that was beginning to look really shabby…and now it will just look shabby chic…ha ha ha.’
‘Oh blimey if you two are going to start talking decorating then I am just going to have to get drunk,’ slurred Carla who was halfway there already. ‘Can’t stand decorating…get someone else to do it that’s what I say…usually to James whilst I’m holding the ladder.’
‘Bloody hell Carla how much have you had to drink,’ laughed Tracy ‘you don’t usually start banging on about all the things you hate till much later in the evening…pace yourself honey we’ve got hours yet.’
Carla just smiled drunkenly at her, ‘I love you,’ she said, with a stupid grin on her face.
Tracy giggled, ‘Is that you talking sweety, or the vodka?’
‘No, that’s me talking TO the vodka,’ said Carla as she keeled over in a fit of giggles that were so infectious that they all started and then found that they couldn’t stop. Every time anybody tried to be serious they started up again. This went on for quite a while until finally Maggie had had enough.
‘Stop…please, I can’t breathe…oh no stop or I’m going to wet myself,’ she shouted squeezing her legs together as if that would help.
‘Ok, ok come on…think serious thoughts,’ said Helen calming down. ‘I know…is Duncan taking his girlfriend to Goodwood on Wednesday Maggie?’
That seemed to work a treat and Maggie was able to answer quite sensibly without a hint of laughter. ‘Yes damn him…now I’ll have to sit next to Hillary Giblet on the coach, it’s the only space left available.’
‘Oh but it is nice that Duncan’s found someone at last though isn’t it Maggs?’ said Tracy.
Maggie made a face, ‘I suppose so, but I just can’t help feeling that she’s not right for him. I mean he is such a nice guy and not at all bad looking…’
‘I’ll say,’ said Carla with a lecherous smile, ‘wouldn’t kick him out of bed…no way.’
‘Yes ok smutty knickers, I agree he is a very attractive man and I think…well I suppose I think she’s not good enough for him.’
‘Oh come on Maggie, she may be perfectly lovely for all we know,’ said Helen, ‘and Duncan must like her a bit or he wouldn’t be bringing her on the trip with him would he, I think she deserves a chance.’
‘Helen my darling, you try and see the good in everybody,’ exclaimed Maggie. ‘I swear if Adolf Hitler was standing here you would say he can’t be all bad because he has a very neatly trimmed moustache. Although of course you may be right, she may be lovely…we’ll see next Wednesday won’t we…he he he,’ she finished with a cackle.
‘Maggie…play nicely,’ said Tracy laughing, Maggie just gave her a mischievous look. ‘Oh that poor, poor woman,’ Tracy said shaking her head.
‘Actually I’ve got some secret info on that poor woman,’ said Carla drunkenly leaning in over the table and looking at each of the girls with an air of mystery, before sitting back again and leaving them all hanging.
‘Well come on then Pussy Galore what info have you got that is so fascinating?’ giggled Tracy.
Carla just smiled teasingly and tapped the side of her nose. ‘Can’t tell you I’m afraid…you might tell Duncan and I promised I wouldn’t tell him.’
‘Oh come on Carla you can’t just get us all excited and let us down like that…it’s unethical and just not on!’ shouted Maggie, she went round behind Carla and whispered in her ear. ‘If you don’t tell us I’m going to tell the girls about Burt ‘Sniffer’ Briggs…’ Carla looked at her so called friend open mouthed, ‘Oh yes,’ went on Maggie, ‘remember him Carla?’
‘You promised,’ hissed Carla half laughing, ‘you wouldn’t.’ Maggie just stared at her with raised eyebrows.
Carla held her hands up laughing, ‘Ok, ok you manipulative cow I give in I’ll tell you, but you must promise that you won’t tell Duncan because I said I wouldn’t ok?’ Maggie could barely hide her look of triumph but she nodded anyway.
‘Well,’ said Carla when all the girls had gathered round the table again, ‘I had to pay a visit to a lad called Daniel Rushton last week…something to do with these pranks being played about the village, anyway…’
‘Was he one of the little sods that vandalised my kitchen?’ interrupted Tracy hotly, ‘because if he was I would like to have a word with him myself?’
