A Daughter's Courage

by Kitty Neale

  He knew it wouldn’t be easy to concentrate at work, all the time worrying about his wife, so decided he’d finish as early as possible. He thought Dottie would appreciate him coming home, and if Robbie came back too, he’d be able to catch and question him before he disappeared out down the pub.

  Robbie breezed through the front door, putting on a carefree façade. He was surprised to see Adrian’s car wasn’t parked outside the house, and even more surprised to see Dottie sitting on the sofa giving Rosie her bottle.

  He fumed as he realised Sid hadn’t done the job, and assumed the scallywag must have bottled out. So much for him needing the money, Robbie thought, vowing never to trust the man again. He just had to hope Sid had at least kept his mouth shut.

  As he wheeled himself into his bedroom, his mind was already scheming how he could steal the baby, when he heard Dottie call out to him.

  Irritated at the interruption to his thoughts, he went into the lounge. ‘What?’ he snapped.

  ‘You should know, a man broke into the house this morning. He ran off when he saw me, but just keep your eyes open,’ Dottie said.

  Robbie’s mind raced. Sid hadn’t bottled it, he’d been caught.

  ‘Did you speak to him?’ Robbie asked, then regretted his question.

  ‘No, of course not, only to tell him to get out.’

  ‘Did you know him?’

  ‘No, never seen him before. By the way, did you unlock the back door this morning?’ Dottie asked, as she lifted her eyes from the baby to look at him.

  ‘No, why? Is that where he came in?’ Robbie asked, knowing he could tell Dottie anything and she’d believe him.

  ‘Yes, but Adrian was sure the door was locked. Oh, well, maybe I left it unlocked when I put the washing out yesterday. You were out early this morning. That’s unusual for you,’ Dottie added.

  Robbie felt fairly certain that it was an innocent remark, but he had to be careful. He didn’t want to rouse her suspicions. ‘I thought I had an appointment at the hospital for a check-up. Seems I got my dates mixed up and it’s next month, not that it’s anything to do with you.’

  He had been to the hospital; it was the perfect alibi, though normally he would have badgered Adrian to fork out for a taxi. Dottie seemed satisfied with his answer and returned her attention to the baby.

  Robbie went back to his room and hauled himself from his chair and onto his bed, cursing as he did so. Damn it, he thought, angry that his plan had been foiled and Sid had been seen. He wondered if the man would still want to go through with it, if he’d be bold enough to try again. If Sid refused, Robbie had one up on him. Dottie would be able to identify Sid, so if it came to it, he was more than willing to resort to a bit of blackmail to get Sid to carry out the kidnapping.

  Chapter 56

  On Wednesday evening, Malcolm went into the pub. It was something he rarely did these days, but Nelly had gone to her sister’s to babysit whilst Linda and her husband attended some sort of works do. When Nelly had told him her plans for the evening, Malcolm hadn’t really been listening to the details, but as he sat in the corner of the pub with his whisky chaser, he had to admit he was glad of some time to himself. He was annoyed with Nelly. He wanted to break the news to his mother that his wife was pregnant, but she still wouldn’t have it. He knew that Dottie was her best friend, but surely family came first.

  To lower his mood even further, Malcolm saw Robbie wheeling himself into the pub. Every time he saw the man he felt a surge of guilt at the part he’d played in his dreadful accident. Remembering the sight of his twisted body at the foot of the stairs, Malcolm felt his eyes well with tears and fought to pull himself together. He couldn’t be seen in a pub blubbering like a baby – he’d never live it down. He knew he was a big softie and so did his wife, but because of his mammoth size, he was known to have a bit of a reputation as a hard man and didn’t want to lose it.

  Malcolm hunched down in his booth, glad that Robbie hadn’t spotted him as he wheeled himself to the bar. Before Robbie had a chance to order, a snidey-looking, weedy bloke joined him. They ordered drinks and Malcolm quickly picked up the evening paper that had been left on the table and held it in front of his face as he pretended to read. He hoped that once the two men were settled he’d be able to sneak out of the pub, but as he peeped around the newspaper he saw that they were heading his way. He ducked sideways as though picking something up from under his table, and thankfully they didn’t see him as they sat in the neighbouring booth. There was only a dark wood partition, topped with misted glass, between him and Robbie, and though Robbie spoke quietly, Malcolm heard every word.

