A Place of Hope

by Anna Jacobs

  ‘Are you sure about me staying now that you’ve got friends to help you?’ he asked in a low voice.

  ‘I’m very sure. I don’t want to live alone at the moment, even if I’m nowhere near George.’

  ‘Your nephew’s really frightened you, hasn’t he?’ Oliver said.

  ‘He’s frightened me too,’ Rachel put in. ‘Wait till you meet him. Great big bully is a perfect description for Georgie boy, even when he’s dressed in an expensive business suit.’

  ‘But what can he actually do to you now you’re out of hospital, Emily?’ Oliver asked.

  ‘Who knows? He’s cunning enough to think something up. I need a lawyer and a bodyguard.’

  ‘You’ve got a lawyer,’ Oliver pointed out.

  She turned to Chad. ‘Since you’re not a lawyer, how about applying to be my bodyguard?’

  He smiled. ‘All right.’

  ‘I’m worried about what he’ll do next, too,’ Rachel said.

  ‘Why don’t you come up to Lancashire as well, Rach?’

  ‘Do you mean it?’

  ‘Of course I do.’

  ‘You’re on!’

  Emily felt desperately tired all of a sudden, so snuggled down, resting her head against Chad’s shoulder as she added, ‘One for all and all for one. The Three Musketeers have nothing on us.’

  Chad didn’t say anything. His head had fallen against hers and he was breathing deeply and slowly.

  ‘Maybe I can become an honorary musketeer, since I live just down the road,’ Oliver said. There was no answer from the back. He lowered his voice. ‘Are they asleep, Rachel?’

  ‘Yes. Cuddled up like a pair of lovers.’

  He gave her a boy’s grin on an older man’s face. ‘You can feed me tea and cakes and sympathy.’

  ‘What do you need sympathy for? Aren’t all lawyers rich and comfortable?’

  His voice grew harsher. ‘Money isn’t enough. I’ve been unable to settle into retirement. It was an earlier retirement than I’d planned, too, because I gave up work to nurse my wife through cancer. But Trish died anyway. I feel lost in that house. She used to . . . brighten it up.’

  ‘I’m sorry for your loss.’

  ‘You get used to it. You can’t change things, after all. What happened to your husband?’

  ‘Divorce. I don’t talk about it. Ever. Tell me why you can’t go back to work.’

  ‘I’d spoil things for my son. Jeremy loves heading up the rooms, and he’s good at it, too. Fortunately, he does toss me the odd case now and then to keep me from dying of boredom. Like this one.’

  ‘Emily and Chad certainly need your help.’

  ‘Yes. It’s a strange situation, isn’t it? I’ve never heard of anything like it. I intend to have a word with one or two people about what happened to Emily. Such a situation can’t be allowed to continue.’

  ‘Friends in high places?’ she teased.

  ‘Moderately high. But investigations into bureaucracies take time, so don’t hold your breath.’

  ‘I hope they get George, but somehow I doubt it, Oliver.’

  Emily woke when the car stopped outside her house. It was still dark, but the sky was starting to lighten to grey. She felt so disoriented, it was only when she gazed into Chad’s eyes, so close to hers and looking blurry with sleep, that she remembered what had happened. Then she sat up with a jerk, terrified something was wrong.

  ‘We’re here, love,’ Rachel said from the front seat.

  ‘Oh . . . yes . . . Goodness, I was sound asleep.’

  Beside her Chad had come fully awake, doing it as gently as he seemed to do everything else. His eyes were brighter now, very blue, seeming to see the world so much more clearly than most other people she knew. And yet he was one of the quietest people she’d ever met. Even his voice was low and soothing. Had he been like that before his accident? She hoped so. She found the calm strength that emanated from him very attractive.

  ‘Is this your house, Emily?’ he asked.

  ‘Yes, it is.’

  ‘Pretty garden.’

  ‘I love flowers.’ She frowned. ‘They’ve put in new bedding plants. I’d not have chosen those colours, but they’re making a good show, aren’t they?’

  Oliver opened the driver’s door, letting in some fresh air, and came round to open the rear door. ‘Are you all right, Emily?’

