by Mel Sherratt
‘It’s Ruby, isn’t it?’ he said, shaking her hand and then sitting across from her. ‘I’m Mr Siminidge. I’m the surgeon looking after Finn.’
‘How is he?’ she asked, not clear from his demeanour either way.
‘He’s stable at the moment.’
Tears slid down her cheeks as she listened to him.
‘We had to remove his spleen. It was a long operation to take care of all the damage, but he seems to have pulled through quite strongly. He’ll stay in intensive care for a day or two while we watch over his vitals. I think a few more hours will tell us more, but for now, he’s out of harm’s way.’
That’s if they don’t get him next time.
She pushed the thought out of her head.
‘Can I see him?’ she asked.
‘Yes, for a few minutes. He’s a little groggy from the anaesthetic but he’s awake. He wants to see you. He keeps repeating your name.’
A nurse sat with Lily while Ruby put on a gown and disinfected her hands. She followed Mr Siminidge through into a ward with six beds. There were so many machines around everyone and even though there was hardly a noise except for the beeps on the machines, the silence was comforting.
She paused when she saw him in the bed, then rushed to his side.
‘Finn,’ she whispered. ‘It’s me, Ruby.’
At the sound of her voice, Finn turned his head, opening his eyes slightly before closing them.
‘Ruby.’
She clasped her hand around his. Finn opened his eyes again.
‘Ruby,’ he repeated.
‘I’ll leave you to it for now,’ Mr Siminidge said.
‘Thank you for saving his life,’ Ruby told him, trying to keep the tremor from her voice.
‘You need to keep his spirits up now. His physical wounds may heal in time, but it’s the mental ones that might be hard to get over.’
Ruby quietly moved a chair over to the side of the bed and reached for Finn’s hand again.
‘Did you tell—?’
‘Don’t say his name.’ His whisper was loud, his voice hoarse from the operation. ‘If we don’t tell anyone who did this, then this should be my payback. This’ll be the end of it.’
‘I can’t see that happening.’ Ruby shook her head. ‘But I’ve been thinking. I can book train tickets and pack up our stuff ready for when you’re able to leave the hospital.’
‘It’s not an option now.’
‘But he’s nearly killed you! What if he wants to finish off the job?’
‘He won’t. It’s a test.’
‘A test?’
‘If we keep quiet, he’ll leave us alone. What did you say to the police?’
‘I said I didn’t know who it was.’ She paused. ‘Can’t they help you? Put you under that thing – witness protection, is it?’
He laughed, and it turned into a cough. He settled down again, putting a reassuring hand up to stop a nurse from coming over.
‘They won’t help me. Not unless I grass on him.’
‘So do that. Put him behind bars and we don’t have to worry.’
‘But don’t you see – if I do that, he’ll find someone else to get to me. Even in prison, he has men to do his bidding for him. He’ll always come after me for putting him there. This way he gave me a warning. He didn’t mean to kill me but he’ll want me to stay around here so that he can see what effect it’s having on me. I’ve seen him do it to others. If I leave, he’ll hunt me down. That’s his thing, it’s what he likes doing.’
Ruby let him sleep then, leaving a few minutes later. As she walked to collect Lily, she realised she had to become stronger. If she loved Finn enough to stick with him, then she had to do something to get them away. It was the best she could think of.
She couldn’t go on living like this. Come hell or high water, she would persuade him to leave. This wasn’t the way to bring up Lily.
She was going to fight for her family.
THIRTY-SEVEN
Standing on the walkway, Grace took a breather as she surveyed what was happening around her. It was nearing eight p.m. that evening. Still there were neighbours everywhere, but this time there was a subdued atmosphere. The animosity would happen if they didn’t find the killer in a day or two, but for now, thankfully, the people of Harrison House were giving Mary Stanton the dignity she warranted. No one deserved to die in such a brutal way. Obviously, the general public didn’t know all the details. As far as they were concerned, until Mary’s next of kin had been informed and they had more forensic evidence, this was another accident but this time with a fatal outcome.
