Dirty Cops Next Door
Page 73
“What do I owe you for the work you’ve done?” He asked.
“Oh, don’t worry about that,” she replied. “Take it as my donation to your organisation.”
“Well, at least let me buy you lunch. If you’ll agree, I’ll admit my ulterior motive.” He said with a look that stated, “Aren’t you intrigued, hm?”
What’s he playing at, she wondered, but curiosity got the better of her, and she agreed.
“Alright, but you have to tell me what the ulterior motive is first, or I won’t go.” She replied with a ‘so there’ look of her own. She all but stuck her tongue out at him. It’s just the tea, it’s only the tea making you hyper and too flirty, she thought, trying to rein herself in. Stop acting like a twit now!
“It’s nothing terrible really, I’d just like to get to know you a little better, that’s all.” A hopeful look spread across his face as he spoke, making her heart twist a little.
“Oh, well.” She stuttered to a halt, stunned at his words. She’d never expected him to truly be interested in her! Her heart gave a leap, though, and she knew she wanted to spend more time with him. “Well, yes, I think I’d like that myself, Daniel.”
2
They gathered their things and walked up the street to a chippy. She looked at him, not sure what to tell him because she didn’t eat food like that, it made her skin break-out and being tall and a bit fluffy already, was about as far as she could stand it. Spots on top of that might lead to her never leaving the house! The look on her face must have been enough to make him realise this wasn’t her cup of tea, because instead of going in he walked to the next one, a place selling German food, apparently. From the menu, she saw that the food was much healthier and gave him a questioning look.
“How about this?” She asked him.
“Oh yes, this is very good, I’ve been here before.”
They went in and found a table and looked over the menu. They made their order and Annie May looked around. A tidy little place, the inside wasn’t overly fancy but was clean and the tables weren’t sticky. Looking out of the window they were sat at, she watched people going by, like ants as they got on and off buses, went into and left shops, and milled around in other places. She loved watching people, looking at the buildings, and wondering about the stories they could all tell. Everyone and every place had a story, after all. Smiling she turned back to Daniel, realising she’d been quiet for a long time.
“What would you like to know?” She asked him.
“Well, obviously you’re American because you don’t sound like you have the least possibility of being Canadian, so what state are you from?” He asked.
“I’m actually English but I was raised in America. In Louisiana, in fact, so no, there’s no mistaking me for Canadian, not with this accent. My parents and brother all live there too. Mum and Dad left in the 90s. Mum had a love of all things New Orleans so Dad fulfilled her dream by getting a job as a doctor there. We came to England for the summer, once a year, but I haven’t been back in a while. I was too busy with school, but I’ve finished that now so I’ve come to stay for the summer. Learn about my roots and all of that.”
“Ah, I see. I wonder why we’ve never met, then. I know it’s been a couple of years but still, we should have met at some point; we aren’t that far apart in age. I’m 29, and you’re what? 25 or 26?” Daniel asked, taking his food from the lady who brought it and thanking her.
Annie May took her own but answered Daniel before she started to eat. “I’m 28, actually. Mum and Dad wouldn’t let us into the taproom, and we were usually only here for a week. Maybe that’s why?”
“Ah, I see. So you never made any friends while you were here?”
“No, not really. I thought I had when I was around 12. There was a lovely little boy I used to know. I thought he was going to be my prince, but he turned out to be quite the frog.”
“How so?” Daniel asked before tasting his food.
Annie May chewed, watching Daniel enjoy his food. The sausages must have been lovely because his eyes closed for a moment. She loved that he appreciated food so much.
“That must be nice.” She said, a question in her voice.
“It’s lovely! About the little boy?”
“Oh, we’d been playing for a couple of days together, going hiking, and climbing trees; the usual stuff children do. I was hoping he’d give me my first kiss. We’d gone out hiking, up on the moors, and we’d found this little stream by a large tree. We sat down to have the lunch our Mums sent with us, and I thought it was going splendidly. We’d been laughing and having fun, and it was perfect. I closed my eyes and leaned over to him, but he was gone. He came out from behind the tree, screaming about how I didn’t have a soul because I was a ginger, and then he threw a frog at me! A bloody great toad he’d found in the creek. I ran all the way back home, crying and told Mum I never wanted to come back again, but she made me the next year. It was even worse when I saw him the following day and he threw another one at me.”
Daniel had started coughing by the time she finished, and she wondered if his food had gone down wrong. His face was red and he was spluttering. Annie May handed him his water and stood up to pound his back when he finally calmed down enough to croak out that he was fine.
“That was you?” He asked.
“Was what me?” She asked, confused.
“That I threw the frogs at?” He said, looking ashamed of himself.
“Oh don’t tell me that was you?! But it can’t have been; that boy’s name was Courtney!”
“Yes, do you remember what you screamed at me when I threw the second frog?” He muttered into his glass of water. He wouldn’t even look at her now!
“No, I don’t actually. I tried to forget most of it, that was so mean, Daniel!”
