Generations of Love

by Wendy Pulford

  Except for the likes of Catherine Franklin! Damnation! Somehow she had come into his thoughts again. He wasn’t busy enough, that was the trouble, and he had the whole of Sunday to get through yet.

  He glanced along the bookshelves, wondering if the Judge would allow him to borrow a book to read. Most of them were law books of various kinds, all neat and regimented in their chronological order. Some, he noticed, were quite old. In one section however he found a more varied selection. One or two books were to do with psychology, useful in Court, no doubt; and several related to economics, both domestic and worldwide. There were also other titles relating to global political doctrines of one persuasion or another. He even found one book on firearms. It looked up to date. On a bottom shelf he caught sight of a book entitled A Yachting Guide to the West Scottish Coastline. He pulled it out. It was an old edition by several years, but no doubt the Scottish coastline wouldn’t be changing all that much! Perhaps the Judge owned a boat of some sort. He replaced the book on the shelf.

  He looked at his watch: nearly seven-thirty and the paperboy would be coming, if he was on time on a Sunday as well.

  CHAPTER 4

  Just as he left the study and went out into the hall, he heard the scrunch of footsteps on the gravel. Yes, the paperboy was on time. He opened the front door and was met by a cheery grin just about discernable through extensive layers of scarves and a wool hat.

  Alex thanked the boy, who struggled off with his bulging bag. He turned back inside, shut the door and looked at what had been delivered. Well, that was interesting, at least. As well as the predictable Sunday Times and supplements, there were also others from across the whole political spectrum. The Judge must keep his ear very much to the ground.

  Catherine Franklin was crossing the hall with her loaded tray. She stopped and looked at him. ‘You can leave the papers there, Inspector Hartman, I will deal with them when I come down.’

  ‘If you tell me where to put them I can do it for you, if you like?’ One more attempt at politeness wouldn’t hurt.

  ‘You can leave them in the kitchen for now. Er, thank you.’

  She turned up the stairs and for a moment Alex watched the small, slim figure, then counting himself lucky that he had received a civil reply, went into the kitchen, deposited the papers on the table, and decided on a walk around outside.

  The rest of the day was boring. He saw nothing at all of the Judge, who was either in the dining room or in his study. Neither did he see any more of Catherine Franklin. He spent most of his time wandering around inside and out, although not intruding on closed doors, and talking to Grace and Arthur Painter. He declined Grace’s offer of a cooked meal, but accepted a sandwich and coffee. He found himself relieved when Dougie arrived at six p.m. to begin his shift.

  Alex was about to leave when Catherine Franklin came into the kitchen with a plate and mug which she left on the draining board. So, she had at some time been down into the kitchen when he hadn’t been present, Alex thought.

  ‘Good evening, Sergeant Johnson.’ This greeting was accompanied by a brilliant smile as she turned to go. It filled her already attractive face with warmth and vitality, and Alex again found himself staring at her.

  ‘Good evening, Miss Franklin. I hope you’ve had a pleasant day.’

  Dougie at his most urbane, thought Alex.

  ‘Oh, just the usual Sunday I’m afraid.’

  Then the smile died on her face as she saw Alex watching her, and she turned and left the room.

  ‘So what do you have that I don’t all of a sudden?’ he found himself remarking, glancing at Dougie.

  ‘Well, I’m sure I don’t know. She seems pleasant enough to me. I’d have thought that you of all people would have had no trouble with a pretty girl.’ This remark was accompanied by a sly look.

  Alex just shrugged. ‘I must be losing my touch. See you tomorrow.’

  He felt glad to be leaving the house, and this was just the first day! Perhaps he needed an evening out.

  It was a spur-of-the-moment decision, but Alex already felt himself relaxing as he made his way to Sunbury. It would be good to see Luigi and Maria again. He had known the couple since he was a small boy. Although Luigi and his wife had both been born in London, they still retained a lot of the Italian way of life, with a love of family and good food. They had run a successful restaurant in the area where he had grown up. He was fond of them both. They had provided him with unfailing support and guidance at a difficult and troubled time in his life, plus a meal and place to stay if ever he needed one. They had retired from the restaurant a year or two ago and opened a small bed and breakfast business near the Thames. He tried to see them as often as he could, but at times it was difficult.

