The Death of the Elver Man

by Jennie Finch

  On reflection it was a bit late to try the stealthy approach, but anything was better than charging through the door into an ambush. They stepped out into the fading evening light and walked warily through the remains of the garden gate. It creaked loudly as they shoved their way through, and they froze, looking at one another, before the sound of splashing drew them to the canal behind the house.

  ‘Oh, no, no. Lauren’s terrified of water,’ said Jonny. He began to run in the direction of the splashing, and attempted to gallop across the overgrown bank to the towpath beyond. Alex followed, looking around in a desperate effort to spot her friend.

  Lauren clung to the rim of the basket as it made its dash down the canal. She was sick with fear, dizzy from the constant spinning and she could hear Derek Johns gaining on her as he ploughed through the water behind her. The basket began to slow as it came to the footbridge and she realized it was letting in water, tilting over towards the far bank as it began to wallow. She was reaching out to try and grab one of the bridge footings when the basket gave a lurch and the shadowy outline of a fish passed by under her outstretched arm. Lauren froze in terror as a second pike crested the water, bumping at the basket before sinking into the reeds again. She shoved as hard as she could as her tiny, fragile craft lodged against the piers of the bridge and it spun away from the nightmare of the pike and off towards the sluice gate waiting just ahead.

  The pike were hungry. They had been gathering in greater numbers, but their food supply had almost dried up and so, in keeping with the laws of survival, they preyed on one another, the younger and smaller feeding the smarter, meaner and tougher fish. Now there were about a dozen left, monsters all of them, and they had scented the lingering odour of Derek’s special bait from the basket. First one and then another, they glided downstream after Lauren.

  The basket hit the metal gate with a resounding bang and promptly fell apart. As her feet slid into the water Lauren felt the cold nudge of a fish and glanced down. The pike swirled around her, mouths opening as they seized the remains of the basket. She shrieked and clawed at the gate, hauling herself up by the bolts and clinging on to the lintel above the main sluice. There was the sound of ragged breathing behind her and she knew Derek was almost on her. She struggled upright, searching for a handhold on the hot metal surface and felt, almost out of reach, the big circular wheel that opened the gate. She jumped, grabbed at it and felt it stir an inch or so. Derek gave a growl of triumph and anticipation as he swam doggedly towards her, ignoring the pike that nudged him from all sides.

  ‘Got you now, you ugly little runt,’ he called as Lauren, with the last of her strength, flung her whole weight on to the wheel.

  There was a screeching as the metal barrier lifted and a rush of water as the canal flooded out into the Huntspill River. Derek was sucked through, unable to save himself as his head hit the gate and he went under. Lauren clung on, her feet slipping off the narrow ledge so she swung over the foaming water. Her whole weight was now on the wheel and her hands began to cramp as she gripped the damp metal. Glancing down between her feet she saw the last of the pike roll helplessly into the main stream and a part of her felt relief that at least she’d drown and not be torn apart by merciless teeth. She felt her grip beginning to loosen and her hands were slick with sweat. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and prepared herself for the end. Just as Lauren’s strength finally failed, Alex grabbed her wrist from above, hanging on grimly over the top of the sluice until Jonny could shimmy up and lift them both off to safety.

  Chapter Fifteen

  ‘I really don’t think you should be here,’ said Alex, eyeing Lauren who was seated in the most comfortable chair in her office. Lauren shrugged.

  ‘I’m fine,’ she said. ‘Just a few bumps and stuff. Anyway, ’tis a big day for you today and I reckon you need a bit of support.’

  Alex grunted, unconvinced, but secretly grateful for her friend’s loyalty.

  ‘Tell me,’ she said after a few minutes of futile rummaging through her desk, ‘did Hinton – sorry, Derek Johns – ever tell you why he took you?’

  Lauren grinned. ‘Well now, he never did, but Dave – he explained it all whilst I was in the hospital.’

  ‘Dave? Who the hell is Dave?’ demanded Alex.

  ‘Oh you know, Constable Brown. He said to call ’um Dave. Nice bloke he is. Anyway, you was the only person as saw Derek Johns when he was in the cottage so he had to pretend to be this Andrew Hinton person. You was the only one as could identify him, link him to all the stuff there. So you had to go and he was using me, figuring you’d come after.’ Her face went still for a moment as she remembered his mocking words. ‘I was the bait,’ she finished.

