Predisposed To Murder - Chapter Thirty-Seven

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

“If anything happens to Sadie or the baby, I’ll never forgive myself,” said Carol as she rose from her chair and proceeded for the umpteenth time to pace anxiously to and fro

“You mustn’t blame yourself,” Winter told her firmly. “If anyone’s to blame, it’s me for not pre-empting what the crazy little bitch would do next.”

“You weren’t to know. Besides, but for your presence of mind to chase after that crazy little bitch, she’d have got clean away. The rest of us were near hysterical, for heaven’s sake. Poor Liam was in a state over Sadie and I wasn’t any help either. I wasn’t really taking anything in, Freddy, not any of it, not Nina semi-conscious in that damn bath or Sadie falling down the bloody stairs. But you came through for us, solid and dependable as always.”

Winter frowned, unsure whether he liked being described as solid and dependable, it sounded too boring for words. “How is Nina?”

“She’s fine as far as I can tell. Honestly, Freddy, the woman’s incredible.”

“She certainly came up trumps offering to help look after the pub while we make this dump a second home.” Winter agreed.

Carol examined the Rolex on her wrist, a wedding present from her late husband, Liam’s father. “Do you realize we’ve been hanging around this bloody hospital for nearly fourteen hours?”

“The locals won’t know what’s hit ’em.” Winter chuckled and wondered how long it would take the press to get wind of the fact that Nina Fox, star of April Showers, had turned barmaid. “I have to confess I didn’t think she had it in her. Nearly gets herself murdered, hasn’t had any more sleep than the rest of us, and now she’s pulling pints!” But Carol was preoccupied with her own thoughts and made no reply.

They were in a comfortable but oppressive room at Kent and Canterbury Hospital, anxiously waiting for news of Sadie. Liam had been allowed to stay with his partner although she was in a bad way.

“Suppose poor Sadie has a miscarriage and loses the baby? How can I live with myself when I hated the idea of her having it in the first place?  Oh, Freddy, I feel so wretched.” Carol burst into tears and refused to be comforted.

The door opened and Liam entered. He looked pale and drawn, but managed a weak smile. “She’s going to be okay, the baby too.”

“That’s fantastic news,” Winter, not a tactile person by nature, flung both arms around the young man and gathered him in a bear hug.

“I’m so pleased,” said Carol, aware the words sounded trite, but they were the first that came into her head.

“Are you, Mum?” Liam gave her a long, reproachful look. “You haven’t been very enthusiastic about the baby so far.”

“That’s not true,” Carol was quick to deny it, but again the words rang more than a trifle hollow.

“Your mother has been desperately afraid for Sadie and the baby,” Winter told him.

Liam appeared less than convinced. “I must go back now, she needs me. I just thought you’d want to know…”

“Of course we do,” Winter acknowledged with a reassuring smile. “We were so worried… both of us,” he emphasized, and Liam threw him a grateful if fragile smile. “Can we see her, just for a minute or so?”

“Sure, but not just yet. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He left the room, sparing his mother a brief, accusing glance before closing the door behind him.

“You could have sounded as if you meant it!” Winter wasted no time rounding on Carol as soon as Liam had disappeared. “You’re the one who should have been giving the lad a big hug...Yes, you, his mother, and not some old grizzly bear like me. What’s the matter with you, woman? Get a grip, for heaven’s sake.”

“But I’m not his mother am I?” she groaned, close to tears.

“Of course you’re his mother,” Winter growled. “You always have been, and always will be as far as the pair of you are concerned or anyone else for that matter. So you and Sean committed perjury with the birth certificate, so what? It was in a good cause. Worse things happen at sea, for crying out loud. You don’t have to look any farther than Pip Sparrow to get a sense of proportion. Huh! I’ll say not.”

“What will happen to her?” Carol gladly changed the subject.

Winter spread his hands in a gesture of mock despair. “Not a lot, most likely. Take a young girl who’s, been through the mill, father in prison, still at school, pressure of revising for exams…you don’t have to know much about the law to add up that little lot and arrive at diminished responsibility.”

“But she won’t get away with it, surely?” Carol was incredulous.

“As near as…give or take a token stretch in some open prison.”

“Broadmoor would be more appropriate, surely?”

“I agree.”

“But she told Nina…” Carol was so angry that she could hardly speak, “She has killed at least four people.”

“Hearsay,” declared Winter, spreading his hands wide and giving a shrug that spoke volumes. “Where’s your evidence? We have to face it, Carol.. Our Pip has a remarkable talent for murder.”

