by K Leitch
Arriving at the boathouse Helen walked round to the back, taking her keys from her pocket as she approached the door. She was surprised to find the padlock that locked the big double doors hanging open…maybe Andrea was still finishing up. Andrea had taken it upon herself to sort out the costumes for the play. It was set in the 1930’s so she had been trawling through charity shops and jumble sales trying to find suitable outfits for everyone with considerable success actually. Whatever Helen thought about the dreadful ‘changes’ made to the play, she had to give Andrea her due she had a good eye and was a really hard worker.
Helen opened the doors wide letting a beam of evening sunshine shine into the huge wooden building.
‘Andrea,’ she called, as she walked through drying canvas backdrops depicting smog filled London streets, or ‘Mrs Page’s drawing room’. Andrea’s clothes storage was in the little office at the back of the building. Helen could hear someone in there, so she headed in that direction.
‘Andrea…you’re working late again…’ she said as she got nearer… she got no further. Suddenly a masked figure appeared as if from nowhere and rushed straight for her, Helen let out a scream and tried to turn away, but the man barged into her, shoving her so hard that she fell head first into one of the hanging canvases, which then collapsed on top of her. Helen struggled to free herself from the heavy material, at last she found an opening and pushed her way out, only to be confronted by another huge masked figure looming over her, she turned in a panic and tried to scramble away but she wasn’t fast enough and was struck hard on the head from behind before she could get anywhere…she fell to the ground unconscious.
CHAPTER 21 - MAGGIE
‘Oh this one is divine Jools,’ gushed Maggie, looking at the glossy picture of a beautiful country hotel and possible wedding venue. ‘And it says here that you could actually hire out the whole hotel for the duration of the wedding. That would be so useful wouldn’t it; I mean your sister’s got to come all the way from Yorkshire. It would be good if she was able to stay the night before and the night of the wedding wouldn’t it?’
‘Yes but look at the price Maggie,’ Jools exclaimed, her eyes widening as she read the small print. ‘That’s the best part of thirty thousand pounds…it’s too much.’
‘Jools you know I’ll help out, money wise,’ Maggie began, she held up her hand as Jools shook her head. ‘I want to love…please let me…’
‘Maggie you know how Jed feels about that, how we both feel…’ she came over and gave Maggie a hug. ‘It’s just one day, and I really wouldn’t care if it was a quick trip to the registry office and back to The Bull…’
‘Well I would…’ Maggie began hotly.
‘Yes I know you would and so would my mum, so we’ve agreed to have this big production…but it has to be on our terms ok?’ she looked at Maggie hard. ‘Ok Maggie?’ she said again.
Maggie scowled at her and nodded. ‘You’re no fun…it must be the hormones kicking in,’ Jools went to protest again. ‘OK, OK,’ Maggie said laughing at her fierce expression, ‘I know when I’m beaten, and at least we’ve got a date now… August 1st…I can’t wait. You will let me buy your dress though won’t you…you did promise Jools,’ Maggie finished with a pleading look.
‘You try and stop me,’ Jools said laughing. ‘I am going to need some seriously inventive couture if I want to avoid looking like a frilly marquee walking down the aisle, I will be almost eight months gone you know.’
‘Don’t you worry,’ Maggie said confidently, ‘I’m going to introduce you to the most amazing little woman, she’s completely mad, but I never met anyone as good with a needle, her name’s Tina, Tina Trotter would you believe. She used to dress some of my mother’s models, for red carpet events and the like, you are going to look stunning my darling. I’ve made an appointment with her for Wednesday next week if that’s OK with you, I remember you said that was your day off.’
