Murder In Law

by Veronica Heley

  Rafael closed the front door behind them, gently. Very controlled.

  Susan burst into tears of relief. She covered both children’s faces with kisses and tears. Both children reacted with smiles.

  Jenny bounced in Susan’s arms.

  Fifi looked up at her mother with a look of mild anxiety.

  Rafael collapsed on to a kitchen stool. ‘Here’s another fine mess you’ve got me into. How many laws have I managed to break today? Won’t they come back with the police to take Jenny? We ought to have handed her over and told them where to find Evan, but we didn’t. All because you have a heart made of butter.’

  Susan bent over to kiss the top of his head. ‘My hero!’

  Rafael took Jenny from Susan and sat her on his lap. Jenny settled into the curve of his arm. He dried her tears and she put up one hand to rest against him. Her eyelids drooped.

  ‘Cuckoo! Cuckoo,’ said Rafael, in a soft tone at odds with the sentiment.

  Jenny mouthed, ‘Uh-oo. Uh-oo.’

  Susan said, in a hushed voice, ‘She’ll drop off to sleep again with any luck. But Rafael, what are we going to do? Did you locate Little Evan’s nursery?’

  ‘Yes. They said he was collected as usual.’

  ‘What? But Diana couldn’t—’

  ‘I don’t suppose Diana ever does. It would have been his nanny who collected him.’

  ‘But surely Diana would have known that. Why involve Social Services? And where’s the little boy now? Oh, I suppose the nanny took him back home with her.’

  ‘In which case, the police would have known where she could be found and wouldn’t have sent Social Services looking for him. I’ve tried Evan’s home number. It went to voicemail. If Evan’s died, then … I’m not sure what will have happened to the house. Wouldn’t the police have closed it off as a crime scene while they interviewed Diana?’

  Susan kissed the top of her baby’s head. ‘Normally I’d take Fifi out for a walk now. It’s raining, though that doesn’t bother us now, does it? But … what do we do with the Cuckoo? We’ve only got one baby buggy and one highchair.’

  ‘Which reminds me,’ said Rafael. ‘Diana did bring those bags of stuff. Perhaps there’s a soft toy or two which the Cuckoo likes to hold to give her a sense of security or whatever. Come on, Cuckoo, let’s investigate, shall we?’

  No sooner had he sat Jenny on the floor and torn open the first bag, than the child reached out for a somewhat grimy lop-eared pink and white soft toy which might originally have been meant to resemble a rabbit of the Disney variety … and at that very moment the front doorbell rang.

  This time it was the expected food delivery, so the two children were dumped in the playpen and left to their own devices while the goods were sorted and stowed.

  As they did so, Susan told Rafael about the missed calls on his smartphone. He frowned. He said he got a lot of cold calls and put the phone in his pocket. But he whistled through his teeth as he got rid of the empty bags. Susan knew Rafael didn’t make that noise unless he was seriously disturbed about something.

  She said, ‘You’re all right?’

  He snapped at her. ‘Of course I am.’ And then softened to a smile. ‘Yes, of course I am.’ He gave her a hug and went to disembowel the rest of the bags Diana had dumped on them.

  He was not telling her whatever it was that he was worried about. Susan shrugged. His business was his business. Babies were hers.

  Babies, babies. Where was the nanny? Jenny didn’t seem to have many words yet. There was no point in asking her.

  Susan had been afraid that the two babes might fight, even though they were probably too young to take much notice of one another, but as soon as the Cuckoo had clasped the floppy-eared rabbit to herself, she’d been content, crooning to herself. Fifi watched, wide-eyed and open-mouthed. Fifi had never bothered with soft toys with the exception of the Gonk which slept in her cot beside her.

  Fifi decided that their visitor wasn’t particularly interesting and could be ignored. Instead, she practised pulling herself up and standing still, looking at the room from a different perspective.

  As Susan put the last of the food delivery away, Rafael started his brand-new coffee machine, and announced, ‘I’ve looked through the stuff Diana has brought for the children. We have nightwear and a change of day clothes. There are shoes for Little Evan, but none for the Cuckoo. There’s a plastic toy train set and a pack of nappies. Whoever packed this lot up didn’t do a particularly good job of it. I think it’s time to confess that we have been obstructing justice and let Lesley sort this mess out.’