  ‘So what went wrong then, Sid?’ Robbie asked.

  ‘I dunno, Robbie. You said she’d be upstairs and the baby in the pram, but she weren’t. I got in all right, but the pram was empty and your sister-in-law spotted me,’ Sid replied.

  Malcolm wasn’t normally the nosy sort; he thought all that gossip and stuff was best left to his wife. However, Nelly had mentioned something about an intruder in Dottie’s house and from what he was hearing, it sounded like something shifty was going on, so his ears pricked.

  ‘You’re going to have to go back and try again,’ Robbie said.

  ‘I don’t know about that, Robbie. I mean, it’s a bit risky now, ain’t it? They’ll be extra vigilant now.’

  ‘It’ll be fine. I’ve been watching her the last couple of mornings and she’s back to her old routine as if nothing happened. Anyway, you didn’t get properly caught so you’ve got nothing to worry about.’

  ‘I ain’t happy about risking it. You know I’ve only just got out from being banged up, and I can’t face going back to prison.’

  ‘Stop being so soft in the head, Sid. This is going to be a good earner for you, easy money too.’

  ‘You say that, Robbie, but it seems it’s me taking all the risk here. All you’ve gotta do is sell the kid, I’m the one nicking it!’ Sid said.

  ‘Oh, and you think there’s no risk in selling a baby? Come off it, Sid, it’s hardly legal to trade in children. Where else are you going to get your hands on this sort of cash, eh? The bloke who said he’ll have Rosie is willing to pay more money than you’d make in a year of hard graft.’

  ‘I suppose, but I still ain’t convinced. Who are you selling the kid to?’

  ‘You know Jack, he’s got the scrapyard up near the candle factory, well, his cousin said he’d have her.’

  ‘What, Pervy Pete? He’s a … you know … he likes—’

  Robbie sounded like he was growing impatient with Sid’s chatter and quickly interrupted him. ‘Let me put it another way, Sid,’ Robbie said, ‘If you don’t do it, I might be tempted to have a little word in Dottie’s ear. She saw you, and I bet she’d have no problem pointing you out in a line-up.’

  ‘You wouldn’t grass me up, would you? I’d tell them it was your idea and tell ’em about the whisky job too,’ Sid said.

  ‘Who do you think they would believe, Sid? You’re an ex-con fresh out of jail. Look, I don’t want this to get nasty, I just want that baby. I’ll level with you, Sid … I need the money.’

  Sid agreed and as Robbie began to go over the details of what he wanted the man to do again, Malcolm’s hackles rose.

  ‘Right, not tomorrow, Friday morning it is. Cheers.’

  Malcolm was seething, sickened by what he’d heard. He wanted to leap over to the other booth and knock the shit out of both of them, but as it was only hearsay and his word against theirs, he’d probably end up behind bars. Anyway, giving them both a hiding wasn’t enough. He wanted everyone to know what an evil bastard Robbie was, and he’d start by telling Nelly.

  However, things didn’t go according to Malcolm’s plans. He’d been shaken by what Robbie had said and felt he needed a strong drink to calm his nerves. Thankfully, Robbie didn’t hang around and left the pub sharpish, closely followed by Sid. As soon as Malcolm saw them leave, he went to the bar, ordered a large whisky and quickly swallowed it. He wa
s still reeling and that whisky was followed by another. By the time the landlord called last orders, Malcolm was unsteady on his legs and after staggering home he went to bed and passed out in a drunken stupor.

  When he awoke in the morning, bleary-eyed, he remembered what he’d heard the previous evening. He drank greedily from the glass of water on his bedside table and then said, ‘Nelly, I’ve got something to tell you.’

  ‘You don’t need to. I can smell it on your breath. You went out for a drink last night. You should know better, you’ve got work today.’

  ‘Yeah, but it’s not that,’ he said, and went on to tell her what he’d heard.

  ‘He said what?’ Nelly turned her face from Malcolm’s stale, beery breath and threw back the covers to get out of bed. ‘We’ve got to get round to Dottie’s. We’ve got to warn them.’

  ‘Can’t we have a cup of tea first?’

  ‘Yes, I suppose so,’ Nelly agreed as she dressed, ‘but then get a move on. I’m not risking that filthy low-life git getting his hands on Rosie.’