  He drew up in front of the three-storey whitewashed building and, lighter in spirit, bounded into the front entrance hall.

  ‘Luigi?’

  A short, rotund man in his middle fifties came through from a back room, his face wreathed in a broad smile. He thumped Alex on the shoulder. ‘Good to have you here again, boy. It’s been a while. I thought I heard that jet engine of yours!’

  Alex grinned back at him. Luigi had always considered his choice of vehicle excessive.

  ‘Come on through and let’s surprise Mama. She’s in the kitchen, as usual.’

  Alex followed him down the hall and through a large door into an impressive kitchen. Putting his finger to his lips Alex motioned Luigi to remain silent. He tiptoed over to the range where a small, dark-haired woman was concentrating on stirring the contents of a pan. He slid his arms round her ample waist and kissed her on the cheek. She shrieked with surprise and dropped her spoon to the floor.

  ‘Alessandro, you naughty boy! You always have to creep up on me. Now look at my floor!’ The smile on her face belied the tone of her remark.

  ‘I’ll clean it up for you, I promise. How’s my favourite girl?’ Alex encircled her again with his arms.

  ‘If I’m the best you have, you must be losing your touch.’ She gave him a light smack on his arm and he released her.

  ‘I’ve begun to think the same,’ muttered Alex, thinking the words out loud, and he had a sudden vision of large green eyes. God damn it, couldn’t he get away from her, even here? Annoyed with himself, he pulled out a chair from the kitchen table and slumped down, not noticing the glance that passed between the other two.

  ‘What have you been doing with yourself all these weeks? We were just saying you hadn’t been down for a while. The last time was when you brought that very stylish blonde lady with you.’ Luigi gave him an enquiring glance.

  ‘It’s the old story, I’m afraid. Irregular hours play havoc with your private life. I think we were both happy to leave it in the end.’

  ‘Well, you’ll have to find a girl who doesn’t worry about all that, as long as she’s able to see you enough. There can be other compensations.’

  Luigi looked over at his wife and gave her a fond smile.

  Of late this had begun to be their usual line of questioning and Alex was keen to change the subject. ‘Yes, well, I’ve no doubt I’ll find one some time. I’m not fretting about it. How’s business, Luigi?’

  ‘Quiet at the moment, but it’s the beginning of the year. Are you staying the night? We have the space.’

  ‘No ‘fraid not, Luigi. I’m on shift work with a new case. I like the smell of whatever Maria has in that pot, though.’ His mood now improved, he grinned at both of them.

  ‘Well, if you leave me in peace I may have something for you a bit later. Luigi, go find a bottle of wine for us.’

  ‘Yes, Mama.’ With a grin, Luigi went to do her bidding.

  Maria turned back to her cooking, but glanced over at Alex. ‘You look tired. Are you alright? Are they working you too hard?’

  ‘Don’t worry, Maria, I’m fine. I know one thing for sure, though, when this curren
t job’s over I’m putting in for leave. I thought I might take the car over to the Continent. Maybe do some hiking.’ He watched as Luigi returned and dealt with opening the bottle. ‘If I get that far I might even pop in on Vincenzo. Are they all well?’

  ‘Yes, it seems so, thank goodness. The little ones are growing up fast. I know Maria would like to see more of them, but it’s difficult with the distance involved and our commitment here.’

  Luigi moved over to his wife and gave her a quick kiss. He turned and picked up some wine glasses.

  ‘I’ll just have one glass thanks, Luigi. I’m driving, and I ought to keep a clear head for my latest job.’

  ‘Something important? Or shouldn’t I ask?’ Luigi settled himself at the table.

  Alex took a slow sip of his wine. ‘It might turn out to be important. I’m not sure yet.’

  A strange, almost anxious feeling came over him, but with an effort he shrugged it off.

