by Kitty Neale
Bernie was still pale with shock and found it hard to concentrate on the roads as he drove home. At last he made it, but when he walked in, Dolly looked none too happy.
‘I see that John isn’t with you,’ she complained. ‘You were supposed to talk to him, to put him straight about Kevin.’
Bernie was in no mood to placate her. ‘I did, but he didn’t want to know, and after finding out a few things about your precious son, it’s just as well.’
‘If you’ve been listening to Pearl, you’re mad. She’d say anything to turn John against Kevin, and us too.’
‘No, Dolly, I didn’t get it from Pearl. I went to Ealing and had a very enlightening chat with Rupert, a nice bloke – or should I say woman.’
‘What are you talking about?’
‘I should have noticed it from the start, especially as Rupert was wearing some sort of flowery caftan. He’s a queer, Dolly, and mad enough to be in love with Kevin. I should have taken more notice when you said Rupert sounded odd on the telephone. The poor sod. I actually felt sorry for him.’
‘Don’t talk rot. Kevin isn’t like that and this proves that you really are going senile. You’ve gone as daft as your father.’
‘I’m not that far gone yet, and it’s just as well because I’ve found out that Kevin has been lying to us. He isn’t religious and all that talk of setting up a refuge is just a scam to get money out of us. I’m on to him now though and he’d better not show his face at my door again.’
‘Your door! This is my house, bought with my money from the sale of my café. And if you think you can stop Kevin from coming to see me, you’ve got another think coming! It’ll be you who gets chucked out, not my son!’
Bernie eyes narrowed with suspicion as Dolly ranted and raved. He’d been worried about forgetting Dolly’s pills and now marked the calendar each time he doled them out. He also counted them, making note of the amount left each day. She’d had them that morning, he was sure of it.
‘Are you listening to me, you daft sod,’ she yelled, ‘or are you off in a world of your own again?’
‘I’m listening,’ he said, thinking back to when he’d first noticed a change in Dolly’s emotional stability. He had thought then that her dosage might need a bit of adjusting, but now it seemed the pills were having little or no effect. That couldn’t be right. Something didn’t add up, and as she continued to berate him the penny at last dropped. He’d been giving Dolly her pills. She just hadn’t been taking them. ‘All this ranting and raving proves you haven’t been taking your pills.’
‘That’s your fault, not mine!’
‘No, Dolly, I’m not falling for that again. You’re as bad as Kevin, liars the pair of you.’
Dolly strode forward, and before Bernie had time to react, she punched him in the face. He reeled back, but she was moving towards him ready to land another blow.
‘Dolly,’ he shouted, ‘if you hit me again I’ll call the doctor out. He’ll take one look at the state you’re in and have you sectioned.’
That knocked the wind out of Dolly. ‘You wouldn’t do that,’ she cried.
‘If you carry on like this, I won’t have any choice.’
She glared at him as though considering her options. ‘All right, I won’t hit you again,’ she said at last.
Bernie’s face was throbbing, but he hurried to shake her pills onto his palm. ‘Take them, or else, Dolly.’
‘Mark my words, Bernard Dolby. One day I’ll make you pay for this,’ she threatened before tipping the pills into her mouth.
‘Swallow them, Dolly,’ he ordered, handing her a glass of water.
‘There,’ she said after gulping them down. ‘Satisfied?’
Bernie said nothing and went to get a cold flannel to put on his cheek. Without her medication, Dolly could be capable of anything, but she’d be calm again soon.
When he returned from his fake meeting, Kevin had his story ready. He walked into the drawing room, but as soon as Rupert saw him, he said, ‘Kevin, your father called here to see you.’
‘My father? But how? I’ve never given him my address.’
‘When I spoke to your mother, I passed it on and told her that they were welcome to visit us.’
‘You did what?’ Kevin said, annoyed.
‘What’s the harm, dear boy – unless of course you’re ashamed of me?’
Kevin fought to keep his composure. ‘Of course I’m not, but what did my father want?’
‘I don’t really know, but we had a very interesting chat.’
‘About what?’
