by K Leitch
‘Yeh, you say,’ he said scathingly to Howard, ‘tell me again what you saw.’
‘Well I was just coming back actually. I’d been giving out flyers in Kenley, not getting anywhere really. Here get this, some old bag, chairwoman of the local W.I. or something, had a go at me, saying I was littering just because I’d dropped a couple of the flyers. I told her to fuck off or I’d shove the flyers up her arse…she soon backed off I can tell you…ha-ha nearly swallowed ‘er fur muff she did.’
‘Get to the fucking point Howard,’ Trevor said impatiently.
‘Yeh well I was on my way back as I said and I had to go past this school. It was chock-a-block with traffic that time of day, all the mum’s picking up their kids. Anyway I spot this woman driving this big, fucking red Range Rover, dunno why I clocked ‘er, but there was just something about ‘er, you know. Well she pulled up on the other side of the road to the school and then jumped out to cross the road and I swear to you Trev it was Lucy, I couldn’t believe my eyes…I mean there she was right in front of me…oh I know she ‘ad dark ‘air and that but it was ‘er Trev,’ Howard said flinging his hands in the air.
‘Hmm, I don’t know Howey…I mean, driving a Range Rover…where’s she going to get the money for that…nah it sounds a bit…’
‘I’m telling you, I know it was her. And what’s more she had a kid in a car seat in the back.’ Howard held up his hand, ‘Now I know I didn’t get a look at the kid, but what’s the bets it was Katy.’
Trevor sat quietly for a moment, Howard seemed totally convinced that the woman he’d seen was Lucinda. But why the fuck would she be driving a Range Rover, and why would she be picking up some kid from school?’ Trevor froze as a thought struck him. Unless she’d met someone…unless it was some bloke's Range Rover, his kid she was picking up.
Anger, like red hot molten lava began rise up from his chest, he clenched his fists as a pulse began to pound in his neck and his face flushed a deep, deep red.
‘Where did you say this school was?’ he asked Howard with surprising calm.
‘Kenley,’ Howard said retreating a step, he’d seen that look on his boss’s face before, and usually it meant someone was going to get hurt. ‘I…I followed her home though,’ he added as Trevor stalked towards him.
Trevor stopped. ‘Where did she go? You get the address?’ he barked.
‘Yeh…some enormous barn conversion, on the road leading out of the village. She went in there, unloaded the kids and let herself in…so I’m assuming that’s where she’s living,’ Howard said letting out a breath of relief as Trevor’s face returned to its normal colour.
After a moment Trevor seemed to get a grip on himself, ‘Okay…thanks Howard. I’ll go and check it out myself tomorrow. You get some rest now, I’ll see you in the morning.’
After Howard had gone, Trevor slumped down on the hotel bed and stared up at the ceiling. Of course it might not be Lucinda, and even if it was, there could be many reasons why she’d be driving a fancy car living in a fancy house. But there was one thing Trevor knew for sure and that was if it was her and she was living with some bloke…she’d let some bloke touch her, kiss her….she’d let some bloke near his daughter…he was a dead man…that was all there was to it…the man was going to die.
CHAPTER 51 - TRACY
‘Oh my God Buster!’ Tracy shouted as her little west highland terrier rushed in through the kitchen door, leaving a great trail of mud and leaves in his wake. ‘You’ve been bloody digging again haven’t you?’ she went on as she chased him round the kitchen with an old towel in an attempt to wipe him down.
Just at that moment Tracy’s husband Simon walked in and Buster, never one to miss an opportunity, whizzed out through the opened door, into the hall and up the stairs.
‘Oh no…come back you little sod!’ screamed Tracy waving the smelly towel in front of her as she went after him.
Simon smiled and rolled his eyes, picked up the kettle and filled it from the tap before plugging it in.
‘Oh my God he’s trailed half the back garden up the stairs, I managed to grab him before he got onto the beds though,’ Tracy was saying as she came back into the kitchen carrying a completely unrepentant looking Buster in front of her. She dumped him into his bed and told him in no uncertain terms to stay put.
