by Anna Jacobs
A quick glance into ‘The Old Barn’ showed them about a dozen generously proportioned stalls with tempting arrays of goods.
‘We’ll go in there later, or even another time,’ Joss said once they’d finished. ‘It’s nearly time to see Chad. I’d better bring in the boxes of ornaments from the car. Do you want to bring Ned out for a run round the car park?’
‘I’d better. He’s been good but he’s getting a bit restless.’
They were just going back into the centre when a luxury car drew up. Libby bent to listen to something Ned was trying to tell her.
Suddenly a voice behind her said, ‘Emily, have you seen—’ Then the man broke off. ‘Oh, sorry! From behind you looked just like my partner. I’m Chad, one of the owners here.’
Libby smiled at him. ‘Emily said you’d be back soon. We’ve brought my grandmother’s ornaments to be valued, if you’d be so kind. They’re probably not worth a lot but a few of them seem quite old, so we wanted to check.’
‘Happy to oblige.’
They walked inside together and after greeting Emily with a kiss and a hug, he took them into a side room furnished only with three tables.
‘Perhaps you could unpack the ornaments here? I’ll be back in a minute.’
‘I’ll look after Ned; you unpack,’ Joss said.
‘Thanks.’ Libby began to unpack the ornaments, putting them on three different tables. ‘I’m sure we’re wasting his time, though. The pieces in his gallery are so beautiful.’
Chad came back in just as she was finishing, and she explained about the groupings.
He checked the ones she didn’t think were worth anything first, putting most to one side, but taking two of them and examining them more closely. ‘These would suit one of the stallholders. I’ll call her in afterwards. They’re worth about eighty pounds each but of course she won’t give you that much. She has to make a profit.’
‘I’m surprised.’ Libby wrinkled her nose.
He chuckled. ‘Ceramic animals are not to my taste, either, but some people love them.’
On the second table stood the ones they thought might have some value. It yielded up four ornaments which Chad said would be sellable for prices between £50 and £100, and three items which he said were worth in excess of £200.
Libby was astonished.
As he was starting to study the items on the third table, a young man peeped into the room.
‘Come in, Toby! Tell me what you think of these.’
Libby and Joss exchanged surprised glances, because the young man appeared to have Down syndrome.
Toby went to stare at the ornaments on the third table, head on one side, touching nothing.
Chad put one finger to his lips to signify that Joss and Libby should be quiet.
After a few minutes Toby picked up one ornament, a pretty bowl, and said, ‘I like this one best.’
‘So do I,’ Chad said. ‘Well done. You’re very clever. You always pick the best piece.’
Toby gave him a beaming smile. ‘I like old things. I found something else in town today.’ He held out an object wrapped in newspaper.
Chad unwrapped it, shook his head as if in disbelief. ‘Emily! Have you a minute?’
She came in to join them.
‘Toby’s done it again. Where did you find this, Toby?’
‘In a little shop near the market. Ashley said it was ugly, but I like it.’
‘It’s very valuable so look after it carefully.’
Toby nodded, wrapped it up and went off somewhere.
Chad turned to his visitors. ‘Toby’s got a gift for finding valuable pieces among junk. He’s not at all interested in money and valuations, and he’s had no training, so it’s amazing how good the things he finds are. I must take him to a car boot sale one day soon. Who knows what he’ll turn up there! Now, let’s get back to your pieces.’
He rearranged the older pieces into two sets. ‘I can give you five hundred pounds for these; for the others, three hundred pounds for each piece.’
Libby gaped at him. ‘That much?’
‘I’ll get more for them than that, but unless you have contacts in the antiques industry, you’ll find it hard to better the price I’m offering. I’ll let you think about it, shall I?’
She looked at Joss, who gestured to her to speak. ‘I don’t think we need time. We’re happy to accept your offer.’
‘I’ll get Jen in to see the others. She has a booth in the barn.’ He strode off, leaving Libby still speechless.