“But how on earth could she have thought she’d get away with killing Sadie?”

“There but for Stanley…” Winter reminded her, “and I must say I’ve been having second thoughts about that dog lately. Not that I consider myself a doggie person, you understand, but I suppose there are exceptions to every rule.”

Carol managed a wan smile. “You don’t fool me one bit, Freddy Winter, you’re very fond of Stanley.”

Winter replied with a noncommittal shrug before continuing, “She wouldn’t have got clean away with killing Sadie, of course.” There would have been marks on Nina’s shoulders, especially so soon after the event. No self-respecting pathologist would have missed that. Nina’s no piece of cake, unlike poor Ruth Manners,” he pointed out, referring to a much older victim in a previous case who had been killed in similar circumstances.

“Of course,” he went on, “the girl’s state of mind is questionable to say the least. Mind you, it’s my opinion she’s perfectly sane. Our Pip knew exactly what she was doing. I have no doubts whatsoever on that score. Oh, yes, she knew what she was doing alright, and enjoyed every minute. As for what the law might have to say on the subject, well, that’s something else.” He paused. “One thing’s for sure. Pip Sparrow needs to be kept out of harm’s way for a very long time, for everyone’s sake including her own.” He paused again and sighed. “You know, Carol, she took some incredible risks. Who knows? Maybe, subconsciously, the poor kid wanted to get caught...” whereupon, a flood of contradictory theories proceeded to grapple with that possibility for several minutes, but without arriving at a verdict.  Winter shook his mane of steely hair as if to clear his head. “Now, about you and Liam…”

“Not now, Freddy, I’m not in the mood.”

“Yes, now, Carol. The months ahead aren’t going to be easy for Liam and Sadie. God knows how long she’ll be stuck in here, maybe until the baby is born. Liam needs us to be strong for him. More than anything else, he needs his mother’s love. You love him and he loves you, very much. How does that Beatles song go? All you need is love, love, love is all you need…” he sang with an excess of enthusiasm but so out of tune that Carol couldn’t help laughing. “That’s better,” he commented approvingly. “You’re so beautiful when you smile and drop dead gorgeous when you laugh…”

“What’s this, compliments? Be careful, Freddy, I might start thinking you care.”

“You know I do.”  Somewhere beneath the banter, each acknowledged what neither could quite put into words. This time she did not avoid the comfort of his arms around her and returned his embrace.

Liam returned sooner than expected to tell them that Sadie was awake but very tired and asking to see them. It crossed his mind that Fred and his mother looked more comfortable with each other than he had seen them in ages. He was pleased. He liked Fred.

“Go on ahead, Freddy, I want a quick word with Liam,”

“She’s not in a ward, Fred. Turn right outside the door here, take a first left then a right at the double doors and it’s room number nine, on the right, about half way down the corridor on the right.”

 Carol was already pushing Winter out of the door, but he managed to turn his head and give her a warning look. Liam intercepted it and groaned inwardly. It had been a long night and the last thing he needed right now was aggravation from his mother. He loved her dearly, but she was inclined to lecture him on how he should live his life from time to time...

Winter closed the door behind him, resisting an impulse to peer through the window at mother and son to reassure himself all was well. Stifling a yawn, he struggled to recall Liam’s directions to Sadie’s room.

“Yes, mum, what is it now?” Liam glared at his mother as if daring her to get up on any high horse.

Carol hesitated. “There’s something I need to tell you,” she began.

“Can’t it wait?”

“No, it can’t”

“Okay, so let’s have it. What do I need to know?”

She couldn’t help thinking how he looked so much like his father and how a guardian angel must have been looking after her for him not to resemble Siobhan Duffy in the least. “I know I’ve been a pain lately but…”

“But…?”

“I love you so much.” She burst into tears and fell into his arms.

Liam held his mother close. This was so unlike her. It must be hormones. All the same, he was as pleased as Punch and sensed the coming months, although tough, would get a lot easier now.

………………………………

“It’s very nice of you both to come and see me,” Max Cutler told Mary Pike and Billy, “I appreciate it, I really do. I don’t get many visitors...apart from my mother,” he felt obliged to add.

“We have a little surprise for you,” said Mary Pike, “Well, Billy has.”

Billy took a paperback book from his pocket and handed it to Max.

“Why, a book of crosswords!” Max was genuinely moved as well as pleased, “Just what the doctor ordered. It gets so boring in here, I can’t tell you. Thanks, Billy. Thanks a lot.”

