Mia grasped the phone in a hand that shook. ‘Ursula . . . Ursula, are you all right? Anthony is . . . I mustn’t say, or he’ll kill me. But you won’t, will you? Promise me you won’t. I can’t tell you what happened, I mustn’t. Understand?’
Ellie put her arm around Mia, as the girl’s knees gave way. Mia was frantic, thrusting the phone back at Ellie, whispering, ‘Tell her, tell her. Don’t come back.’
Ellie took the phone from Mia. Ursula was alarmed. ‘What’s happened? Mia, are you all right?’
‘Ellie here. No, she’s not all right,’ said Ellie, letting Kate take the girl from her. ‘She’s been beaten up by someone, possibly her stepbrother. She’s been desperate to speak to you, but can hardly talk at the moment. Anthony’s been trying to find her, but I got to her first.’
Ursula was keeping her head, but her voice shook. ‘You think she saw something? Something to do with Lloyd’s death? And he’s trying to make sure she won’t talk?’
‘Something like that,’ said Ellie, who didn’t want to speak of rape until she was sure of the facts. ‘She’s safe now. All right?’
‘But where has she been? Why hasn’t she rung me? I’ve been half out of my mind, telling myself I was worrying unnecessarily, and trying to get on with my life. Why didn’t she come to me when she ran away, or ring me to say she was safe?’
‘A long story, Ursula. She hasn’t got a mobile any more. Look, I’ll ring you again when I have some news. All right?’
She shut off the phone. Mia was crying on Kate’s shoulder. Ellie looked at the clock. ‘It’s time to go.’
Armand and Kate had been talking to one another in low voices. Now Armand reached for his car coat. ‘It’s all settled. I’m driving you.’
‘It’s too dangerous. Anthony is persistent; went up and down the shops in the Avenue, till he traced her to where she worked. It won’t take him long to find the flat in which she was sheltering, and one of the girls there will need no urging to tell him that I took her off in a cab. They even have the number I used to call the cab firm. I tried to leave a false trail by asking the cab to go to the police station, and then countermanding the order and asking him to take us to my old house, but it won’t take him long to discover where I actually did go.
‘Once he locates my house next door he’ll be round here, probably tomorrow morning. If the decorators are still there, and I think they haven’t quite finished, he’ll ask them if they’ve seen me and Mia, and they’ll happily say that yes, they saw us this evening and left us in the house when they knocked off for the night. Then he’ll ask the neighbours and they’ll refer him to you two because we’re known to be such close friends, and I’m not having you lot placed in danger. Think of the children.’
‘We’ve thought,’ said Kate. ‘I’m taking them to stay with a friend for a few days. If he comes here, he’ll find both houses empty.’
‘Except for Armand—’
‘He’ll be at school all day and will bring a colleague – a man who used to be a rugby player and who weighs half a ton – back with him after school for some supper.’
Armand looked fierce. ‘I’ve no intention of backing down to a bully. I see enough of that at school. Give in to them once, and they think they can always get away with it. If he starts threatening me then I’ll threaten back, with a hockey stick. Besides which, I’ll deny everything. I can say, “Yes, I took my car out last night, but that’s to play squash at the club, which I often do. Yes, the wife and kids are away for a few days; so what? Get lost, Mr Whatever-your-name-is.”’
‘Prior,’ said Ellie. ‘Anthony Prior. He has a number of friends he might call on to help him. I don’t like it.’
‘Neither do I,’ said Armand. ‘But I couldn’t sleep easy, thinking of you wandering around on your own, afraid of being beaten up by some overgrown louts. Besides, it’s only going to be necessary to hide Mia’s whereabouts till she’s in a safe place where he can’t get at her. Two days, max.’
Ellie looked at Mia and thought it was going to take more than a couple of days before the girl was fit to talk.
Armand stuck out his chin. ‘It’s all settled. My car’s in the drive. I’ll put your bits and pieces of shopping and Mia’s case into it now, with my gym bag. I’ll drive off nonchalantly, waving to any neighbour who happens to be around, making sure they see I’ve no passengers. Meanwhile, Kate here kits Mia out with a long, dark coat and you walk her across the Green to the bus stop. I like that part of your plan. I stop by and pick you up from the bus stop and take you on to the doc’s. Understood?’
