She's Out

by La Plante, Lynda

  Chapter 14

  Connie was doing up her blouse and Jim his trousers at the same time as he closed the gates for the nine-thirty express to pass through. John stood at the level crossing, waiting, impatient that he’d just missed the orange light. As it turned to red, he looked at the signal box, as if to blame it for his being held up, and saw her, laughing, her arms wrapped around the attendant. He was stunned. He kept blinking, sure he must have been mistaken. It wasn’t his Connie up there, was it?

  Connie skipped down the steps, looked up and blew a kiss, then hurried towards the taxi rank. She was in the cab heading for the manor when the gates opened and didn’t see John charge up the steps of the signal box or witness his embarrassment when Jim opened the door.

  ‘Connie here, is she?’ John blurted out.

  Jim covered well. If she had been caught in there with him, he’d have been in trouble. Not that he knew who the big broad-shouldered bloke was. He just acted dumb.

  ‘No, nobody here but me, why?’

  John looked past him into the hut. ‘No reason. Sorry, mate. Sorry to bother you.’

  He walked down the steps, then stopped. Jim was still at the door. He wanted to say she was his, but decided against it. Better to make sure that she was before he threw his weight about.

  Jim knew he’d have to ask Connie about the bloke but only when the time was right. They’d not even been out on a proper date yet. Half of him still couldn’t believe what had taken place – he’d never experienced anything like it. Blown in his own signal box! But there was no one he could tell, especially not anyone from the company as he’d be fired on the spot. It had happened though, and as if to assure himself that it really had he drew Connie’s lacy panties from his pocket.

  ‘Shit, I forgot me knickers,’ Connie said as she walked into the house, slamming the front door. They weren’t worth going back for. She called out she was home, then hurried into the kitchen and began to draw on the back of an envelope everything she could remember. She was just finishing when she heard the front doorbell ring.

  Ester came in, looking perplexed. ‘I didn’t hear a car, did you, Connie?’

  ‘No. Who do you think it is?’

  Dolly appeared on the landing. ‘Answer it, Ester.’

  Ester pushed Connie forward. ‘You answer, just in case.’

  Dolly thumped down the stairs as the bell rang again. She went for the door and swung it open. Angela stood on the doorstep. ‘I’m sorry, I got no other place to go – thumbed a lift back.’

  ‘Well, love, you can thumb one right out again,’ Dolly replied.

  Connie felt sorry for Angela. ‘Ah, let her stay for just one night.’

  Ester scowled. ‘You joking? No way, chuck her out, Dolly.’

  ‘Oh, please don’t! I’ll cook and clean, I promise.’

  Dolly opened the door wider. ‘Right, one night. Go up on to the top floor. Your old room’s gone so use another, then come down and clean up the kitchen and make us some dinner.’

  Angela almost kissed her hand but Dolly stepped away, letting the door bang shut.

  ‘You must be mad,’ Ester said, going back into the drawing room.

  Connie smiled at Angela but got pushed into the room by Dolly. ‘Give us a call when it’s ready, will you, love?’ Dolly said as she went into the drawing room.

  Gloria clattered in. ‘I don’t fucking believe that girl’s cheek. I just seen her making up her bed.’

  ‘Just for tonight,’ Dolly said.

  ‘What? Are you crazy?’

  Julia yawned. ‘Well, the kitchen’s a mess, the kids’ room’s a mess, we need somebody to cook, do all the ironing and washing, plus she’s going to cook dinner so that should keep her occupied for one night, anyway.’

  Dolly sat down, took out her notebook, and flicked through it.

  ‘Bit bleedin’ risky, isn’t it?’ Gloria said, warming herself by the fire. That boyfriend of hers – what if he’s sent her?’

  Dolly looked up. ‘You want to hear him? He’s got problems, his wife … But so far he’s not made any calls to his station about us. I think we got the bloke by the balls.’

  They focused on Dolly as she took out the tape and slipped it into the small cassette player.

  ‘You got him taped?’ Ester said.

  ‘Didn’t I tell you? Have a listen.’

  ‘You got him taped at his house? What about at his nick? It’s not who’s he’s calling at his home that’d worry me but what he and his mates are doing.’

