‘I insinuate nothing that I can’t prove. You sent me a letter two years ago, and if you remember I refused your offer of help because’—now his voice became a growl—‘I’ve worked too hard all me bloody life to get where I am today to give backhanders to swines like you. Now get out of this office. And if I see you around this yard again before it’s finished, I’ll put it before the next meetin’ why I object to your presence here. And I’ll make it plain to them some things that’ll not only surprise them but you an’ all. Now get!’
‘You’ll regret this day. Oh, you’ll regret this day.’ After the door had banged on the man Bill slumped in his seat. He knew only too well that he might regret this day because anything he brought up against the man he’d have to prove; and fellows like Brown were wily, they never put anything in writing, except in that one letter he’d sent to him. And a clever lawyer would read it as a suggestion helpfully put. For there was no talk of rake-off as such in it.
Yes he might regret, not only this day, but this whole week.
Chapter Eighteen
He had gone out at half-past seven to the works. He returned home at half-past nine, had a bath, got into a smart suit, came down and had his breakfast; then he was ready to go.
In the hall Fiona helped him on with his overcoat and her hands had a nervous tremor to them as she patted the lapels, saying as she did so, ‘I like you in this. It’s very smart.’
‘Damn good right to be, two hundred and forty quid.’
‘Well, you shouldn’t go beyond your station and have your things made.’
‘Well, don’t forget, Mrs B, I had it made before I met you an’ was saddled with your crew. As far as I can see there’ll be no more handmade things; it’ll be off the peg or nothin’ at all.’
‘Poor soul.’
Dropping her bantering tone, she now said, ‘How long do you think it will take?’
‘God knows. It might go on till tomorrow. You can never tell with juries; there’s nearly always one…budgerigar decides to be awkward.’
‘You’ve fixed the television?’
‘I’ve fixed the television, so don’t worry. I’ve changed it over to the video channel and if she puts it on she’ll get nothing but a loud noise and a snowy screen. But anyway I hope to be back before the six o’clock news.’
‘It isn’t the six o’clock I’m worried about; it probably won’t be mentioned on there, but it’ll likely be reported on the Tyne Tees news or Mike Neville’s programme. It’s nearly sure to be one or the other, and just imagine if she saw his face on the screen, for they are more than likely to show a picture of him.’
‘She won’t, so stop worrying about that. The only thing that’s worrying me at the moment is his sentence. If he gets off lightly, by God! I don’t think I’ll be answerable for me actions.’
‘Please, Bill.’ She had her hands on his shoulders now. ‘Don’t cause a scene, please, whatever happens. Try not to look at him.’
‘What! That’s asking too much. I’ll look at him all right, love. In fact, I won’t take me eyes off him. I have one regret, that I won’t be able to put me hands on him. I had a word with Sergeant Cranbrooke first thing on the phone from the office. He didn’t say anything outright but there seemed to be a hint in his words that there’ll be more revealed than Katie’s case. Well now, I must be off. Oh, by the way, when you’re giving me orders I’ll give you one. Tear up the Journal or put it in the dustbin, there’s no picture of him but there’s that report, and you know she goes through the headlines of both papers, not only the front but the back. She said she had the first clue in the Telegraph crossword the other day. She hadn’t, but I let her think she had. Anyway, love, I’ll be back as soon as possible.’ He kissed her and they clung together for a moment; then she watched him walk down the drive to the car.
After closing the door she stood with her back to it for a moment. She was alone in the house: Nell had gone to the dentist’s—she was having three teeth out—she had been suffering from toothache for some time now.
She started to walk towards the sitting room but stopped when halfway across the hall, telling herself, no, she mustn’t sit down; she must keep busy in order to keep this awful feeling at bay, for her mind would keep jumping back into those hours when Katie was lost…
An hour later she was wishing it was time to pick up Mamie from the nursery school; she was wishing Nell was here; she was wishing one of the children were here. She wanted someone to talk to. She even wished her mother would ring; and having wished this, she knew she was in a bad way. She cleaned the odd bits of silver and brass, she turned out the china cabinet and wine cabinet.