She went to find Frankie. When she pushed open the door to the communal staircase, the chilly air hit her again. It must be minus two and she could hardly feel her fingers. She pulled in the collar of her coat, taking care not to slip on the icy tarmac.
Behind the police cordon, she saw Simon. He wouldn’t know Mary’s death was suspicious yet, but it was his job to report the news regardless. He had his back to her and was talking to an old couple, the woman clearly distressed at the news. She wanted to run up behind him, wrap her arms around him and feel his warmth, his life. Mary’s death was taking its toll. She couldn’t stop seeing the older woman lying there, the bruising appearing around her mouth.
‘Hey,’ she touched Simon on the arm.
Simon thanked the couple for their details and they moved away from the crowd.
‘How are you holding up?’ he asked.
‘I’m okay.’ She gave him a faint smile. ‘It’s a woman, I can tell you that much.’
‘Do you know how she died?’
‘Not at liberty to say yet and it’s too soon anyway. It’s mere speculation at this point.’
‘Do you have an age?’
‘Sorry, no.’ Grace’s eyes burnt with tears and she looked away for a moment. ‘I only spoke to her yesterday and she gave me vital information.’
‘Oh?’
‘You know I can’t tell you that.’
‘You’re a hard one to crack, Ms Allendale,’ he muttered playfully.
She laughed inwardly. So much for him caring only for her.
‘There’s a neighbour that might speak to you tomorrow,’ she said. ‘He found our victim. Mr Johnson, flat 105. I think he could do with someone to talk to about it. He seemed traumatised just now.’
‘Thanks, I’ll speak to him in the morning. I take it you’re here for the night?’
She pulled her coat closer to her body to keep out the biting wind, trying not to look at the stairwell where Mary Stanton’s body lay behind the white sheet being held up by two officers.
‘Yes, are you staying around too?’
‘I might as well. It’s lonely without you in the house.’
She took hold of his hand and gave it a squeeze.
‘Love you, Allendale,’ he whispered before she let go and walked away.
Grace smiled then, but she didn’t turn back. She had work to do.
THURSDAY
THIRTY-EIGHT
It was with a heavy heart that Grace joined the morning team briefing at eight thirty. Everyone was going to be hit hard by what was about to come out.
Allie was sitting at the head of the table, all available staff standing around the room if they hadn’t bagged a chair. Her mood was sombre.
‘Good morning, everyone. Not a great start to the day but welcome to Operation Spode. As most of you are aware, last night a woman was murdered at Harrison House. She lived in flat 108, almost directly opposite Tyler Douglas’s home, the ongoing case that Grace and Frankie are dealing with. Perry, would you like to tell everyone what we’ve found out so far, and then Grace can follow if necessary?’
Perry stood up, moved to the front of the room and updated them. ‘It was made to look like our victim had fallen down a flight of steps,’ he added. ‘But after an initial observation by Dave Barnett, he said the injuries were from her being attacked. Someone also put a hand over her mouth and nose to smot
her her.’
Murmurs went around the room.
‘I’m open to suggestions for motive.’ Allie pointed to the woman’s photo on the whiteboard, taken when she was found. Bruising was visible on her face. ‘Grace, do you want to add anything?’
‘Yes. You all know we’ve been looking into the incident of Tyler Douglas. Mary Stanton alleges she saw what happened from her window. What she told me was contradictory in itself, but she did suggest it could have been Seth Forrester who held Tyler over the railing. Our fourteen-year-old witness also alleges it was Forrester. We have no evidence to back up these claims yet. Ruby Brassington has also thrown into the mix that she knew the man on the walkway and that he is Finn Ridley, someone who gave her trouble years ago.’ She updated them on the details and looked around the room at everyone. ‘It’s possible this case has nothing to do with Tyler Douglas’s but, for now, I want to concentrate on finding out if they’re connected. We’ll be going house-to-house again, or door-to-door, in this instance. It won’t be a good experience as the tenants have only just had us doing it a couple of days ago. But it has to be done. Everyone needs accounting for as far as possible.’
