“Do you have any herbal tea?”
“I’ve got some green tea.”
“That’ll do. Do you need any help?”
Scarlett nodded towards the lounge. “No, I’m fine. Everything’s sorted. You just make yourself at home.”
With that Rose spun around and walked away.
A large grin lit up Scarlett’s face as she made the hot drinks. For the first time that evening she felt good. She was still wearing the smile as she strolled into her lounge and rested the steaming cups on the coffee table.
Rose had her legs tucked beneath her on the sofa. “Alex not around?”
“He’s gone home to Twickenham. Left while you were in the bath. He thought we might want some time together.”
Rose steered away her eyes and settled them on the hot drinks. “He’s nice. Your boyfriend?”
Scarlett tightened her mouth. “Just a friend.”
“Well he’s a nice friend. Does he work with you?”
“No, he’s a consultant. Something to do with his old job. He used to be in the army.”
“How come he was with you tonight then? I thought I heard you tell the others at the flat you were cops.”
“A little bit of deceit, I’m afraid.”
“Well it worked. That was very clever what you did back there.”
Scarlett threw her a questioning look.
“You know for years when we find a new squat we spend the first couple of days doing drills and rehearsing what to do if the cops come or the bailiff or landlord. You threw everyone off guard with your ‘missing girl’ story.”
Scarlett grinned. “That’s my job.”
“That was sneaky.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“It wasn’t meant to be.”
“I know.”
There was silence between them for a few seconds, then Rose took on a more serious face. “So if Alex isn’t a cop, it really wasn’t official what you did tonight.”
Scarlett shook her head. “Like I said, I’ve been looking for you for years. It was Alex who spotted you a couple of weeks ago in the Underground.”
Rose picked up her mug and grasped it in both hands. She blew inside it. “So no other cops know I’m here?”
“Nope. Just me.”
“So if I wanted I could just walk out of here?”
Scarlett’s chest tightened. She took a deep breath. “You could,” she said slowly, “but I’d rather you didn’t. It’s taken me so long to find you. I’d love you to stick around for a while.” At least long enough for me to interrogate you about Mum and Dad’s killing, she wanted to add, but bit her lip.
Rose sipped her drink and still not looking up replied, “Do you mind if we don’t talk? Not anymore tonight. Not being rude, but I’m stuffed from that pizza and I’m knackered. I haven’t been able to switch off like this in a long time. You don’t know what it’s been like. I’m constantly on alert. Someone always trying it on or kicking the door in and threatening me.”
“Sure, no problem.” Scarlett suddenly felt guilty. “What about some TV? Big Brother’ll be on.”
Rose lifted her eyes and threw her an inquisitive look. “What’s Big Brother?”
Scarlett couldn’t stop herself letting out a loud laugh. “What’s Big Brother!” She reached for the TV remote. “Believe me, Rose, you have not lived!” She aimed the remote at the TV. “You don’t know what you’ve been missing.”
****
Scarlett awoke with a start. She had fallen asleep in the chair. The television was still on, but the sound was muted. Across from her Rose was still on the sofa, also asleep. For a few seconds she watched and listened. Rose was breathing heavily, her lips quivering as she exhaled. The noise coming from the sides of her mouth wasn’t quite a snore and it triggered another memory. When they had shared a room together back home it used to keep her awake many a night. But now it made her heave a sigh of relief. As she watched her stirring she couldn’t help but wonder what was going on in that haunted labyrinth of a mind. She hoped tomorrow her sister would have a change of heart and open up about what happened to their parents.
Forty-seven
Rose awoke in a panic, covered with sweat. The dream had visited her again. Jolting upright she could feel her heart pounding against her chest and her breath was trembling. It took her the best part of ten seconds to steady her breathing, taking in long gulps of air. In a moment she would be back in control again. It was always like this.
Then, in the gloom of her surroundings, she remembered where she was – in the spare bedroom of Aunt Hanna’s house. Her sister was next door in Aunt Hanna’s old bedroom.
She dropped her head back onto the pillow and lay in the dark. Listening. All she could hear was the sound of her own breath – panting. An image stuck inside her head, reminding her why she had woken up in this state. It was the blurred ghost of her father again. He was looking up at her, his face fixed in shock, holding his stomach. She could see the dark blood seeping between his fingers. Close by, two shadowy figures were coming towards her. He was screaming at her to run. It was his last dying words.
Forty-eight
Scarlett awoke with a woolly head. She’d had a restless night. At one stage, in the early hours, she thought she’d heard Rose scream out, but when she pulled herself fully awake and heard nothing else she guessed it had been a dream. Following that it had taken her some time to drop off. Laying in the dark she had been preoccupied with the thought that Rose might do a runner, and although she hadn’t heard the door chime activate she needed to make sure and so she had gotten up and sneaked a listen at Rose’s door. When she’d heard her heavy breathing she’d returned to her room and left her door open a fraction – just in case. After much tossing and turning she had eventually dropped off.