At twelve o’clock she picked up Mamie from the nursery school, made her a light lunch, then found herself talking to the child as if she was Katie or Mark.
At one o’clock when the phone rang she was only a few feet from the table and, grabbing it up, she shouted, ‘Hello!’
‘Hello, love.’ Bill’s voice was quiet.
She drew in a long breath before saying, ‘How are things?’
‘Oh, complicated, at least from my point of view. You know, it’s the first time I’ve been in court, and don’t say, isn’t that amazing! But the procedure and the waffling is nobody’s business. I’ve seen it on the television but it’s different altogether when you’re in the middle of it.’
‘Is…is he there?’
‘Oh, yes, he’s here. My God, Fiona, that fellow looks evil. I sense it coming from him. You hear a lot of chatter about good and evil, but in the main it’s only words…Anyway, I’m going to have a bite. I’ll give you all the gen when I get back.’
‘Do you think it will be finished today?’
‘It could be, it seems all cut and dried. It all depends on the jury. But these blokes, the defence lawyers, the prosecution fellows, my God, how they talk. It’s just as if they were on the telly in a play. I’ll believe all I see and hear on the telly after this. Anyway love, be seeing you. You all right?’
‘Yes; yes, Bill, I’m all right. Just waiting for you coming back.’
‘I won’t be long, at least I hope not. Bye.’
‘Bye…’
It was half-past one when Nell put in an appearance. Her face looked a sorry sight.
‘Oh! Nell, what’s happened to you? What did they do?’
Through her swollen lips Nell muttered, ‘Used a street drill on a molar, and there was an abscess on two of them. God! never again.’
‘Have you just got back? You’ve been a long time.’
‘I…I must have passed out. Came to on a couch somewhere.’
‘Come and lie down and I’ll get you a drink.’
‘Thanks. All the same, I think I’d better go to bed and sleep it off. I…I haven’t been in home yet. How are you feeling?’
‘Oh, I’m all right, Nell. Don’t worry about me. Do as you say, get yourself to bed. Will I come with you?’
‘No, no. But…but I feel I’ve let you down; this is the day you want company.’
‘Don’t worry about that. Everything’s going fine. Bill’s just phoned. It shouldn’t be long before he’s back.’
‘Good. I’ll away then…’
She was alone again. Mamie was having her afternoon nap.
When the phone rang she ran out of the kitchen, across the hall and grabbed it up.
‘Fiona?…’
‘Yes, Mother.’
‘I didn’t expect to find you at home.’
‘Well, why did you phone?’
‘Well, naturally to find out. The case is on, isn’t it? I would have thought you would have been there defending your daughter.’
‘Mother, my daughter doesn’t want any defending.’
‘Well, you know what I mean.’
‘No, I don’t, Mother. As usual I don’t.’
‘Then all I can say is, girl, that you are going dim. As I see it, the presence of the mother of the child would have emphasise
d the wickedness of the man. And you are her only relative.’
‘Bill is there, Mother.’
‘Bill? What is he? Katie is not his child. The word “step” can never bear any relationship, in whatever way you look at it.’
‘What you forget, Mother, is that the man was one of Bill’s workmen.’
‘I forget nothing, girl, nothing at all. But I can tell you what I’m thinking at this moment, and this is you have become a most unnatural mother. And what is more…’
The phone was banged onto its stand. What kind of a woman was she? She was asking the question of the mirror above the telephone table. And now she actually spoke to her reflection. Her hand out towards herself, she asked, ‘Can you understand her? There are mentally defective people who would act with more sense than she does. Has she always been like this?’
She was nodding at herself now, saying, ‘Yes, yes; more or less. Yes, she has.’
Her hand now dropped to her side and she gritted her teeth against the pain there. Then looking in the mirror again, she said, ‘Oh, don’t you start. Please, please, not today.’