Buster, who was worn out from his brilliant digging for bones session and then a great race around the house, was more than happy to do that and so settled himself into a more comfortable position intent on a relaxing doze before dinner.
‘I have got to get him to the groomers,’ Tracy went on, smiling at Simon who handed her a cup of tea. ‘He is far too messy at the moment, I’ll give Jane a ring later see if she can fit him in. How was your day honey?’ she added going over and giving Simon a kiss, how did your meeting with Samantha go?’
Simon had recently sold his magazine The Adventures of ROBOB to a larger publishers, netting himself quite a decent profit. But he had still wanted some input on the content of the magazine, which was primarily a children’s publication (although it had now attained something of a cult status with an older audience). He’d not been at all happy with some of the story lines that had been in the last couple of issues (thinking that they were too grown up and a bit too violent) and so had arranged a meeting today with the new editor to try and put his point across.
Simon sighed heavily, ‘Well I made my feelings known,’ he said wearily, ‘but whether they’ll take any notice of me is anybody’s guess.’
‘But they have to don’t they?’ Tracy said indignantly, ‘that’s why they kept you on as a consultant wasn’t it? So that you could keep an eye on the magazine, so that they couldn’t change it too much?’
Simon rolled his eyes, ‘Yes, well I’m beginning to realise how little a say I’ve really got. Oh they listened to all my gripes, but at the end of the day it’s Samantha that makes the final decisions, and if she thinks it’s okay… then that’s what will be printed,’ he finished dragging his hands through his hair wearily.
‘But…’ Tracy began.
‘The bottom line Tracy is that it doesn’t belong to me anymore,’ Simon said getting up and walking over to the fridge, ‘I’ll still get some revenue from it of course because of my shares, but I have effectively sold my rights to any real input…what’s for dinner? I’m starving,’ he finished, breaking off a piece of cheese and popping it into his mouth.
Tracy rolled her eyes, ‘Oh God I don’t know, I hadn’t given it much thought…um I suppose I could rustle up a spaghetti carbonara,’ she said coming up behind him, ‘yes, I’ve got eggs and cheese and there is a bit of bacon left,’ she muttered taking the ingredients out of the fridge.
‘How did you’re lunch with Helen go?’ Simon asked sitting back down at the table.
‘It was good, although she gave me a real lecture about my dieting,’ Tracy said as she chopped up some bacon. ‘You know what she’s like, “you have to start being happy with yourself Tracy”…’ she mimicked, ‘“everyone loves you as you are, you’re the only one who’s worried about your weight”…’
‘Well she does have a point love,’ Simon cut in.
‘Oh I know,’ Tracy said with a sigh, ‘but I can’t just stop being worried about it…bloody hell it’s been one the main focuses of my life since I was a teenager.’
Simon came up behind her and put his arms around her kissing her neck, ‘You worry too much, full stop,’ he said, ‘but anything you do is okay with me, if you want to diet…diet. If you don’t that’s fine too, you just need to realise that my feelings aren’t going to change whatever you decide. It’s you I love Tracy, the essence of you.’ His hands travelled up until they were cupping her breasts, ‘although I have to say I would miss these babies if you got too thin.’
Tracy giggled and batted his hands away, ‘Hey, enough of that matey, I’ve got bacon in my hands and I’m not afraid to use it,’ she said flapping a piece of streaky bacon in front of his face.
&n
bsp; ‘Mummy…why is Buster rubbing his bottom on the settee?’ three year old Tilly said, through her thumb which was firmly stuck in her mouth. She toddled over to Simon and put her arms up for a cuddle.
‘Oh that bloody dog!’ Tracy exclaimed as she rushed out to drag the still filthy Buster back into the kitchen where she could keep an eye on him.
Later as they were all sitting eating their spaghetti Tracy remembered something.
‘There was some poor man in Whitfield today handing out flyers, he was trying to find his wife. Apparently she went missing a few weeks back, took their baby with her.’
‘Hasn’t he been to the police?’ Simon said wiping spaghetti from Tilly’s chin.
‘I don’t know…he didn’t say,’ Tracy said pulling a face, ‘He seemed so desperate though, apparently this woman has a few mental problems and he’s worried she might harm herself or the baby.’