  Dolly said nothing because she knew Ester was right.

  They sat round listening to Susan and Mike arguing. They all laughed, apart from Ester, as if it was a joke. They even heard his kids yelling. Dolly left them to it, went to the kitchen to have a private confab with Angela. She could feel Ester’s eyes on her and it unnerved her slightly, only because she knew Ester was right: Mike had also to be monitored at his station.

  Angela was working herself into a sweat, washing dishes, scrubbing the floor, cleaning all the surfaces, as if to prove she was worth her keep.

  ‘You want to stay on, do you?’ Dolly asked, as she drew out a chair to sit at the kitchen table.

  ‘Yes. I’ll do anything to make up for what I done, anything. I know you won’t ever forgive me but …’ Angela sat opposite Dolly, trying to explain about the baby and Mike, but Dolly took her hand.

  ‘Shut up. Now, are you still seeing him?’ Angela shook her head.

  ‘I see. Well, you might have to prove yourself, Angela – not just to me but to the others. Does he know you were driving that car that killed Jimmy Donaldson?’

  ‘No! I hate him, Dolly, really, I wouldn’t help him. I swear on my life I wouldn’t.’

  Dolly propped an elbow on the table. ‘Well, you remember this, Angela, because if you betray me again, if I find out that you’re grassin’ back to him, then you’ll go down for murder and I’ll make sure of it. You understand, don’t you?’

  Angela felt scared but she nodded. In truth, she didn’t have anywhere to go – even her mum had refused to let her stay. The manor was the only place she had been able to come to, and she clung to Dolly’s hand. ‘I’ll make it up to you, I swear I will. I’ll do whatever you want.’

  ‘Good girl. I want you to keep house, feed us and take care of Kathleen’s girls. And I will need you to do a few things for me.’

  The women had obviously been talking about Dolly because when she returned they fell silent. She picked up her notebook.

  ‘Dinner’s not ready yet so let’s get this sorted before we eat.’ She asked each of them about their day, making copious notes, frowning at Ester who, she felt, had not done enough. She was told to go out the next day and get more information on the carriage links.

  ‘Good work on the cesspit, Gloria and Julia.’

  They felt a little like schoolgirls and didn’t enjoy it.

  Dolly then turned her attention to Connie. She was more than pleased with her sketches and that the lime was on order and on its way. The hastily drawn diagrams were not yet good enough, they needed far better ones and descriptions of the security measures, the alarms and codes used to contact the local police. Connie agreed she would have another evening with Jim – even spend the afternoon with him because he wasn’t on duty until four thirty.

  That’s not written down here, Connie,’ Dolly said sternly.

  ‘Well, I just told you.’

  ‘That’s not good enough. Put everything down so I can check it all out. Is that understood?’

  Dolly began to allocate them the next day’s jobs, to be fitted in as well as the two rides already booked. She ticked off each item. She wanted Julia to get hold of Norma’s police cape and, if possible, her hat.

  ‘We could hire some,’ offered Julia.

  ‘Yes, we could, and be seen doing it. Don’t keep questioning me – just get on with what I tell you to do and don’t argue.’

  It might not be that easy.’

  ‘Why not? I
’ve seen it in the back of her truck. Go and keep her friendly, just like Connie’s doing with the signal box attendant. Plus, Connie, keep your eye on those shotguns at the gym. Go there tomorrow – just keep checking them.’

  Dolly continued down the list and then told Julia to accompany them on the rides the following day. ‘Who’s looking after the kids?’ she asked.

  ‘Angela, and don’t argue. Until I say different she stays. We need her, and somebody’s got to keep them happy and well looked after.’

  ‘I think that’s a mistake,’ said Ester.

  Dolly snapped her book shut. ‘Do you? Well, Ester, driving around in a stolen car is not just a mistake but bloody stupid. You could have been picked up in it. You think that Tommy wouldn’t have told me, that I wouldn’t check up on the two of you? And that’s something you all got to start thinking about, I will check up on everything I ask you to do and I’ll keep on checking until I’m satisfied.’

  ‘Fine, who’s checking up on you?’ said Ester.