  ‘Hold on a mo.’ Susan looked around wildly. ‘I think I know how to contact the nanny. The latest one is … Now, what’s her name? Italian, Balkan? I suppose I’ve seen all the nannies who worked for Diana from time to time, when they dropped the children off for Ellie to look after. They’ve never lasted long, pour souls. Now, the nursery must have details of whoever is to deliver and collect Diana’s children, so we could ask them to …’

  ‘Got it!’ Rafael was off down the corridor before she finished speaking. She followed him. There was no blind at the window here, and it was getting dark outside.

  He checked a note he’d left on his desk and attacked his mobile. ‘If the worst comes to the worst, I suppose we could phone Ellie, who’s sure to have the nanny’s details somewhere. What’s the time on the East Coast of America now? Ah, here’s the nursery’s number.’ He pressed digits. ‘What’s the girl’s name?’

  ‘She’s Italian, I think. Lucy? Lucia? Something like that. I only saw her once. Diana took her on just before Ellie left. Hopefully, it’s still the same one. Italian? No, maybe Scandinavian?’

  ‘They’re slow answering the phone. Pray God they’re not closed for the day. What was the girl like?’

  ‘Drippy. Long straight blonde hair that could have done with a wash. Rather sweet and gentle.’

  ‘I suppose it suited Diana to have a nanny she could boss around, someone who wasn’t pretty enough to appeal to her husband.’ A voice answered the phone at the other end, and he said, ‘Oh, hello. It’s Rafael again. You remember I rang this morning to see if …’

  Susan shot back to check on the children in the living room. They were fine. Rafael followed her, clicking off his mobile. ‘Got it. Her name is Lucia, and they had her number on file. I’ll ring her direct, shall I?’ He pressed digits.

  The phone rang and rang. At long last, a faint voice said, ‘Hello?’

  Rafael handed his phone to Susan, saying, ‘You’d better speak to her. At least she’ll know who you are.’

  Susan said, ‘Lucia, this is Susan here. We moved in with Ellie and Thomas, you remember?’

  ‘Yes. Please, what is happening?’

  ‘We’re not sure. Diana asked us to look after the children. We have Jenny safe and sound but—’

  Lucia was crying. ‘She says to go! But it rains and we walk and walk and we are so wet and tired.’

  ‘Ah, you have Little Evan with you?’

  ‘I try to take him home but policeman say to go away and I not know what to do.’

  ‘Get a taxi,’ said Susan. ‘Come here, to Ellie’s old house. You know where that is?’

  ‘I can’t. I have no money.’

  THREE

  Friday afternoon

  Susan said, ‘Tell the taxi driver we’ll pay. Give him our phone number if he argues.’

  The phone clicked off. Rafael chanted, ‘Now what have you done? Here’s another fine mess you’ve got me into!’

  Susan was counting on her fingers. ‘We’ll put Lucia in the guestroom at the front. There is a bed in there, though it isn’t made up, but that won’t take long. Little Evan is big enough to sleep in the bed in the nursery at the back with the girls. The Cuckoo can sleep in Fifi’s cot, and Fifi can make do with the baby buggy for tonight.’

  ‘Coo-oo!’ That was Jenny, clutching her rabbit or whatever it was, and raising her free arm to Rafael. She wanted to be picked up and
cuddled, didn’t she?

  ‘Oo-oo!’ That was Fifi, mimicking Jenny.

  Susan gave a little scream. ‘Her first word! Yes, my darling. “Oo-oo!”’

  ‘Oo-oo!’ from both children.

  Rafael picked Jenny up. ‘Now look what you’ve done, Susan. The child will think my name is Cuckoo.’

  Susan said, ‘It was your idea.’ She kissed the top of Fifi’s head. ‘Clever girl! We’ll manage, somehow, won’t we?’

  ‘What are we going to say when the police come to arrest us for stealing Cuckoo?’

  ‘Co-oo.’ Jenny beamed at him, showing pretty new teeth.

  Susan said, ‘Lesley must be busy. I’ll leave her a voicemail, saying we’ve now managed to find the two children, that Diana has asked us to look after them, and we assume that that’s all right by Social Services.’

  Rafael said, ‘That might work. Depends on how much we’ve pissed off Madam Horsey Teeth as to whether she gives up or not. By the way, have you any cash to pay the taxi?’