He looked so fierce that Ellie could only say, ‘Thank you, Armand,’ and help Mia into the long, black coat which Kate produced for her. ‘Mia, do you understand what we’re going to do?’
‘Don’t leave me,’ whispered Mia. ‘Please!’
‘I won’t leave you,’ said Ellie, wondering how late she was going to be getting home. Well, it couldn’t be helped. Mia was in no state to be left by herself.
It was still raining and very cold as Ellie helped Mia down the garden, into the alley and across the Green. The girl tottered along, leaning on Ellie. ‘Not long now, Mia. Just a few more steps and we’ll be safe.’
They got to the bus stop. No sign of Armand. Ellie turned Mia into her shoulder, and put her arms about her. It was like holding a child, keeping her safe from harm.
The harm, of course, had already been done.
Ellie’s feet were so cold she could hardly feel them. She tried wriggling her toes, fidgeting from foot to foot. What was keeping Armand? Had he been detained by some emergency with the children? Had he forgotten that Ellie and Mia were waiting for him? Had she enough money on her to hail a passing cab? Not that she’d seen any pass by in this awful weather. Anyway, she certainly hadn’t enough money on her to get her into Central London.
Armand drove up at last, full of apologies, helping them both into the back of the car, the stereo thumping out Vivaldi, the heater working overtime. ‘Sorry to keep you. Spotted a neighbour, exchanged a few words about the weather as I got in. She could see there was no one else in the car as I drove off. Kate heated up a cup of soup in the microwave and put it in a Thermos, which is on the back seat. See if you can get Mia to drink it.’
Trust Kate to have a good idea like that. Only, Mia wouldn’t drink. Ellie began to wonder if the girl was, perhaps not intentionally, going to starve herself to death.
It was a nightmare journey into Central London. Mia whimpered every now and then, cowering from the bright lights of street lamps. The traffic was dense, even though the rush hour was theoretically over. Ellie began to wonder if they’d be late for their appointment, in which case the doctor might well have left and they’d be stranded without anywhere to go.
‘Tim here. Just checking. You know where the place is? On the Avenue. There’s a light over the front door. Best knock that out before you ring the bell.’
‘We done the light already. She’s out for the evening. She left a sidelight on in the front room, but there’s a gap in the curtains we can see through.’
‘You wait for her, then. Got your masks?’
‘You got our money?’
‘Sure. Remember, you can take her mobile, her cards and money and duff the place up a bit, but leave the landline phone in working order. Understand? A pity you couldn’t get one of the usual crowd along. Will the young one be up to it?’
‘Sure. He’s been out with me before. See you, right?’
ELEVEN
Wednesday evening
Armand finally deposited them before an imposing doorway in Harley Street. He said he’d find somewhere to park and get back to them. Ellie coaxed and gently pulled Mia up the steps and propped her against the portal while she attacked the speaker phone. Finally they were indoors, where decor and receptionist announced that here ruled Peace and Quiet. Ellie gave her name and confirmed she’d pay all the bills for Mia’s treatment.
They sat down to wait but within a few mi
nutes the receptionist said she was so sorry but there would be a further delay, an emergency, and she hoped they’d understand.
They waited. Mia wouldn’t release Ellie’s hand. Ellie thought longingly of her own home; of Thomas coming back tired from his day out, and Rose waiting to cook for them. She put the thoughts out of her mind, using the last of her paper tissues on which to blow her nose. Armand came to join her. The receptionist offered tea or coffee. Ellie accepted; Mia refused, drifting away into a doze, relaxing her hold on Ellie’s hand.
They waited.
Mia started awake, looking around, eyes wide with fear. ‘Where . . .?’
‘At the doctor’s. You’re quite safe.’
Mia repeated the word ‘safe’ under her breath, but clearly did not believe it. She hunched forward, her eyes restless, her breathing rapid.
Ellie tried to pray. Dear Lord, dear Lord. Be with Mia, and all of us. Give us courage. Protect us. Keep my loved ones safe.