‘Even more reason to get the police involved I would have thought…just eat that last forkful and then you can have some jelly,’ he added to 5 year old Zack who wasn’t all that keen on spaghetti.’
‘Yes I suppose so,’ Tracy said thoughtfully as she began to clear away the plates, ‘Maybe they are involved and he’s just handing out the pictures as well in the hope that it may jog someone’s memory. I was in such a rush I didn’t even look at it properly,’ she added as she disappeared out into the hall. She came back in a minute later unfolding a crumpled looking piece of paper which she put on the table next to Simon.
It was the picture of a very pretty girl with shoulder length blond hair and lovely green eyes who was smiling into the camera. ‘She doesn’t look ill does she?’ Tracy asked Simon before bringing a bowl full of strawberry jelly to the table causing cheers of delight from the two children.
‘No…but then I suppose with mental illness it’s hard to tell isn’t it?’ Simon said looking hard at the picture, ‘She does remind me of someone though…doesn’t she you?’ he asked pushing the picture back over to Tracy.
Tracy doled out platefuls of jelly before sitting back down and looking again at the crumpled image.
‘Yes…I suppose now you mention it,’ she said trying to smooth the picture out with her hands, ‘there is definitely something familiar about the eyes…I can’t think who it is though,’ she put the flyer to one side. Looking across the table Tracy giggled and nudged Simon, ‘Ah little poppet, she must have been so tired after her swimming lesson,’ she said smiling fondly at Tilly who had dropped off to sleep half way through her jelly, her head resting on the table next to her plate.
‘She is definitely her mother’s daughter,’ Simon whispered, easing the spoon from her tight grip. He carefully scooped up the little girl in his arms without waking her and took her up to bed. Tracy sat back in her chair and picked up the picture again. Simon was right she definitely reminded her of someone…someone she’d been talking to recently. After a moment Tracy shook her head, oh well, it would come to her eventually she thought as she started to clear the table.
CHAPTER 52
Obie walked quickly along the long corridor, following the yellow line that would take him to the A&E department. It was three thirty in the morning and he hadn’t got to bed until about midnight…he needed a coffee, badly.
Pushing through the double doors ahead of him he made his way over to a half circular desk behind which sat an elderly nurse, her eyes intent on the screen in front of her.
He cleared his throat, ‘Um…excuse me,’ he began in his hesitant way, the nurse held up a hand without looking up at him and carried on punching her keyboard.
Obie sighed, wishing for the millionth time that he could muster up just a fraction of the self confidence that Frank had, or even Mandy for that matter.
Finally the nurse looked up from what she was doing and raised a questioning eyebrow at Obie.
‘Oh…I’m DI Jones, I was told that a boy had been found in the woods?’ he began.
‘You’ll have to go to recovery, they’ve taken him there,’ she said turning back to her screen.
‘Um,’ Obie began again, ‘where is that exactly?’
The nurse sighed heavily, ‘Back through the doors, follow the green line,’ she said dismissing him.
Obie followed the green line until he spotted Frank sitting outside some double doors ahead. Frank stood and nodded at him.
‘Do we know who he is yet Frank?’ Obie asked as he arrived.
Frank nodded, ‘Recognised him straightaway despite the fact that he has taken one hell of a beating, it’s Ruben Davies.’
Obie looked puzzled.
‘Oh I forgot he was before your time,’ Frank went on, ‘he’s the lad that we caught stealing a laptop and handbag from a car in Redbank…he led us to Herbert Twee…’
‘Oh yes I remember now,’ Obie said his face clearing, ‘do you think this could be connected?’
Frank nodded, ‘That’s my guess…although he is a right narky little bugger so it could be that he just got right up somebody’s nose. Whatever the reason though he’s not going to be telling us anything soon.’
Obie raised his eyebrows, ‘Too scared do you think?’ he said.
‘No,’ Frank said shaking his head, ‘he’s in a bloody coma, hasn’t said a word…oh here’s the doc now, she might be able to tell us more.’
