Songbird

by Josephine Cox

  Greatly relieved, Ellen explained how Maddy nonetheless was insisting on staying in the area to oversee “official” things with regard to Alice. “You know what I mean?” she said in a whisper. “She means to stay until Alice has been properly laid to rest.”

  Raymond did not hesitate. “Please, go back and tell Maddy that she’s to leave everything to me; and that I would be honored to take care of Alice.” In truth, to love and honor Alice was the uppermost thing on his mind, so he wasn’t really lying.

  Thanking him, Ellen assured Raymond that she would contact him later, when they were more settled.

  For now though, she had yet another call to make, which was short and to the point. And she made it immediately.

  “Hi, Grandad, it’s me – Ellen.”

  The old man was delighted to hear from her. He was even more delighted when she told him she was on her way to see him, and that she was bringing a friend to stay for a while.

  Maddy was already at the door when Ellen returned. “What did Raymond say?” she entreated Ellen. “Will he take care of her?”

  Seeing how pale and drawn she was, Ellen thought it best to make their move within the hour. “Everything is organized.” She slid an arm round Maddy’s shoulders. “Raymond said he would be honored to take care of Alice, and that I should get you to safety as soon as possible. Oh, and you mustn’t worry about money.”

  Her mind was made up. “We’d best be away, Maddy… the sooner the better, like now!” Holding Maddy’s shivering body, and looking into those bloodshot and sorry dark eyes, Ellen feared for the other girl’s state of mind.

  All Maddy could think of was Alice. “Dear Raymond, he’ll look after Alice, I know he will. And when this is all over, I’ll maybe see where she… where…”

  She could not bring herself to say it, because the idea of looking down at a headstone with Alice’s name on it, was more than she could bear.

  The girls spent a couple of hours packing and tidying up the house, making all safe and secure. Ellen took all her important documents with her, not knowing when she would be back. Fortunately, Maddy had her checkbook and her handbag, with a few mementoes in the bottom, but that was all.

  In no time at all, they were on their way to Euston station.

  Deep in thought, Maddy had little to say during the journey. The London traffic was thickening by the minute, as rush hour approached. Their cab frequently stopped and started, heading down the City Road toward the Angel and Pentonville Road, then on to King’s Cross and Euston. Maddy observed the office workers, errand boys and deliverymen, and wondered how it was that something so bad could have happened such a short time ago, and all those people could just go about their normal lives, unaffected, unaware.

  The world kept turning, she thought sorrowfully. Day followed night, and life went on as usual.

  As they drew up at the lights opposite Eversholt Street, her quiet gaze strayed to the large, handsome church which stood like a sentry guarding the corner of Upper Woburn Place.

  Maddy was deeply drawn to it. “I’ll catch you up in the forecourt – near platform thirteen,” she cried, grabbing her bag and coat. In a moment she was hurriedly climbing out of the taxi. “Don’t worry. I’ll find you. I just need a minute, okay?”

  Afraid that her friend had a mind to run away, Ellen tried to take hold of her and pull her back inside, but she was too late. Then, as the lights changed and the traffic began to hoot behind them, she realized she’d have to get out too.

  Frantically fishing through her bag, she gave the driver a five-pound note, then heaved herself and the big suitcase out on to the pavement. And then she was hurrying after her friend, who was dodging round the corner and up the steps of St. Pancras Church.

  “Maddy… wait!” Ellen panted, but the other girl had already disappeared.

  Lugging the suitcase after her, Ellen puffed around the corner, to the huge, imposing double doors of St. Pancras Church, and went inside. It was only a minute or so before she spied Maddy. Kneeling in the front pew, her head was bowed and hands clasped in prayer, the soft sound of her crying echoing eerily from the walls.

  Quietly, so as not to disturb her, Ellen slid into the back pew, and sat on the hard wooden seat, her eyes on Maddy, and her heart sore.

  She herself had only known Alice for five minutes, but she had recognized a good woman when she saw one. Alice had been Maddy’s confidante, and it was common knowledge that in the absence of any family of her own, she had loved and cared for The Songbird as a mother would.