‘Oh, I think you know,’ Rupert said sarcastically. ‘The refuge you supposedly want to set up, along with your religious beliefs. Why have you been lying to your parents, Kevin? You’re no more religious than I am, and there was no need to keep up the facade once you were released from prison.’
Kevin walked over to the sideboard and poured a glass of whisky while his mind worked overtime. He had to find answers, and quickly. Holding up the bottle, he asked, ‘Do you want one?’
‘No, thank you.’
Kevin took a sip of his drink, relieved when an explanation came to mind. He did his best to look unruffled as he sat down and said, ‘It’s simple enough to explain. My mother had a bit of a nervous breakdown when I was sent to prison and I know she was fretting that I’d get into trouble again when I came out. For her sake I kept up the pretence and it seems to have worked. She’s much happier now.’
‘That’s nice, and it all sounds very commendable, but why keep the truth from your father?’
Kevin took another sip of his drink, deciding then to try for sympathy. ‘We never really got on, and of course I let him down when I went to prison, so much so that he never came to visit me. I suppose I kept up the act because I wanted him to be proud of me.’
‘Darling, I can understand that, but as I had no idea that your parents thought your religious conversion was genuine, I’m afraid I rather put my foot in it. Your father was very upset.’
‘Yes, I can imagine. What did he say?’
Rupert hesitated, but then said, ‘He said some very nasty things, but I’m sure he only spoke in anger. He seems to think that you’re after his money, and he warned me against you too.’
Kevin reared to his feet. ‘That’s bullshit. I’ve never asked him for a penny. Whatever he said, it’s all lies, but no doubt you believe him!’
‘Of course I don’t. I told your father that I love you, trust you, and I do, but he was so angry that he stormed out saying he never wants to see you again.’
Sod it, Kevin thought. His dad now knew he was living with a queer and he doubted it had gone down well. It was just as well that it didn’t really matter. Rupert was his target now, and as he was leaving the country he wouldn’t be seeing his parents again. It was Rupert he had to keep on side and it was time to change tactics, to go for dejection now instead of anger.
He flopped onto a chair again. ‘I suppose I deserve that. I wanted to ease my mother’s mind, but I should have told my dad the truth. Instead I wanted to impress him and now I’ve well and truly blown it.’
‘I’m sure if you explain he’ll understand.’
‘It’s too late. He won’t believe me now and I can’t say I blame him.’
Rupert’s eyes were soft with sympathy. ‘Maybe not at the moment, but once he’s had time to calm down …’
‘He’s too unforgiving for that,’ Kevin broke in. ‘When I came out of prison, if it wasn’t for my mother he wouldn’t have let me over their doorstep, and he only softened when I kept up my religious act. I’m just glad that I was able to move in with you, but I suppose you want me to leave now, and stop working for you.’
‘No, no, of course I don’t,’ Rupert protested.
‘But after the things my father said …’
‘Kevin, I understand why you lied to him, and as for you being what he called a sponger, I know that isn’t true. You’ve been the reverse – for instance you insisted on
getting a job to pay your own way when you weren’t really up to it after that awful beating. I know I’ve been a fool in the past, that I’ve let people use me, but you’re different. As I told your father, I trust you.’
‘Thanks, you don’t know how much that means to me,’ Kevin told him. He was relieved but nonetheless, just in case his father had put a shadow of doubt in Rupert’s mind, he knew that he’d have to tread very carefully. It would mean a change of tactics and possibly a small delay to his plans, but better that than losing the chance of getting what he wanted. With that thought he continued, ‘And now I wish I had better news to tell you about the meeting.’
‘Oh dear, didn’t it go well?’
‘The bloke only agreed to meet me because he was looking for a quick sale. I think we should forget it and hope that something else turns up.’
‘Surely we can accommodate him with a quick sale?’
‘It isn’t as simple as that. His marriage is on the rocks, his wife has filed for divorce and she’s after everything she can get. Before that happens he wants to sell the club to bugger off abroad with his young and tasty new girlfriend.’
