She’s wearing my wedding dress, Ruby thought with a rush of despair and then looked down at herself, at her grubby t-shirt and jeans. Tears spooled in her eyes when a cheer went up as the happy couple kissed.
“No!” She screamed and jolted awake, her eyes staring up at a white ceiling, her vision cloudy. She could feel the pressure of Rick’s hand squeezing hers and she turned her head. His eyes were bright with the tears running down his cheeks, to Ruby they looked like they were sparkling.
“Oh, my poor darling.” He crooned.
Ruby tried to speak but no words would come out. She wanted to tell Rick to go and find the lottery ticket, it seemed important that he knew it had cost her twenty pounds.
“Don’t try and speak,” Rick advised. “You’ll be fine.”
Ruby didn’t think she’d be fine. She couldn’t feel her legs. She made a tremendous effort to wriggle her toes but nothing happened. Dear God, she thought, had she broken her back? How could she get married with a broken back?
A doctor hovered above her, his expression concerned but kind. “I’m so sorry,” he told her. “Your spinal cord is so badly damaged that we can’t operate, I’m afraid you’ve permanently lost the use of your legs. You’re lucky to be alive though.”
Rick patted her hand, he said, “Some bloody teenager lost control of his bike. I’ll get you the best care, and don’t worry; the compensation could run to a million pounds.” His eyes glittered and Ruby could hear the greed in his voice. She recognised it because he sounded just like she did when she’d asked Shandra for a million pounds. She’d thought it was costing her twenty but now she realised it had cost her the use of her legs. She would have to live the rest of her life in a wheelchair and she had only herself to blame.
Of course she’d always known Rick was motivated by money, he was an ambitious man, one whom she’d always believed to be honourable and caring but the truth was he was neither of these things. It was as if something had happened inside her head and she could see him for what he was for the first time; a selfish, self serving man who only cared about himself. Maybe Shandra was right and she was physic. Everything seemed so clear to her now.
Rick thought they would still get married and he’d stay with her because she’d be rich. But while she was stuck at home he’d be spending all his time with Jessie, wouldn’t he? Had he ever really loved her? She doubted it. She was damaged now in mind and body.
The shock of discovering she would never walk again, never float down the aisle in her sexy slinky wedding dress was growing now and Ruby had to fight to stay awake and not fall into a bottomless sleep where none of this would be real. Why had it become so clear to her now and not before? She knew now what she had with Rick was surface love; it was all about her looking good when they went out together, she would have been no more than a token wife he could show off. Not any more though, but hey, a million pound compensation, that counted for something.
He wasn’t the man she’d thought he was; he was vain, shallow and a cheat and it had taken this appalling accident for her to see it. And to think, Ruby almost laughed with bitterness, a few hours ago I thought the most important problem I had was finding the right wedding dress.
“A million pounds,” Rick said again and actually rubbed his hands together.
Ruby stared at him with pain filled eyes. A million pounds? She’d thought she could buy a million pounds for twenty, he thought he could buy a million pounds for a wedding ring, seems they’d both got it wrong.
Their greed had ended up costing her life, because Ruby knew without a shadow of a doubt that as soon as she could she would put an end to her misery.
Chapter 14
Dear God, Beth thought as she opened her eyes and looked at the small clock on the bedside table. It was nearly eight o’clock and she had to be in work for eight thirty. She really shouldn’t have had that third glass of wine last night. Feeling ashamed of herself she climbed out of bed. Though she’d slept soundly Beth still felt tired. Looking at her face in the bathroom mirror she was horrified to see dark smudges under her eyes. Carefully she applied eye cream which helped a little. She’d given little time to her appearance in the last couple of days now she saw her hair was hanging greasily around her neck. Quickly she washed it with her mint organic shampoo and felt a little better, more like her old self.
She was letting that crazy old witch, Shandra get to her, acting like a mindless puppet doing as she was told. She couldn’t wait for seven o’clock this evening when it would be over.
