Oh, aren’t you watching EastEnders?’
Ellie skittered into the kitchen to set out tea things and put the kettle on.
She got out the best china cups and saucers and gave them a rinse,
acknowledging Aunt Drusilla’s accusation that she usually drank coffee
and tea out of a pottery mug.
Taking the tea into the sitting room, she saw that Roy had settled the
two women in armchairs, but had still not received a proper explanation
for their absence. ‘Yes, but what happened?’
Aunt Drusilla looked surprised. ‘Didn’t you get my message? Rose
said you might be worried if you couldn’t contact us, so I told her to ring
you and leave a message on your answerphone if you were out. You
should have got that. Where were you?’
‘Out, I suppose,’ said Ellie. That must have been about the time she
and Roy were on their way to the mortuary. Diana had probably wiped
that message in her usual thoughtless fashion.
‘Well, no great harm done,’ said Miss Quicke, removing her slice of
lemon from her tea and holding it in the air, waiting for someone to
relieve her of it.
Ellie duly removed the lemon. ‘I wouldn’t say that, exactly. If we’d only
known you were all right! We’ve been half out of our minds with worry
about you.’
‘What, even Roy?’ Aunt Drusilla was not sure she could believe that. ‘Especially Roy,’ said Ellie, firmly. ‘When we had to go to the mortuary
to identify you – only it wasn’t you, of course …’
‘Mortuary, indeed,’ said Miss Quicke.‘I am reminded of that witty remark,
I don’t know who said it, but it was something about the reports of my
death being greatly exaggerated.’
Rose clasped both hands together, still very excited. ‘We arrived back
at the house and I nearly had a fit. Police everywhere. I couldn’t believe
my eyes. What a fuss! Do you know, they wouldn’t even let us go upstairs,
not even to the bathroom …’
‘To start at the beginning,’ said Miss Quicke, overriding Rose with ease. ‘The cleaner had arrived early – I’ve had her before and not been at all pleased with her work but apparently she was the only one the agency had free, so I had to put up with her. It’s amazing the amount of dust that flies about when builders start work on a house. I told her to start upstairs and I’d just settled down with the papers when Rose said she fancied a cup of coffee. I said I’d have one, too. So Rose went into the kitchen and switched on the kettle but it wouldn’t light or heat
up.’
‘So I went to tell Miss Quicke and she said …’
‘We’d only bought that kettle last week and it was still under guarantee
so of course we had to take it back.’
‘… though I did wonder if it were the wiring in the house which was
responsible …’
‘Nonsense. The kettle was faulty. The problem was that I’d told Rose to
throw away my old kettle when we got the new one, so we coldn’t even
make ourselves a cup of tea without it.’
‘… but it had been all right at breakfast,’ said Rose. ‘Though I’d had to
press the switch down three times to make it work …’
Aunt Drusilla turned to Ellie. ‘That plumber of yours was supposed to
have been there at half past nine. I thought he might have fixed the kettle,
but it was well after ten and he hadn’t turned up. The electrician said he
was going to switch off all the power to our side of the house, in order to
start rewiring the kitchen. He couldn’t say when he’d be finished. Naturally
I couldn’t have that, because of the wedding on Saturday and the caterers
needing power points. I told him he’d have to stop work till after the
weekend.’
Rose put in, ‘And he wouldn’t even look at the kettle, to see if he could
mend it for us.’
‘It was the last straw. Having the builders thump and clang around the
place doing the roof for the previous fortnight had been had enough, and
that plumber – I’ll never use him again – proposing to use the wrong
gauge of pipes, did he think I was born yesterday? – but it was the kettle
which finally made me realize that I would have to find somewhere else
to live until the electricians and the plumbers had finished. ‘Dear Rose suggested I go back home with her but she’d already
mentioned what a strain it was to walk up six flights of stairs to her flat
when the lift was out of order, which I understand is not unusual. Hotels
are out of the question; far too expensive. Then I thought of the flats which
Stewart is supposed to be looking after for me, and after some trouble
got his mobile – which was switched off, if you please! I asked him to
phone me back as a matter of urgency. I get weekly reports on the flats,
naturally, and I knew there was one empty not too far away. I planned for Stewart to show it to us and if it were suitable, we would make
arrangements to move in straight away.