‘I don’t see what difference that makes. If you can get it for a good price, we can still buy it.’
‘He’s willing to drop ten grand to forty, and though it’s still a lot, I think the club is worth it. The problem is he wants a cash sale, and just in case the wife gets wind of it he only wants twenty-five grand to show on the books. I told him to forget it, and now, if you don’t mind, it’s been one of those mornings and I’ve just about had enough. First of all I lost the chance of getting us the ideal club, and to top it all, my father doesn’t want to see me again,’ Kevin said, swiftly leaving the room before Rupert could respond.
Kevin’s hands balled into fists as he cursed his father for turning up and probably putting doubts in Rupert’s mind. He hoped he’d allayed them, that he’d done enough; but the last thing Kevin wanted was any further contact from his parents to add fuel to the fire.
With this in mind he decided to put the telephone out of action for now. He’d been an engineer and knew how to do it, though of course it could already be too late and his plans already scuppered.
If they were he’d make his father suffer. It wouldn’t only be Vincent Chase’s house that would burn to the ground – it would be his parents’ place too. With both of them inside.
Chapter Twenty-Four
‘Here’s one for you,’ Pearl said on Monday morning as she handed Lucy a letter.
The envelope was brown and looked official. Lucy tore it open to read the contents and squealed with excitement. ‘Pearl, it’s from the housing association. They’ve offered me a flat in Bullen Street!’
‘That’s nice,’ Pearl said, though there wasn’t a trace of enthusiasm in her voice.
Lucy could guess why and worried about losing her job, she said hurriedly, ‘It’s only a hop and a skip away so it won’t make a lot of difference. Once I’ve taken Clive to school I can come here.’
‘Yes, of course you can and when Nora gets used to the new arrangements, I’m sure she’ll be fine.’
Relieved, Lucy said, ‘I’d best get Clive to school now. When I come back, do you mind if I ring the housing association to arrange a viewing?’
‘You don’t have to ask permission to use the telephone.’
‘I don’t want you to think I’m taking liberties.’
Pearl smiled. ‘I know you’d never do that. In fact, in the short time you’ve been living with us you’ve become like a part of the family.’
Lucy was touched. Like Pearl, she was an only child and it was like having a big sister. She liked Derek, John too, but though it hadn’t been bad staying with them, she couldn’t wait to have her own home again.
‘Thanks, Pearl,’ she said, then going to the door she called, ‘Clive, Nora, come on, we’ve got to go.’
With lightness in her step, Lucy set off to take Clive to school, Nora on one side as she walked along and her son on the other. As she passed Eddie White’s stall, he stepped forward, a friendly grin on his face.
‘Hello, sunshine. It must be seeing me that’s brought that smile to your face!’
‘Don’t kid yourself,’ Lucy quipped.
‘Gawd, you know how to crush a man, but I’d still like to take you out.’
Lucy was unable to wipe the smile from her face. It was a lovely morning, the sun was shining, and she’d just had the smashing news that she was getting a flat. ‘I’ll think about it,’ she said, but then her face flamed. It was as though the words had left her mouth of their own volition.
‘Really? That’s great.’
‘I’ve got to go,’ she spluttered. ‘Come on, you two, get a move on.’
‘Don’t think about it for too long,’ Eddie called after her. ‘After all, you don’t want someone else to come along and snap me up, do you?’
Nora giggled. ‘He funny … nice.’
Lucy just shook her head and as they hurried away she wondered what had made her blurt that out to Eddie. As they passed Derek’s china stall he waved at them and she waved back, but her mind was still on Eddie. Had she unconsciously been considering going out with him? No, that was silly, of course she hadn’t. Or had she?
The question remained unanswered as Lucy watched Clive run into the school playground, and on her way back she ignored Eddie as she hurried past on the other side of the road, the telephone call she had to make to the housing association now uppermost in her mind.
Dolly was anxious to speak to Kevin – and of course to give Rupert a piece of her mind – but though she had tried several times to ring them when Bernie was out of the way, she hadn’t been able to get through.