For a split second, as her eyes roamed around her bedroom, a feeling of dread overcame her. Was Rose still in the house? She wasn’t sure how deeply she had slept since she had dropped off. Whipping back the duvet she swung out her legs but then halted as she caught the sound of voices below. Holding her breath and concentrating her hearing she gradually realised it was coming from the TV. She heaved a satisfying sigh and reached for her dressing gown. She needed a coffee.
****
Downstairs, stopping by the open lounge door, Scarlett poked her head through and found her sister curled up on the sofa watching Jeremy Kyle.
“I see you’re hooked on reality shows already.”
Rose turned her head. “This is unbelievable. There’s a woman here who’s only nineteen, she’s just got out of prison for assaulting a neighbour, and she’s come back home to her parents, and now she’s stealing from them and regularly getting drunk and abusing them. People in our squat behave better than her and they’ve had far more troubled lives.”
Scarlett wanted to say that she had witnessed similar behaviour from Rose leading up to her disappearance, but bit her lip. “I’m putting the kettle on, do you want a drink?”
Rose turned back to the TV. “Can I have a green tea, Scarl?”
In the kitchen Scarlett made them both a warm drink and some toast and made her way back to the lounge. She put the drinks and toast on the coffee table and picking up her mug of coffee retreated to the armchair. Tucking her feet beneath her she said, “Do you fancy doing anything today? Doing some shopping?”
Without looking her way Rose replied, “I thought I was a prisoner.”
“Rose!” Scarlett’s initial response was high pitched. Then she caught herself. “We discussed this last night. I did this for your own sake and I explained to you why else. It’s time to be honest, Rose.” She took a deep breath. “You’re still wanted in connection with the death of Mum and Dad….”
Rose jerked up from her slouching position, “Does that mean you’re handing me in?”
Scarlett held her sister’s wild stare. “If you’d let me finish Rose, I was going to say I don’t think you did it. I know you were doing some crazy things back then,
but I don’t for one minute believe you would hurt Mum and Dad like that. If I thought otherwise, you and I would not be having this conversation.”
Rose eased back against the cushions. “I didn’t kill them, Scarl. I had nothing to do with their deaths. Honest.”
“I believe you, Rose.”
“So what are you going to do with me?”
“For now, nothing. I obviously want to know your side of the story. And when you feel ready I’ll be here to listen. But today I have a day off and I want to chill, and what better way to do it than go up west and do some shopping and take in some lunch. Maybe even go to the theatre. What do you say?”
“Sounds good, but it’s going to have to be on you Scarl, ’cos I’ve got no money.”
Scarlett smiled, “Oh but you have, Rose. You’ve got quite a bit of money.” She watched her sister’s face take on a look of surprise.
“I’ve got money?”
“Couple of hundred grand! At least! From Mum and Dad’s insurance and sale of the house. Aunt Hanna and me put your money in a trust for when we found you.” She paused. “And although the house is in my name, half of it is yours.”
The astonished look on Rose’s face morphed again to one of shock. “Fuck me!”
“Rose!”
“Sorry, Scarl, but this has come as a right bolt out of the blue for me. Last night I thought I was being locked up and this morning you’re telling me I’m free as a bird and rich.”
“It’s certainly put paid to you going back to your squat.”
Rose screwed up her face. “Why’s that?”
“Well, you’re going to have to own up and tell them you’re now a capitalist.”
Rose started to laugh, picked up a cushion and threw it at Scarlett.
Forty-nine
After breakfast Scarlett opened up her wardrobe to Rose and let her choose some things. She selected some skinny jeans, a T-shirt and a jumper. She was a few pounds lighter than Scarlett but they fitted her well enough. Then Scarlett plucked and shaped Rose’s eyebrows and helped her put on some make-up. She only applied it lightly. Rose had already confided she didn’t want to look as “dolled-up” as her sister, letting off a nervous laugh. “No offence, Scarl, I love the red hair, but your make-up is far too wild for me.” However, when Scarlett pushed her in front of the hall mirror her face lit up.
“It's years since I’ve done this. I’ve spent most of the last few years covering up and hiding myself away from everyone.”
“Not anymore, Rose, if I have anything to do with it. Now you look like the Rose I remember.”
Rose stared back through the mirror at Scarlett, her bottom lip trembling.
For a couple of seconds there was an uneasy silence before Scarlett broke it by saying, “Right – time to hit the shops. You need a wardrobe of your own.”
****
They took the train to Waterloo and then jumped on the tube, getting off at Oxford Circus, where they spent over two hours traipsing in and out of department stores. The first thing they chose together was a winter coat for Rose. With some reluctance Rose binned her old parka following some hard persuasion from Scarlett.
As she bundled it up and pushed it into a bin she said, “I’ve had that coat for five years. It was a bargain from a charity shop.”
Seeing her sister’s sorrowful look made Scarlett a little uneasy. She wondered if she was forcing things. She touched Rose’s arm and engaged her hazel eyes. Exact mirrors of her own. “We don’t have to do this if you don’t want.”
Rose seemed to think about the question for a short time, but then a smile broke out. “No, I’m enjoying this. For years I’ve envied those who could afford it and wondered what it would be like. It’s nearly as mind-blowing as some good skunk….” She stopped herself as Scarlett’s face changed. She gave a mischievous grin. “Only personal use and I don’t do it all the time, Officer. Can I accept a street caution for that confession?”
