Peppercorn Street

by Anna Jacobs

  Only then did she see Miss Fairbie sitting hunched on the sofa, looking terrified. ‘Has he hurt you?’

  ‘A bruise or two. I can’t believe he’s come back. Everyone knows who he is.’

  Janey tried to decide what to do, but couldn’t seem to think clearly. She only knew she didn’t want anyone else hurting. ‘I – think you’d better go home.’

  Gary smiled. ‘I apologise for troubling you.’

  She looked at Janey, not him. ‘Will you be all right? I think we should call the police.’

  She saw Gary shaking the buggy suggestively and added hastily, ‘I’ll make sure he buys you some flowers as an apology. He can be a bit rough at times, doesn’t know his own strength. I’m still angry at my father, you see. But I … um, don’t want him to worry.’

  ‘Well, if you’re sure …?’ She moved towards the door.

  When the door had closed behind her, Janey said, ‘You’ll never get away with this.’

  ‘I have done already. I know her sort. She won’t talk. She has her own secrets.’

  Millie chose that moment to start crying, picking up her mother’s fear.

  Gary looked at the infant sourly. ‘Got a good pair of lungs on her, I’ll give her that.’

  ‘She needs changing and feeding. If I don’t, she’ll keep on crying.’

  ‘Do it quickly, then. You and me have some unfinished business and we don’t want her interrupting us. I like to take my time.’

  Feeling terrified and helpless, she went to get Millie’s food and he followed her into the kitchen area.

  ‘Don’t get any knives out. I’ll do any cutting that’s needed.’

  As if she’d let him touch Millie’s food!

  She tried desperately to think how to get rid of him but he stuck so close to her, she had no chance to find any sort of weapon. The thought of him touching her in that way again made her feel physically sick.

  William went to the end of the street and looked along it. No one around and next-doors’ car was gone now. Good. He hurried down to his own house and slipped round the back.

  Inside, he went up to his room and packed a bag of clothes and another of things he wanted to keep, then he went out to the garage through the kitchen entrance. His father’s car was there. Maybe he should take it and ride around in comfort for a while? No, it had an anti-theft device, and even if he got round that, they had ways of identifying cars from the number plate. It’d lead the police straight to him, that car would.

  The spare can of petrol was empty, which made him curse. His father had certainly let things slip recently.

  He had to find a tube and siphon some petrol out of the car’s tank, so his preparations took longer than he’d expected.

  Excitement rising in him now, he splashed petrol on the car upholstery, set his packed bags outside the back door and took the can of petrol upstairs. He went into the master bedroom and began to splash petrol around there. It was only right that the fire should start in his father’s room.

  He splashed petrol in each bedroom to ensure that the fire would spread quickly, then looked at his watch. He was only five minutes late. His dad would forgive him that.

  He took out the box of matches and struck one. It went out. Annoyed he struck another, waited till it was burning steadily then tossed it on to the petrol-soaked bed.

  The bedding burst into flame with a loud whoosh and he laughed aloud, standing watching it for a minute or two, then raising one hand in a salute. ‘Vikings! Warrior’s funeral! This is for you, Dad.’

  He laughed as he walked to each of the other bedrooms, flinging matches inside, pleased when they too caught alight easily. The flames were burning brightly now, crackling and roaring as they jumped from one piece of furniture to another. He stopped halfway down the stairs to watch a door frame burst into flame, relishing the sight, swelling with pride at his handiwork.

  He paused in the kitchen to stuff the last few cans and packets of food into a shopping bag. The fire was roaring nicely upstairs now, though there was hardly anyone around to see it at this time of day.

  He opened the back door, intending to go and set the car alight, and walked straight into two policemen. Cursing, he struggled but they were ready for him and soon had him cuffed so tightly he couldn’t get away.

  ‘Where’s that damned fire engine?’ one said.

  Just then the window of the master bedroom burst outwards and flames shot everywhere.

  William laughed. ‘It’s too late. Too bloody late!’ He laughed as they stuffed him into the back of their car and continued to laugh as they waited for the fire brigade. He’d done a good job.