  Dolly’s voice was icy quiet. ‘You want to question me, Ester, then you can pack your gear and leave right now. Either we do this my way or we don’t do it at all.’

  Angela tapped on the door and peeped round. ‘Dinner’s on the table,’ she said meekly, and scuttled out.

  They all started to head for the door, but Dolly caught Ester by the arm. ‘Just a second, love, I want a word.’ The others left the room.

  Ester stood, hands on her hips. ‘Don’t get me wrong, Dolly, I’m not questioning who’s the boss. I just have a few more brains than some of the others.’

  ‘Do you?’ Dolly sighed. ‘I already said I don’t call wheelin’ around in a hot car very clever, and I don’t call having blokes arrive and knock the hell out of Gloria very clever either.’

  ‘What you want me to do?’ Ester said angrily.

  ‘I want you to sort out this blackmail business. We can’t afford to have loose ends. What have you got on them?’

  ‘I told you, it’s a video tape.’

  ‘Take it back. Clear it all up, Ester, or the whole thing is off. I mean it. Something like this could bring us all down.’

  ‘Oh, yeah? And what about you and this copper? I know you’ve done something with him. That’s why you got his home bugged.’

  Dolly rubbed her eyes. ‘Sort out the tape, Ester. Tomorrow. By then I’ll have some information from this copper, and I’ll know more. But you’re right, I am using him but I just don’t know how far we can trust him.’

  ‘What are you doing, then?’

  Dolly gave a strange half-smile. ‘Taking a leaf out of your book. Just playing it, see how it pans out!’

  She left Ester disgruntled and uneasy: she didn’t trust Dolly or like her handing out the orders. She wasn’t used to being the underdog.

  They ate in silence. They were all tired out and Angela crept round like a wounded dog. She’d noticed all the riding boots and, trying to make conversation, asked if she could maybe have a ride on Helen of Troy.

  ‘Not right now, Angela. You’re not that welcome back yet,’ Dolly said sweetly.

  We’re all trying to get into the local hunt.’ Ester said it as a joke but she was taken aback when Dolly agreed.

  ‘Yes, we’re getting into the country way of life. It’s doing us a lot of good.

  Hooded looks flitted across the table and conversation flagged again.

  Dolly walked with Julia in the darkness up through the woods and down to the railway line. ‘Bring her up to the line, Julia. See if she really is as bomb-proof as that Norma said.’

  Julia agreed, uncertain why Dolly had asked her to walk with her. She was tired out but right now felt it was better simply to agree with whatever Dolly said.

  They looked down the railway line to the small bridge, the wide lake, and back to the level crossing. They said nothing but their minds were racing. Dolly was trying to assimilate in quick flashing pictures exactly how she intended holding up the train. Julia could see only disaster. She reckoned that with or without the horse it was going to be impossible.

  ‘I think we’ll need a boat – that’s another expense,’ Dolly said, almost to herself.

  Julia looked back at the lake, trying to read Dolly’s mind, but she was already heading back to the manor. Surely … Julia mused, surely she wasn’t going to hold up the train on the bridge. If so, why did she need them to ride?

  The following morning Julia couldn’t stop sniggering. They were worse than she had anticipated – even with more than eight hours of lessons they were incapable of cantering and all still seemed very ill at ease. They were still on the leading-rein, none good enough to ride alone.

  Julia rode towards Dolly and said quietly, ‘I hope you’ve got a plan that now excludes the horses, Dolly, because none of you could make it across the fields. There’s five sets of hedges to jump and—’

  Dolly pushed her horse past Julia. ‘I’ll tell you when I’ve changed my mind and instead of smiling at us like we were stupid kids, start helping. Better still, ask if you can take over teaching without that spotty stable girl, she’s as bad as you with her smirking.’

  Dolly might have sounded positive but she wobbled dangerously. Julia didn’t laugh – she didn’t dare. Dolly had that look of angry determination on her face, the one she wore when you knew it wasn’t worth arguing with her.