‘Oops,’ said Carla with a burp, ‘wasn’t supposed to tell you his name…anyway no Tracy, I don’t think he was one of the boys that did it…not making much progress there I’m afraid, all the boys seem to have perfectly good alibis and quite frankly I’m running out of…’
‘Yes, yes that’s all very interesting but get back to the point,’ interrupted Maggie impatiently.
‘Right yes…sorry, well as I was saying I had to go round to this boy’s house and see if he could account for his whereabouts. And when I got there he was there with his mum, very controlling woman…all smiles, but steel underneath you know…poor boy he seemed shit scared of her. And her house, I’ve never seen anywhere so tidy…I mean yours always looks lovely Maggs, but this place not a speck of dust anywhere…I bet she’s got that thing…you know OCD like those people on that show on telly…you know Helen…on channel 4…’
‘For fucks sake Carla will you just get to the point,’ said Maggie practically shouting.
‘I’m getting there,’ said Carla defensively. ‘Anyway while I was talking to the boy’s mum it began to occur to me that I recognised her, but I couldn’t for the life of me place her and then just as I was leaving I realised who she was…it was Dulcie!’
Carla couldn’t have asked for a better reaction to her statement, the girls just looked at her opened mouthed. Maggie of course was the first to speak.
‘Fuck me,’ was all she said.
‘Are you sure it was her?’ asked Helen.
‘Oh yes quite sure,’ said Carla, ‘I confronted her, and she asked me not to tell Duncan…said she hasn’t had a chance to tell him she has a child yet and doesn’t want to jinx things. I told her she was being stupid, that Duncan was far too nice to be put off by something like…’
‘Hang on a minute Carla,’ interrupted Maggie, ‘are you telling us that this ‘Dulcie’ as she calls herself, has a delinquent son…one that might have actually hung a decapitated fox up in my friend’s kitchen, and you don’t think we should tell Duncan!’ Maggie ended, flinging her arms wide dramatically.
‘Bloody hell I knew I shouldn’t have told you Maggie,’ said Carla shaking her head, ‘firstly, I don’t think Daniel had anything to do with Tracy’s fox…and secondly it really is none of our business is it? I mean Duncan is a grown man, he doesn’t need us meddling in his love life.’
‘Carla’s right Maggs,’ said Tracy getting up and collecting up the empty glasses on the table, ‘he won’t thank you for interfering will he? Now who’s for another?’
Tracy went off to the bar with Helen who had volunteered to help her and Carla looked at Maggie who was staring into space, she obviously had something on her mind, suddenly she turned to Carla.
‘I know you’re right Carla, and I promise I won’t say anything to Duncan, but I am going to be watching that Dulcie like a hawk…I mean it Carla I am not going to let her mess my friend about, not Duncan…he deserves so much better,’ she said fiercely.
‘What’s up Maggs?’ asked Carla after a moment.
‘What…oh nothing…just the usual. I’m fed up at work, I miss having the boys around that sort of thing.’
‘It feels like there’s something more, something you’re not telling me,’ Carla grabbed her friend’s hand. ‘You must know by now that you can tell me anything love…and it is pretty obvious that you’re not happy at the moment.’
Maggie waved away Carla’s concern, ‘Oh don’t mind me love…I’m probably tired, what with the wedding preparations and everything, it d
oes get me down at times. And Thomas is no help at all, he’s been so busy at work just lately I’ve hardly seen him.’
‘You are ok though aren’t you…you two?’ asked Carla concerned.
Maggie put on a bright smile, ’Yes of course… I’ve probably got bridal jitters that’s all…don’t take any notice, I’m fine,’ she gave Carla another wide smile, which didn’t convince her one bit.
‘Well if you do want to talk…’ she left the sentence hanging.
Maggie didn’t have the time to answer as Helen and Tracy came back with their drinks and the subject changed; but Carla lay awake that night thinking about Maggie…all was not right there, and she had been so bloody preoccupied with the hunt for this killer that she hadn’t been around for her friend just lately. Before she finally dropped off, she decided to speak with the other girls about it…see what they thought.