  ‘See how you like that, you stupid bitch!’ he yelled as they moved the car to make room for the fire engine.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Nicole thanked people for attending the funeral and invited them to join her at a local pub for a drink and nibbles, but everyone said they had to get off. Only Tracey lingered, heaven knew why.

  As Nicole stood watching the relatives go, a police car drove up and a female officer got out, straightening her hat and uniform top before walking across to Tracey.

  ‘Mrs Gainsford?’

  Tracey promptly burst into tears and the officer shot a harassed glance at Nicole.

  Reluctantly she moved forward. ‘I’m Nicole Gainsford,’ she told the officer quietly. ‘Just a moment.’

  She turned to Sam’s mistress. ‘It’s time for you to go. If you have anything else to say to me, you can do it through my lawyer. I’ve written his name down.’ She offered a piece of card.

  ‘You’ll definitely be hearing from me!’ Tracey said. ‘My baby’s not being done out of his inheritance.’

  ‘It’s a boy?’

  ‘Yes. And I’m going to call him Sam for his father. And I’m not going till I’m ready to leave.’

  Paul moved forward. ‘You’ve bothered my mother enough. Go away now.’

  She looked at him, pressed a handkerchief to her mouth and tottered away on her ridiculously high heels, pulling out some car keys, dropping them and letting the male police officer pick them up for her.

  Nicole watched her for a moment, wondering yet again what Sam had seen in a woman like that, then turned back to the officer. ‘What did you want to see me about?’ It’d be William, of course. What else could it be? Perhaps they’d caught him. She hoped so. Maybe if he got treatment …

  ‘It’s bad news, I’m afraid. Your house is on fire. It was well alight before anyone notified the fire brigade and there’s nothing they can do to save it – though they did manage to push the car out of the garage, if that’s any consolation.’

  She couldn’t take it in for a moment or two.

  Kieran asked, ‘How did it catch fire? Does anyone know?’

  The officer sighed. ‘Your son William started it. He was caught leaving the house just as the flames really got hold upstairs. He’s being held at the police station but he’s refusing to say anything. Do you want to come and see him? He’s – um, apparently been a bit violent, but he’s not eighteen yet so we need a responsible adult.’

  ‘My brother’s been taking designer steroids,’ Paul said. ‘I think he’s gone mad.’ He hugged his mother. ‘Don’t cry. Please don’t cry, Mum. We’ve got somewhere to live and we’ve saved some of our things. We’ll be all right.’

  ‘I’m crying for William, for what he’s turned into.’ She felt Kieran’s arm go round her and leaned against him. ‘I don’t want to go to the police station yet. I don’t want to see William. I’ve just cremated my husband. All I want is to go back to my new flat and sit quietly.’

  ‘I’ll come with you, Mum,’ Paul said. ‘You shouldn’t be on your own.’

  ‘I can take you both home,’ Kieran offered, ‘then I’ll go and see what’s happening at your house, if you like.’

  She felt too tired to say anything but, ‘Thank you. I don’t know what I’d do without you.’ For a moment their eyes met and they didn’t need words to
communicate their feelings. But it wasn’t the time to bring them out into the open.

  Kieran turned to the officers. ‘All right if I call a taxi and take her home?’

  They looked at one another.

  ‘We’ll take you home, Mrs Gainsford. It’ll be quicker.’

  Nicole got into the car, closed her eyes and leant back, surprised when someone told her they’d arrived.

  Kieran came to the front door with her, but she stopped in the doorway. ‘I need to be on my own for a while, if you don’t mind. I’ll be all right. I promise.’

  ‘OK. I’ll call back later.’ Outside Kieran said to the officers, ‘I’d better get my car. I can’t walk very far yet and you won’t want to be ferrying me home from the fire afterwards. I live just down the street.’

  ‘We’ll take you to see the fire and bring you back, Mr Jones.’

  They didn’t stay long. Even though the worst of the fire was out, the house was a lost cause – blackened, stinking, dripping with water. There was a car parked in the street, with the doors open, but it reeked of petrol.