  That afternoon Julia took over the lesson and she was a much better teacher than the stable girl. For one, she was a lot tougher and shouted when they made a mistake, but she soon had them cantering. Gloria came off but she got back on after Julia screamed at her and Julia had to hand it to her – she kept on with a look of grim fury on her face, which was good. It was the first time she hadn’t looked scared to death.

  Angela had hot soup ready and waiting. The children had been given their tea and were playing outside, brushing and clearing the yard for yet more fifty pences. When they were halfway through eating the soup, the telephone rang and Ester, as always, dived out to see who it was, wanting to be ahead of anyone else. She called that it was for Julia, and went upstairs for a bath. She leaned over the banister as Julia went to the phone. ‘I presume it was your mother, she asked if you were in surgery! Haw, haw, haw.’

  Julia picked up the receiver. It wasn’t her mother but the housekeeper, who was upset. Julia’s mother had had a stroke, and was very ill.

  ‘My mother’s ill,’ Julia said unemotionally. The women all looked at her. ‘A stroke. I’ll have to go and sort it out. Can I use your car, Gloria?’

  ‘No, you can’t,’ Dolly said, clearing the plates.

  ‘Well, I’ll take the truck.’

  Dolly turned and smiled. ‘Why not ask that friend of yours, Norma? Maybe she’ll drive you over – be a good chance to talk to her.’

  Julia shrugged. ‘Okay, but I don’t know if she’s around, she may be on duty.’

  Dolly ran the water in the sink. ‘Don’t forget we need the riding cape and her hat.’

  ‘I hadn’t forgotten, Dolly. I’ll give her a call, see if she’s at home.’

  Norma opened the front door, smilingly. ‘Hi there.’ Julia explained what had happened to her mother. ‘You’re in luck, I’m off for two days so it’s no problem.’

  ‘I appreciate this,’ Julia said, stepping into the neat cottage hallway.

  Norma picked up her coat and car keys. Julia noticed that her police cape and hat were stashed in the back of the vehicle. She had no idea how she would go about removing it but that was the least of her problems: first came her elderly mother. ‘Just one thing, Norma, about my old lady. She doesn’t know I was in prison, she still thinks I run a practice.’

  ‘You mean she didn’t ever know you were in prison?’

  ‘Why upset her? It was better this way.’

  Norma turned into the road and they drove off. ‘I hear you had another visit from the locals?’

  Julia gave her a sidelong look. ‘Yeah, that’s right. First they thought we were hiding som
e diamonds, then guns. It was a waste of time and money all round.’

  Norma nodded. ‘Mrs Rawlins has quite a reputation.’

  ‘Oh, have you been checking up on us?’

  Norma swore as they drew up by the station level crossing. ‘Oh, bugger it. Let’s hope it’s not the mail train.’

  They sat silent, watching the gates clang shut, and then Julia leaned back in her seat, slipping her arm behind Norma. They have a lot of security on for the mail train?’

  Norma pointed along the road. ‘Yes, but as you can see, it’s quite simple. That’s why they pick on this station, no easy access for any car coming up either side of it and they’d never get as far as the motorway, the place is alarmed all along the track, special link to the police station. They can be here in under four minutes.’

  ‘Really?’ Julia said, feigning disinterest.

  ‘You know why they use the security vans?’

  ‘No?’

  ‘Because of the vulnerability of the big stations. Last big robbery was at King’s Cross so now they have armoured trucks, police escort to an out-of-the-way station like ours, then they put the bags on board and it’s a clear run through all the stations. Train goes at around eighty miles an hour.’

  Julia began to caress Norma’s neck. Well, thankfully it’s not the mail train today, no coppers, just you!’ She leaned over and kissed Norma, embracing her as the passenger train moved on down the line until the gates opened and they continued on, passing Raymond Dewey on his little stool. He waved to Julia and she waved back.

  ‘Poor sod, what a life,’ she said.

  ‘Oh, he’s happy enough,’ Norma said, and then touched Julia’s hand lightly. ‘I’m glad you called.’

  ‘So am I,’ Julia replied, then stared out of the window. It was going to be a long drive and Norma irritated the hell out of her.

  Dolly asked Connie to come in for a chat. She closed the bedroom door. ‘You’re seeing that signal box bloke tonight, aren’t you?’