“I know and I do apologise. You screamed at me how Courtney was a girl’s name anyway, before you ran away. I made people start calling me Daniel after that. I really must apologise Annie May. I thought you looked familiar when I first saw you last night, but I wasn’t sure why. And about that incident, well, a friend of mine started making fun of me for spending so much time with you. And I wanted to kiss you but Brian had been telling me all these stories about red-headed kids, and when you closed your eyes, I really did think you were trying to steal my soul. We were only children and though it may not mean much now, I really didn’t know any better. And I promise I will never throw another frog at you again, for the rest of my life!”
Annie May wasn’t sure whether she should be mortified or laugh. Looking at Daniel, how repentant he was, however, told her she should at least give him a chance to make up for his behaviour as a child. She knew he was a flirt, she could tell that by the way he talked to other women when they were around, but when he focused on her, she knew that attention was meant only for her. And they had only been children so perhaps she should give him a chance? Maybe he was just a friendly person and the way he talked with the women wasn’t offensive, it was only meant to bring a smile to their faces and there was nothing wrong with that. But could he really be serious? He was ever so handsome, and she wasn’t ugly but her height and size usually put men off her.
“Alright then but if you say one thing about my lack of a soul, I’ll drop you in a pan of cold water and set you on the stove. Just you remember that!” The words were harsh but she said them with a smile, taking some of the sting out of them.
“Can I see you tonight then?” He asked, a hopeful grin on his face.
“Oh, well. I promised Nan I’d help her behind the bar tonight, but if you want to come in there, you’re welcome to. I’d like that in fact, a familiar face on the other side might help me to relax a little.”
“I’d love that. I think tonight’s dominoes night so it’ll be crowded but I’ve been known to help out behind the bar before, so I can lend you a hand if you need me to, as well.” He tilted his head as he spoke, that cheeky grin that made her knees feel wobbly, making another appearance.
“That sounds like it might be fun, getting to work with you. I look forward to it. Shall we get back now? I know you must be busy with work; I don’t want to keep you.”
“Yes, I should get back. I have an appointment in 15 minutes so I should do the grown-up thing and prepare for it. I’ve really enjoyed having lunch with you, though. It’s been wonderful, it truly has. Can I ring for a taxi to get you back to your Nan’s?”
“No, a walk would be good, I can refamiliarise myself that way.”
She held her hand to her heart as he took her hand again, kissing it before standing back up. How can that be so very romantic, she wondered.
Sighing, she smiled at him again, thanked him for lunch and waved goodbye as they went their separate ways.
She walked back up the hill, passing sheep and people with guidebooks in their hands, and hiking gear clanging in packs on their backs. Britain was a very active place, if nothing else, she thought, watching all the walkers with their dogs and children, zigzagging the hills and footpaths. She got back to her Nan’s and lost herself in helping her grandmother prepare for the evening and wait on the few customers who came in during the day. What a wonderful morning, she thought to herself as she told her Nan about her time with Daniel. Her Nan just stood smiling as Annie May spoke, the smile getting wider as Annie May told her about the childhood incident.
“He may turn out to be your prince, yet, my duck. Just you keep an eye out, though. You’re only here for a few months so don’t get too caught up or I’ll have to answer to your Dad and Mum, and heaven forbid I have to do that!” Ruby smiled and hugged Annie May close again, ideas forming in her head about what exactly she’d tell them because she would love to have Annie May with her in England full time.
Annie May’s night was filled with laughter, conversation, and observations on how vastly different American English was from British English. She laughed every time someone said, “So you’re an American are you?” And replied that she might as well be, explaining that she was, in fact, English over and over again. Daniel got in on the fun by introducing her to the regulars who trickled in, as Ruby’s English granddaughter who spoke like an American. He thought maybe she’d bumped her head and woke up with a strange accent but nobody would tell him for sure.
The people would just stare at him, then he’d wink at them, letting them know he was teasing, and they’d all laugh some more. Annie May met a cast of characters she’d have never met at home in a bar. There was the Communist couple that came in every single night, no matter what; the older man who came in twice a day, rain or shine; the farmer who lived across from the inn who spent most evenings reading the paper and listening to other people but never joined in; and the younger people who would all settle in the bottom room, playing billiards and listening to their own music on a cd player Nan had put down there for them. Nobody caused trouble and everyone just wanted a laugh. Customers came in with their dogs and every single canine was offered a treat, even by people that didn’t have dogs. Apparently Nan’s place was known for being dog-friendly, partly because the regulars were.
She went to bed that evening with a smile on her face and Daniel’s beautiful eyes and smile in her thoughts. He’d worked diligently, keeping people happy, sharing a laugh with each one, and then helping her to clean up when it was all over. They’d spent more time laughing, she realised, than they had working. She’d never laughed so much at home, even with her boyfriend’s there, though there hadn’t been many of those. Nobody serious anyway. She’d always been too busy for romance, flings, or any kind of affair, but she’d had a serious relationship once that almost ended in marriage. At 28, she still hadn’t slept with anyone though, preferring to wait until she was married, partly because she just didn’t feel she was attractive enough to take anything to that level. She opened her eyes, looking at the moonlight on her wall, wondering what Daniel would think of her inexperience but somehow not doubting that this relationship might go further than a holiday fling. Daniel was kind, loving, fun to be around, and generous with his time. Her last thoughts were of how Daniel had volunteered to take several people home before going to his own home for the night. He was ever so sweet, she thought, before her eyes closed a final time, and she drifted into her dreams.