  ‘Needs cleaning professionally before you can use it again, sir,’ one of the firemen said to him.

  ‘Do you know where I can get that done?’

  ‘Darby’s, in Swindon. Give them a ring and they’ll come and fetch it.’

  ‘Thanks. Mrs Gainsford is too upset to come here at the moment. She’s just had her husband’s funeral.’

  ‘She’s copping it hard, isn’t she? The neighbour said she doesn’t live here any more. Do you have her phone number and address?’

  Kieran took out a card and crossed his own details off, scribbling Nicole’s address and phone number on the back.

  On the way back, he used his mobile to arrange for the car to be picked up.

  As they turned into Peppercorn Street, Kieran shouted, ‘Stop!’

  ‘What’s the matter?’

  ‘That car. It belongs to a man who’s been stalking one of my tenants.’

  The driver braked sharply. ‘Are you sure?’

  ‘Very sure. Why?’

  ‘That’s a police car, a surveillance vehicle from the next district. It’s a bit of a joke because everyone knows it by sight.’

  ‘The guy who’s stalking her is a policeman. Could you go forward slowly but stop before you get to my block of flats? I think he’ll be there.’ Kieran stared up and down the street, but could see no sign of Gary, which worried him even more.

  ‘Um – you wouldn’t happen to know this stalker’s name, would you?’

  ‘Gary Yarford.’

  Both his companions sucked in air sharply.

  ‘You know him?’

  ‘Well, he’s the sergeant of a neighbouring district. This isn’t his patch, strictly speaking, but we work with other teams quite often. Why are you so sure he’ll be at your place, Mr Jones?’

  ‘He’s been stalking one of my tenants. I’ve seen him doing it.’ He thought rapidly. ‘You don’t have any plain clothes with you, do you?’ he asked the female officer. ‘A jacket or something. Only I’m not much use in a fight these days, so I thought you could walk to the flats with me, pretending you’re my girlfriend, and then we can check things out quietly.’

  ‘Can do.’

  ‘Yarford will cause trouble if he finds out you’ve been getting involved,’ the male officer warned her. ‘He’s not the sort you mess with unless you’ve got absolute proof and we only have Mr Jones’s word for this.’

  ‘How the hell are you going to get proof if no one will confront him?’ Kieran demanded.

  The female officer had a determined look on her face. ‘I haven’t said anything at work but Yarford sexually harassed a friend of mine, so I believe it of him. I will walk into the flats with you, Mr Jones, and have a quick look round, at least.’

  As the two of them walked from the street into the car park, arm in arm, his companion suddenly swung him round and said, ‘Pretend to kiss me and move so that you can see the upstairs windows.’ Surprised, he did as she asked and saw Miss Fairbie standing at her window, signalling to him and pointing to the next flat.

  He saw the outline of a man briefly in the window of Janey’s flat. ‘Something’s wrong. Take a look.’ He turned slightly so that his companion could see the building.

  ‘I’d say there’s trouble,’ she agreed.

  ‘Did you see the man in the other window? No? Well, I did. Yarford must be inside. How the hell did he get in? I had all the locks changed.’

  ‘Walk on past or he’ll get suspicious. Act like a guy in love.’

  So they walked across the car park, stopping for another brief fake kiss, then going round to the side door of his flat, where she immediately let go of him and became very businesslike.

  ‘Show me where to go, then ring this number on your landline. He may be tuned into the police network so I don’t want to call in directly. Tell them Sandra Collins needs backup and give them this address. Then leave it to me unless I shout to you to fetch Harry from the car.’

  Kieran handed her a master key. ‘This’ll get you into Janey’s flat.’

  ‘Good.’ She took off her bright pink jacket and pulled out her police hat, jamming it firmly on her head.

  Kieran left her climbing quietly up the stairs and went to ring the number she’d given him. The minute he mentioned Sandra’s then Yarford’s name, the person at the other end became very attentive. After he’d explained what was going on, he was told a car was on its way. He went into the hall, not liking to leave Sandra on her own confronting a senior officer. Voices floated down to him.