“You’re welcome,” said Billy grinning from ear to ear.

“I love crosswords,” Max began before it dawned on him that Billy had spoken. “Billy, you’re talking! That’s fantastic!” He grabbed the boy’s hand in both of his, shook it until his chest started to hurt and he was forced to lie back on the pillows, still expressing delight.”

“It was just after that detective fellow Fred Winter called,” said Mary Pike choking back tears, “Billy came into the kitchen and I said I’d made a quiche for tea and he said he’d much prefer a Chinese take-away. I started to get cross until I realized what he’d said. Those were the first words I’ve heard him say since…”

“The fire, mum,” said Billy, “and it’s okay, really. It doesn’t scare me to think about it any more.”

“Whatever Mr Winter said, it has certainly worked a miracle where you’re concerned.” Mary Pike regarded her son with undisguised pride. Billy shrugged. “He doesn’t say a lot, but it’s only early days yet,” she told Max over Billy’s shoulder.

Max Cutler nodded, thinking about his mother and Nina Fox. The one he was stuck with while the other...

He was desperate to see Nina if only to explain things. Could they start over again, he wondered?  He hadn’t believed so until he received a letter. He had recognized Nina’s handwriting on the envelope at once, but couldn’t bring himself to open it. He sighed. There would always be Nathan Sparrow’s ghost haunting their every move not to mention Pip’s. But it was, as Billy’s mother had so rightly said, still early days yet.

He cheered up, looked from mother to son and couldn’t help reflecting, with growing optimism, how recent events had proven much could change in even a short period of time. Where there’s life, there’s hope, he told himself, matching Billy’s expression grin for grin.

In this spirit of newly discovered positive thinking, Max took an envelope from a cupboard by the bed where it had lain since his mother had brought it, and grudgingly handed it to him. Annie Cutler hadn’t minced her words, making no attempt to conceal either her anger at his receiving it or annoyance at his adamantly refusing to read it in her presence. “Hasn’t that woman done enough harm? Oh, but what am I saying?  Her sort never knows when best to leave well alone. Nor do you if that soppy look on your face is anything to go by!”

 Now, he opened it and read:

Dear Max,

               I thought you should know that Ray was HIV positive. As I have been recently tested positive as well that means you must be too since I could only have caught it from you. Will you tell Pip or shall I?

Love,

Nina x        

The smile on his lips died.

......................................

“That’s wonderful news, Winter exclaimed, “and, yes, I’ll be sure to pass it on... Goodbye for now, and thanks for calling.” He replaced the receiver and turned to Carol. “That was Mary Pike on the phone. Billy has started talking again. Apparently, he began chatting away non-stop shortly after I left.”

“Don’t tell me,” Carol groaned, “let me guess. Now it’s Freddy Winter, miracle worker!”

“There’s no need to be sarcastic. Maybe I helped clear the boy’s mind, and maybe not. Whatever, he’s a nice kid and I, for one, am thrilled he’s talking again.”

“So am I,” said Carol, “of course I am.” A thought occurred to her, causing her to sit bolt upright in her chair. “Will he testify against Pip, do you think?”

Winter spread his hands in the familiar gesture. “Maybe, but it’s early days yet. More to the point, would anyone believe him?”

“We do,” she pointed out.

“Yes, but would a jury?  I’ll have a word with Lovell, but don’t get your hopes up. I fear it won’t be too many years before our Pip is back in the bosom of society leading an apparently healthy, normal life with no one any more the wiser than they were before.”

“Heaven help society,” muttered Carol.

“Hear, hear,” Winter agreed, sat down opposite her and grabbed a newspaper.

“Don’t get too comfortable,” she warned him, “since you’re driving me back to Camden tonight, although why Liam wouldn’t let me stay and help him run the pub is beyond me.”

“You do have a job,” he reminded her.

“Only part-time though. I could give it up and find another easily enough.”

“Ah, yes. But would you ever find another boss who will let you twist him around your little finger whenever you want to take time off?” Winter put it to her, correctly interpreting her silence as an acknowledgement that his point had struck home.

“I’m bored, Freddy,” Carol declared sulkily. “Helping out at The Green Man would have been fun.”

“Liam is capable enough. He doesn’t need his mother getting under his feet all the time,” Winter felt obliged to say, “but if you’re bored…” His voice tailed off indecisively.

“Yes?” she prompted.

“Well, you could always move in here with me.”

“Huh!”