‘You’ve made a good bit of money, so why aren’t you smiling?’ Joss teased.
She couldn’t manage a smile, just said ruefully, ‘I can’t believe it’s real. Life doesn’t hand things to me so easily.’
‘Maybe your life is changing.’
She shook her head. The Steven problem wouldn’t go away. She mustn’t be lulled into forgetting that.
When they’d completed their transactions, Libby took a weary Ned back to the car while Joss took a quick walk round the Old Barn, looking down the corridor that led off at the rear left, presumably to the older parts of the building he’d seen from the car park. He liked to get a rough floor plan of a new place fixed in his mind, and that had come in useful at times.
When he looked up at the roof beams, he was amazed at how old the barn really was.
After he came back to the main gallery, he got talking to Chad for a few moments and asked if he could come back another time and look round the older part of the house.
Chad studied him, then nodded as if he’d passed some sort of test. ‘Yes, of course. I’ll get Emily to show you. It’s her house, really.’
‘Is it haunted?’
Chad shrugged. ‘Some people see ghosts, some don’t.’
‘And you?’
‘I’m never quite sure.’
Clever answers, Joss thought as he said his farewells and walked out to the car.
And clever Leon, to think of this place for a temporary refuge.
When their visitors had gone, Emily tucked her arm in Chad’s. ‘I had a call from the estate agent. My nephew made an offer on my old house.’
‘And you said …?’
‘I said he had to pay twenty thousand over the asking price.’
‘Good for you.’
She sighed. ‘I do wish I could be a fly on the wall when George is given my response. The Americans have a phrase for it: he’ll throw a conniption fit.’
Chad laughed. ‘He certainly will. Where do you get such lovely phrases from?’
‘Here and there. His face will go red; he’ll puff up like a bullfrog and sputter with indignation.’
‘In other words, he’ll throw a conniption fit.’
‘I shan’t back down, though.’
When they reached Top o’ the Hill, it felt to Libby like coming home. She thanked Joss and said goodbye, sighing happily as she put her key in the lock and took Ned inside.
She noticed a red light blinking on the phone and stopped in surprise. It would be Mr Greaves, probably, because no one else except he and Joss had her phone number. She picked up the handset and pressed the Play Messages button.
Mr Greaves spoke slowly and clearly. ‘Could you please phone me back urgently, Libby. I’m afraid your husband got in touch with me today.’
She froze, terror icing her whole body.
Ned was clamouring for a drink and a biscuit, so she gave them to him, but beyond that she couldn’t think what to say or do.
Someone moved behind her and she swung round, her heart pounding. It was Joss, but for a moment she lost it and panicked, letting out a scream of shock.
‘What’s wrong?’ His voice was as quiet and measured as ever.
For answer, she pressed the replay button again.
He listened, then shook his head. ‘Your ex still won’t know where you live.’
‘He’ll find out. Steven always boasts about how good he is at finding things out on the Internet.’
‘T
hen he’ll have to face us both. I won’t let him hurt you again, Libby.’
‘He might not hit me again – in fact, he probably won’t because that leaves evidence behind – but he’ll find some way to hurt me nonetheless.’ Her glance fell on Ned. Steven knew where she was most vulnerable.
Joss’s gaze followed hers and his lips tightened. ‘I won’t let him hurt Ned, either.’
‘If a court says I have to give Ned back to him, how can you stop that?’
‘I have one or two friends in … unusual places. I’ll find a way. And we do have the photographs of Ned’s injuries.’
‘How do we prove Steven did them? It’s my word against his.’
‘And your neighbour’s word.’
‘Even she didn’t see it happen.’ Libby tried to control her emotions, but a tear rolled down her cheek and another one followed. She pulled out a tissue. ‘Sorry.’
Joss pulled her into his arms, moving slowly and gently. ‘You have nothing to be sorry about.’
She didn’t resist, went willingly and stood there, feeling safer.
But she would never feel completely safe as long as Steven had her in his sights. Eventually she pulled away from Joss. ‘I’d better ring Mr Greaves.’