  ‘From what I heard, it won’t be happening until tomorrow.’

  ‘I don’t trust him. Something could happen to make him bring things forward, and that Sid has already been in their house once.’

  By a quarter past seven, Nelly was pounding on Dorothy’s front door, not caring if she woke the neighbours.

  Adrian opened it, looking sleepy. ‘Nelly, what on earth’s the matter?’

  ‘Your bloody brother, that’s what,’ Nelly answered as she pushed past Adrian. ‘Get Dottie. This is important.’

  Adrian went upstairs while Nelly and Malcolm waited in the living room. Nelly paced up and down, fuming, wanting to go screaming into Robbie’s room.

  Dorothy walked in with Adrian and looked bewildered as she asked, ‘What’s wrong?’

  ‘This is going to knock you both for six, so you’d best sit down and I’ll explain,’ Nelly said. ‘As for Robbie, I take it he’s still in his room?’

  ‘He might be, though I’m not sure if he came home last night,’ Adrian answered.

  ‘And Rosie, is she upstairs in her cot?’ Nelly asked.

  ‘Yes, sleeping soundly after keeping us up half the night,’ Dorothy said wryly.

  ‘OK, Malcolm, tell them,’ Nelly ordered.

  ‘Well, Nelly was out last night; she was babysitting while her sister and her hubby went to a do. Anyway, I don’t normally drink, but I fancied a pint so I went to a local pub and found a seat in a booth—’

  ‘Oh, for goodness’ sake, Malcolm, I’ll tell them,’ Nelly interrupted irritably. ‘Robbie’s planning on stealing Rosie, but he’s going to make it look like he had nothing to do with it. That’s what that bloke was here for on Monday. He’s working with Robbie to take Rosie.’

  Nelly saw Adrian and Dorothy look at each other with open mouths and went on to tell them all that Malcolm had overheard, then adding, ‘I was shocked to the core when Malcolm told me. Robbie said he was going to sell her to Pervy Pete, and we’ve all heard about him and them schoolgirls—’

  ‘Sell her?’ Adrian interrupted. ‘You’re telling us that Robbie plans to kidnap Rosie and then sell her?’

  ‘Yes! I know, it sounds ridiculous, but, well, I wouldn’t put anything past him,’ Nelly answered.

  ‘I can’t believe this,’ Dottie said, her face wan as she flopped back on the sofa.

  Adrian got up and pulled the curtains open, letting bright sunlight stream into the room. ‘This man that Robbie met. What did you say his name is?’ asked Adrian.

  ‘Sid,’ Malcolm told him.

  ‘What did he look like?’

  ‘He was short and skinny, with dark hair, and about the same age as Robbie.’

  ‘Sidney Cole … I should have guessed.’

  ‘You know him then, Adrian?’ Nelly asked.

  ‘Oh, yes, I know him all right. He was an old schoolfriend of Robbie’s, a right little so-and-so. I had him arrested a few years ago for pinching one of my trucks which just happened to be loaded with quality whisky from Scotland. Robbie swore blind he had nothing to do with it, but I always had my suspicions. It seemed a bit too convenient that Sidney knew the exact time and place to execute the robbery. He was never that bright so someone had to have given him inside information.’

  Nelly sat next to Dottie, worried that her friend looked as white as a sheet. ‘Are you OK, sugar?’

  ‘That sounds exactly like the man who broke in here. I just can’t believe that Robbie would do this,’ Dorothy answered sadly.

  ‘I always said he was low-life, but even I didn’t think he’d sink this far,’ Nelly said.

  ‘Malcolm, thank you, and you too, Nelly,’ Adrian said. ‘I’m not sure how I’m going to handle this yet, but trust me, I’ll deal with my brother.’

  Nelly was inwardly seething. Any trouble, upset or worries always involved Robbie bloody Ferguson and whether it was wicked to think it or not, she wished he’d died when he’d fallen down those stairs. She didn’t know how Adrian was going to deal with him, but if she had her way she’d get someone to knock the wicked bastard off. Or, better still, she’d throttle the bloody life out of him herself.