Mia looked on the verge of passing out. How long would the doctor be? Was there anything Ellie could do in the meantime? Mia might or might not want to die, but she’d perked up no end when she’d thought about Ursula, had even managed to speak to her on the phone. If Mia wouldn’t eat or drink for her own sake, perhaps she would for Ursula’s?
Ellie tried it. ‘Mia, we need you to help us, so that we can keep Ursula safe. Could you manage to drink some soup, to give you strength? And then you can give us a better idea of what to say to her if you think she’s in danger.’
For a long moment Ellie thought Mia was too far gone to respond, but eventually she reached for the cup of soup, and managed to take a sip . . . and then two. She’d drunk the whole cup by the time Ellie and Mia were called in to see the doctor, and though wobbly, the girl managed to walk into his room unaided.
The doctor was dark-eyed and comfortable-looking. He reminded Ellie of Thomas, and she trusted him on sight.
‘Tell me all about it, eh?’ he said.
Mia looked at Ellie. The doctor looked at Ellie. Ellie obliged with a report on what she knew, cutting her story as short as she could. Mia’s friend Ursula had been worried when Mia disappeared, her parents weren’t worried, Ellie had gone looking, had found her a couple of hours since, and learned there was someone else hunting for Mia, of whom the girl seemed afraid. In Ellie’s opinion, Mia was in a bad way, and not yet up to giving a statement to the police. What did the doctor think?
The doctor had switched his attention to Mia early on in Ellie’s recital, at one time bending forward to take her hand in his, and stroke it. Whether it was his healing touch that persuaded Mia he could be trusted, or his quiet strength, the result was a breakthrough.
Mia tried to smile at the doctor. A poor attempt, but recognizable. She even tried to talk. ‘Will you help me?’
Ellie was banished to the waiting room while the doctor and his nurse examined Mia. Armand had had the forethought to bring some homework with him to mark. Seeing Ellie sit with idle hands, he offered his book of Sudoku puzzles to do, which she declined. Sudoku was beyond her.
Eventually the nurse beckoned Ellie into the consulting room. Mia was sitting in a chair, looking so frail it was a wonder she still breathed, but she tried to smile, and managed to half whisper, half murmur a message.
‘Tell Ursula . . . warn her . . . stay away? Tell her, I’m safe now. Thank you, Ellie. Thank Armand, and Kate.’
The nurse put her arm round Mia, and helped her to stand. ‘Come along now, my dear,’ she said, and led the girl away.
The doctor put Ellie in the picture. Ellie shuddered. It was worse than she’d thought. He concluded, ‘When you ring for information, refer to my patient as “Flavia”, and leave a number where you can be contacted at the desk on your way out. I am not going to tell you where my patient will be staying. It’s better that way, don’t you think?’
Feeling as if she’d been hit over the head, Ellie went out to give Armand the doctor’s verdict.
‘It’s bad, Armand. She’s been raped and beaten many times and over a period of maybe ten days, or two weeks. He can tell that from the way some bruises have faded over time, while others are fairly fresh. There’s been some damage below, which ought to have been attended to at the time, but what’s more there are bites which have turned septic. She’ll need antibiotics, possibly something the doctor called “tidying-up”, which I don’t like to think about. He’s taken photographs of everything for a possible prosecution case at a later date. At some point the police will have to be involved, but she won’t be well enough to talk to them for some time.’
‘Bites?’ said Armand, horrified.
She gulped. ‘And she’s pregnant. I’d hoped against hope that she wasn’t, but it did occur to me as the worst possible scenario, and it’s true.’
Armand said something under his breath.
‘I agree. The doctor’s admitting her to a private clinic under an assumed name, and they’ll do what they can for her. He says we won’t be able to contact her, nobody will, until she’s fit to answer questions, but that I can phone him for news once a day. He says we should take the threats against her seriously and I agree. The problem is that until Mia’s well enough to make a statement, the police aren’t going to listen to anything I say.’
He put his papers away, his mouth tight. ‘Who’s the father?’
‘She doesn’t know.’ Ellie got to her feet thinking, pregnant, can they abort? Should they? Who was the father? What a can of worms.
Armand insisted on dropping Ellie back to her house, though she wasn’t sure he ought to do so. She said, ‘Can you concoct an alibi for yourself?’