She’d try again later, but for now Dolly was glad that she could set the clock by Bernie’s morning routine. At the moment he was upstairs having a shave and in just a few more minutes he’d be down for his breakfast.
She poured herself a cup of tea and then upped Bernie’s dose by tipping a whole crushed pill into the pot. She stirred the tea vigorously and popped the cosy back on, knowing from previous occasions that the taste would be smothered by the amount of sugar Bernie spooned in, two teaspoons at least, sometimes three.
When Dolly heard his footsteps on the stairs she composed her face to one of calm, yet inside she was still seething. Yesterday Bernie had threatened her with the doctor, forced her to take pills, but she’d pushed them into her cheek with her tongue until able to dispose of them. She pretended they had calmed her, and as usual it had fooled Bernie; though it had been hard to sit still when all she had wanted to do was lay into him with her fists over and over again.
Never again, Dolly thought. She wasn’t going to let the little runt rule her ever again. It was time to act, and as Bernie walked into the room she asked quietly, ‘What do you want for your breakfast?’
‘I’m not hungry. I’ll just have a cup of tea, but I’ll get your pills first.’
As always now, Dolly didn’t swallow them and as Bernie looked a bit distracted it was easy enough to surreptitiously spit them out while he poured himself a cup of tea.
She smiled inwardly. From now on she wouldn’t have any trouble from Bernie. He’d be as docile as she had been for far too many years.
In Ealing, Kevin found that he was so uptight that he wasn’t able to eat his breakfast. Rupert hadn’t mentioned the club since he’d told him to forget about buying it yesterday, and though he’d had the chance to sleep on it, so far Rupert hadn’t raised the subject this morning either.
Kevin’s stomach knotted with anxiety. He’d promised Adrianna that it wouldn’t be too long before he’d be able to leave the chalk sign and he could just imagine her looking for it every night when she went to perform at Vince’s club.
‘You’re rather quiet this morning, Kevin. Are you feeling all right?’ Rupert asked.
Kevin decided that he’d have to risk bringing up the subject and said despondently, ‘I must admi
t I’m gutted about the club, especially as he was willing to knock ten grand off the price. I’ll have to go out this morning to check a few more areas, a few more commercial agents, but I’ll only give it another month. If nothing turns up I think paying me to carry on searching is just wasting your money and I’ll refuse to take it any more. There must be a job out there for me, something I can do, though it won’t be the same as working for you.’
‘Hold on, Kevin. I know you said we should forget about buying the club, but I’m not sure I agree with you.’
‘Rupert, I told you, he wants cash and he wants to fiddle the books. Surely that could cause a problem with the Inland Revenue?’
‘I suppose there’s a slight possibility, but it’s hardly the crime of the century. There are lots of people who are less than honest, especially when it comes to taxes – for instance those who salt their money away in offshore accounts.’
Kevin had never heard of offshore accounts, but he didn’t want to show his ignorance. ‘So are you telling me that you’re willing to go along with it?’
‘Yes, I am, so now all you have to do is finalise the deal.’
Kevin hid his delight, only feigning concern as he said, ‘Rupert, are you sure? I still think it’s a bit dodgy and I’d hate you to come a cropper with the Inland Revenue.’
‘It’s lovely to hear that you’re worried about me, but I’m sure there’s no need.’
‘All right, then, I’ll ring him now to arrange another meeting,’ Kevin said, and on the off chance that Rupert would hear, he’d pretend to do just that, though of course Rupert still had no idea that the phone was out of action. Luckily Rupert hardly used the telephone, and if by any chance he did, he’d think it was out of order and suggest getting in an engineer to fix it.
Once out of sight, Kevin allowed himself a huge smile. He’d done it, covered every base, and very shortly he’d have a cheque made out to cash in his hands.
Bernie felt ill, muzzy-headed, and had spent most of the morning and early afternoon sitting in a chair before his mind began to clear. He’d had bouts of this before, but never as bad as this. At last, he stood up, drinking a glass of water before going out to the garden for a bit of fresh air. Dolly was outside too, sitting on the garden bench, but she rose to her feet when she saw him.