  ‘I’m fine, thanks.’ She wriggled her shoulders, trying to stretch some life into her body, and smiled as she realized Chad was doing the same.

  Rachel came to stand beside Oliver and study the other two. ‘Do you want to start packing your things or do you need more rest? You could lie down for a bit. It’s not really morning yet, is it? Oliver and I’ll be here in case George the Horrible turns up.’

  As Emily looked at the house, she felt strangely reluctant to go inside. It seemed to belong to a stranger, someone she’d known years ago. It wasn’t hers any longer.

  She shivered as a terrible thought struck her. ‘Um, I know it’s cowardly but I don’t want to go inside at all if my nephew is there. I’m not in the best state to face him.’

  ‘I’ll go and check for you, shall I?’ Oliver turned towards the house.

  ‘George’s car isn’t there,’ Rachel said. ‘Only yours. It’s rather battered. George drove it back from the hotel where you had your fall. It looks as if you’d been in a car accident as well as the later fall. Maybe that’s why you were staying there.’

  Emily spread her hands in a gesture of puzzlement, wondering why she didn’t remember a car accident or a hotel. ‘They told me I fell down a flight of stairs at the hotel, but I don’t remember it. Post-traumatic amnesia, they call it. Minor. Just the accident and fall missing from my memories. Well, I think it was just the accident, and I don’t care if I never remember that.’

  ‘Do you have a house key?’ Oliver asked.

  ‘No. George took it out of my handbag, together with my purse.’ Anger surged up in her yet again at the high-handed behaviour of her nephew. ‘Rachel has a spare key, though.’

  ‘Not now, I don’t. George conned it out of me the first time he came here and refused to return it.’

  ‘I hid one behind the water butt as well, under a brick. When you live alone you become paranoid about getting locked out.’

  ‘I’ll get it.’ Rachel slipped out of the car and vanished round the back, returning almost immediately brandishing a key. ‘I know my way round the house, so I’ll help you check that no one’s there, Oliver. Though they’d surely have come out to confront us if they were.’

  ‘It won’t hurt to set Emily’s mind at rest,’ he murmured.

  They went into the house and after a short time, Rachel came back to the front door and beckoned. ‘All clear.’

  Chad looked exhausted, but his smile was warm as he looked at her. ‘I’d better sit down. Sorry I’m not much use. Pushed myself a bit far last night.’

  ‘But we did escape.’

  His smile became a gleeful grin. ‘Yes, we did. Sister Pauline must be furious.’

  ‘Let’s go into the kitchen first. I’m dying for a cup of tea.’ Automatically, Emily went to put the kettle on.

  Rachel took it out of her hand. ‘I’ll do that. You go round the place again with Oliver and check that everything’s all right. I think they’ve moved some of your furniture.’

  Emily went into the sitting room first and stared round indignantly. Rachel was right. They’d rearranged her furniture quite drastically.

  ‘I can see by the marks in the carpet that they’ve moved things,’ Oliver said quietly.

  ‘Yes. If I were staying here, I’d move them straight back.’

  Upstairs in the main bedroom there was no sign of Emily’s clothes or other possessions. The wardrobe was full of someone else’s garments, a man’s and a woman’s, graded neatly according to size and type. Presumably these were George and Marcia’s.

  ‘They’ve certainly made themselves at home,’ Oliver commented.

&nbs
p; ‘What have they done with my clothes?’

  They found them piled anyhow on the bed in one of the smaller bedrooms. Since the hangers were still attached to the clothes, it appeared George had simply dumped the wardrobe’s contents here.

  It was as if he hadn’t expected her to return at all.

  ‘Tea’s ready!’ Rachel called from the kitchen.

  They joined Chad at the breakfast bar and Emily sipped her tea, grateful for its warmth and fresh taste after the hospital’s offering, which always tasted stewed.

  ‘Are you sure you don’t want to call the police in about George taking over your house?’ Oliver asked.

  ‘No. For my sister’s sake I won’t do that. I’ll be content to keep him out of my house and life permanently. Maybe I could take out a restraining order or something to keep him away from me.’ She looked round, grimacing at the changes. ‘I wonder if I shall ever feel comfortable here again.’