‘He’ll be at home by now. He’s not one to work long hours. But I don’t think we should wait until tomorrow.’ He pulled a pad across the table and scribbled on it. ‘This is Henry’s home number. Don’t use it unless something is urgent.’
He watched her press the little buttons on the phone with fingers that trembled just a little.
‘Mrs Greaves? Sorry to trouble you at home, but your husband left me a message to ring him urgently.’
‘Ms King?’
‘Yes.’
‘Hold on. I’ll get him.’
Libby waited, tapping her foot impatiently as Mrs Greaves called out her husband’s name, then footsteps approached across a wooden floor.
‘Is that you, Libby?’
‘Yes. I’ve just got home. Your message … worried me. Does Steven know where I am?’
‘I don’t think so. He was pressing me to give him your contact details.’
‘He’ll find out, probably by tomorrow morning. It won’t be the first time he’s spent a night online, searching for information.’
‘Please don’t run away without letting me know where you are.’
‘I might have to.’
‘Is Joss there?’
‘Yes.’
‘Ask him to ring me when he gets home, will you? Trustee business.’
She looked at her companion. ‘Mr Greaves wants you to phone him later.’
‘I’ll phone him now.’ He took the handset and clicked on loudspeaker mode, so that she could listen in. ‘Henry, I’m here and I don’t think we should plan anything behind Libby’s back.’
She nodded her thanks and listened carefully to what was being said.
‘You’ll need to stay close to her from now on, Joss.’
‘Obviously.’
‘I don’t think her husband knows exactly where she is, but it won’t take much for him to find out where she’ll be, will it?’
‘Sadly, no.’
Joss pulled Libby close again with his free arm. ‘From now on, Henry, I’ll consider myself on bodyguard duty. Until a suitable solution is reached. I’ll get back to you tomorrow.’
She was tense and rigid in his arms, and her voice was low and shaky. ‘Thank you.’
‘I won’t let him get you. Or Ned. I’ll make up a bed in your front room, if that’s all right, and sleep here from now on.’
‘That’d be good. But Joss, what if Steven persuades Social Services that he has a right to access, and they try to arrange a visit with Ned?’
‘We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.’ He ran his fingers through his hair, thinking hard. ‘I have a useful set of contacts, and I’m prepared to call them all in if I have to.’
‘I’m more worried about my son than myself. Ned is my Achilles heel and Steven knows it.’
Eleven
When Joss went next door to pack, he phoned the unit. He needed to stand down from duty with them until he’d sorted things out for Libby. He got the usual artificial voice telling him that Leon would ring him back in a few minutes.
When this happened, Leon didn’t waste time on greetings but asked, ‘How did it go at Chadderley’s?’
‘It went well, I think. I had a good excuse to go there, so I don’t think the owners realised I was connected to you. It’s a beautiful gallery, isn’t it?’
‘Beautiful but a bit spooky. Did you explore the rest of the buildings at all?’
‘No, but I’ve arranged to go back next week for a guided tour.’
Leon’s voice went very quiet. ‘I wonder, was that wise?’
‘Wise or not, it’d sound strange now that it’s arranged if I were to back out. Besides, I want to see the rear outbuildings. I have a feeling I might need to know my way around there. Don’t ask me why I feel that. Call it a police instinct, honed over the years. Call it spooky. There’s a strange feel to the whole place, as if it’s waiting for something, ready for something.’ He bit off further words, afraid he’d made a fool of himself.
Leon sighed. ‘Oh, hell, they haven’t caught you up in their woo-woo already, have they? Don’t be surprised if you start seeing ghosts and strange lights in corners next time you visit. Emily does.’
‘Do you see that sort of thing when you go there, Leon?’
Silence. Then: ‘I don’t believe in it but … yes, it is a bit spooky and yes, I’ve sensed … something; seen lights.’