  ‘I doubt it.’

  Rafael started back to his den. ‘I’ll get some from the safe.’ Rafael believed in prevention rather than cure and had spent some considerable time building a safe into the foundations of his study and disguising it.

  Prompt on cue, the doorbell rang.

  Susan went to answer it, carrying Fifi.

  At the last minute, she panicked, fearing it might be Social Services or the police, and not the taxi … but no, this time it was all right.

  A limp-looking teenager with long straggly hair inched herself out of the cab. She had a hefty-looking rucksack on her back and looked as if she’d fall over if she weren’t careful. She was followed by a small, fair-haired boy who didn’t seem to know where he was or what was going on. Both were drenched to the skin. Both too tired to speak.

  Taxi drivers don’t usually help passengers out of their cab unless they’re expecting a large tip, but this one took the girl’s arm and helped her into the house. He was a stocky individual, with close-cropped, fawn-coloured hair and bright eyes in a brown face which had seen a lot of life.

  Susan recognized him. She didn’t have much call to take taxis, but Ellie did and this was her favourite driver. Being Ellie, she’d heard all about him and his family, information which she had passed on to Susan. So Susan was pleased to see him now. She said, ‘Sorry to call you out on such a horrible day. Are you OK, and the family?’

  He said, ‘Fine, fine. Not so sure about these two. They’ve dripped all over my seats. Strictly speaking, I oughter have took them to hospital.’

  Susan caught the boy as he tottered. She helped him in out of the rain, slamming the front door behind her. ‘Oh dear. You’re right. Except that a long wait in A&E wouldn’t do them any good, would it? My husband’s getting some money for you now.’

  Little Evan was shivering. His chin quivered. He was wearing a soaked jacket and short trousers. He stood in the hall and dripped.

  The girl stumbled forward. Eyelids at half mast, she made it to the bottom of the stairs and collapsed. She dripped, too.

  Susan said, ‘Can you tell us what’s happened, Lucia?’

  The girl didn’t respond. She was sparrow thin, paper white and shivering.

  A phone rang. Susan and Rafael ignored it.

  One-handed, Susan dumped Fifi into her buggy, and managed to heave Little Evan astride on to her hip, while saying to the taxi driver, ‘Thank you for bringing them here. Their mother asked us to look after the children for a while but she didn’t say anything about their nanny and I don’t know …’ She cast a look of doubt at the girl who didn’t look capable of looking after herself, never mind a child.

  The taxi driver said, ‘I don’t like to leave you …’

  Susan said, ‘Their mother’s bound to ring soon. We’ve only just moved in here and not everything works yet, but I think there should be enough hot water to give them each a bath. Then we’ll feed them and put them to bed. We’ll manage, somehow. I’m sorry to keep you waiting.’

  Another phone rang. Susan’s mobile? Where had she left it?

  The taxi driver shifted from foot to foot. He wouldn’t leave without his money.

  Another ring at the doorbell. Who could that be? A van had drawn up behind the taxi. Susan managed to get the door open, one-handed. Was it the plumber? Alas, no.

  A strange delivery man. ‘Package for next door. Sign here.’

  A stray gust of wind caught the front door and sent a blast of cold air through the house.

  Fifi, who hadn’t been properly buckled into the baby buggy, tried to stand up … and toppled over …

  She was going to tumble, head-first on to the floor until …

  Susan dropped Little Evan and caught Fifi as she fell. ‘Oh, my love! There, there!’ How could she have been so remiss! Fifi might have hurt herself seriously!

  Little Evan collapsed on to the floor. He closed his eyes, opened his mouth and yelled. He had a good, penetrating yell on him. The tired yell of a child in despair.

  Susan didn’t know what to do. She cuddled Fifi, who had had a bad fright. She crouched down to pull Little Evan to her as well. Fifi took a deep breath and held it.

  It was always a bad sign when a child falls silent after a fall.

  ‘Just sign here,’ said the delivery man, having no intention of getting involved.

  ‘Oh, my love! It’s all right, it’s all right!’ Susan rubbed Fifi’s back. Fifi let fly with a scream which rose without effort above Little Evan’s yell.

  ‘Here!’ insisted the delivery man, holding out his paperwork and ignoring the chaos around him. ‘It’s big. It’ll take two of you to bring it in, maybe.’ And he wasn’t going to be one of them, was he?