‘I looked at the clock and saw it was after ten and that plumber of yours,
Ellie, had still not arrived. I decided he couldn’t want the job very much
and that I wouldn’t wait in for him. So we called a taxi and took the kettle
back to the ironmongers in the Avenue, and there was something of an
argument.’
‘Which Miss Quicke won, naturally …’
‘While we were there in the Avenue, we took the opportunity to have a
hot chocolate at the Sunflowers Café, which Rose recommended –
acceptable if overpriced – and then I thought that we might as well look
at some new bathroom fitments while we were out.’
Ellie tried to remember what time Jimbo had phoned her to report the
corpse, and couldn’t quite pin it down. He said he’d got to the house just
after ten? So maybe he’d shaded the truth, knowing he was late? She
hadn’t looked at her watch, had she? The cab firm would know when she
called them, though.
‘So we took a cab to that big warehouse place near the A40, and after
some trouble Rose found a man to attend to us. Altogether I was pleased
with what we saw. We bought two bathroom suites, a complete new
kitchen, and selected tiles for both bathrooms and the kitchen all at a
very good discount. Rose suggested I might want to replace my old
television sets and we looked at the DVDs and I think I probably will have
one but not till the men have finished rewiring the place. Oh yes, and
Rose fancied a food processor, so we added that to the bill. I think I can
say it was time well spent.’
‘Only,’ said Rose, ‘I’d torn my coat pocket on a sticky-out piece of metal,
so Miss Quicke said we’d call in at the department store in Ealing on the
way back, and she bought me this lovely coat and beret to match, so
kind, though of course I could have paid for it out of my wages and I did
want to, but she wouldn’t let me. That’s when I phoned, but you were out,
so I left a message. Miss Quicke said all her old bedlinen was rather old,
so she bought some new soft honeycomb blankets, too, light as air,
some pillows and some fine china and oh, I don’t know how many other
things for the house. We shall be so grand! Then we had lunch in their
restaurant, such a lovely lunch, with waitress ser
vice and all, and we had
a glass of wine each, so daring …’
‘And then,’ said Miss Quicke, her face darkening, ‘Stewart finally rang
back and I told him I’d heard he might have a flat to let …’ Rose broke in, ‘Because it’s a secret, isn’t it? He’s not to know that Miss
Quicke really owns all the houses he’s looking after, and so we arranged
to meet him there … oh, and that’s when I tried to ring you here the second time, Ellie, but I couldn’t get through, you were so busy on the
phone …’
Ellie nodded. It would have been Joyce on the phone, probably. ‘Anyway,’ said Miss Quicke, ‘I took one sniff inside the front door and
smelt damp. Rose looked inside the kitchen cupboards and gave such a
scream, I nearly had a heart attack …’
Rose nodded. ‘Cockroaches.’
‘… and what Stewart thinks he’s playing at, trying to let a flat in such a
state, I do not know. So we gave in and took a cab home, only to find a
policeman on the door, refusing us entry! To my own house! Apparently
the cleaner had managed to electrocute herself and they said someone
had tampered with the wiring. Absurd. Why should anyone do that?’ Her voice had trembled. She knew, all right.
Roy took both her hands in his, and held them tightly. ‘Mother.’ Perhaps
it was the first time he’d ever called her that to her face. His voice shook,
too. ‘Mother, if someone tampered with the wiring in your bedroom, then
might it not have been meant for you?’