CHAPTER 33 – TRACY
‘Ok Carla I’ll give Helen a ring, maybe we could come over one evening try and get to the bottom of it, but if she’s not willing to talk about it, there’s not much we can do is there…No you’re right, I’ve noticed it myself…hardly buzzing with excitement about the wedding I know…ok ok love, I’ll speak to you soon…yes, bye.’
Tracy ended her call from Carla and sank back down on the garden lounger. Tilly was fast asleep, and she didn’t have to do the nursery run today as Lena was picking Zack up, he had struck up quite a friendship with Helen’s little Abby and so he was spending the afternoon with her. The sun was shining and Tracy was taking advantage of her first quiet day in a long time.
After the initial dramas, Tracy and Simon had settled into their new home really well. For the first week or so they had more or less lived in the kitchen, whilst the two front rooms were being white washed and the floorboards sanded and varnished, but now that was done they had wasted no time in arranging their furniture in there and Tracy had spent the last week running up curtains and cushion covers. But at last they were finished and it looked amazing. Tracy had Maggie to thank for some of the new pieces of furniture, she had a whole garage full of old chests and wardrobes that she’d picked up from house clearances, etc. And the girls had had real fun turning the old and sometimes, battered pieces into lovely useful items of furniture again.
Today the downstairs bathroom was being put in and Tracy could hear the builders laughing and whistling inside the house…bloody hell they had better not wake Tilly up…she’d only just got her down. Perhaps she’d better just go and mention that to them, make them a cup of tea at the same time maybe. She was just about to haul herself up to a sitting position when she heard something… a thin wailing noise, she tutted angrily to herself, bloody hell was that Tilly awake so soon…so much for her afternoon in the sun. The noise came again; louder this time, it certainly wasn’t Tilly and it was definitely not coming from the house…Tracy held herself still and tried to listen.
‘Helllpp,’ came the faint cry again.
Tracy got up and walked towards where she thought the sound was coming from.
‘Hello,’ she called…nothing…then…
‘Heelllp…please someone…help me,’ the voice was louder now and it seemed to be coming from the garden next door…mad Nora!
Tracy walked over to where there was a gap in the hedge and peered through, she couldn’t see anyone…she shouted again, ‘Hello…are you ok…it’s Tracy your neighbour, do you need some help?’
‘HEELLLP…PLEASE…’ came the voice again much stronger this time. Tracy didn’t think twice, she ran round the side of the house and into next door’s garden. She had to push hard to open the side gate that was covered in creepers but then she was in the back garden, and there lying on the ground next to a ladder which was on its side was Nora herself.
Tracy could see immediately that she had broken her leg, it was twisted at a very peculiar angle, and Nora was obviously in a lot of pain.
‘Oh you poor thing,’ exclaimed Tracy kneeling down beside her, ‘no don’t try and move…I am going to ring for an ambulance, you just lie quietly here while I do that ok?’
Nora was gritting her teeth in pain, and tears were streaming down her face but she managed to nod and so Tracy ran as fast as she could back round to her house and phoned for an ambulance, then she quickly checked in on a sleeping Tilly and told her builders what had happened and that she would be next door for a while and raced back round to wait with Nora for help to arrive.
Tracy remembered her first aid training from school and wrapped an old cardigan round Nora who was shaking, probably from the shock and then she reached for her claw like hand and squeezed it reassuringly.
‘Won’t be long now…they’ll be here soon,’ she said.
Nora hadn’t said a word since Tracy had found her, but now she turned tear brimmed eyes towards her.
‘Thank you,’ she said quietly, ‘sorry for…you know…’
Tracy just nodded, ‘Let’s not worry about that…water under the bridge. What the hell happened, what were you doing up a ladder?’
‘Trying to fix my washing line…bloody thing… came down this morning,’ she gasped.
‘Ok…don’t try talking; I can see it’s hurting you…where are those flipping paramedics…’
Just then they both heard the sounds of an ambulance arriving, Tracy heaved a sigh of relief and went round to the front of the house to meet them, and in no time at all Nora was being carefully loaded onto a trolley.
‘You coming too love?’ asked one of the paramedics; Nora raised her head and looked pleadingly at Tracy.