  The taxi driver scratched his neck. He wasn’t going to offer, and he wasn’t going to leave till he got his money.

  Fifi gulped air, and wept.

  Little Evan’s yell subsided a notch. He wept into Susan’s shoulder. ‘Wa-wa-wa!’

  The nanny also howled, but not very loudly. It seemed she hadn’t any energy left for a good, long-drawn-out, wolf-like howl.

  Rafael returned, bearing the Cuckoo on one arm, and talking on his phone. ‘Yes, yes … No, we’re not going anywhere!’

  ‘Sign here!’ said the delivery man, turning on Rafael.

  Rafael handed the taxi driver a couple of notes. ‘Thank you. We really appreciate that.’

  Rafael then looked at the delivery note the van driver was holding out and said, ‘Does this look like a hotel? Right number. Wrong street. Road, not Avenue. It’s the first building round the corner in the next road.’

  ‘You can take it in for them, can’t you?’

  ‘I regret. No.’ Rafael held the front door open for the van driver to leave, which he did. Rain blew into the hall. Rafael shut the door, muttering about the non-existent porch.

  Susan tried to stand. Didn’t make it. She held her baby in one arm and a small-but-heavy boy in the other. Susan appealed to the nanny. ‘Lucia, can you help me?’

  Lucia had curled up into a ball. The rucksack on her back made her look as if she’d grown a hump. She was out of it, full stop.

  Susan thought: If only Ellie had been here! Ellie always knew what to do in an emergency. Ellie said it was all a question of relying on the Man Upstairs. Or was it a woman nowadays? Susan wasn’t at all sure she believed in All That, but in an emergency, she was prepared to give it a go.

  So she drew the two children even closer to her, and muttered, ‘Please, Lord! If you can spare a moment?’

  The taxi driver stowed his money away with slow, deliberate movements. ‘Mrs Quicke still away in Canada? I thought she’d be back by now.’

  ‘That was the plan, but they got held up with this and that.’

  He said, ‘Looks like you could do with some help with those kids. My daughter Coralie, she’s got her First Aid certificates. Scouts and Guides and stuff. She’ll be home from school now. She’s sixteen, good with kids, wants to w
ork with them when she leaves school. Would you like her to give you a hand? I could get her round here in half an hour, maybe.’

  Rafael produced another note. ‘You fetch her and we’ll be forever grateful.’

  The taxi driver left, letting in another gust of cold air.

  Susan wondered if they’d ever see him or their money again … but at least the phones had stopped ringing. Both of them.

  Blessed silence! Small sniffles and sobs from the children. A steady drip of water on to the brand-new wooden floor … which Susan noted and told herself that when she’d got a minute, she must clean it up, because water marked wood.

  She made another effort to stand. And failed. Evan was too heavy to lift from where she sat on the floor. She said, ‘They need to go in a hot bath, to be dressed in warm clothes, fed and watered and put to bed.’

  Rafael nodded. ‘I’ll take Little Evan, shall I?’ He tried to unstick Jenny, who objected, screaming, ‘No! Co-oh! Co-oh!’ He detached her with some difficulty, held her out at arms’ length and put her on the floor. She flung herself at one of his legs and buried her face in his jeans.

  Somewhere a phone started up again. They ignored it.

  With Jenny hanging on to one of his legs, Rafael shuffled over to Susan and lifted Little Evan into his arms. ‘Bath? Upstairs?’

  Little Evan’s head lolled on to Rafael’s shoulders. Jenny tugged on his jeans. He tried to walk across the hall. Failed.

  Susan sighed with relief as one of her burdens was removed. Now she could stand. With some difficulty. ‘Strip those wet clothes off him first.’

  Still clutching Fifi, Susan leaned over the sopping wet bundle that was Lucia and shook the girl’s shoulder. ‘My dear, you must get out of those wet clothes. We have a downstairs shower and loo. It’s just along the corridor here. Do you think you could manage to get that far?’

  No reaction. Had the girl fainted, or fallen asleep? She was making dark marks on their beautiful new floor. Bother! And various other words!

  Oh, that dratted phone!

  Rafael, with Jenny still clinging to him, began to strip the wet clothes off Little Evan. That made another pool of water on the floor!