Obie turned as a very attractive, dark woman with an unruly mop of black curls and light brown eyes came through the double doors. She was holding some notes in her hand and went straight over to Frank who introduced her to Obie.
‘Can you tell me anymore about his injuries Dr Luanni,’ Obie asked
Dr Luanni pulled a face, ‘Well he’s obviously taken a beating, there is extensive bruising on his face and body and he’s been hit on the head with some sort of hard object, he has a large swelling on the top of his head. We’ll know more once he’s had a CT scan,’ she said referring to her notes, ‘there are also bruises around his throat as if someone had attempted to strangle him. Whoever’s done this intended to kill him that’s for sure, in fact they may well have thought that they had killed him. Luckily he’s escaped with some nasty bruises and the head wound…which may yet prove to be more problematic,’ she paused and smiled at Obie, ‘as I said we’ll know more tomorrow. He is, as I’m sure DS Hill has told you unconscious at the moment, he hasn’t regained consciousness at all since being brought in, so he won’t be able to help you very much I’m afraid,’ she gave Obie another dazzling smile.
Obie blinked and smiled back, ‘Thank you Doctor…um can we see him yet?’
‘Oh yes,’ she looked at her notes again, ‘he’s being taken to Howarth ward, he should be there by now…first floor, follow the orange line,’ she finished before heading off through the double doors.
Frank and Obie looked at each other, ‘When did doctors start looking like that,’ Frank whistled.
‘Surely that can’t be good for the patient’s blood pressure,’ Obie added shaking his head, ‘you’re busy with other things Frank, I think I’ll have to deal with Dr Luanni on this one…leave it with me okay?’
Frank gave him a withering look and stalked off ahead of him towards Howarth ward.
Ruben Davies was only recognisable by his spots and his ears. His nose had been punched almost flat against his face and he’d had a few teeth knocked out. His mum Hannah was sitting by his side with a resigned look on her face. She scowled at them as they walked in.
‘At least you can’t haul ‘im in for this one,’ she said bitterly wiping her nose on her sleeve.
‘We need to find out who did this Hannah,’ Frank said patiently, ‘is Ruben in any sort of trouble with anyone?’
‘What, apart from you lot you mean,’ Hannah snapped, she shook her head. ‘No…I don’t fink so, he’s a quiet boy my Ruby.’ She caught Frank’s incredulous look, ‘Oh I know he’s done some stupid stuff, but that were for me…my fault really,’ her voice broke and her eyes filled with tears.
‘Why your fault Mrs Davies
?’ Obie asked handing her a tissue.
Hannah blew her nose noisily, ‘I’d borrowed some money you see, I needed it to pay the rent. I’d just lost me job at Primark,’ she sniffed in disgust, ‘right bastards they were didn’t pay me what I was owed did they? So anyways I was short on me rent and Herb…someone lent me the cash. But of course I couldn’t pay it back so,’ she stopped realising that she was saying far too much, ‘Anyway that’s why he did the thieving, to get some money so I could pay back me debt…’ she broke down then, ‘he’s such a good boy really…he didn’t deserve this.’
Frank and Obie looked at each other, ‘How well did Ruben know Herbert Twee Hannah?’ Frank asked.
Hannah pulled herself together, she sat up straight in the chair, ‘He didn’t know ‘im hardly at all, he hung around with Lola and Lewis and I suppose he must had run into Herbie sometime… ‘cus ‘es their dad ain’t ‘e, but that’s all,’ she finished defiantly.
‘You don’t think he may have got on the wrong side of Herbert, maybe Herbert wanted to teach him a lesson or something?’ Obie asked.
‘Nah,’ Hannah stated firmly, ‘you’re right off there, he’s not like that Herbie…anyway like I said Ruby hardly knew ‘im.’
It was obvious to Obie and Frank that they’d got all they were going to get from Hannah.
Obie changed tactics, ‘Do you know where Ruben was going when he left yesterday morning Mrs Davies?’ he asked.
Hannah frowned, ‘Not really, he took ‘is bike wiv ‘im I know that,’ she said.
‘Was there anywhere that he regularly went with his bike, somewhere he liked to ride?’