Four
‘ Nonsense, Roy,’ said Aunt Drusilla, refusing to let her voice wobble. ‘Of course it was a tragic accident. I never liked the woman and
her work was unsatisfactory, but still it was rather a shock to find she’d
passed away in my own house, in my own bedroom! I believe she had
a partner; not a husband, if you please, but a partner. I try never to
listen to the gossip these people pour out, but I think there may have
been an elderly relative, too. It’s all very upsetting. Now, if you please,
Ellie, I’m rather tired and would like to go up to my room. I don’t need
much for supper – perhaps just a cup of home-made soup and some
thinly cut bread and butter. Rose can sleep in the little room at the front
for tonight.’
‘I’m afraid I’ve got Frank asleep in that bedroom.’
‘Then Roy must take Rose back to her flat and she can come here and
help look after me in the morning.’
Ellie knew this meant the end of any peace and quiet for her but said,
‘Of course you shall stay here, Aunt Drusilla. I’ll go and make the bed up
for you at once. What a terrible experience for both of you. Now, dear
Rose, are you all right to go home? You could have my bed and I could
sleep on the sofa …?’
‘No, dear. I’m quite all right. Best be back in my own little flat. There’s a
corner shop that’ll see me right for milk and tea and such, and tomorrow
I’ll come here and we’ll decide what to do.’
Ellie thought Rose was looking pale and shaken but so was Aunt
Drusilla, for all her decisiveness. Perhaps it would do Rose good to
return to the flat she had left only a short while ago, in order to look after
Miss Quicke. Rose’s flat was warm and comfortable enough, and if the
teenager next door was not playing his stereo too loudly, Rose would
probably get a good night’s sleep in familiar surroundings. Roy, too, was making an effort to appear normal. ‘I left the car in the
Avenue. How about I order a taxi, take Mrs Rose home, buy her what she needs from the corner shop and then collect my own car and get back to my flat?’
‘Anything you say,’ said Miss Quicke, leaning back in her chair and closing her eyes. ‘But please don’t try to suffocate me under a duvet tonight. Use the blankets I bought for Rose, and the new pillows.’ She drifted off into silence, showing her age at last.
Ellie got busy unpacking the things Miss Quicke had bought, hindered rather than helped by Rose, who was really too tired to do much but yawn and get in the way. When the taxi came, Roy kissed his mother on her cheek, carefully put Rose into the cab and disappeared with her into the night.
Ellie found some toiletries and a clean nightdress for her aunt, and helped her into bed.
‘I knew I could count on you, Ellie. I feel quite safe here. Thank you.’ Ellie knew Miss Quicke very well by now. She said, ‘You think you know who tried to kill you?’
The reply was terse. ‘Certainly not. I would have told the police if I knew anything of the kind.’
‘Very well, then. You suspect someone.’
‘Suspect? Yes, that’s possible. That builder, you know he threatened me? But no, it’s extremely unlikely. I don’t want to talk about it, too upsetting.’
Ellie frowned. She knew that Aunt Drusilla had had an argument with her builder, but she’d thought nothing of it. Aunt Drusilla enjoyed arguments.
Ellie said, ‘We were very worried, you know. Roy was devastated. It was only when he thought he’d lost you that he realized how much you mean to him.’
‘And to you, my dear?’
‘Yes. I’m extremely thankful that it wasn’t you.’
‘I suppose it would have been, if it hadn’t been for Rose. She was so distressed about the kettle. I’ve never been particualrly concerned about my surroundings as you know, but she’s shown me the difference that a little care and attention can make. I don’t think I’d ever thought how pretty a vase of daffodils can look till she came to stay. And the plumber – not yours but the one I sacked yesterday – total incompetence – well, he was on at me to get new bathroom suites and kitchen equipment through him and no doubt he’d be getting a hefty discount … so I thought, Why not spend a little, make Rose happy, she really likes doing things for me. I can’t think why. I know I’m not the easiest of people to live with.’ Ellie realized Miss Quicke was rambling, talking to push away the horror of what might have been her fate that day. The old woman was in her mid-seventies, and a shock like this might have disturbed a much younger person.