  That love had been proven in Alice’s selfless act when, at a time when she needed her most, she had sent Maddy away.

  Ellen could only imagine Maddy’s pain right now. And so she waited, and watched, until Maddy was able to continue the journey that would take her further away from everything she knew and loved.

  Unaware that Ellen was just a few steps behind her, Maddy prayed through her pain. Gazing up at the statue of Jesus on the cross, she was deeply moved by the loving eyes that seemed to look right into her soul. She observed the wounds on His hands and feet, and a sense of wonder flowed through her.

  She sighed, a deeply felt sigh that drained her emotions. “You took so much away from me, Lord – my family, my place in this world of Yours. Everything I knew… it’s all gone.” She paused awhile, to think of Alice; the comfort she had brought and the wisdom she shared. “You gave me Alice, and oh, I loved her so much. And now, for some reason I don’t understand, You’ve taken her away from me.”

  Passing her hand over the place where her baby lay, she whispered, “But You’ve given me Ellen, and You’ve given me something else, too, something so very precious.”

  She pressed the palm of her hand over the tiny shape. “This baby is a new life, a new start. Someone of my own, who I can love and cherish, and take care of, for the rest of my life. And I thank You for that, Lord.”

  Standing up, she walked toward the altar, beside which the arc of candles burned like a beacon. Taking one out of the box, she lit it from another, before pressing it into the holder, where the flame flickered and grew, until the brightness hurt her eyes. “This is for you, Alice,” she murmured. “To light your way to heaven.”

  She knelt on the footboard. “Goodbye, my Alice. I’ll never forget you, as long as I live.”

  Making the sign of the cross, she prayed, “Keep her safe, Lord. She is one of Your special people.”

  When a gentle hand reached over her to light a second candle, she saw that it was Ellen, and she was not surprised. “I’m sorry I ran away,” she told her. “I just felt I had to come in here.”

  Ellen knelt beside her in the empty, echoing church, and together they prayed.

  Maddy prayed for Alice’s soul.

  Ellen asked forgiveness for the cruel deception she had played on Maddy.

  A while later, the two girls crossed the busy main road into Euston station, where Ellen studied the noticeboard. “We’ll need to make two changes,” she told Maddy, “but we should be there in three hours or less.” She glanced at her watch. “We’ve got forty minutes before the next train arrives… time for food and drink.”

  Starting at every sound, Maddy was visibly on edge. “You still haven’t said where we’re going.” She felt out of her depth. The past forty-eight hours had been like living through a nightmare. Back there in the alley and later at Ellen’s house, events had swept her along. Now that she was really on her way out of London, destined for unfamiliar places and people she knew nothing about, the reality of it all was unsettling.

  “We’re going to my grandad’s house, in Blackpool,” Ellen explained. “I’ve already spoken to him, and he’s looking forward to seeing us.”

  Maddy felt somewhat easier. Now that she had a name and a place, it didn’t seem such a frightening prospect.

  Moreover, with Raymond having put her mind at rest with regard to Alice, she felt more able to focus on what lay ahead of them. She had lost Alice, but she had found a friend
in Ellen, and she still had her baby. That much at least, she was deeply thankful for.

  The old saying was right, she thought solemnly. A life out, and a life in. Poor Alice had been so excited about the baby, and now she would never see it. That was a desperately sad thing.

  As they walked toward the café, Maddy swallowed another rush of tears, but just then, just for a split second, she felt the life within her quicken. “It’s moving!” she exclaimed. The tiny flutter in her belly came again, and she beamed. “He’s anxious to be out in the big wide world.”

  Ellen took her by the arm. “That baby has a long way to go yet.” Because Maddy was still surprisingly slender, Ellen assumed there must be at least another six months of waiting. “You never said when the baby is due.”

  Maddy made a mental calculation. “By my reckoning, I’m almost four months gone.”

