Willow Tree Bend

by Kaye Dobbie

  ‘I’ll need to get back as soon as possible,’ she said firmly, taking the opportunity while they seemed amenable. ‘How much more filming is there left to do?’

  Glances were exchanged. ‘Uh, Prue will be here soon. She has the schedule.’

  ‘Is Prue …?’ someone murmured, and then stopped when a head was shaken.

  Someone else piped up. ‘You are coming to the dinner tonight? We’d certainly appreciate it.’

  Suddenly Hope wished she could read minds, because these people were pretty good at hiding their thoughts.

  At that moment Prue arrived, looking flustered, and Hope wondered if the girl had been crying. Obviously there were more things going on in her life than taking care of Hope, and she felt a momentary pang of sympathy. And then she remembered how Prue had been poking around and spying on her, and her heart hardened.

  ‘They want you to go to the theatre where you had your first big break,’ she explained, when they were heading downstairs to the car. ‘Ken was meant to do it first thing, but he stuffed up. Sorry, I shouldn’t have told you that, but it’s true.’ Her mouth went hard and tight, and Hope twigged to the fact that whatever was going wrong in Prue’s life then Ken the cameraman was at the centre of it.

  ‘We have a new guy, much more reliable,’ she added, as she walked past Hope to open the passenger door, but her shoulders were rigid, as though she was keeping a careful hold on her emotions.

  Hope decided against asking. A cool distance was required. The girl’s life wasn’t her business, and after her behaviour with Lena, it would be impossible to trust anything she said.

  The theatre was even shabbier than she’d remembered, although it held many fond memories. Hope was happy to wander about for an hour while the new guy took photographs and filmed her looking pensive. Those days had been good days, she admitted, and it was nice to revisit them—a little bit of an escape from her current reality.

  Afterwards, Prue had arranged a lunch with some of the current actors and staff, and Hope found that pleasant, too. They were very interested in her and appreciative of her time, and she was flattered. Even when someone asked her about The Document it wasn’t awkward and she was able to smile and move on to something more agreeable.

  ‘Okay,’ Prue said at last, when they were done. ‘Thank you. That was fab.’

  Even though the girl was trying hard to be positive and bubbly, Hope could see she was feeling miserable. Again, despite her resolution, she was tempted to ask her what was wrong, or offer some sympathy, until Prue turned away and the moment was lost.

  ‘I’ll stay here,’ Hope said, not moving from the footpath outside the restaurant. ‘I have something else to do.’ She’d looked up the address of the nursing home and it was only a short taxi ride away.

  Prue peered at her, shading her eyes against the glare of the sun off the asphalt. For a moment, she seemed to be about to ask what that ‘something’ was and then she forced a smile instead. ‘Okay,’ she said, ‘I’ll see you later at the dinner. I’ll pick you up.’

  ‘No need. I’ll get a taxi. Seven, wasn’t it?’

  Meeting the sponsors and doing her best to charm them was probably a small price to pay, and it might be a good idea to end her time with Looking Back on a high. Although, being nice to people didn’t always mean they would be nice back, she thought wryly, as she watched Prue climb into her car and drive away.

  The nursing home was old, but it had been nicely renovated. It certainly looked more presentable than Hope had been expecting, although the hospital odours of tasteless food and disinfectant hung about in the corridors. A glance into the sitting room showed a number of people on walking frames staring at a television screen while an American soap star strutted his stuff.

  Jared was in his room and one of the nursing staff showed her the way. As they walked, she gave Hope a couple of sideways glances, as if she recognised her.

  ‘Lung cancer,’ she explained, when Hope asked what was wrong with him. ‘Heavy smoker.’

  ‘Is he bedridden?’

  ‘No. He just prefers his own company. He doesn’t mingle well with the others.’

  ‘He’s able to communicate, then?’ She hadn’t considered that until this moment, but the nurse put her mind at ease.

  ‘Oh yes. He’ll talk to you. It’s just that sometimes he doesn’t want to.’

  She didn’t sound terribly impressed by Jared, and Hope didn’t know what to expect when she entered the room. There were only a few pieces of furniture in the small space—a chest of drawers, a bed and an armchair on which Jared was slouched. He was staring at nothing, while on the wall above and behind him was an old photo of a building she immediately recognised as the Angel in its heyday.