  Chapter 57

  Robbie was sitting in a strange kitchen, his mind on the previous evening. He already regretted intimidating Sid. He only wanted the man to kidnap the baby, but had been daft enough to lay it on thick and force Sid into doing as he wanted by blackmailing him. Not only that, but he’d told Sid who he’d lined up to buy the child. What if Sidney took umbrage at Robbie’s threat and opened his mouth? Robbie slumped in his chair as it dawned on him that he might have completely buggered up his only chance of getting his hands on some much-needed cash.

  He looked at the girl sitting opposite him, thinking that she must be a bit naïve, as he tucked into the sausage sandwich she’d made him. Fancy believing he was a war veteran and had sustained his injuries during a battle in Holland. He didn’t think he looked old enough to have served in the war, but he didn’t care, as long as it got him his leg over. Fat from the sausages dripped down his chin as he remembered snippets from the night before. When he’d parted from Sidney, he’d gone on to another pub and had found some mugs to buy him drinks. He had a vague memory of chatting to the girl outside, but couldn’t remember her name or coming back to her place. Actually, he wasn’t sure where he was, and hoped he wasn’t too far from home.

  The girl stood up and Robbie stared at the shortest nightdress he’d ever seen. He was impressed with her large, bulging bosom too as she sashayed towards him. He smiled with appreciation.

  She leaned over the table, almost pushing her breasts into his face as she asked, ‘Do you fancy going back to bed?’

  Robbie’s head felt thick. He didn’t think he was up to it, and, with tomorrow looming, he had more important things on his mind. ‘Maybe later, love. I’ve got to get off now, but I could come back this evening if you like,’ he said, fobbing her off.

  ‘Yeah, all right,’ she agreed and when she stood up to leave she walked in front of him, wriggling her bottom all the way to the front door.

  Once outside, Robbie surveyed the street. It didn’t look familiar to him, but he spotted Battersea Power Station in the near distance. He knew if he headed in that direction, he’d soon find his way home and hoped he had the strength in his arms to wheel himself that far. He hoped to see a taxi on the way, but on a Sunday morning the chances of that were slim. Still, with the thought of the money he’d soon have in his pocket, he set out, planning to pay back the money he owed Brian, and then have a good time with the rest.

  A tense silence fell across the room when they heard the front door open. Dorothy had never seen Adrian so incensed, and steeled herself for the coming confrontation. She didn’t know what he was going to do – he hadn’t said – but he’d told them all to leave Robbie to him.

  Dorothy’s stomach knotted in fear, but she didn’t doubt Adrian. He’d never let her down before, and had always looked after h
er and protected her. Now she felt sure he would do the same for Rosie, and she was glad the baby was asleep safely upstairs. Nelly grabbed her hand as if sensing her distress.

  ‘Robbie, in here,’ Adrian called, sounding deceptively calm.

  When he wheeled himself into the room, he quickly scanned them all before asking, ‘Yeah, what do you want?’

  This was going to be ugly, thought Dorothy.

  ‘I’ll put this simply, Robbie … go to your room, pack your things and get out,’ Adrian snapped. ‘I never want to see your face again. You’re dead to me.’

  Robbie looked shocked. ‘But why? Why are you throwing me out?’

  ‘I think you know. Now get out. This is my house and I don’t want you in it. Oh, and don’t bother calling Myra – your sister doesn’t want to be lumbered with you. In fact, like me, she no longer wants anything to do with you. Dottie and Rosie are my family now, and you’re no longer a part of it. I’ve given you chance after chance, but what you’re planning is the final straw.’

  ‘What’s the final straw? What am I supposed to have done?’

  ‘You know full well. I don’t understand how a man could even consider selling any baby into God knows what, let alone his own flesh and blood!’

  ‘Hold on, Adrian, where did you get that idea from? As if I would sell Rosie,’ Robbie said.

  Dorothy could tell he was lying; there was no sincerity in his voice.

  ‘Don’t try and worm your way out of it. I know all about your chat with Sidney last night. You got him to break in here on Monday. He frightened the life out of Dottie. Thank God Dottie and Rosie are OK, but no thanks to you.’

  ‘What chat with Sidney? It was him who broke in? I didn’t even know he was out of prison. You’ve seen him, have you? Is that what he’s told you? I bet he asked you for money for info. And you believe that fucking idiot over your own brother? You know he’s a thief and a bloody liar!’