  After another mouthful of tea, anger took over. ‘Can I throw their possessions out into the street, Oliver? Until I get rid of their things, it’s as if George and Marcia are still here. They must have got some of their stuff out of storage because there’s more than they could have brought on the plane.’

  ‘I don’t think you should do anything that might damage their possessions, like leaving them outside in the rain.’

  ‘Pity.’

  Chad set his cup down. ‘How about putting your nephew’s stuff into another storage facility and changing the locks so that he can’t get inside the house again?’

  Three people stared at him and began to smile.

  ‘What a brilliant idea!’ Emily said.

  Oliver nodded. ‘It’s very tempting. And that wouldn’t be against the law.’

  ‘Let’s do it, then.’ But before Emily could stand up, a yawn overtook her suddenly.

  ‘Why don’t you and Chad have a nap? Oliver and I can make a start on clearing their clothes and other things out,’ Rachel suggested. ‘When you wake, you can check everything.’

  ‘I’d like to shower and change my clothes first,’ Emily said.

  Chad looked down at himself ruefully. ‘I don’t have anything to change into.’

  Oliver studied him. ‘We’re about the same height, though you’re a bit thinner than me. I brought an overnight case, so I’ll lend you some clothes till you can buy more. If you don’t mind wearing them, that is. I wonder what’s happened to your money?’

  ‘I don’t know. I presume my wallet was stolen when I was beaten up. Unlike Emily, I’m definitely going to contact the police.’

  ‘I’d advise you not to do that until you’ve consulted a doctor.’

  ‘Why do I need to see another doctor?’

  ‘You both do, to prove that you’re in your right mind, should the need arise. You seem fine to me, but I’m a lawyer. If anyone tries to get you back into hospital, it’s a doctor’s opinion that will keep you out.’

  ‘Oh. I suppose you’re right, but I feel as if I’ve seen enough doctors to last me a lifetime. Only . . . now I come to think of it, it was mainly nurses I saw, except for that doctor with the nervous twitch.’

  ‘I couldn’t stand him,’ Emily said. ‘He treated me like an idiot.’

  ‘Yes. And he didn’t seem to hear what I said.’

  ‘Perhaps he’s in it with Pauline.’

  ‘Or just jaded and turning a blind eye.’ Chad looked across the room. ‘We’ll do as you suggest, Oliver. No way are they getting me back inside.’

  ‘Better safe than sorry,’ Emily agreed. ‘We’re giving you a lot of trouble, Oliver.’

  He shrugged. ‘Look. Truth to tell, I was bored and feeling sorry for myself till I got involved with you folk. I think this is going to be a rather interesting series of events.’

  ‘The more the merrier,’ Emily said. But she was looking at Chad as she spoke.

  ‘Are you really, truly sure?’ he asked in a low voice. ‘I don’t want to be a burden.’

  ‘Very sure. I’ll feel much safer if I have someone living with me.’

  Rachel nudged Oliver and winked. The other two didn’t notice, so after giving them a moment or two, she spoke loudly enough to catch their attention. ‘That’s settled, then. Come and lie down in the sitting room. I’ll fetch you some blankets.’

  ‘We can’t sleep all the time,’ Emily protested, fed up of wasting her life doing nothing.

  ‘It’s your choice what you do from now on, but you’ve had a very stressful night and you’re not fully recovered yet.’

  Oh, how blissful it was to be in charge of her own life again! Emily thought as she settled down on the sofa. Then she sat up again, on a sudden idea. Should she ring her former boss and tell him what had happened? Leon would help her clear up this mess, she was sure. No. She’d told him she could manage her own life. She didn’t want to admit that she’d landed in trouble.

  She had no idea what the place in Lancashire was like, because she’d not been close to her much older relative, apart from meeting at an occasional family function.

  She wriggled down into a comfortable position. She was too tired to ask any more questions. The answers would still be waiting when she woke up. The sofa was so comfortable . . . she’d often fallen asleep on it watching TV. She closed her eyes and let her worries slip away . . . just for a little while.

  Five

  Emily was woken a couple of hours later by the front door bell. She could see through the living-room window that it was her neighbour from across the road, a man she’d never got on with. He wouldn’t be here to wish her well, she was sure. He only usually came across to ask her to join him in complaining about something to the council.