‘Oh…I can’t really; I’ve got my baby asleep at home…and the builders in fixing the bathroom. Is there anyone you’d like me to get in touch with Nora? Son or Daughter maybe, or a friend…’
‘No…no one,’ said Nora shortly, Tracy felt dreadful letting her go off on her own in an ambulance.
‘Right then,’ she said after thinking for a moment ‘I will follow you, I’ve just got to sort out the baby and let the builders know where I’m going, but I’ll be there before you know it.’
Nora grabbed her hand as she was wheeled past Tracy. ‘You will come won’t you Tracy,’ she said in a scared little voice.
Tracy smiled and nodded, ‘I’ll be as quick as I can don’t worry.’ She waved as Nora was loaded up into the ambulance and then went back into her house to phone the long suffering Lena, see if she would have Tilly as well as Zack for the afternoon, she agreed without a second thought and so Tracy rushed about collecting up all Tilly’s paraphernalia making sure not to forget ‘moomoo’ her favourite stuffed cow that travelled everywhere with her.
Nora had been taken into theatre by the time Tracy arrived later that afternoon so she resigned herself to a long wait and got a coffee from the vending machine. Luckily she had had the forethought to bring along her Kindle so she flicked it open and settled down with her latest downloaded novel.
After about an hour a pretty young nurse came and gave her an update.
‘Mrs Tinker has broken her fibula, a nasty break, especially in a lady of her age. The surgeon has managed to pin it and she has had the leg immobilised, she will be put onto a ward within the hour I should think.’
Tracy nodded her thanks, ‘Can you let me know as soon as I can visit her?’
‘Sure thing,’ said the nurse smiling as she walked off down the corridor. Tracy watched her go; she had almost got to the end of the corridor when a door opened and a tall, handsome and very familiar doctor came out and grabbed the nurse’s arm as she walked past trying to pull her into the room he had just come out of. She tried to pull away giggling, but he just wrapped the other around her waist and drew her inside kissing her as he did so.
Tracy just sat and stared at the now empty corridor; she could hardly believe what she had just seen. How could Thomas be so blatant as to carry on in a public corridor where anyone could, and indeed had, been watching?
‘Oh my god poor Maggie,’ thought Tracy, ’well at least now she kn
ew why her friend wasn’t her usual self. She kept an eagle eye on the door that Thomas and the nurse had disappeared into until about fifteen minutes later it was gingerly opened and the nurse after a quick check up and down the corridor came out smoothing down her skirts and patting her hair. Two minutes later Thomas appeared, looking as calm and professional as ever, he didn’t see Tracy sitting with all the other relatives in the waiting room as he sauntered past and over to the nurses’ station where he reduced them all to girly giggles and then went on his way.
Five minutes later the pretty nurse came back and told her that Nora was on Julien ward if she would like to see her. Tracy could barely look at the smiling nurse she was so furious with her…didn’t the little minx know that Dr Fellows was engaged to be married! She thanked her with gritted teeth and headed off down the corridor to the ward.
Nora was in the end bed in a ward of six. She looked tired, but smiled and held out her hand to Tracy when she saw her.
‘Oh thank you so much, you’ve been more than kind, especially after…most people wouldn’t have bothered, they would have looked the other way…but you…thank you…’ She broke down in earnest now and Tracy put an arm around her embarrassed, but not knowing what else to do.
‘I told you…water under the bridge…I mean you didn’t know how amazing I was back then did you, it’s no wonder you didn’t want to know me, I could have been any old neighbour, not ‘super-neighbour’ with the amazing ‘whizzing to the rescue’ powers.’
She heard a watery giggle and then a snort of laughter and then Nora hugged her back.
‘Thanks ‘super-neighbour’ you’re my hero,’ she whispered.
Once Nora started talking there was no stopping her; she told Tracy about her son, who was currently residing at her majesty’s pleasure in Wandsworth prison, and her daughter who had married well, but then decided that her mother was just too much of an embarrassment to be invited over to her new posh house to meet all her new posh friends. How her husband had run off with some floozy that worked in the local cinema and left her with two young children to bring up by herself. After listening and making all the right noises, Tracy told Nora about what had happened the day before she moved in, after all Nora might have seen something or someone that might help them find out who had broken in and scared the shit out of them.