Scarlett burst out laughing. “Come on, let’s go and get us some food.”
They chose a small Italian restaurant and ate a pasta dish each; Scarlett had wine and Rose drank an Italian beer.
Wiping her mouth with her sleeve after she drained her glass, Rose said, “That tasted wonderful. I can’t remember when I last had beer. We can only usually afford cheap cider and then it’s passed around.”
It was another throw-away comment from her sister, but it hit home. Scarlett couldn’t imagine what the last few years had been like for Rose.
Scarlett settled the bill and they did a few more hours’ shopping together. This time Scarlett shopped for herself. She added a pair of expensive jeans to her wardrobe. Trying them on in front of Rose she told her about how she had been mugged for her bag and how her last pair of Armanis had been torn chasing her attackers. Then she told her about how she had tracked down the two robbers a few days ago, thanks to Alex, discovering that one of the attackers had been murdered by the other, who was now on the run.
Paying for them and strolling away from the store Rose said, “You lead a pretty exciting life, Scarl. But I can see you need someone like me around to look after you.”
Scarlett gave her a sideways look.
Rose was wearing her mischievous grin again. “If you’d had me with you, you wouldn’t have got mugged in the first place. It seems I need to teach you some proper street skills.”
Scarlett couldn’t help but giggle. “Come on, let’s make a day of it. What do you say we go to the theatre? Let’s see what we can get cheap tickets for.”
At the bucket shop several offers were made but they both honed in on The Bodyguard at the Adelphi Theatre. Catching each other’s gaze they recalled how they had watched the original film together numerous times with their mother.
That evening, for two hours, they sang along together to the hits of Whitney Houston. As it finished, they both had tears in their eyes.
****
After the theatre they headed home, walking the last of their journey from Richmond station arm in arm. In the hallway they kicked off their shoes and dumped their shopping. While Rose went through into the lounge Scarlett slipped into the kitchen to get them both a drink. She got herself a glass of wine, and in the fridge she found a couple of bottles of Alex’s Budweiser beers which had been there a while, picked one out and poured it into a tall glass. She guessed Alex wouldn’t mind.
Entering the lounge Scarlett saw that Rose had made herself comfortable on the sofa again and she handed her the beer and settled into the armchair.
Scarlett sipped her wine, watching her sister devour the first half of the beer. As she saw her pulling it away from her lips she asked, “Had a good day?”
Rose looked over her glass. “Really good, thanks. A few memories came back today. Especially watching The Bodyguard.” On that note she dragged her eyes back.
Scarlett saw them cloud over as Rose returned to her beer. “Me too. It’s a long time since I’ve done something like this.”
Swallowing, Rose replied, “What about tomorrow?”
“Can’t. Back to work I’m afraid.”
“That murder you told me about? The guys who mugged you?”
Scarlett nodded and took a drink of her wine.
“Are you on some murder squad or something then Scarl?”
“It’s called the Homicide and Serious Crime Unit. I’m based at Sutton Police Station. Been there a couple of years. We deal with all kinds of stuff. Rapes, murders, that kind of thing.”
“Like Dad, eh?”
“Things have changed since Dad was in CID, but yeah, a bit like that.”
“He’d have been proud of you, Scarl.”
“I’d like to think so.”
“I know so. You were always his favourite.”
Scarlett pulled her glass away and engaged her sister’s gaze. “He loved us both, Rose.”
“You were the blue-eyed one though. All I gave him was grief.”
Scarlett didn’t immediately reply. She
held her sister’s gaze for a good few seconds. “That’s in the past now, Rose. You have to move on.”
Rose pulled her eyes away and downed the remainder of her beer. “It’s alright you saying that. You’re not to blame for their deaths.”
An awkward silence followed. Scarlett placed her unfinished wine down on the coffee table and still leaning forward said, “Do you want to tell me about that night?”
Clasping her empty glass Rose straightened herself. “There isn’t that much to tell.” She looked Scarlett in the eyes. “I’m being genuine when I say that. That night is just a complete muddle. I’ve spent so many years trying to hide away from it that it’s all mixed up now. It’s eleven years ago, as you know, and a lot of water’s gone under the bridge since then. The first few years after it happened I got myself in a bit of a mess. Started drinking really heavy. Anything I could get my hands on. Some days I was just completely out of it. Then one day Gareth and a couple of the squatters found me. I was sleeping rough in an old warehouse and in a real state, as you can probably imagine. If they hadn’t have found me when they did I don’t think I’d be here now. I’ve got a lot to thank them for.”
Scarlett pondered on what Rose had just said. Picking her wine back up she settled back in the chair. “There must be some memories, though?”
“There is, but like I say it’s all so mixed up now.”
“Well, what do you say I get us another drink and you lead me through it?”
****
Scarlett got them both another drink and settling back into her chair she said, “Rose, try not to think of this as my job. Tonight this is one sister to another. Just tell me what you remember. Go through things slowly.” While she was being honest in what she was saying, she knew she still had to draw on her interview training if she wanted to get the best evidence from Rose to help her catch their parents’ killer.
Scream, You Die Page 19