“Why not…? We make a good team, you and I. And there’s plenty to do. The garden, for a start, it’s a jungle out there. You wouldn’t have time to get bored.” Carol promptly seized a cushion and flung it at him. “Hey, watch it!” he shouted, laughing.

“If you think I’m moving in with you just to sort out your bloody garden, Freddy Winter, you can think again.”

We do make a good team though,” he repeated, “and, well, we love each other, sort of, don’t we?” Carol’s expression instantly softened. “Stanley would adore it if you moved in, wouldn’t you boy?” The little white dog wagged its tail, cocked its head on one side and gave Winter a disparaging look as if to say, you’ll have to do better than this.

Winter grinned sheepishly at Carol. “I do love you, you know.”

“I know,” was all Carol quite trusted herself to say.

“So you will?”

“I’ll give it some thought,” she promised.

“You’re supposed to say you love me too,” Winter growled.

“I need to give that some thought too,” she retorted, but not unkindly.

“Yes, well, you know what thought did…” Winter muttered while pretending to scour the headlines, “it killed off more damn cats than curiosity.”

Carol got up and went to sit on the arm of his chair. Stanley leapt forward and sprang into her lap so that she almost lost her balance. Laughing aloud, she scooped up the little dog and stroked its head with one hand. Violet eyes met brown. “Another fine mess you’ve got me into, Stanley,” she giggled. The dog licked her face and wagged its tail.

Knowing full well he’d pretend that he hated it, as he always did, Carol ran the fingers of her free hand affectionately though Winter’s stubborn shock of grey-white hair.

Winter frowned, the more so for the way his heart skipped a beat, laid the newspaper aside and tilted his head back for a better view of the violet eyes smiling down at him. He felt his lips twitch and failed to prevent them forming a soppy grin.

Stanley barked approvingly.

The End

Author’s Note: Apologies for the fact that Google has messed with the font for various chapters. The book is not available in print form, but I hope to upload an e-edition later this year. A new serial will start on Monday 1^st October. (I will post a synopsis tomorrow.)

Predisposed To Murder - Chapter Thirty-Six

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

“Colin, Wait!”  It was a very confused, increasingly agitated Nina who shouted after her brother, chased after him, caught up with him on the front garden path and grabbed his arm, forcing him to stop. “You can’t leave things the way they are,” she gasped, “Please, Colin, believe me this isn’t the way. Whatever it is you’ve done, we can see this through together. But you have to face up to those things, you can’t just run away. Please, Colin, stop and think before it’s too late…” she pleaded, fixing tearful, imploring eyes on her brother’s frank expression of incandescent rage.

“Let go of me, you stupid bitch!” he yelled at her, “You don’t know what you’re talking about…”

“Then tell me,” she begged, “and help me to understand. Let me help you. I’m always here for you, you know I am.”

“God, you sound just like Mum. I’m always here for you,” he mimicked cruelly, “You’re so much like her, you know…beautiful, generous to a fault and as thick as two planks. She should have left the old man years ago, but she always thought she could change him. It didn’t matter the pair of them were tearing us all apart. She didn’t even have the guts to kick him out in the end. He just upped and left. I dare say he got bored with hearing the same old bullshit year in, year out. And now you’re getting chummy with him all over again. So why is that, sis? Think he’s changed, do you? Do you honestly think that man is capable of giving a toss about anyone but himself?  If you do, you’re even a bigger fool than Mum. Well, I’m…

“So very like him, you make me want to throw up!” Nina screamed.

“You bitch!” He slapped her so hard that she cried out and reeled from the blow, hand on her cheek. “How can you say that?” he raged. “It’s a lie, a filthy lie. I’ve made something of myself, not like that piece of garbage. Why, he’s no better than your friend Max or the rest of your pretty hangers-on, a bunch of losers the lot of ’em. You’re not much better yourself. You may be the goose that lays their golden eggs, for now, but how long do you think that will last? It’s not as if you can even act. You’re just another flavour of the month TV celebrity. Take a tip from me, sis. Invest some cash while you’ve still got any coming in. It will dry up soon enough, believe you me.”

Over his right shoulder, Nina had been watching two men approach with caution while trying to decide whether she should warn him. Much of his outburst she hadn’t heard. Her cheek stung. Her head was spinning. This can’t be happening, she kept telling herself. Then she caught the last few sentences flung at her, his expression one of such bitterness and contempt that she could barely think let alone come to any decision. So she said nothing and did nothing.