She told herself to go and have a drink, only once again to tell herself she certainly wasn’t going to start that in the middle of the day and that it would likely do her more harm than good. ‘Go and have a bath,’ she said to herself now, ‘and tidy yourself up.’
As if obeying an order from a mature and elderly individual, she went towards the stairs, and as she mounted them she repeated to herself, ‘Hurry up, Bill. Hurry up…’
Two hours later she picked Katie up from school. She hugged her tight—it was as if she had just got her back again—then having settled her in the front passenger seat and herself behind the wheel, she turned her head and looked at Willie, who was ensconced with Mamie in the back of the car. And he said, ‘I should be sitting in the front; I’m a boy.’
‘Oh, what a surprise! He’s a boy, Mam.’
Katie was looking at her mother, her face wide with laughter, and Fiona, joining into her mood, said, ‘Is he? I never noticed.’
This brought forth a bawl from the back seat as her son exclaimed, ‘Oh, you! our Mam,’ and was followed by Mamie, his faithful champion, saying, ‘He is a boy,’ only to be bawled down by her hero yelling, ‘Shut up! you.’
‘Willie!’ Fiona’s voice was stern. ‘We’ll have no more of that talk. Tell Mamie you’re sorry.’
‘Not.’
‘I don’t mind Willie not being sorry, Mammy B, ’cos I love him.’
No-one capped this in any way; and almost complete silence reigned until, scrambling from the car, Willie rushed towards the house, exclaiming, ‘I want to see Bugs Bunny.’
‘Get your things off first.’ Fiona’s voice was steadying. ‘Then you’ll have your tea and there’ll be plenty of time to see Bugs Bunny.’
Willie and Mamie followed Fiona into the kitchen; but Katie did not. Fiona knew she had made straight for the sitting room and the television and she waited for the cry of despair, and it wasn’t long in coming.
She came rushing into the kitchen. ‘Mam! there’s something wrong with the television. It’s making a funny sound and there’s no picture.’
‘Oh, dear me. I suppose the tube’s gone now.’
‘Oh no! Mam; I wanted to see…’
‘I want to see Bugs Bunny.’
‘And Henry’s Cat.’ This pipe came from Mamie. And now Fiona cried at all of them, ‘If the television is out of order, it’s out of order, and Bugs Bunny and Henry’s Cat and what have you are out of order, so stop it! Come and sit down and have your tea.’
When Katie’s mouth opened wide Fiona thrust a finger at her, saying, ‘Not another word. Not one more word. Sit!’
The three of them looked at her, then looked at each other, then sat down at the table. It wasn’t often their mother’s voice sounded like that but when it did they knew it was time to shut up…or else.
It was just on five when Bill returned. When he kissed her lightly on the cheek she didn’t put her arms about him but stood looking at him. His face looked grey and drawn. She asked quietly, ‘Was it bad?’
‘It wasn’t good, neither for me nor him.’
‘What did he get?’
‘Ten years.’
She let out a long slow breath. ‘That’s good.’
‘He should have had life, not less than twenty by what came out after.’
‘What came out after?’
‘Let’s have a cup of tea; I’m frozen.’ He had taken off his outer things and now he made towards the stove and stood with the back of his hands against his buttocks, and he went on talking while she made a fresh pot of tea.
‘The paraphernalia, the way they put the questions. You know, at one time I thought that his counsel was trying to get him off. In a way I suppose he was. He put him over as a sort of deprived child. His mother had done a bunk or something like that when he was twelve. He had been in Borstal for two years and after that he did two robberies and stole from his father, for which he did six months in jail; then only three years ago he was up for indecent exposure. My God! you never know who you’re employing, do you? But this didn’t come out until after the jury had found him guilty and it was up to the judge to pass sentence. And you know he might have got life at that only he denied flatly having said that she’d be rotten when she was found, even when Barney, Bert and meself were up on the stand and we all said the same thing.’