‘I’ll go on to the club. It’s open till half ten. Talk to one or two people. Phone Kate to tell her what’s happened.’ He was quiet for a while. Sighed. ‘Pregnant, you said? What’s going on in that house? Locked doors, beatings, threats. The parents must have known.’
Ellie nodded.
‘What will you tell Ursula?’
‘Enough to stop her flying back to be with Mia.’
‘Will you tell the police that you’ve found the girl?’
‘I’m not sure. They’re not looking for her. Her parents aren’t, either. Perhaps, I don’t know, we wait till Mia can speak to the police herself?’
Armand ground his teeth and said several words under his breath about animals as compared to supposed human beings. Ellie agreed.
As she clambered out of his car in her driveway, she counted the bags she’d been toting around all day. Her handbag, Thomas’s book, her shoes from the menders, the tartlets from the baker. No birthday card? Ah, she’d not bought it in the end, had she?
She let herself into the house as Armand drove off, only to realize she’d lost the chops and sausages she’d bought from the butchers. Had she left them in Armand’s car? The lights of his car were disappearing round the corner. Too late, too late!
She shut the door heavily, only to be pounced upon by a sprite in a flurry of perfume, trailing scarves and an over-bright green silk suit.
‘There she is at last, the naughty little girl, staying out so late without permission! What are we to do with her, Thomas?’
Ellie gaped.
‘Naughty, naughty!’ said Ms Woodyates. ‘Here we’ve been, waiting up for you for hours and hours, and dear Thomas has had to entertain me all this time. What a bad little girl it is!’
Ellie continued to gape.
Thomas appeared at Grace’s shoulder, looking anxious. He, at least, had taken on board the fact that Ellie was way beyond light repartee.
He said, ‘There now, Grace. You see she’s returned safe and sound. Let me take those things from you, Ellie. You look worn out. Grace was kind enough to bring you round a ticket for a matinée, and decided to stay as she was anxious to hear if you’d some news about the missing girl.’
Ellie blinked.
‘Oh, tra la!’ sparkled Ms Woodyates, clasping her hands to her chin in a girlish fashion. ‘Don’t tell me
you’ve forgotten all about our little black sheep, when you were so anxious to discover something about her only this morning.’
Was it only that morning? Ellie allowed Thomas to take her coat away from her. ‘So sorry,’ she managed to say. ‘Visiting a friend. Very poorly. Couldn’t get away.’
‘Cancer?’ Grace jumped to conclusions and Ellie was happy to let her. No way was she going to tell this chatterbox that she’d found Mia. ‘My poor mother died of it, and then my younger sister – who was the real beauty of the family, you know – and then a cousin and two of my oldest friends. But we must look ever onwards and upwards, mustn’t we?’
Ellie nodded.
Thomas was holding up an overcoat for Grace to get into. ‘Now you’ve seen she’s safely back home, shall I phone for a cab for you, or did you come in your car?’
‘I have my trusty steed outside.’ Grace had accepted that she was being thrown out in the nicest possible way, but wasn’t giving up yet. ‘Dear Ellie, I can see you’re not exactly “with it” at the moment. I’ll call round tomorrow morning, shall I? I know we’re going to be the greatest of friends, and I’m looking forward to having a nice, long chat with you.’
Thomas eased Grace out of the door as Rose appeared in the kitchen doorway, also looking anxious. Rose was in her dressing-gown. Was it that late? Yes, it was. Oh dear.
Rose spoke to Thomas and not to Ellie. ‘There, now. Miss Quicke was only saying to me yesterday that it looked as if Ellie were on the trail of some bad people once again, and that we must take extra good care of her.’
Ellie blinked again. What was that Rose had said?
Thomas said, ‘You’re absolutely right, Rose. A large hot drink and a couple of small sandwiches, don’t you think? Have you eaten at all, Ellie?’
Ellie nodded. Rose disappeared into the kitchen, muttering, and Ellie disintegrated. ‘Oh, Thomas, your chops for supper. And some Cumberland sausages, four for you and two each of ordinary for Rose and me. I’ve lost them somewhere and they won’t be much good by morning, will they? I’ll have to throw them away. But they may be in Armand’s car, of course. Only, I don’t think I left them there.’
Murder in House Page 15