  He crept upstairs, hoping there wasn’t a stalemate, hoping desperately that Yarford didn’t have an excuse for being there and that Janey would have the courage to accuse him.

  Janey ran out of ways to prolong Millie’s meal and nappy change. She was nearly sick with fear by now. Then someone knocked on the door of her flat and hope flared.

  Gary stiffened. ‘Expecting someone?’

  She hitched her shoulders. ‘Friends pop in all the time.’

  ‘Well, tell them to go away.’ His eyes fell on the infant. ‘Say the baby’s sick.’ He pulled Millie out of her arms. ‘I’ll hold her for you. A bit of insurance, shall we say?’

  She gasped. ‘Don’t hurt her.’

  The knock came again.

  ‘Go and answer it, damn you.’ He moved into the bedroom with the baby.

  She went to the door, opening it to see a police officer there. She mouthed ‘Help!’ before she spoke. ‘Yes?’

  ‘We’re checking all the flats. There’s a dangerous intruder on the loose in the district, an arsonist. He’s broken into several flats.’

  ‘Well, he’s not here.’ She pulled a face and tried to show that someone was there and the other woman nodded. ‘I need to come in and check.’

  ‘My baby’s not well. She’s in the bedroom. I don’t want to disturb her.’

  ‘Oh, I’ll be very quick. Will you stand aside, please?’

  The door to the bedroom opened and Gary came out, carrying Millie. ‘There’s no intruder here, Officer. But I commend your care.’

  ‘Sergeant Yarford!’

  ‘I’m a friend of the family, aren’t I, Janey?’

  She didn’t dare contradict him, but couldn’t bring herself to say yes.

  ‘Even so, sir, I have to check. You know what my sergeant is like, a stickler for doing everything by the book.’

  He smiled. ‘Go ahead and check.’ He sat down in an armchair, still holding the baby.

  Janey stood near the door, terrified he’d hurt Millie if she said anything, terrified of not speaking out, too.

  Outside in the hall, Kieran had been eavesdropping. It sounded as if the fellow was holding Millie. If he hurt that child …

  He rapped on the door and entered the flat without waiting, seeing the terror on his tenant’s face at once. ‘Janey, I’ve come for— Oh, sorry. Didn’t realise you had visitors. Look, we’re due at my friends’ h
ouse in quarter of an hour. I’d expected you to be ready.’

  ‘She can’t go with you,’ Gary said at once. ‘She’s promised to ring her parents and that’s much more important than a social event.’

  Kieran moved across the room, exaggerating his limp. ‘It’s not a social outing. It’s a part-time job offer and if she mucks them around, they’ll give the job to the next person on the list. Hand me the baby and I’ll hold her while Janey gets ready. You’ll have to come back another time.’

  Even as he spoke, he reached out for the baby and for a minute there was a tussle, then the police officer came across to them and Gary let go.

  Kieran moved quickly back, holding Millie carefully, but he wasn’t going to let it go at that. ‘I know this is difficult, but if you don’t take Yarford in for questioning, I’ll be complaining to my friend the Commissioner.’ He gave Janey the baby.

  With Millie safe in her arms, she blurted out, ‘Gary came and threatened me, said I had to … to let him … It’s rape when you don’t want to do it and he’s done it to me before.’ She burst into tears.

  ‘Only her word against mine,’ Yarford smiled, not looking in the least upset.

  Janey cried even harder.

  ‘There’s my word, too,’ said a voice by the door and Miss Fairbie came in. ‘He made me let him into her flat earlier, Constable, threatened me if I didn’t do as he said. I should think my washing is still lying on the ground at the back, where I dropped it when he grabbed me.’

  Yarford’s smile turned into a scowl. ‘I told you it was a joke, to surprise Janey.’

  ‘It was no joke. You terrified me. And her. And you said if I phoned the police, she’d suffer.’

  ‘I deny saying that, but I did make a misjudgement and if I frightened you, I apologise.’

  He turned to Janey. ‘As I’ve been telling you, your father sent me. He wants me to persuade you to go home. Since you wouldn’t speak to me or let me in, I used my initiative.’