His sister’s silence and reproachful look did nothing to contain a fury in Colin Fox that had simmered for years and was always sure to erupt sooner or later as it did now. Even so, it struck him there was more than a pathetic forlornness about her, as if she was past caring. Or could it be something else? Damn it if she isn’t looking so damn smug. Does she know something I don’t?  Too late, he swung round just as DC Mike Pritchard leapt forward.

After a brief struggle, Pritchard took great satisfaction in placing first one of his prisoner’s wrists and then the other in handcuffs although a colleague had to step in to help restrain the furious Fox.

“Bitch…!” Fox spat at his sister. “Let go of me, you bastards!” he yelled at both men who, for all their sturdy build, were hard pressed to restrain a near hysterical Fox. Pritchard winced as it felt both arms were being wrenched from their sockets. As if on cue, two uniformed officers appeared at the gate and ran to assist.

Nina couldn’t bear to watch. She had already turned her back and was walking slowly back to the house.

…………………………………

“Don’t fuss so, woman,” Winter growled, “it’s only my shoulder that’s hit not my heart, and it’s only a graze.” He continued to complain while Carol cleaned the wound and applied a makeshift sling.

“You don’t fool me one bit, Freddy Winter. You like nothing better than being fussed over. Show me a man that doesn’t! Well, make the most of it. Once we get you to a hospital, the nurses won’t be anywhere near as gentle as me. You should be so lucky. No, they’ll rough you up good and proper. and it will be no more than you deserve. What on earth were you thinking of, tackling a man years younger and pointing a gun at you? He might of…” her voice broke.

“Ouch!” Winter gave an involuntary yelp as Carol secured the sling with more force than she intended. “I don’t need to go hospital,” he insisted.

“She has a point, Fred,” said Pritchard, grinning from ear to ear. “Him being a younger man and all that...He might have killed you.”

“But he didn’t,” Winter was quick to point out albeit his customary gruffness was subtly muted, a fact not lost upon either Carol or Pritchard.

“Whatever, you did us a huge favour,” said Pritchard with a cheerfulness guaranteed to send   Winter’s hackles soaring as the D C’s manner invariably did. “We’ve been after Fox for ages. As for those letters of Cutler’s that he was after...Well, at first glance I’d say they’ll be a big help in tying up some loose ends. In fact, the entire contents of that box will help put some very nasty characters away for a very long time.”

“I don’t suppose you’d like to elaborate?” Winter suggested.

“All in good time, Fred, all in good time. Let’s get you fixed up good and proper at the hospital first.

“How’s Cutler?”

“Alive. But only just,” Pritchard added grimly, “His mother went with him in the ambulance.”

“If I’d had my way, Freddy Winter, you’d have gone with them,” said Carol, “but, no, you have to play the martyr to the bloody end.”

“I’m hardly in the same category as Max Cutler,” Winter pointed out, “but if it makes you happy, you can drive me to the hospital and they can look me over. However, I can assure you I am perfectly okay. I passed out, that’s all. All the excitement must have got to me.”

“Your blood pressure more likely,” she retorted although her expression was anything but severe.

“Nina?” Winter wanted to know.

“Nina is fine.”  It was Nina herself who answered as she entered the kitchen looking very pale, and sat down. “You gave us all a nasty scare, Mr Winter.”

Winter grinned. “There’s life in the old dog yet.”

“I’m pleased to hear it.” Nina hesitated and looked, slightly embarrassed, at Carol. “I really can’t face going back to Chelsea. Once the media get a whiff of this they’ll make my life hell. I can handle it, but not right now. I don’t suppose…

“You must come to Herne Bay with us.”

“We’re going to Herne Bay?” Winter was pleased.

“Just as soon as they’ve finished with you at the hospital,” Carol told him with a look that defied him to argue with her at his peril.

Winter shrugged. He knew when he was beaten and gave Pritchard a look of mock despair before adding, “You won’t need us tonight will, you Mike? Tell me you won’t need us tonight…”

Pritchard shook his head. “You’ll all have to make statements, of course, but not right away. I dare say you’ll want to get some rest. Besides,” he added and gave Winter a knowing wink, “I have other fish to fry tonight.”

“I bet you have,” said Winter, “and I can’t wait to hear all the gory details.”

Pritchard merely shrugged and pursed his lips in a manner that told Winter he could count on having to wait a long time.

………………………………

Much to Winter’s satisfaction, the hospital did not keep him long. A doctor confirmed the wound to his shoulder was much worse than it looked, only superficial in fact, and needing just a few stitches.