He stood shaking his head now. ‘By! that’s a funny feeling being up there. You know I’ve always prided meself that it would take a lot to put the fear of God into me but there I was and I was tellin’ the truth, but his counsel kept comin’ at me, twisting me words. I was in a rage, he said. Didn’t I try to throttle the defendant all because I smelt the scent on his coat?
‘I had told meself to keep calm ’cos I knew these fellows try to bamboozle you, but there I was bawling at him. Huh!’ He gave a short laugh now. ‘You know what I said? Don’t be a bloody ass, wasn’t the child found in his house, trussed up behind the tank? Oh’—he laughed again —‘didn’t that judge go for me. But towards the end he softened and said, “We are well aware of your feelings on this account, Mr Bailey, but please remember where you are.”
‘By God! I was glad the child hadn’t to put in an appearance. I’ve got to thank the doctors for that. And that came out an’ all about her losing her power of speech. There was only one light moment in the proceedings and you’ll never guess who caused it.’
She handed him the cup of tea and he drained the cup before he said, ‘Bert.’
‘Bert caused light relief?’
‘Aye, in his own way. The fella got at him, the defence counsel. Did he think he had heard aright? Was he not being loyal to his employer? At this there was objection from our bloke and a warning from the judge to the interrogator to mind what he was saying. And then Bert caused a rumbling belly laugh in the court by stretching himself to his full height, all of five foot eight, and in tones that outdid the counsel with their dignity, he said, “Sir, I am a Sunday school teacher.”
‘After the judge had knocked his mallet on the bench he looked at Bert and said, “I would discount the fact that religious work of any kind would have an effect on your hearing.”
‘There was another burst of laughter and another banging of the mallet and what d’you think came next? Bert looked at the judge straight in the eye and said, “My Lord, I neither drink nor smoke nor lie.” And what he was gonna say next I’ll never know because some bright spark from the back of the court put in a loud whisper, “Or go with women.” Eeh! it was like an explosion. Another time I would have bellowed me head off with them but I wanted to shout at the lot of them to shut up, that this was no laughing matter.
‘Anyway, everything went flat after that. The policemen were on the stand. The young one told how he found her, and the sergeant told what had been said when seated in the car outside the house. I thought it would never end. The jury were out for an hour
and a quarter. That gave me the jitters. I thought they would see that he was proved guilty beyond a doubt. But as I’ve said before, there’s always one or two stubborn buggers who just want to be different. But it was after they came back and they said that their verdict was guilty that the judge got under way, and didn’t he lay into him. He said in a way he was a lucky man he wasn’t facing a murder charge and that even in his early youth he’d had a grudge against society and had taken it out on innocent people, in the last case an innocent child. After he brought out the fact that the psychiatric treatment he’d had had proved that he was normal in as much as he knew what he was doing and wasn’t mental, he sentenced him to the ten years.’
Bill now moved from the stove and, sitting down at the table, he put his elbows on it and rested his head in his hands as he said, quietly, ‘I wonder if in ten years time I’ll be over this feeling because every minute in that court all I wanted to do was to climb over those benches and into that dock and get me hands on him, because let’s face it, love’—he looked up at her where she was standing to his side—‘it was firmly in his mind to leave her there until she died and that could have been a day or two the way she was trussed. You didn’t see it. He meant to do her in all right.’
She was putting her arms around him when the kitchen door opened, and there stood Katie. She walked slowly towards the table and stood at the other end and, after looking from one to the other, she said, ‘I…I heard my name on the radio, Mam. That man, he’s been put in prison for ten years, so I won’t see him again, will I? I’ll be old then.’
They exchanged a quick glance in which they said they hadn’t thought about the radio, because none of them bothered with it.
They seemed to spring round the table together and then she was engulfed in their arms. And it was Bill, his voice shaking, who said, ‘That’s right love, now you can forget all about him ’cos you’ll never see him again, ever, not even when you’re old. Now I’ll go and mend your television, eh?’
Bill Bailey Page 17