She knew why she’d had the extra drink last night. A neighbour had told her about Ruby. It was impossible not to wonder how much of the poor girl’s accident had been down to her. Why had Ruby been standing in the middle of the road? Had Shandra told her to? She wouldn’t put it past the stinking old bitch.
Beth hated the thought that she had a wad full of twenty pound notes in an envelope waiting to be sent to Shandra. It felt like blood money. She wished she could shove it into the old woman’s mouth and choke her with it.
She brushed her teeth and scowled at herself in the bathroom mirror. Eleven hours left to find the last three victims.
Beth stopped, her toothbrush held halfway up to her face. Victims? Is that how she saw them now, not as recipients of something amazing like having your dearest wish come true but as people she’d hunted down, lied to and mislead.
Beth took a deep breath that ended in a sob. It was all her fault, she should have thrown away the leaflet when it first arrived on her doormat and none of this would have happened. Gullible, that’s what she was, taken in by an old lady. She hadn’t believed for one moment the clap trap spouted by Shandra about the thirteenth star sign and some weirdo taking over the planetary system, that was beyond belief but she did think Shandra possessed some sort of strange power. Maybe she was practising the dark arts; casting weird spells over people, how, Beth couldn’t imagine, but the old witch was twisting everyone’s wishes into something dark and malignant. There seemed to be no happy endings, everything came with a sting in the tail.
She hadn’t even told Jason about the five hundred pounds, it had become unimportant. Beth knew instinctively that if she tried to buy anything with the money she’d wished for, something bad would come of it. Even giving it to a dog’s home might backfire on her; the kennels would probably go up in smoke. The only safe thing she could do was burn it and bury the ashes.
She made herself a cup of coffee. There was a knock on the door and after a moment’s hesitation Beth went to answer it.
The postman was new, a young man she hadn’t seen before. He was grinning as he handed her a brown paper parcel. Beth thought he seemed sly. He raised his eyebrows at her when she signed for the package as if they were sharing a dirty secret.
“So where’s Tom?” Beth asked.
“On his holidays, I’m taking over his round for a couple of weeks.” His eyes sparkled, “I wanted to meet you.”
“Pardon?”
“I heard about you winning on the scratch card, I’m a friend of Ruby’s.”
“Did you hear she’d had an accident?”
The young man looked vague, “Yeah, hurt her legs. Can I have the phone number you gave her?”
“Did Ruby tell you it will cost you twenty pounds?”
“I spend more than that in an hour down the club,” he bragged and fished in his pocket pulling out his wallet. He handed her a note. “I want in,” he said, his tone almost bullying.
“It may not be possible, it depends on what your star sign is.” Beth decided she didn’t much like him. He was in his early twenties, full of himself, posturing on her doorstep. He had the modern hair cut where the sides and back of his head was shaved and a huge mop of brown hair fell lifelessly from his scalp in a perfect circle. Beth could tell he was the type of young man who was always looking out for the main chance, afraid to miss out on something that might be beneficial to him. She really hoped he was one of the three remaining star signs.
“Star sign? What are you talking about? Just give me the phone number.”
“I have to know your birthday.” Beth half closed the door and the young man wedged his foot in.
“Okay, lady, don’t get your knickers in a twist. If you want to send me a card it’s the twenty eighth of April.”
Beth thought fast. Taurus, the bull, it was perfect. “Do you have a piece of paper and a pen?” She asked.
“’Course I do.”
Beth wrote the eleven digits down, the numbers imprinted on her soul. “What’s your name?” she asked.
“Brian, why, do you fancy getting to know me a bit better?”
“In your dreams.” He grinned and Beth wanted to slam the door on his smug face. She couldn’t resist adding, “Good luck with your wish, you’re going to need it.” She closed the door. Too easy, she thought, ten down two to go. Gemini would be last and she had someone in mind. All she needed now was Aries and she could finally put it behind her. There was a problem though, she didn’t know anyone whose birthday was in March or April.