3
“Annie May, I’d like to speak with you please, when you have the time, my duck.” Annie May heard her grandmother call to her. They hadn’t unlocked the doors yet, and Annie May was cleaning up while her Nan was doing some paperwork in her office.
Annie May walked back to the office, lost in her thoughts about the poem Daniel had read to her the night before. Over the last month, they’d spent almost every evening together, and last night, they’d gone to a bonfire. Daniel had pulled out the book when things quieted down and read to her from the contents. She’d rested her head against his thigh, looking up at the sky as he read to her, happier than she’d ever been in her life. The words he spoke were words of love, promises that were not meant to be broken once made. Daniel recited words of passion, devotion, and wonder at finding someone so worthy of being loved.
Over the last few weeks, he’d slowly broken down the walls of her own self-doubts and made her feel beautiful with his admiration of her face, her eyes, but most importantly of her brain and how intelligent she was. They liked the same kinds of music, movies, and agreed that life without cheap comedy movies was not a life worth living. She felt beautiful when Daniel was around and as though the world had dimmed when he wasn’t. He still didn’t know her virginal status, but the issue had never come up. He’d gone no further than kissing her cheek so far, though she was starting to long for the feel of his lips against hers. Maybe tonight, maybe he’d kiss her properly tonight, she thought.
He’d excitedly taken her all over Derbyshire, visiting castles, hiking, going to Bakewell to sample the tarts, to stone circles she didn’t even know existed in that part of England, to the Heights of Abraham, showing off the places he loved so much. He’d even taken her to Matlock Bath, where she’d enjoyed learning about the way children used to put pieces of wood in the water to retrieve it later as petrified wood. She loved Derbyshire; she loved the people here; she loved that Daniel was so very proud of it, and by now she was pretty sure she was falling in love with Daniel. And her Nan was here, showing her love and kindness every single day with her own brand of humour to spice it up. This was her fairy-tale world, and nothing could intrude.
“Yes, Nan?” She asked as she walked into the office, curious.
“You’ve always got a smile on your face now. It’s so good to see that. I do hope we won’t be needing any prams soon?” Ruby asked her, a wicked grin on her face.
“Oh, Nan! I, well, Nan! Really! We won’t, don’t worry, but well…” Annie May cut herself off. She loved her Nan but sometimes the woman said things just to shock her, she thought, loving the teasing despite how much it made her blush.
“Sit down, love, I want to talk to you.” Nan looked serious suddenly, the teasing over and Annie May hoped she hadn’t done anything wrong.
“No, you haven’t done anything wrong, child. I’ve just had a letter in the post, and I wanted to talk to you about it.” Nan was very perceptive, Annie May thought.
“What’s in the letter?” She asked.
“Well, I debated on showing it to you but thought you needed to see it.” Nan looked worried, causing Annie May to be concerned, so she sat down in a chair beside her Nan.
“What is it Nan?”
Ruby took a deep breath before handing over a sheet of paper to Annie May. Annie May looked at it, seeing only a letter, but then she started to read the words.
“There’s this too.” Nan handed ove
r another piece of paper, an ultrasound picture.
“Where did this come from?” Annie asked, her heart shattered.
“The post-mark says Greece, but I don’t know who Piper Sandbrook is. She’s not a local anyway. What are you going to do?” Ruby asked her granddaughter, placing her hand on Annie May’s shoulder.
Annie May gasped, the comfort almost too much to bear at this point, and put her hand over her mouth. She stood up as her world fell apart, dashed her hands over her eyes, pulled her shoulders back, and spoke to her Nan.
“I’m going to get back to work and forget he exists. One way or another.”
“But Annie May, you should really talk to him about this. The woman may not really be Daniel’s fiancée; anybody could make that up. And this picture doesn’t even look real to me. I wasn’t going to show you because I thought it might be a tall tale, but I thought you should know about it.”
“No, Nan, it’s probably true. I bet she’s some tiny little blonde, and just glowing with maternal hormones as we speak. I’m not breaking that up. Daniel turned out to be a frog a long time ago; I see he never did quite turn into a prince now, despite what I thought. I guess I was just something he amused himself with. Why would a man like that want me anyway? I’m a giant lummox; no man wants a woman like me, not for a wife anyway.” She dashed out of the room, into the ladies toilet, to cry in peace.
Annie May replayed the words in her mind, how the woman had heard about Annie May from a friend and that the woman, this Piper whoever, had been out of the country working for the last couple of months. That she was pregnant, but on her way back because she’d heard about Annie, and she was coming to “kick Annie’s head in.” Annie May didn’t do fighting like that, and the thought of a violent confrontation made her shudder. Not out of fear, but loathing for how very low-class it was. And to threaten violence while pregnant? What kind of woman was this?