  CHAPTER 5

  Alex had spent part of the day liaising with the Court’s own security, but now, the Judge’s session having risen earlier than normal, they were making good time back to Richmond. Alex was pleased about the slight change in schedule; it might keep someone guessing, and was one of the security measures he wanted to enforce. In the back of the Rolls the Judge was working on his papers, and Alex left Arthur to concentrate on his driving.

  Carl had arrived at the house in his Mini before they had left in the morning. Detective Constable Freeman was young and bright, someone who had caught Alex’s eye. True to form, on offering him the opportunity to join his team, Alex wasn’t surprised to find it accepted. Another example of someone who considered it did their own career no harm at all to be involved with him. The lad appeared keen, although at times Alex wondered if his attention to his job was too easy to divert. As anyone’s could be, he was honest enough to admit, remembering his own lapses of the last couple of days.

  Before leaving that morning Alex had repeated his instructions, as to both general security and, in particular, the expected workmen.

  As the Rolls pulled into the drive and the Judge started to collect his belongings, Alex was looking around, then said over his shoulder, ‘Judge, please stay in the car.’ He turned to Arthur. ‘Move off, and don’t come in the drive unless you are instructed to do so.’

  Exiting the car, he walked round to the kitchen door. Any care he now took was a joke, he thought, because their arrival could not fail to have been heard.

  But the fact that it had not became clear as he entered the kitchen. He could hear sounds of laughter coming from the hallway. He opened the door to the hall and gazed at the scene in front of him. Carl Freeman was standing on a chair in the middle of the hall, endeavouring to replace a light bulb. Catherine Franklin was steadying the chair, with Grace Painter hovering in the background with a fluffy duster. Everyone was laughing so much they had not heard Alex approach.

  ‘What, in God’s name is going on!’ he thundered.

  The three faces turned in his direction and Carl overbalanced on the chair and almost fell.

  Now worried and embarrassed, he blurted out, ‘Well, you see the workmen caught this light with their ladder and broke the bulb, so I was just…’ His voice tailed off as he saw the look on his superior’s face.

  ‘You know very well you should be doing no such thing. I gave you orders and I expect them to be carried out, no matter what other diversions present themselves.’

  Alex threw a look at the other two figures. He could see Catherine Franklin about to challenge that remark, but she must have recognised the anger in him, and in a wise move remained silent.

  ‘Now go outside and bring in the Judge, and tell Arthur to park the Rolls. Then you and I will have a further few words together.’

  As Carl climbed down from the chair and rushed off outside, Alex rounded on the two women. ‘Next time you need any help with domestic arrangements please do not utilise my colleagues, who have more important things to do. I had left orders that any approaches to this property were to be observed at all times. We have arrived just now to find that not so. As far as I was aware, any sort of emergency could be about to present itself. I sent the car away again just to be safe. Any attention diversion of my operatives, for whatever reason, might prove fatal to someone. Do I make myself clear? I am, as instructed, trying not to interfere with any of your daily routines, but my job is the Judge’s safety and that is paramount. Light bulbs can wait!’

  The front door opened and the Judge came in, briefcase in hand.

  ‘A false alarm, I gather?’ he said, with a sardonic look in his pale eyes, and, raising an eyebrow at Alex, he went into his study and closed the door.

  With a muttered oath Alex marched off outside to confront the unfortunate Carl, passing Arthur on his way in.

  ‘What’s been going on? The young boy came out looking as though he’d been hit by a whirlwind.’

  ‘More of a hurricane, I would have said,’ replied his wife.

  ‘It’s unfair to blame us,’ said Catherine, ‘we didn’t ask for his help. We’ve replaced that bulb by ourselves many times. That man is an arrogant bully.’ Her tone didn’t quite carry the conviction of her remark, however.

  They put the chair away and Grace went into the kitchen to start the evening meal. Catherine wandered into the room.

  ‘Do you want any help, Grace, or shouldn’t I ask?’