Jools worked at a care home just outside Kenley village, she clapped her hands together with glee at the prospect of the girlie outing on her day off. ‘Oh how exciting, I can’t wait…’
‘What’s so exciting?’ said Maylee sauntering into the kitchen and switching on the kettle. Maggie heaved a sigh, she hadn’t realised Maylee was at home today. She had hoped in fact to be able to spend a few quality hours with Jools without having to put up with Maylee and her selfish and immature attitude. Last year Maggie had seen another side to Maylee, a nicer side, and because of that had tried really hard to get on with her. But despite Maggie’s determination to overlook the sometimes crass and unkind things she said, Maylee still had the ability to set her teeth on edge. The couple were now living in the old annex which was situated above the garage. It had previously been used as storage for all Maggie’s old pieces of furniture that she had collected in her role as interior designer. But Dom had spent a whole weekend clearing the space and filling it with all the home comforts that he could think of and now it was a comfortable home for him Maylee and Maylee’s little son Juke.
Juke was the one thing about Maylee that Maggie had no problem with. He was adorable and had found his way into all their hearts; especially Dom’s who had taken over much of the child care which seemed to suit Maylee perfectly, she was definitely more of a hands off sort of mum.
‘My dress,’ Jools answered Maylee’s question her eyes shining. ‘I have my first fitting next week…’
‘Oh that,’ Maylee pursed her lips, refusing to show an interest. ‘Did you hear that I got the lead in the play?’ she said excitedly a moment later.
‘Oh God…yes I did hear, well done May,’ said Jools. ‘I bet you’re nervous though aren’t you, all those lines to learn.’
‘Na…it’ll be a doddle,’ Maylee said waving an unconcerned hand. ‘Anyway Luke says that he will go through them with me every evening until I’m word perfect…he’s so kind, and so patient.’
Jools and Maggie shared a look.
‘How are you going to find the time to do that though May?’ Maggie asked. ‘I mean what with work and looking after Jukie…I hope you’re not taking on too much love.’
‘Oh you worry too much Maggs; Dommie has said that he will look after Jukie whenever I need to practice.’ She sat down at the table next to Jools and began to idly flip through the wedding hotel brochures. ‘Wow that one’s gorgeous Jools,’ she said pointing to the one that Maggie had spotted earlier.
‘Oh I know,’ said Jools looking over her shoulder. ‘Far too pricy for us though I’m afraid, we were thinking of Keston House…you know in Barnsfield, it’s got such pretty gardens and…’
‘What that tiny little place,’ Maylee butted in shocked. ‘The one that looks like an old farm house, off the Godstone road?’
‘Yes,’ Jools said, ‘Jed took me there the night he proposed, and it had such a warm homely feel to it…’
‘I’m not surprised,’ interrupted Maylee scornfully. ‘Must have all of four bedrooms…you can’t be serious Jools, you really want to get married there?’
‘Well yes actually I do,’ Jools said bristling. ‘And it has the added bonus of being really reasonably priced so…’
‘Yes but…’ Maylee said looking at Maggie pointedly, and then back at Jools. ‘I’m sure if you asked your future mother-in-law she would stump up for somewhere a bit grander than that,’ she finished with a chuckle.
‘Yes but I don’t want anything else May, I know you find it hard to believe but that’s how it is,’ Jools said firmly.
Maylee held up her hands. ‘Hey it’s your wedding, no skin off my toes,’ (a classic Mayleeism) she said getting up and making her way out of the kitchen. Just then the doorbell rang, Maggie could hear Maylee answering it and a couple of minutes later a very distressed Maya walked into the kitchen.
‘Maya…what’s up love?’ Maggie asked taking in her red rimmed eyes and dishevelled appearance.
‘Is Helen,’ Maya began. ‘I was hoping she was here…I try Tracy and the pub, but she is not
there.’
‘Where was she meant to be…have you tried her mobile?’
‘Yes of course, I ring and ring but it just gives me voice mail. She was going to work on one of the backdrops for play…but she would have stopped that hours ago. There is not enough light down there now I think…’
‘Oh I expect she will have got caught up talking to Imogen…or Andrea about the scripts or something,’ Maggie said reassuringly, but Maya was shaking her head.
‘No… Imogen she is away for a few days and I see Andrea in the pub, she hasn’t seen her. Maggie I am so worried.’