‘Thanks.’ Allie turned back to the team. ‘We have the basics so, like Grace said, let’s focus on establishing if this has anything to do with the Tyler Douglas incident. Grace, can you update Ruby and Luke once I’ve confirmed ID with the victim’s family this morning? One of Mary’s sons drove down last night so my first job is a visit to the mortuary, and then there will be a press conference. There’s going to be speculation from people, I guess. There’ll be more once people are made aware foul play is involved as, for now, it only appears to be an accident. I think it will be better coming from us rather than via a TV clip.’
Grace nodded in agreement. It seemed fair, even though she didn’t want to burden Ruby and Luke any more, but they may be able to establish a link between the two cases.
As soon as the phone call from Allie confirming the formal identification of Mary Stanton came in, Grace went to see Ruby and Luke. The press conference was going ahead at eleven a.m. which gave her a little time to tell them first before it was common knowledge.
It was sad but the case was bringing back terrible memories for her. She was having her nightmares again. Only last night she’d woken up crying out loud. Luckily, Simon had still been asleep so she’d gone to sit downstairs until the melancholy had passed.
Grace knew better than most people the damage abuse could do, yet she could never understand how her mum had dealt with her father all those years ago. George Steele had been so violent. She could recall incidences that would still turn her stomach. He would hit Martha where people wouldn’t see it until she was black and blue, and even then she lost count of the number of black eyes she’d had.
She hadn’t talked much to her friends or colleagues about what had gone on before she and her mother had fled that night. It was difficult even now to vocalise what had happened. Having experienced it herself, it made her more empathetic to Ruby. She wanted her to be safe.
‘You just caught us in time,’ Ruby said when she answered the door. ‘Luke took Lily to school and we’re off to the hospital in a moment. They might discharge Tyler today.’
‘Oh, that is good news.’ Grace went inside and sat down opposite them both. Ruby’s eyes were red and swollen, her face blotchy. A tissue was balled up in her hand. Luke was the worse for wear, the stench of alcohol heavy in the room. His face was a riot of bruising; a split, swollen lip and a black eye.
‘What happened to your face?’ she asked Luke.
‘I tripped and fell on my way home from the pub last night. I sunk a few beers. I had to get out, too claustrophobic here after what happened.’
‘You should have stayed at home,’ Ruby said. ‘I needed you.’
Grace watched the interaction between Luke and Ruby, noticing the frosty look that passed between them. It was clear that Ruby wasn’t in his good books.
Luke ignored Ruby and turned to Grace. ‘What’s happening across the way? I saw flowers being laid downstairs. There’re more police here today. Is it something to do with us?’
‘That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. One of your neighbours was found deceased yesterday around five p.m. Mary Stanton, flat 108.’
‘That’s terrible.’ Ruby’s hand covered her mouth. ‘How did it happen?’
‘We’re not at liberty to say yet, as we’re still waiting on forensics and gathering evidence.’
‘Wait. You don’t think we had anything to do with it?’ Luke asked with alarm. ‘You’re going to blame us for everything now, aren’t you?’
‘No, that’s not why I’m here,’ Grace said pointedly. ‘There will be a press conference about it later today. We can’t give out many details at the moment but I wanted to let you both know. We’ll do our best to see off the media, but with a case like this, there will be national interest. They might focus on you as well because this is the second incident here this week, so I’d highly recommend you speak to no one.’
‘A case like this?’ Luke snapped.
‘Why are you so defensive, Mr Douglas? I was talking about the incident last night. You make me feel you have something to hide.’
‘You make me feel as if I’m guilty of something – and I’m not.’ He pointed at her. ‘You should leave us alone. We’ve been through enough.’
‘Luke,’ Ruby soothed. ‘They’re doing their best.’