  Rachel answered the door, but Emily wasn’t having anyone else dealing with Mr Teddington for her, so got up and straightened her clothes.

  There was no sign of Chad on the other sofa, but she could hear water running upstairs in the bathroom.

  ‘George asked me to keep an eye on the place,’ her neighbour was saying. ‘He told me no one had permission to come into his house. So what are you doing here, Mrs Fenwick?’

  Emily went out into the hall and pulled the front door wide open. ‘Rachel’s helping me settle in. I suppose I am allowed to move back into my own house, Mr Teddington?’

  He gaped at her, his mouth opening and shutting like a stranded fish’s. ‘George said you’d not be able to come home again, that you’d need . . . looking after.’ He was staring at her suspiciously.

  So he was on first name terms with her nephew. She’d never attempted to get friendly with Teddington or his wife, who were a pair of snobs. ‘George was wrong. I don’t have dementia, if that’s what he told you, and I’m perfectly capable of looking after myself now that I’ve recovered from my accident. You can tell him that when you ring him up to let him know we’re here.’

  He flushed, which told her that her guess about what he was going to do was correct.

  Oliver moved Rachel gently to one side and joined Emily on the doorstep. ‘I’m Ms Mattison’s lawyer and I’d advise you not to interfere at all, Mr— er?’ He glanced at Emily.

  ‘Teddington.’

  ‘Mr Teddington,’ he repeated. ‘You don’t want to find yourself involved in legal action later on. Mr Pilby had no right to move in here. It isn’t his house and his aunt didn’t give him permission. Did you even check that he was her nephew?’

  There was silence as the man stared from one to the other then backed away. ‘None of my business.’ He walked across the road, shoulders hunched, hands thrust deep in his pockets.

  ‘How dare he poke his nose into my affairs?’ Emily muttered. ‘I might have known he would get friendly with George. They both think they’re better than anyone else.’

  Oliver laid one hand on her shoulder. ‘Ignore him. I’ve got some good news, for a change. I’ve found a company which will pick up and store your nephew’s possessions today! Rachel and I have got most of them sorted out. We dumped them in the dining r
oom. We just need you to check a few things.’

  Emily felt instantly better. ‘Wow, you must have worked quickly. Thank you so much.’

  ‘It was a pleasure.’

  Chad came downstairs to join them, hair damp from a shower. He looked younger, even though Oliver’s clothes hung rather loosely on him, and his colour was much better for even that couple of hours’ rest.

  She smiled at him. ‘Are you all right?’

  ‘I’m fine, though my muscles are protesting a bit about the extra exercise yesterday. How about you?’

  ‘I’m better than I’ve been for a long time. But like you, I’m out of practice at being active.’ Emily turned as the noise of an electric drill started up from the back of the house. ‘What’s happening?’

  It was Oliver who answered. ‘We took your consent for granted and hired a security company to do a rush job on this place.’ He gestured as a man came into the hall and opened the fuse box under the stairs. ‘This is Terry. Terry, meet the owner, Emily Mattison.’

  The man raised one hand in a quick salute and turned back to deal with some extra wiring.

  ‘Terry and his staff are not only changing the door locks,’ Oliver went on, ‘but setting up a basic security system on the ground floor. Your nephew won’t get in again unless he breaks a window, and if he does, the police will be called automatically, because the place will be monitored 24/7.’

  She clapped her hands together at that news. ‘Oh, I do wish I could see George’s face when he finds out his key doesn’t work.’

  ‘I think you’d be wise to avoid a confrontation for the time being.’

  ‘Yes. I know. I’ll just have to imagine the scene. George will go bright red and swell up with anger.’

  ‘I can pay the security company for you and then take it out of the estate later.’

  ‘No need. At least, there won’t be a need if my second credit card is still in its hiding place. I’m hoping George didn’t find it.’ She went to the bookcase, which had a false panel behind some of the smaller books on a lower shelf. As she opened it, she sighed in relief. ‘He hasn’t discovered this lot, thank goodness.’

  Both men looked at her in surprise.