She picked up her address book and ran through it. An old school friend, Celia was March 17th. Beth did a rough calculation, no good, four days short of Aries.
The phone rang.
Distracted Beth picked it up, still running her fingers down the list of her friend’s birthdays.
“My dear, how are you today?”
“Busy running errands for you.”
“You’re very lucky; someone you know isn’t running anywhere.”
Beth sucked her breath in. “You did that to Ruby,” she said flatly.
“No, she did it to herself. I only advise. What people do with their wishes is entirely up to them. You must all accept the consequences of your own actions.”
Beth was astonished to realise she was sweating. “You put them up to it,” she said.
“My dear, is it my fault your friends are greedy, prepared to tempt fate to get what they want?”
“Isn’t that what you’re doing?” This isn’t about money is it?” Beth said with sudden insight.
“Don’t try and outwit me, you’re not clever enough. But you’re right; the money is of no importance. We are both playing our own small part in a momentous moment in history and I have to say you’ve done well so far. Now, my dear, you won’t find Aries in your little book you need to look elsewhere, use your imagination.”
“What if I say no?”
Shandra appeared to gurgle, a wet ugly sound that made Beth shudder.
“I mean it,” Beth taunted, “Your whole silly plot to rule the world falls on its arse if I refuse, isn’t that what you told me?” She didn’t know why she was pushing Shandra’s buttons; she knew it wouldn’t do any good.
“Jason should be careful crossing the road.”
“Stuff you.” Beth put the phone down.
She put her address book away and opened the brown paper parcel that Brian had found so seductive. It contained two bottles of nature’s herbs hair conditioner.
Jason stood behind the living room door listening to his mum’s side of the conversation. A plot to rule the world; what was that about? It sounded like something his mum had got out of a comic book. He wondered what she’d got herself mixed up in. His mum believed she was looking after and protecting him but Jason knew it was the other way around. He was the man of the house and he had a duty to watch out for her, even if she didn’t know it.
She’d been acting strangely for days; jumping every time the phone rang or someone knocked on the front door. The thought crossed his mind that it could be something to do with his father, Lawrence, maybe he was pestering her to see his son. Jason didn’t know how he felt about that. Ever since he’d found out his dad was serving a prison sentence for armed robbery his thoughts had been confused. Even if he was tempted to meet him what good would it do? He didn’t want a relationship with a stranger who was spending the rest of his life behind bars. He carried his father’s genes and it frightened him to think he might be capable of a murderous act, unable to help himself if he was cornered like his father. But Lawrence had waited until the man’s back was turned before he shot him; did that make him a coward or a psychopath? Probably both.
And his mum never knew a thing. That bothered Jason. How could you live with someone, have an intimate relationship with them and not know they were capable of murder? To him it was black and white, you were good or you were bad and there was no inbetween. His mum was good and his father was bad. He just hoped he’d got a whole heap more of his mum’s genes in him than Lawrence’s.
He made his way back upstairs to his bedroom, if his mum needed his help she only had to ask.
Fortunately Geoffrey was stationed at another of his coffee shops this morning so when Beth arrived ten minutes late nothing was said.
Abby was already serving customers; she smiled absently at Beth but didn’t speak to her. Beth had hoped that calling round Abby’s house the day before and spending time with her might have eased their friendship back on track but she could tell from Abby’s body language she was still upset with her. She had the feeling Abby blamed her, but for what? How was it her fault her friend’s mother-in-law had died and Abby hadn’t come to terms with it? She’d never been led to believe they were particularly close, and Beth couldn’t understand Abby’s strange behaviour.
When the breakfast rush was over Beth said to her, “I thought you were taking a break, having a holiday.”
“I changed my mind.” Abby spoke abruptly.
Beth tried again. “So where’s Tim this morning?”
Abby’s eyes widened in shock. “You haven’t heard?”
“Heard what?” Beth felt a sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach. Please, no, she thought, don’t let anything have happened to Tim.
