Shadows of the Lost Child

by Ellie Stevenson

  I thought about that and it did make sense. People could use the school basement and the tunnel and no-one would know the body was there, just yards away. I shivered, suddenly. ‘Do you want to go back to the house?’

  We wandered back along the passage, even the cellar was preferable to this, a low-ceilinged space with a really dank smell. I couldn’t wait to get back to the kitchen. Then, I stood on something.

  ‘I hope that’s not a bone I’ve stood on.’

  ‘Ha!’ said Ginny, and shone the beam of the torch on the culprit. She picked something up.

  ‘What have you got?’ I said, not bothered, already dreaming of cups of tea.

  ‘It looks like Mary-Ann Parks’ necklace.’

  Chapter 93

  Then – Miranda

  Miranda couldn’t concentrate. She spilt two drinks and then short-changed the punter afterwards.

  ‘Since when was this pub a posh hotel? I think you’ve charged me a bit too much.’ Miranda sighed and gave him the cash.

  Since she’d considered leaving the Low, the pub and its occupants seemed much nicer. The bar looked warm, instead of just tatty, her mother kind, instead of unfocused, and Tom the best worker they’d ever had.

  I’ll have to tell Tom, Miranda considered, but no, that’s no good, he’ll have to come with us. He doesn’t want to move elsewhere with his parents; and what about Ma?

  ‘How’s the packing?’ she’d asked Tom earlier.

  ‘Oddly, enough, they’ve stopped for the moment,’ Tom said, grinning. ‘I didn’t ask why, in case it reminded them to start up again.’

  They’ve most likely lost their supply, thought Miranda, now the stock’s been moved somewhere else. She smiled to herself. Then, later on, her ma came to see her.

  ‘I’d like you to help in the parlour, Miranda. They’re wanting somebody to play the piano.’

  ‘You know how I hate them singing in there.’ Miranda scowled and glared at her mother.

  ‘Just do as you’re told, for once, Miranda.’ Her mother stopped as she turned away. ‘What’s that you’re wearing round your neck?’

  ‘It’s a necklace, Ma, it belonged to Louise, she used to go to Thomas’s school. It’s Tom’s necklace now, but I’m keeping it for him, just for the moment.’

  ‘Louise used to go to Thomas’s school?’

  ‘That’s what I said. She and Tom were once good friends, until she went away and never came back. A lovely girl, or so I’ve been told. But then, Tom’s biased.’

  ‘He would be,’ said Hannah, ‘though he won’t know why.’ She leant against the bar for strength. ‘Louise is Carol’s daughter, Miranda.’

  Chapter 94

  Now – Aleph

  I was sitting, holding the dirty necklace. It was old and broken, but despite all that I could see the beads were once turquoise, probably vibrant, now very scratched and mostly grey, but still, I thought, the very same. The one that Mary-Ann Parks had been wearing.

  ‘I thought she’d had it around her neck, when she was found?’

  ‘I believe she did.’ Guinevere sipped her tea quietly.

  ‘So, how did it end up in the passage? It should have been with the police records, or if not there, with the family.’

  ‘We were the family, Aleph,’ said Ginny. ‘Her parents were dead, Clara was abroad, and she didn’t believe the necklace was her sister’s. She never believed it was Mary-Ann’s.’

  I’m going start drinking coffee, I thought. I needed the caffeine to keep me on track. Ginny went on.

  ‘My guess is, Mother and Father kept it, and when they moved out, they left it there, in the passage, probably where the body was found. Like a kind of memorial.’

  ‘Shouldn’t they have left it in the grave?’

  ‘That was the grave for many years, and no-one was sure the necklace was hers. Maybe my father believed his mother, or maybe he thought the necklace was jinxed, I’ve no idea.’

  I swung the beads back and forth, slowly. ‘I wonder if we dare move it now?’

  ‘We already have,’ said Ginny, wryly, ‘like you removed the boot from the cellar.’ Both of us stared at the shelf and the boot.

  ‘I’ll put the boot and the beads together,’ I said, getting up. ‘Clara called it a child’s necklace.’

  Guinevere watched as I draped the beads around the boot and I shivered suddenly, looking at Ginny to see if she felt it, the deepening chill that covered us up. As if a ghost had walked into the room. Her face was like stone. The telephone rang.