Maggie gave her a hug. ‘There has got to be a simple explanation love, it’s only just after nine thirty after all. Maybe she had to run someone home and got talking to them or maybe…’
‘No you don’t understand, she says she will come straight home. We have been so worried you see, about Andy, so she wouldn’t have gone anywhere I know it…’
‘Okay, well shall I give Carla a ring love?’
‘No sorry, I don’t want to cause panic,’ Maya put a hand on Maggie’s arm. ‘I came here because I don’t have car, I need to go down to boathouse to find her and…’
‘Oh of course love,’ Maggie said getting her bag. ‘I can run you there no problem if that’s what you want…why are you worried about Andy?’ she asked as they walked to her car, ‘I thought he was settling in fine.’
‘Yes he is,’ Maya said clambering up into the huge car. ‘But his mum came to our house; she got really nasty, she make threats to Helen about seeing Andy. Helen called the police but she ran away, so we are worried and I know Helen would have come straight home or call me. This is why I worry and come round to you Maggie.’
‘Well I’m glad you did love,’ said Maggie kindly. ‘Because I’m sure we’ll find Helen knee deep in plaster of Paris and covered in paint, she’s probably just lost track of time. What a worry though if Andy’s mum’s resurfaced, you don’t think she’d try and take Andy do you?’
Maya shook her head miserably. ‘I don’t know…I don’t know what she wants. She was bully to him when she had him, always hurting him and never taking care…you know. So I don’t know why she wants him now…’
‘Well I expect the police would have something to say about her getting her hands on him again. Anyway… isn’t she still wanted by the police for perverting the course of justice or something?’
‘Yes…’ Maya said with a nod, ‘well that’s why we call them…if she is arrested then she can’t get Andy can she?’
The girls sat in silence for the rest of the journey. Brampton Hall was only about ten minutes away by road from Maggie’s house and soon they were driving along the tree-lined lane that led to the house. Halfway along the drive Maggie turned off and took the steep cobbled track that led down to the lake.
The road leading to the lake came to an end about 300yds from the boathouse; they would have to walk the rest of the way. They pulled into a space in the clearing… right next to Helen’s Volvo.
‘See I told you,’ Maggie said to Maya. ‘She’s just got carried away doing something.’
Maya was looking at Helen’s car crossly. ‘Well she should answer calls…then I do not bother you Maggie…I’m sorry…’ she began.
‘Oh don’t be silly love,’ Maggie said with a wave of her hand. ‘Come on let’s go and scare the shit out of her…that’ll teach her.’
As they got closer to the boathouse though Maggie started to feel uneasy, the old wooden building seemed to be in complete darkness. In fact it was getting so dark now that they could hardly see where they were going.
‘Shit!’ exclaimed Maggie as she stumbled into a shrub. ‘I don’t suppose you brought a torch with you did you Maya.’
‘No sorry,’ came Maya’s voice from somewhere to the left of Maggie. The two girls shuffled around the big building until they came to the big side doors, Maggie tried the handle…it was unlocked.
‘Helen,’ whispered Maya as loudly as she dared. ‘Helen are you here?’
There was no response and suddenly everything seemed to become spooky and threatening. There were no sounds apart from the lapping of the water and the rustling of night time creatures. Maggie and Maya held on to each other as they ventured further into the dark space.
Canvas backdrops suspended from the ceiling, floated eerily in front of them. Large sinister shapes kept looming up on either side, making them both jump and squeal, clinging on to each other even tighter.
‘I don’t think she’s here,’ Maggie whispered nervously. ‘There must be a light somewhere in this place.’
‘I don’t know if there is power here,’ Maya answered. ‘Maybe there is switch by the door.’
‘Good thinking Batman…let’s shuffle over and see if we can find it.’ Still hanging on to each other they edged cautiously between paint pots and plaster castings until they got back to the doorway. Maggie began to feel around with her hands.
‘Eureka!’ she exclaimed a moment later as she flicked a switch and a couple of very inadequate lights flickered on somewhere at the back of the building, hardly bright but just enough for them to see where they were going.
With a sigh of relief they smiled at each other and began once again to walk through the room.