“His daughter, Jackie, you know the one in Australia who was pregnant?”
Beth nodded. Abby had used the past tense, had the poor girl lost her baby?
“Well, she’s dead, and the baby, her husband ran her over with his car.”
Beth gripped the edge of the counter. Jackie was the light of Tim’s life, his only child. It couldn’t be true, Abby had to have got it wrong. “No.” She said.
Abby’s face turned an ugly pink, “Yes, I’m surprised he hasn’t phoned and told you, you being such a good friend of his. Oh, but wait a minute, could it be because he thinks you’re to blame?”
Abby’s face blurred and Beth gripped the counter harder. “Why would you say that?” she whispered.
“You know why, Beth. All the bad shit that’s happening is down to you. We were all perfectly happy until you gave out that phone number and now look at us. I’m a mess, the ghost of my hateful mother-in-law is following me around, Ruby from the corner shop has lost the use of her legs,” She paused, “Oh, don’t look like that, word gets around. Your neighbour’s husband was killed in a car crash and Tim’s daughter has died. And I know there were others; God knows who else’s life you’ve ruined.”
“You’re blaming me for all the bad stuff that’s happened? Abby, I’ve done nothing wrong, I swear.”
“Yes, you have, Beth. You’ve introduced something evil into our lives. But, hey, you’re all right, you won five hundred pounds.” She glared at Beth. “I hope you can live with yourself.”
“It’s almost over, Abby, I promise,” Beth whispered but she didn’t think Abby had heard her, she’d walked away. What had she done? Abby had said she’d introduced something evil into their lives and she was right. All the awful things that had happened were down to her. She’d interfered in something outside the realms of her understanding and everyone around her was paying the price.
I’m not responsible, I just wanted a new settee, Beth cried to herself. When that leaflet came through my door it seemed innocent, I even thought I was doing some old aged pensioner a favour, how could I have known this was going to happen?
The awful snarling voice in the back of her head answered, “You just wanted
your five hundred pounds, easy money, you are responsible, look around you, do you see anyone else to blame? You caused it, Beth.”
The rest of her four hour shift was a blur. She needed to go round Tim’s house and comfort him but would he feel the same as Abby and put the blame on her for what had happened to his daughter? She could hardly bear to imagine what he was going through. Maybe she would be the last person he would want to see. How could it have happened, Beth wondered, what could Tim have possibly wished for that would have caused the sudden awful death of his daughter and grandchild?
Suddenly enraged, she yanked her phone out of her pocket and called Shandra’s number.
Answer it, bitch, answer it.
“Hello my dear, what can I do for you? I was just in the garden doing a little weeding.”
“Stuff your garden. What did you do to Tim’s daughter?”
“Ah, sweet Bethany, always looking for answers. My dear, I didn’t do anything to your friend’s daughter. I can’t control what people get up to.” She gave a sly chuckle. “I can’t predict how a wish will turn out either. People should be very careful what they ask for.”
“You know what? I think you’re a lying bitch. You’re causing these things to happen, why don’t you admit it?” Beth’s face felt hot, her anger a raging sickening storm lying in her stomach waiting to explode. She heaved.
“Feeling sick are you my dear? That won’t do. I should go and have a nice lie down. But not for too long, you still have two more signs to procure for me.”
“Get lost,” Beth croaked but she was talking to an empty phone.
Tim, she thought, making up her mind. She would go and see him, how could she forgive herself otherwise.
Watching her friend Beth put her coat on and leave without saying goodbye hurt Abby. She wished she hadn’t said those awful things to her now, but she was frightened. After opening the suitcase and finding the bloody knife in there she hadn’t been able to stop wondering what it meant. Why would her lovely kind husband be hiding such a thing? Maybe he’d found it somewhere, that would be the best scenario, but there’d been something awful in the expression on her mother-in-law’s face that told Abby there was more going on.
The 13th Destiny_Heaven's Deadliest Sign Page 16