Ellie folded up her aunt’s clothes and laid them over the chair. ‘Rose likes to be of use and she loves beautiful things. She loves your house and she really admires you. It was good of you to buy her a new coat and hat.’
‘She thought you might resent my buying clothes for her,’ said Aunt Drusilla, with a sharp sideways look at Ellie.
Ellie shook her head. ‘Yes, I did for a moment. Then I realized that what I was feeling was guilt, because I ought to have bought new clothes for her myself. I’d been so pleased with myself because I’d given her money for taxis and bought her the odd meal, but you saw what she really needed. I’m very glad you bought her the clothes, and I’m glad you both get on so well.’
‘She has perfectly appalling taste in clothes,’ said Aunt Drusilla, with a return to her usual acid tone of voice. ‘And she may not choose to stay on with me after this. It was only supposed to be a temporary arrangement while I got over that fall down the stairs. Just till after her daughter’s wedding on Saturday. Now I don’t suppose Joyce will be able to hold her reception at my house and I haven’t even got a home to offer Rose. What’s more, if I read that cleaner aright, her family will probably sue me for her death. I doubt if I shall sleep a wink tonight.’
Ellie offered a sleeping pill, but the old woman would have none of it. ‘I don’t hold with such things. Now don’t fuss, Ellie. Go to bed early, when you’ve brought me my cup of soup. You’re looking worn out.’ Ellie bent over to kiss the old woman’s cheek and for the first time she felt a dampness on the wrinkled skin. Aunt Drusilla crying? No, it was only a str
ay tear, and best to ignore it.
Aunt Drusilla clung to Ellie’s hand. ‘I had a narrow escape, didn’t I?’ A pause. ‘Roy really was upset?’
‘Believe it. He clung to me as if I were his mother substitute.’ ‘Marry him, then. I know he’s very fond of you.’
Ellie shook her head, smiling. ‘I’m very fond of him, too. But that’s not enough, and you know it.’
The huge television set was still on in the Tucker flat, a porn video running. Norm came heavily back into the room, shed his jacket, turfed young Jogger out of the better of the two armchairs and collapsed into it, lighting another cigarette.
‘It was her, no mistake. Poor old cow.’
Old Mr Tucker was still in his armchair, with the blanket over his knees. ‘I knew it. Soon as they said they’d found someone, I knew it! What we going to do now then, eh? Poor old Mo. She always did her best, did our Mo.’
Jogger was restless. ‘Yeah, it’s bad. Can’t take it in. Thing is, I need some cash.’
Norm knocked over the remains of his can of beer, his temper rising. ‘There ain’t no cash! There ain’t never going to be no more cash, right?’
Jogger was aggrieved. ‘She’ll have cash on her, in her bag, bound to. Didn’t they give it you, down the morgue?’
‘Poor Mo, poor kid,’ said Grandad. ‘Never had much of a life.’
Norm was in shock. ‘The police said she was killed by accident, in mistake for that rich old cow she worked for.’
Jogger’s bright eyes switched left and right. ‘Then we can sue her, can we?’
‘Dunno,’ said Norm. ‘Might. Takes a bit of getting used to, her not being around. Poor old Mo. I’m going to miss her.’
Grandad sniffled, his eyes watering. ‘Who’s going to get me my tea, that’s what I want to know.’
Jogger lost his temper. ‘Eff your tea, old man! There ain’t going to be no more tea for you. Best get used to it. There’s nobody now to fetch and carry for you. The sooner you’re put away in an old-people’s home, the better.’
The old man quavered, ‘I never did you no harm, Jogger.’
‘You never did me no good, neither.’
Norm heaved himself out of his chair. ‘Mo was going to do us egg ’n’ chips. Maybe I can rustle something up. Egg ’n’ chips do you, Grandad?’
‘I ain’t your grandad …’ He wiped his hand across his face. But the prospect of tea soothed both him and Jogger.
Murder By Accident Page 5