His frank answer surprised Joss. It was the last thing he’d have expected such a capable and intelligent man to admit. He realised Leon had said something else. ‘Sorry. What was that?’
‘Did you meet the tenants of the units that Chad and Emily have built at the rear?’
‘I met Toby, if that’s who you mean.’
‘Yes. Clever lad, in his own way, our Toby. Has some surprising gifts.’
‘Finding antiques at flea markets, do you mean?’
‘No. Communing with ghosts. You’ll see.’
‘You sound as if you know the place well.’
‘I’ve known Emily for a long time, so I’m bound to visit, aren’t I? I visited when she took over and I went to the grand opening earlier this week. Tell me more about this Libby and her son. Do you realise how your voice softens when you talk about her?’
‘Does it really? I haven’t … That’s none of your business’
Leon let out one of his soft laughs. ‘Most people wouldn’t notice. Bit risky, though, involving a child in our sort of business.’
‘Well, I can’t get involved myself for a while, I’m afraid. Libby needs protection at the moment, and so does Ned. She’s just left an abusive husband, but she’s terrified he’ll come after her. We were hoping it’d take him a while to find out where she is, but he rang her lawyer yesterday demanding contact details, so he knows she’s in this area. I’m one of the trustees for the legacy, and …’ He took a deep breath and said something that surprised himself, ‘I’m involved with her.’
‘Hmm. Well, no sane man can stand wife-beaters and I consider myself extremely sane, so you can sort Steven Pulford out with my blessing.’
‘You know his name. You already knew about Libby.’ It wasn’t a question, but a flat statement of fact.
‘Oh, yes. I have a rather good information-gathering system. If you need to find anything out to help your Libby, be my guest. Though actually, it looks as if we might welcome some feminine involvement in your first case. Something’s blown up out of the blue. It won’t put Libby in danger. Could you offer her a job without giving away exactly who we are?’
‘Probably.’
‘Do it. Promise her a fair payment for accompanying a woman who is also escaping an abusive situation.’ He named a daily sum, waited a moment or two. ‘Will you do the job for me still? Or should I
find someone else?’
‘How soon?’
‘Probably tomorrow.’
‘All right. But the new bathroom won’t be ready for a while.’
‘That’s the last thing she’ll care about.’
‘Fine by me. But I’ll have Libby with me at all times.’
‘Libby’s presence will reassure the poor woman. Look, I’d put another operative on this job if I had a woman operative available. But I don’t. Not for a week or so. Let’s hope Libby’s ex doesn’t get in our way. If he does, I’ll be on his tail.’
‘Stand in line after me. I’m almost hoping he will need his attitudes correcting.’
‘Go for it. This woman is a small but important piece of a larger matter that impinges on national security. I’ll get back to you about her soon.’
The phone went dead and Joss was left staring at it, wondering at the way everything seemed to be happening at once.
Alone in the quiet room, with dusk softening the world, he grinned. He’d forgotten how much he enjoyed thwarting villains. You weren’t supposed to care about that sort of Boys’ Own stuff in this greedy, cynical modern world, but he did. He always had.
Then he realised Libby would be worrying about him and rushed round gathering his things for tonight. Thank goodness he had an air mattress. He was too old to sleep on couches.
He was pleased to find the front door locked. He knocked. ‘It’s me, Libby.’
The door opened and she let him in, locking up carefully again.
‘Sorry to take so long. I had an important phone call to make. Is Ned in bed?’
‘Yes. It’s been a busy day for him.’
‘And busy for you, too. You look tired.’ He reached out to touch the dark circles under her eyes and couldn’t help caressing the last traces of the bruise on her face. ‘It would make me very happy to mark your husband’s face.’
‘It’d make me very happy if neither of us ever saw Steven again.’
‘Is it likely?’
She shook her head. ‘No. He’ll not stop till he finds us.’
‘I’ll sleep here every night and I’ll be around most of the time during the day.’
‘What about your new job?’
‘Can we sit down with a coffee or something, Libby? I have a few things to tell you.’