‘Well, it isn’t good enough.’
‘It never is, Mr Douglas,’ Grace replied. ‘But we can only work with the truth, and lately there doesn’t seem to have been too much of that. So, please calm down, let me do my job and I will get to the bottom of your matter too. We’re looking into the whereabouts of Finn Ridley as we speak. Unless there is anything else you’d like to tell us?’
When they remained quiet, she stood up. ‘I want to help you both,’ she said. ‘But you have to start being straight with me and telling me everything. If he gets in touch again, we need to know. Okay?’
Two nods this time.
Grace made her way back outside to the team, hoping the couple had been pacified for now. She looked around, seeing lots of familiar faces.
Was Mary’s killer among them?
Was the man who’d dropped Tyler Douglas there watching them?
Was it the same person who had committed both crimes?
Questions, questions, questions. What they needed were some answers.
THIRTY-NINE
Shelley was at her wits’ end. After finding the envelope, she couldn’t stop thinking about Seth. That money had been for something, but what?
So hearing of Mary’s death on the Harrison House grapevine had shocked her. The radio bulletin confirmed that police were yet to rule out a suspicious death. Mary wasn’t a bad old sort. She’d often see her as she was going across to the shops, sometimes being shouted back to run an errand for her. She hadn’t objected; Mary had reminded her of her gran before she died. She was a sweet old soul. Why would someone want to harm her?
She cursed inwardly. She’d been meaning to go and see Mary that morning. Have a word with her and see if there was anything she could find out. She hated herself for it but information was everything at a price.
But now she had been found dead, well, she wasn’t sure what to think. Why had Seth given her all of that money? What had she on him that meant he was trying to pay her off? Had she seen something she shouldn’t have? What game wouldn’t she play?
And was it a coincidence that she was dead shortly after bringing it back? Seth couldn’t know about the money unless Mary had told him. And if she had, then Shelley would be in danger too as he’d want to know why she hadn’t given it to him straight away.
No, she shook her head. He couldn’t know about it. So she’d hide it. If no one knew about it, then why shouldn’t she? It was payback time for suffering Seth. She’d keep it for a while and if nothing was said, she would have it.
/>
She shuddered involuntarily. Was she living with a murderer? He was hard, but was he that dangerous?
If it was Seth, she wouldn’t stay with him. She wanted out.
She sent a text message to Eddie saying she needed to talk to him. Although she still had work to do for him before her debt was paid in full, she didn’t feel comfortable doing it now.
Then she went to see if she could find out anything else from Ruby. She had a plan brewing.
The knock on the door had Ruby jumping in her seat. She went to look through the spy hole, sighing with relief when she saw it was Shelley.
‘Hiya!’ Shelley cried. ‘I’ve just been to the shop for some ciggies so I thought I’d come and see how things are.’
It was good to see a welcome face, especially one with a smile. Ruby was about to tell her what had happened with the police when Shelley spoke again.
‘Actually I was after some advice. Do you have a few minutes?’
Ruby let her in. ‘Yes, but Luke will be back soon and then we’re going to pick Tyler up from the hospital.’
‘Oh, he’s coming home?’
‘We think so.’
Shelley gave her a hug. ‘That’s great news. Terrible about that old woman across the way, though, isn’t it?’
‘I’ve just heard it on the news,’ Ruby fibbed. ‘I didn’t know her well, did you?’
‘Not really, but I’ve said hello whenever we met.’ Shelley sighed. ‘And now we have the police all over us again while they investigate what happened.’
Ruby made coffee and they sat down together. She could sense Shelley wanted to say something but was reluctant to.
‘You said you wanted some advice?’ Ruby was intrigued enough to ask.
Shelley took a sip from her drink. ‘I’ve found something out about Seth. I think he’s making money on the side and keeping it from Leon Steele.’
‘I don’t understand. Is that wrong?’
Shelley raised her eyebrows. ‘It’s dangerous. It’s like robbing from the hand that feeds you.’