‘She must have been here,’ Maggie said, ‘because her car’s still here, maybe Imogen came back early from her trip and they…’
Maya gasped and put her hand on Maggie’s shoulder, signalling her to keep quiet and listen. They both stood paralysed with fear as a low moaning sound came from somewhere in the middle of the room.
‘Helen…Helen is that you?’ Maya called out in a rasping whisper, as she began walking deeper in between the hanging backdrops. A moment later she let out a shriek of fright, when what looked like a bundle of old material suddenly lurched upwards right in front of her.
‘Maggie…over here,’ she called frantically, watching the bundle with wide eyes as it lurched from side to side and the moaning got louder. Suddenly a head appeared from one end of the canvas and turned dazed eyes towards her.
‘Helen...oh my God Maggie it’s Helen, she’s hurt!’ Maya shouted. Maggie rushed over to see Helen pulling herself up out of her canvas cocoon in a daze.
Helen had the mother of all headaches, a nasty cut and lump the size of an orange to the back of her head.
‘I have no idea what happened,’ she was telling Maggie and Maya groggily. ‘I just remember seeing someone…in the office I think, I thought it was Andrea working late so I called out to her and then out of nowhere this… person in a mask… rushed straight at me and pushed me to the ground. Then as I was getting up, I think someone hit me again… but I may have knocked my head when I fell I suppose…’
‘What a fucking bastard…who would do that, knocking you down and then leaving you for dead,’ Maggie started angrily, she broke off when she saw how pale Helen was, she her gave a hug, ‘Carla is on her way love…and an ambulance.’
‘Oh no I don’t need to go to hospital…I’ll be fine…’ Helen protested weakly.
‘Helen you have been out cold for who knows how long. You have to be checked out honey whether you like it or not…’
‘You mustn’t argue Helen…you need doctor to look at you. Who knows what damage has been done…’ Maggie and Maya both protested as one. Helen knew when she was beaten so she held her peace.
A few minutes later Carla and Frank turned up, along with the paramedics who immediately began to examine Helen.
Frank came over to speak to Helen. ‘Think carefully Helen, can you describe this person that ran at you, could it have been someone you know?’
‘No sorry…my memory of the whole thing is so fuzzy. I seem to remember he was wearing a mask though, but that might be my mind playing tricks on me…’
‘What do you think he was doing in the office, are there any valuables kept in there do you know?’ Carla asked going over to the office and trying the door, it was locked.
�
��No sorry…I’m not sure, that’s where Andrea has been storing the costumes for the play. I thought it was her in there, that’s why I called out,’ Helen said shaking her head and then wincing with the pain of it.
‘Do you have a key for this room Helen?’ Carla asked after trying the door a few times.
‘No sorry love,’ Helen said. ‘I never use that area, Andrea has one and Imogen of course…argh… sorry…’ she finished as she nearly toppled over against the paramedic as he helped her to her feet.
Carla went over to her and gave her a hug, ‘You poor poppet, you go and get yourself treated sweetheart, I’ll come and see you later, see if you remember anything else.’
Helen was taken off in the ambulance, Maya by her side and after chatting to Carla for a few more minutes, Maggie followed them to the hospital.
CHAPTER 22 - CARLA
Carla and Frank continued to look around the boathouse; they were waiting for someone from the hall to come down with a key to the office. After a little while Luke Wiseman turned up looking extremely irritated at the interruption of his evening.
‘What the hell’s been going on here,’ he said crossly to Carla as soon as he arrived.
‘Well that’s what we’re trying to find out sir,’ Carla said calmly. ‘It seems like Mrs Drover interrupted a robbery and was consequently assaulted. Do you happen to know if there was anything of any value stored here…in the office maybe?’
‘I shouldn’t think so,’ Luke said shortly handing the office keys to Frank. ‘The place is hardly secure is it…falling down by the looks of it,’ he said looking around, ‘but you’d really have to ask my mother or father about that…I’m rarely here so…’
‘Would your father be available to talk to us do you think?’ Carla asked making notes in her book, whilst Frank wandered off to check the office.