  “By your reckoning?” Ellen was slightly disturbed by Maddy’s comment. “Do you mean you haven’t been to the doctor’s yet?”

  Maddy shook her head. “Not yet, no. I wanted Steve to know first.” Her heart sank. “Like a fool, I had an idea that he might want to come with me.”

  Ellen groaned. “It’s not you that’s the fool,” she said grimly, “it’s him! But if there’s any justice, he’ll get his comeuppance and, if you ask me, it won’t be before time, neither.”

  Maddy thought of Steve Drayton, and all those hopeless dreams, and was amazed at herself for being taken in by him. “Why did I let him get me pregnant?” she sighed. “I should have had more sense.”

  “These things happen.” Ellen screwed up her face in concentration. “I’m on the pill, thank heavens! Anyway it’s late July now, so if, as you say, you’re coming up to four months, the baby should arrive about…” She gave a whoop and a holler. “Christmas! Think of that – a baby for Christmas!” she laughed out loud.

  Maddy laughed with her. “Oh Ellen, that would be the best Christmas present in the whole wide world.” Then her smile faded. “He or she won’t have a daddy though, and what will I say, when the baby grows old enough to ask after him?”

  Ellen thought it a very difficult thing, but, “All you can do is love and protect the baby – be the best mother you can,” she said wisely. “And maybe, when all’s said and done, that will be enough.”

  Maddy hugged her impulsively for those beautiful words.

  One thing she knew for certain.

  For as long as she lived, whatever sacrifice was required of her along the way, or whatever danger might threaten, she would move heaven and earth to keep her child safe.

  That much she knew.

  From this day on, it was her goal in life.

  Back at Scotland Yard, the activity following the shooting had been intense. With yet another briefing over, about twenty officers tumbled out of the incident room and hurried away to their desks; all but two – Detective Inspector Warren, and his colleague Sergeant Edwards.

  Continuing on down the stairs to the pavement outside, the stockily built Sergeant commented, “That Superintendent Bates is a miserable bugger! Does he show any gratitude for us having nabbed some of the biggest villains in London? Oh no! And already we’ve had two press conferences, going over the same scenario. I tell you, not only is he milking this for all he’s worth, he’s running the rest of us into the ground. What the hell does he want – blood?”

  “It’s no good complaining,” came the fed up reply. “You should know what he’s like by now. He wants every loose end tied up in a pretty pink bow, which he can then present to the prosecution, so he can claim credit for doing his bit.”

  “But we’ve already established what happened. It’s gang warfare, pure and simple. Two lowlifes face each other down: one gets shot and killed; a man gets caught in the crossfire and a woman gets wounded. Moreover, there were enough witnesses to fill a courtroom; even Carter’s men spilled their guts to save their own necks. So, as far as I’m concerned, we’ve already tied up all the loose ends. I reckon it’s time to concentrate on other matters, such as keeping a wary eye on the villains who are already straining at the leash to rule the roost, especially now that Carter will be pushing up the daisies and Drayton is locked up.”

  “You’ve learned nothing then.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “All I’m saying is, you must never underestimate men like that.” DI Warren knew from experience that there was always more going on than met the eye. “Being locked in a prison cell won’t stop a lowlife like Drayton from keeping his thumb on the pulse. He’s still in control, don’t you worry about that. And it won’t matter how many small-time thugs are straining at the leash, they’ve got no chance, because locked up, or loose on the streets, a man like Drayton is still top dog. Take my word for it. Nothing goes down without his say-so.”

  The younger man glanced at him. “So, we’d best keep our wits sharp then, eh?”

  “That’s about the size of it. As for the two singers who worked at the club, I for one wouldn’t mind clearing that one up. According to one of the regular clubgoers, Drayton got rid of his regular artist, in favor of a bright young thing who just happened to be working for Carter.” Pausing to light up his cigarette, he continued, “I’d like to meet up with these two girls and hear their side of it. We’re still trying to get an address for Ellen Drew. Delaney is missing from the Battersea flat – no one there has seen her for a good while.”