  ‘Who could it be? It’s very late.’ Guinevere watched me pick up the phone.

  ‘Cressida, what’s happened? Is Alice okay?’

  ‘Alice is fine. I just need to talk. There’s something I need to tell you, now.’

  ‘Right now, this minute?’

  ‘Yes, just listen. All that stuff about coming to see you, so you could help Alice, that was a lie. Alice wouldn’t talk, and I needed help, that was certainly true, but it wasn’t the reason I came to see you. That was about Martha, she asked if I would tell you the truth, but even now, I still can’t do it, even though she’s leaving Leverhulme.’ Cressida gave a strangled sob.

  ‘Martha wants you to tell me what?’ I could feel the pulse of sudden anxiety, I’d only ever known one Martha and that was back in the distant past, when I’d been happy, innocent, almost.

  ‘It’s about the accident, Daniel’s death.’

  So, I thought, Cressida and Alice had both known Daniel, and Cressida, like Alice, had known who I was. Why had she not said as much to me? Martha, I guessed, was the boy’s mother. I’d only known them as Mr and Mrs. The room felt cold.

  ‘I don’t know a Martha,’ I told Cressida.

  ‘But you did do once.’ She was right, I had.

  So Daniel’s mother was the Martha, I’d known back then. When Daniel had died I’d only been told the family name: Mr and Mrs L. Peters. Martha Peters could be the wife and the woman I’d known, now with a husband. And now I’d learnt I’d killed her son. The nightmare had turned into something worse. Then I saw Ginny standing beside me.

  ‘Cressida, listen, you’re not making sense. Please, just say it, just tell me the truth.’

  ‘Open the envelopes, Aleph,’ she said. ‘Read the cards that Martha sent you, and then you’ll know. I’m really sorry, believe me, I am, especially for my part in it all.’ Then the phone went dead.

  I toyed with the thought of ringing her back.

  ‘Don’t,’ said Ginny, grabbing my arm, almost as if she’d read my mind. ‘Put the phone down and do what she said. It’s time you opened your post at last.’

  Chapter 95

  Then – Carol

  Carol wasn’t pleased to see Tanya Curtis. Tanya’s news that the stock had vanished had tarnished her dreams of a golden future. A move would be hard with no more proceeds, nothing to live on but two lousy jobs. One, uncertain. Carol sighed.

  She’d been happy enough with what she’d got, until Tanya had shown her a little bit more, well maybe not happy, but almost content, when Matt was alive, but now he was dead and her dream was gone and life seemed drab, no, worse, almost dire. With no more cash, from shoes or silver. Somehow the future seemed even more grim. Then Tanya turned up on her doorstep again. Carol frowned.

  ‘I hoped you wouldn’t be at work just yet. Any chance of a cuppa, my love?’

  ‘Sure,’ said Carol, rather reluctant, knowing she owed the woman something. A lot, probably, the goods had brought in quite a bit of money, pity that most of that money had gone. If only she’d kept a little more back. She ushered Tanya into the house.

  ‘That’s a nice frock you’re wearing, Tanya,’ Carol observed, as she gestured the woman over to the table. ‘I’ve always liked that very bright red.’

  ‘I got it in the jumble,’ Tanya said, grinning. ‘It’s satin too, and had a big tear, but I soon fixed that, and now it’s fine, almost good enough for best. A bit posh for everyday, but what the hell, I wear what I like.’
She knocked back her tea.

  ‘Is there anymore news on the missing stock?’ Tanya shook her head, slowly.

  ‘I asked a few questions, but nobody’s telling me where it’s gone, in fact the source denied all knowledge. I reckon we’ve come to the end of that windfall.’

  ‘A pretty short windfall,’ Carol said, sadly.

  ‘I take it you’ve used up most of the profits?’

  ‘All of the profits,’ Carol informed her. ‘You know what Scotty’s like with his cash, it’s here today and gone tomorrow. He’s spent it all on his new business. A cart and some stock and then renting a shed. And now we can’t afford to move.’

  ‘Surely there must be something left?’

  ‘No there isn’t,’ said Carol bristling, ‘and even if there was, what’s it to you? We made a deal, and I kept my part of the bargain, Tanya and paid what I owed.’