  An oxygen canister had been placed beside his chair, but it wasn’t in use right now.

  ‘Mr Shaw?’

  He looked up at her, his sunken eyes sliding down her body and then up again. ‘Who are you?’ he asked without the slightest attempt at manners.

  ‘I’m Hope Taylor. I’ve come to ask you about my sister.’

  He looked hard into her face, and then he smiled. She didn’t like his smile and she didn’t like him, but she made herself smile back. There was only the one chair, so after an initial hesitation, and seeing she had no choice, she perched carefully on the side of the bed so that she was facing him.

  ‘You’re Faith’s sister,’ he said.

  The fact that he knew her and remembered Faith was a little surprising, but she was relieved that she wouldn’t have to spend time explaining to him who she was. They could cut to the chase and—with a glance at her watch—she didn’t have that long to do it.

  ‘Got to be somewhere else?’ he asked her with a nasty look. He didn’t miss a thing. She wondered why he was in here. He didn’t seem to be suffering from dementia, so perhaps it was just that he could no longer manage his illness on his own, or he didn’t have any family to care for him. Or, more likely, Hope decided, if he did have family they had long ago washed their hands of him.

  ‘I’m afraid I don’t have long, Mr Shaw. Please, can you tell me anything about the time Faith worked for you at the Angel? It’s important.’

  He grunted. ‘Not much to tell,’ he said, and sank lower in his armchair. He was wearing tan trousers, a beige button-up shirt and slippers in a tartan pattern.

  There was a pause while he considered whether or not to answer her, and she realised she could hear him breathing. A raspy sound, as if he was having difficulty drawing the air deep enough into his lungs.

  ‘Was there someone Faith was particularly close to?’ She tried again. ‘It’s just …’ Hope paused, asking herself if she really wanted to tell him what had happened to her sister. And yet, if he could help, if it persuaded him to say something that would put the pieces together, then surely it was worth it?

  ‘Just what?’ Jared seemed interested despite his pretence at indifference.

  ‘Faith has run away.’

  For a moment he stared at her, and then he began to laugh.

  Hope bit her lip, waiting for him to finish, and then tried again. ‘When I say that she’s run away I mean she’s gone off to Queensland and we’re not sure where. Everyone is very worried, Mr Shaw, and it seems to have something to do with her time at the Angel.’

  The laughter had turned into a cough, and he reached for the oxygen mask. The canister hissed as he turned a valve and his gaze slid to her face over the top of the clear plastic, as if he was trying to read her thoughts. Or decide whether or not to help her.

  ‘I visited the Angel the other day. It’s certainly not looking as swish as in your photo.’ She nodded at the wall behind him. ‘Broken windows, trash everywhere. There was a homeless man. He said he used to work there. It was he who suggested I talk to you.’

  That had captured his interest. He removed the mask. ‘Lenny,’ he said in a hoarse voice. ‘Used to be our doorman. He visits sometimes, when they let him.’

  ‘I see. Was
he telling the truth? Are you able to tell me more about Faith?’

  He shrugged. ‘Not much to tell. She worked as a waitress in the Cocktail Lounge, downstairs. Sometimes, if they were busy, she’d help out in the Mezzanine, too. As a waitress she was okay, a bit too serious for the clientele, but she did her job. I had no complaints at the time. It was only later that I realised …’ But whatever it was he realised he wasn’t telling her.

  ‘Was there anyone she was close to? I mean, anyone she might wish to meet up with again after all these years?’

  ‘Doubt it,’ he said. ‘Everything went tits up around the time she left. She went home and I was glad to see the back of her. After the Angel closed, things were never the same.’

  ‘I heard that the Angel was forced to close. Was there financial trouble?’

  He looked at her with dislike. ‘You really know bugger all, don’t you?’ he said with a shake of his head. ‘The cops closed us down. That bastard Avery. I went to jail for five years.’

  Hope felt as if the ground was moving under her feet. Why hadn’t she known this? Why hadn’t Faith opened up to her when she came home?