  Grace wondered at the relevance of that remark, but then saw Alex passing through the hall and, the kitchen door being open, realised he must have heard. However, he went into the Judge’s study without any comment. Grace was about to question Catherine as to why she was being so unpleasant which, for her, was so out of character when Dougie Johnson arrived.

  ‘Evening, ladies,’ he said, ‘a spot of bother I hear.’

  ‘A lot of fuss over nothing, I think,’ commented Catherine.

  ‘You could be wrong there, my dear. Alex must have been on the alert to sense a possible danger. He did the right thing. The lad slipped up, but he’s young and he’ll learn.’

  Catherine caught the polite censure in his tone. ‘I suppose Carl Freeman will be in trouble now.’

  ‘Not if I know Alex. The lad’s had his dressing down, and that’s as far as it will go for him. Alex is no doubt in with the Judge now, accepting the blame for the situation on the principle that the buck stops with him. Whether the Judge wants to do anything about it will soon become clear. Don’t be so hard on Alex, my dear. He’s good at his job.’

  ‘Well, it seems as if it’s my day for being told off.’ With a rueful smile she turned to leave the room. ‘I’d better go and change for dinner.’

  As she reached the door she almost collided with Alex coming in from the hall. He put out a hand to steady her, which she avoided, but she did glance up at him and, with a small smile, and ‘Goodnight Inspector Hartman’, she disappeared upstairs.

  Watching her go, Alex remarked, ‘Well, I suppose something good has come out of today, but I’m off before anything else happens.’

  *

  The rest of the first week’s run to and from the Court proved uneventful, and so too the first two days of the following week. The next day, Alex arrived back at the house to find Catherine Franklin had a visitor. Introduced to him as an old school friend, now a hospital Sister, Sarah Jennings was sitting in the kitchen with a pot of tea and a plate of biscuits on the table in front of her. Sarah was blonde, bubbly and seemed, from the start, warm and outgoing. When Grace offered Alex a drink and he accepted, she patted the chair next to her, and gave him an admiring glance.

  ‘I’ve been hearing a lot about you, Inspector Hartman.’

  Alex glanced over at Catherine Franklin who was studying the bottom of her tea cup.

  ‘All of it good, I hope. I would hate to disappoint.’

  ‘I can’t imagine you ever doin
g that, Inspector.’

  The tone of the banter was acknowledged by each of them for what it was, but in a sudden move Catherine Franklin stood up, and, with a pointed look at her friend said, ‘Shall I see if Arthur can drive you home, Sarah?’

  ‘Um, well… Oh, yes, if you’re sure it would be alright.’

  ‘I’ll go and ask him.’ With that, she left the room. Alex didn’t miss the glance which passed between Sarah and Grace.

  ‘How did you get here?’ Alex asked.

  ‘The Tube as usual, then a taxi from the station. Why?’ enquired Sarah, looking at him bird-like with her head on one side.

  Some perverse demon made Alex carry on. ‘This is just a suggestion,’ he said, ‘but if you would care to wait until my relief gets here in about half an hour I would be glad to drive you into town. It would save Arthur another journey today.’ He realised he had made the offer to goad Catherine Franklin without thinking about it, although on reflection it seemed a polite gesture. ‘Where do you live?’

  ‘South Kensington.’ Sarah caught his surprised glance. ‘My parents’ property, you understand. Don’t forget, I’m an impoverished nurse,’ she laughed.

  ‘I’m relieved to hear it. I was thinking of making a career change if your salary runs to that sort of area.’

  ‘Would it be out of your way?’

  ‘Not too much. I have to go to Kennington, just over the river.’

  ‘Well, if you’re sure, that would be very nice.’

  Catherine came back into the room. ‘Arthur says my Uncle might want to go to his Club tonight and—’

  ‘Don’t worry, petal,’ interrupted Sarah, sorting out her coat and bag. ‘Inspector Hartman here has been very kind and offered to take me home.’

  ‘But—!’

  ‘I’ve assured Sarah’ Alex made sure that he emphasised her Christian name ‘that it would be no trouble at all.’