  ‘But that was based on there being more stock, and more cash coming up right behind. I reckon I gave you the stuff too cheap, I reckon you probably owe me something.’

  ‘Now wait a minute,’ said Carol, sharply, getting to her feet and folding her arms. ‘We made an arrangement fair and square. It’s not my fault that you’ve lost your stock, ahead of your plan, Tanya Curtis.’ She paused, thinking. ‘You said the goods were gone from the church. I bet you went to see your source, and I’ll bet you tried to twist the knife. And he’s called your bluff, whoever he is, and now you’re stuck, without any left.’

  ‘You’re wrong,’ said Tanya, getting up. ‘I’ve still got some stock and that means proof. I’ll see that man in jail, I will, if he doesn’t come up with a little more cash.’

  ‘You’re so stupid,’ Carol laughed. ‘You might have some stock, but it only proves you took the goods, and not that the bloke was involved at all. You silly cow.’

  Tanya went as red as her dress, her face was like thunder, she was seething with rage. She leant forward and pushed Carol.

  ‘You’re talking rubbish. I’ve enough on you to ruin your life. And don’t you forget it.’

  ‘Oh, you have, have you Miss? Well, I’ll tell you, you don’t push me, nobody pushes Carol Islip.’ Carol stepped forward and shoved Tanya, not very hard, but enough to make her stumble backwards, towards the fireplace. Tanya looked livid.

  ‘Why don’t we start with Matt McCarthy and then we’ll move on to his trunk of shoes. Or should I say, trunks? I reckon that’s quite enough trouble to begin with, especially when Scotty hears the news.’

  ‘How dare you come into my home and threaten me! After I’ve fenced your dirty goods for you, given you cash and tea as well. You’re an evil cow, that’s what you are.’ She jabbed Tanya hard in the chest and Tanya stepped back, getting closer to the fire.

  ‘Matt’s gone now and so have the shoes, so you try proving anything, lady. Scotty can be trouble like any bloke, but he’ll stick with me in the end, you’ll see, and you’ll be dust underneath my feet. You might even end up in the river, if you’re not careful, Scotty knows a bloke who isn’t that nice. And, at least I’ve got a man of my own.’

  ‘You call that worm of a bloke a man? But even a worm will turn in the end, he might put up with all your whoring but he won’t put up with a bastard child. I guess that’s why you gave her away.’

  ‘You what?’ said Carol, feeling the colour leave her face.

  ‘I’m talking about your precious daughter, dumped and abandoned to save your marriage. A marriage that wasn’t worth saving anyway. I know all about it, and so will Scotty, before I’m finished with you, Missus. Unless you’d like to come to terms.’

  ‘You know all about my little girl? You’re going to tell Scotty what I did? Like hell you will, I’ll kill you first.’ Carol put her hands around Tanya’s neck. The women were right by the fireplace.

  ‘Let go, you fool,’ croaked Tanya, angry, beating at Carol’s arms with her own, but Carol held on, she was all fired up and meant to be tough and teach Tanya a lesson.

  ‘You won’t be coming back here again.’

  Tanya would have answered Carol, but the effort of speaking was now beyond her. She struggled as hard as she could to get free, eventually shoving Carol away. As Carol released her, thinking she’d made her point at last, Tanya’s foot twisted, slipped on the hearth and she fell to the floor with a noisy yell, banging her head on the fireplace. Carol watched, in slow motion, it was only seconds but it felt like minutes as the fight that had started as lively banter ended in death. She stared at Tanya’s lifeless form. Carol screamed.

  ‘No,’ she said, and knelt on the ground.

  Tanya’s face was contorted with something, maybe surprise, or maybe just shock. The look was permanent.

  Carol reached out and touched Tanya’s face. Her face was still warm, but the body felt slack and drained of life, a check of her pulse proved it was so. Carol tensed and turned her over, finding the courage from deep within her, probably from working at Pickart’s Grove, in the distant past. She’d started in the laundry at just fourteen. Pickart’s was the local lunatic asylum.

  ‘No,’ she said, for the final time as a trickle of blood from Tanya’s head dripped onto the hearth and pooled by the edge. ‘You can’t be dead, I won’t believe it.’ For probably the very first time in her life, Carol wanted Scotty.

  Scotty and Carol stared at Tanya.