  Alex considered this for a minute. ‘Does anyone know who Andrew Hinton really was?’ she asked.

  ‘Was Frank Mallory,’ said Lauren cheerfully. ‘Poor old bugger, right dumb too. He was dying and wanted to see Kevin, so he bubbled, but he chose the wrong people to bubble on.’

  ‘Bubbled?’

  ‘Grassed up Biff and Newt Johns. Then Biff went an’ killed hisself and Derek went on the rampage. They was all right sick when they opened that ol’ freezer in the kitchen. Dave says ‘twas probably Frank in there but most is gone or just rotted away. He was dead proud when they got Derek Johns’ knife though. Was a Normark, just like he said, with that little fish tail bit missing. If he could a’ got rid of you I reckon maybe ol’ Derek might have just gone away for a bit and slipped back quietly – ’cept for his face of course. Someone done a right number on that. He was right girt ugly, I’ll tell you.’

  Alex was having trouble following a lot of this and it was with a sense of relief she answered the phone as it rang up from reception. She’d not had time to replace the receiver when the door opened to reveal Ada bearing down on her, Kevin trailing in her wake.

  ‘We need to talk,’ said Ada, plonking herself down in the nearest chair and folding her arms.

  ‘Well, I’ve got an important meeting to prepare for,’ Alex began. ‘Couldn’t it wait until …’

  ‘No it can’t,’ said Ada firmly. ‘’Tis urgent and needs your say-so.’ She nodded her head and caught sight of Lauren in the corner.

  ‘Nicely done girl,’ she said. ‘Good job too. ’Tis the only way with some of ’em – real crazies – you got to just do away with ’um.’

  Lauren managed a tentative smile and slid further back in her chair.

  ‘Now, about Kevin and this probation thing,’ she continued, fixing Alex with her fiercest stare. ‘He’s got to leave.’

  ‘But Kevin’s done really well at the day centre,’ protested Alex. ‘He’s made friends, he’s got some real skills and we are confident we can help him into employment eventually.’

  ‘No need,’ said Ada. ‘He’s got a job. Got offered it last week, but is not here so he’m not able to come any more.’

  Alex looked at Kevin, who raised his eyes and for the first time gave a real smile, a smile full of confidence and a little pride.

  ‘Tell me Kevin,’ she said, ignoring Ada and focussing on the young man, ‘what’s this job and where is it? Maybe we can transfer your order if you’re moving away.’

  ‘’Tis with the Fair,’ he said. ‘They wants I to be on the rifles ’cos I don’t never miss. To encourage ’um see. And they was girt impressed with my numbers. Called me a “human calculator”, they did. Said maybe I can do a stint in one of them show tents when I’m settled.’

  Alex looked at Ada. ‘What about your Mum?’ she asked, but it was Ada answered, her jaw set.

  ‘Reckon most of what’s gone wrong is about round here, what with them Carnival gangs and all that silliness every year. Kevin’s grown now and he can’t be staying at home with his mother all his life. Them fair people, they’s like a big family and they’ll keep an eye on him, teach him stuff. Is a chance to see places I only had pictures of and I’ll not stand in his way.’ There was a tiny wobble in her voice but she held Alex’s eyes, pleading
for the chance she believed her son needed.

  It was against all the rules and would be devilishly difficult to organize, but suddenly Alex didn’t care. She’d get the route from the fair owners and set up meetings with other offices, she decided. He’d finished his day centre order and if he had a chance to go abroad she’d get his probation discharged early. It was too good a chance for a lad from the Levels to miss.

  ‘Give me a day to sort it out,’ she said, ushering the pair out.

  She glanced at her watch and realized it was time. There was a knock and Sue stuck her head around the door.

  ‘Just wishing you luck,’ she said. ‘He’d be nuts to fail you after all this. You’re too good at the job. Honestly, it’ll be fine.’

  Alex looked at her friends and picked up her final self-evaluation, her diary and all the notes from the weekly ‘support and supervision meetings’.

  ‘Right,’ she said, ‘well, whatever happens, I’m ready.’