  ‘Faith …?’

  ‘What, you don’t think she had anything to do with it?’ His tone was bitter and angry, his eyes hard. ‘She was Little Miss Innocence. Too bloody good to be true. I never trusted women like that and now I know why. I would have sacked her earlier if not for a friend of mine fancying her and wanting her to stay. I did him a favour there. Come to think of it, they deserved each other, those two.’

  ‘Who? Who fancied her, Mr Shaw?’

  But he’d put the oxygen back on and closed his eyes. She waited in case he would have more to say, but Jared Shaw was asleep, or pretending to be. She supposed she could sit here, see what happened, but she knew there wasn’t enough time.

  Reluctantly Hope got up and left the room.

  Outside in the corridor it was quiet, the murmur of voices muted by closed doors. She was so deep in her own thoughts, she was halfway down the stairs that led to the reception area before she saw the woman standing there.

  Faith!

  Overjoyed, Hope almost cried out. Just for an instant their eyes met, and then the woman turned and was hurrying towards the entrance. The doors whooshed shut behind her.

  She’d thought it was Faith! With her fair hair and delicate features, she looked so much like her sister … But now she had a chance to consider, she knew it wasn’t Faith. Hope floundered, trying to connect the pieces, and then another name rose up from the past. Kitty. She hadn’t been in contact with her cousin for a long time, and they’d never been close, but she was sure now that the woman she had just seen was Kitty.

  What was she doing here?

  Belatedly, Hope began to descend the final set of stairs, thinking if she hurried she might be able to catch up with her cousin. Then her steps slowed as she conceded there was no point. Kitty would be long gone.

  Her thoughts returned to her conversation with Jared Shaw. Who was the man Faith had made such an impression on? It must be the same man who had rung her at Cantani Desserts and sent all of their lives into freefall. Someone at the Angel, someone she knew well.

  Little Miss Innocent.

  Hope supposed Faith could play that role, but she also knew that her sister was no fool. Far from it. Jared Shaw had gone to jail, which meant that something criminal had been going on. Faith would have known about it. So, what had her sister done to make Jared hate her? Because it was obvious he did.

  Even after all these years.

  FAITH

  October 1969, St Kilda

  She sat up, ready to leave, but Ray rolled over and pulled her down again. Faith laughed quietly as he smiled at her. ‘Do you have to go yet?’ he asked.

  He would be in Sydney tomorrow night, and for two weeks after that. This was their last chance to be together until he got back.

  She snuggled closer. ‘I wish I didn’t have to, but I need to wash some clothes or I’ll have nothing to wear.’

  ‘Hmm, interesting thought.’

  He kissed her and it went on for quite a while. Faith wished she didn’t have to get up, as she sighed and snuggled even closer against his bare skin.

  ‘Weren’t you telling me about the record deal? Before you got distracted,’ she added, reminding him of their earlier conversation.

  He rolled onto his back, tucking his arms beneath his head, and grinned at the ceiling. ‘Yep,’ he said. ‘The people Jared knows in the business are very interested in doing a deal. We just need to show them our stuff.’

  ‘Sounds exciting,’ she said softly. She was pleased, she told herself. Ray deserved to return to the dizzy heights of a year ago, before he and the band lost their focus. He had talent and she wanted him to succeed.

  Selfishly, on the other hand, she couldn’t help wondering, if he did succeed, what it would mean for them. Faith was under no illusions about the music world; it was full of women who had no scruples when it came to throwing themselves at men like Ray. She’d seen what went on at the Angel. She wasn’t sure she could hold him, and if he got bored with her and turned elsewhere, whether she would want to.

  ‘Do you really need Jared to help you?’ she said, running a finger down his chest. She could feel his ribs. He didn’t eat enough.

  ‘Why not? What do you know?’ He turned his head to look at her, but she avoided his eyes.

  ‘No reason. It’s just …’ she shrugged. ‘I don’t trust him, Ray. I don’t think he has your best interests at heart. I think Jared is only looking out for Jared.’