  ‘So this is where it happened, is it?’ Scotty had just got home from work.

  ‘No, I’ve just dragged her over to the fire, because she was cold.’ Carol had lived a long few hours, waiting for Scotty, unable to leave the house for a moment, just in case a neighbour dropped by. Nobody locked their doors around here. ‘What are we going to do, now, Scotty?’

  ‘Get rid of the body, that’s what we’ll do. And good riddance too, that’s what I’m thinking.’

  ‘You’ve changed your tune in a week,’ said Carol, who was doing her best not to break down, she hadn’t meant to kill Tanya, whatever she’d said to the woman at the time. ‘You thought she was great when she brought us the goods.’

  ‘Well, now she’s just a source of trouble, this is all your fault, yours and hers, we were fine before you both got greedy.’

  Oh no we weren’t, said Carol to herself. You’ve always drank our money away, and you were the one who spent our profits on a brand new business. She said nothing, she hated Scotty in moods like this. And this was before he’d taken a drop. She wondered if Scotty had slept with Tanya, he might have done, he looked distressed and she wouldn’t put such behaviour past him. But, even if he had, he’d stick by her. Just like she’d always stuck by him.

  ‘I know the perfect place to put her, if you’ll give me a hand with the body Carol, later today, when it gets dark. I’ll need to bring home some tools from work.’ Carol nodded, she wouldn’t tell him the whole story, about her daughter, there was no point stirring up trouble now, now that Tanya was dead and gone.

  She glanced at Tanya’s body again, feeling relief that the woman was silenced, sorry yes, but still relieved. Carol listened to Scotty’s words.

  ‘When this is all sorted, we’ll pack up our stuff, the stuff that’s not done, and leave straight away, as soon as we can. I’ve still got some cash put by from the sale, and even some stock, though not very much. I knew it would come in useful sometime, and not just for drink.’ He grinned at his wife who blinked in surprise.

  For once Scotty Islip had managed to surprise her.

  Chapter 96

  Now – Aleph

  The next morning, I opened the door and Cressida was there, standing on the doorstep. She looked terrible. I ushered her in and watched her wander into the kitchen, joining Guinevere at the table. Neither woman looked happy at that.

  ‘I gather you haven’t met before?’

  ‘Not as such,’ said Cressida stiffly. ‘But I guess she knows the whole story.’

  ‘I certainly do,’ said Guinevere gamely. I’m not leaving, is what she meant. Cressida ignored her.

  ‘I’m s
orry about last night,’ she said. ‘I thought I ought to be here in person. In case you decide to open your post.’

  I shook my head and smiled sadly. ‘I’m afraid you’ve left it too late for that. You should have come round yesterday evening.’ There, on the table, were the opened envelopes.

  Late last night, Ginny and I had sat at the table, staring at the unopened envelopes, the two I had opened sitting there mocking. I picked up the third.

  ‘Just open it, Aleph,’ Guinevere said. I tore at the paper.

  More cream card and another small flower embossed on the right. The same familiar word, MURDERER. It still had the power to shock and stun me, make me believe it couldn’t be me. Even despite expecting to see it. The power of the printed word, I thought.

  The third word didn’t make sense on its own. It left me just as unenlightened. Ginny and I stared at the card.

  HE WAS YOUR

  what?

  Nemesis, fate, victim, sentence. All of those probably. And I still didn’t understand the message.

  From a distance, far away, I knew that Ginny was holding my arm, patting my hand, putting her arm around my shoulder. It felt like nothing, the world was nothing, all of my life had shrunk into this. Darkness and fear.

  ‘Open the envelope, Aleph,’ she whispered. So, I did what she said.

  Cressida wasn’t making much sense. She was blathering on about her and Martha, about how our meetings, hers and mine, had all been planned, all of it planned, apart from Alice not wanting to talk, but how, now, finally, she’d seen the light, refused to cooperate, told Martha no. Since she’d discovered she’d played a part too.

  ‘It wasn’t your fault,’ I said, coolly.

  ‘That’s not how it feels,’ Cressida said. ‘I understand now, that by lying and stringing you along like I did, I was being very cruel, thoughtlessly cruel, and I’m sorry for that.’

  Now you know how I feel, I thought. But I envied her position, nevertheless. ‘At least you weren’t driving the car,’ I said.