  “Okay. But you’re surely not suggesting they had anything to do with what happened? I mean, it’s common knowledge that Carter and Drayton have been at each other’s throats for years.”

  “I know all that. From the clubbers who witnessed the incident, we know enough of what went down in that alley, anyway. All the same, I’d still like to take their statements.”

  The younger man dismissed the idea of even more work. “If you ask me, we don’t need to hear what they have to say. We’ve got Drayton bang to rights and I reckon there’s little point in wasting valuable resources in tracking the women down. If you ask me, that is.”

  “Well, nobody is asking you!”

  “Maybe not. But I’ll say it anyway. Moreover, we should not be engaging time and manpower in an operation that would add little or nothing to what we already know. I say we’d be best employed in consolidating what we’ve got. We need to keep a sharp eye on Drayton’s contacts, and make damned sure the bastard never again sets foot in the free world. Or at least, not until he’s old and gray.”

  The DI gave his Sergeant a shove toward the car. “I think we’ve heard enough of your opinions. Now get in and drive!”

  “Where to?”

  “University College Hospital.”

  “You’ll not get much joy there,” the Sergeant predicted. “That woman doesn’t have a clue what went down. If you ask me, the poor cow just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

  DI Warren lit a cigarette and took a deep, calming breath. “Like I said, nobody’s asking you. So, until somebody tells me otherwise, I’m giving the orders around here, and I say it’s time we paid another visit, to see how the patient is getting on. Put your foot down, Sergeant, and we might get there before the canteen closes. I’d swap my old granny for a nice cup of tea and a Garibaldi biscuit…”

  PART THREE

  Blackpool, 1978

  Lighter Hearts

  Ten

  When Maddy and Ellen clambered off the train at Blackpool North station, it was still light, a beautiful warm summer’s evening. “I hadn’t realized how much I enjoy train rides,” Maddy said as they strolled up the platform. “It’s been years since I went on one.”

  Ellen couldn’t help but wonder about her – what kind of childhood she had endured; where she hailed from, and what her life had been like, up to Drayton taking her on.

  Drawing on what she had learned so far, Ellen surmised that Maddy had been a bit of a loner, an orphan without other relatives to fall back on. But then she had met up with a man like Drayton who ear
ned her trust and her love, before using and abusing her. That was the worst kind of blow.

  Maddy’s savior had been Alice, who gave her love and friendship and asked for nothing in return. And now, because of what had occurred back in Soho, and the deceit in which Ellen herself had played a large part, Maddy was made to believe she had lost the only real friend she had ever known.

  Shivering suddenly, Ellen wondered whether she had done wrong, taking it on herself to carry out Alice’s wishes. But the more she had thought on it, the more she realized that if Maddy were to be brought to safety, there really was no alternative.

  She had noticed how, several times on the train, Maddy had sat and gazed out the window, watching the miles speed her away from everything familiar. Occasionally, she made an excuse to go to the toilet, and when she came back, her eyes were red raw from crying. And when Ellen asked if she was all right, she would smile and nod, and say not a word.

  “I’m sorry,” Maddy apologized. “I wasn’t much company on the train, was I?”

  “No problem,” Ellen answered. “You had things on your mind, and who could blame you for that?”

  “I owe you a lot,” Maddy said. “I don’t know what I’d have done without you.” She threaded her arm through Ellen’s. “Besides, we’re here now, and we have to make the most of it – isn’t that right?”

  “And are you okay with that, Maddy? I mean, you’ve gone along with all my suggestions, because you have no one else and nowhere to go. You’re in a vulnerable position, what with the baby and everything. You must be so nervous, coming here with me.”

  “What makes you say that?” Maddy thought she had managed to keep her anxiety to herself. Certainly that had been her intention.

  Now that the subject was breached, Ellen answered honestly. “I was just thinking, how it must all be so strange to you – leaving familiar surroundings on my say-so; traveling hundreds of miles to a strange place you’ve never even seen.”