  A frown creased his brow. He caught her hand and seemed to be concentrating on their linked fingers, yet she knew he was considering her words. ‘I owe Jared a lot. Without him …’ he didn’t finish, but she got the general idea. ‘You know how things were after that hit last year.’ He glanced sideways at her. ‘Or maybe you don’t. A hit and then a flop. They were calling us one-hit wonders, and that stung. So, we set out to do the hard work, playing in clubs and pubs, showing people that actually we were pretty bloody good at what we were doing. Now we have a following and it’s time to try again.’

  ‘But do you need Jared for that?’

  He sat up, and now he was looking at her properly and she wondered if she had said the wrong thing.

  ‘Faith, you need to know that Jared is willing to finance these new songs. He’s paying for the tapes we’ve produced for the record company.’

  ‘And what’s in it for him?’

  Why couldn’t she just shut up? But she knew why. He didn’t know what Avery was planning and she couldn’t tell Ray, and she wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she didn’t at least make an effort to wean him away from Jared.

  Ray said nothing for a heartbeat, and then he chuckled and fell back onto the bed. ‘You’re right,’ he said. ‘He doesn’t do anything unless there’s something in it for him.’

  ‘And Mr Dalzell? Is he helping you, too?’

  ‘Bert Dalzell? What’s he got to do with it?’ He sounded surprised.

  She shook her head. ‘I don’t know. I don’t like him, that’s all. The way he looks at me.’

  Dalzell had been in again yesterday, sitting at his usual table, sipping his whisky and watching as she served other customers. She’d thought maybe he was waiting for someone—perhaps Kitty—but when she’d mentioned Kitty was in the office, he’d smiled and said he wasn’t here for Kitty.

  What did that mean? she’d asked herself nervously, trying not to stare at him, pretending he wasn’t there.

  Eventually she’d looked up and he was gone, and it wasn’t until then, as relief washed over her, that she’d realised how much he affected her.

  Now Ray seemed to think it was funny. ‘Dalzell? He’s a character all right, but don’t worry, he prefers to look. That’s what I’ve heard anyway. He won’t touch. Not if you don’t want him to.’ He met her eyes again, and she could see he was still amused. ‘Do you? Want him to touch, I mean?’


  ‘No, I do not.’

  Faith got up at last, searching around for her clothes. She pulled on her skirt and zipped it up, and then tugged on her sweater. Her tights were bunched up and she pushed them into her handbag, and then sat down to pull on her boots.

  He watched her lazily, but she liked it when Ray watched her. It was different from Dalzell. She wasn’t afraid of Ray. Dalzell, on the other hand, frightened her.

  ‘See you before I leave tomorrow night?’ he asked her at last. ‘The plane takes off at eight.’

  ‘I’m not sure if I can change my shift.’ Kitty always said it was best to keep men guessing, they respected you and were more inclined to stay interested longer. Games. Faith didn’t like playing them, but Ray seemed to expect her to.

  ‘Hey.’ He sat up and reached for her hand, lifting it to his lips. ‘Smile, gorgeous. Everything will be fine, you’ll see.’

  ‘Will it, Ray?’

  His face fell. ‘Ah, Faith.’ He pulled her to him and wrapped her in his arms again, and she immediately felt better. ‘Look, I’ve got an idea,’ he began. And then, in a rush, as if he wasn’t sure he was saying the right thing or even if she would want him to, ‘Come with me to Sydney. You can say it’s a holiday. Or just tell them to stick the job. What do you say, luv?’

  His sudden offer was a surprise. Faith had been so anxious about him going, and she knew she should be over the moon and agree immediately. What was wrong with her? She wanted to be with him, didn’t she? But the thought of being dependent on Ray, of following him around like one of the girls she despised, wasn’t what she wanted either.

  She pulled back slightly and found him watching her with a look that was at once hopeful and full of doubt. Oddly, it comforted her to know she wasn’t the only one feeling like this.

  ‘Ray … I can’t leave, not just like that. What if your record deal doesn’t work out? I’d have no home and no job.’

  He forced a laugh, but she could see he was thrown even more off kilter. Perhaps he hadn’t meant to ask her and was now regretting it. ‘Not as if I’m asking you to marry me, babe,’ he protested, making it into a joke, yet she could see he was hurt by her reaction.