“Rest the shoulder for a few days,” advised an elderly bespectacled man wearing a very obvious toupee before leaving a male nurse to apply the stitches and a fresh sling. “Otherwise, there’s no cause for concern. You’re lucky the other fellow was such a poor shot.” He laughed at his own feeble joke.

Winter laughed too. The male nurse grinned and didn’t need telling that the sound Winter made was uncomplimentary to say the least. For his part, Winter instantly warmed to the young man.

The journey to Herne Bay was uneventful. Carol had phoned earlier to say what time they expected to arrive. She’d also mentioned that she and Freddy had a friend with them, but neglected to say at first it was Nina Fox. “Are you sure that’s alright, Sadie? I know it’s an imposition, but... well, frankly, Freddy and I are feeling a bit the worse for wear and poor Nina’s had a hard time of it too. What? Yes, Nina Fox... Yes, that Nina Fox. But she doesn’t want any fuss. She just needs to get away for a couple of days. Yes, I know Herne Bay isn’t the French Riviera, but right now it’s just what the doctor ordered. Yes, I’m sure. Oh, thank you. See you later.” Breathing a sigh of relief, she had only to lay the phone on the dashboard, turn the ignition key, and they were off.

No one spoke much except to make the occasional inconsequential remark to remind the others they were still there. Stanley, in seventh heaven on Nina’s lap, slept the whole time. Nina brooded about Colin’s likely fate and wondered how she would tell her father his son looked certain to go to jail for a long time. How could Colin have said those terrible things to me? she asked herself over and over, but came up with neither answer nor excuses.

As Nina’s thoughts turned to Pip, she sunk into an even deeper gloom. She had called the girl to say she wouldn’t be coming home that night, possibly not for a couple of days. Pip had sounded much the same as ever, taking everything in her stride. There had been nothing in her tone to suggest she even remembered confessing to murder. What was she, Nina, supposed to make of those confessions, for heaven’s sake? How could anyone in their right mind take them seriously?  They wouldn’t of course. So why should she? The whole thing is absurd. Take her mother, for example. True, she and Pip hadn’t got on but…any suggestion that Pip may have killed her mother was too horrible for words. I must talk to Fred Winter about Pip and the sooner the better. He’ll know what to do for the best….

Winter, for his part, was being hard on himself. The doctor at the hospital had been right about one thing. He, Fred Winter, had been lucky. “Incredibly lucky,” he muttered under his breath. Maybe Pritchard was right, implying I’m too old for this kind of caper. He’d come through it, though, hadn’t he? And he’d found Max Cutler, even if it had meant opening a can or two of worms along the way and nearly getting himself killed into the bargain.

He frowned and tried to think about something else, only to find himself dwelling on Pip Sparrow. Let it go, Fred, let it go, he kept telling himself. But how could he? If I’m right, the girl is a psychopath. If I’m wrong, well, it wouldn’t be the first time...

Carol concentrated on the road ahead. From time to time Freddy made grunting noises, but she ignored him. If he’s fishing for conversation, let him try Nina or the dog.

What should she do about Liam? Should she tell him the truth?  I owe him that, surely? On the other hand, it was unlikely that he would ever find out…unless his real mother should ever turn up, and that was about as likely as pigs flying over Hampstead Heath. Besides, it’s my name on the birth certificate. The woman would not be able to prove a thing although…There is DNA testing these days...just suppose…? But, no, she was just being silly… Oh, but am I though?

Liam has every right to know, Carol told herself, reflecting unhappily for the umpteenth time that his unborn child, too, deserved to know from whom he or she had inherited at least some of their genes. It wasn’t as if she had been able to obliterate the woman’s name from her memory directory. “I wish!” she murmured aloud and bit her lip, relieved no one appeared to have heard. Meanwhile, Siobhan Duffy’s name flaunted itself at every turn, performing an obscene dance among cat’s eyes that as a driver she could not ignore, but as a mother she’d gladly have given her life to extinguish once and for all.

By the time the trio arrived at The Green Man, they were exhausted. Only Stanley found the energy to leap from the back seat, tail wagging, to greet Sadie and Liam with much barking and exuberant pawing at trouser legs before rushing off in search of his elderly canine pal, Ben.

“Are you sure you’re all right?” a concerned Sadie asked Winter several times.

“I’m fine, it’s just a temporary inconvenience, that’s all.”

“Your drinking arm too, that’s even worse,” commented Liam good-naturedly.

“I’m ambidextrous when it comes to a decent pint,” Winter assured him with a grin and the two men disappeared inside.

“Welcome to Herne Bay Miss Fox,” Sadie turned to Nina with a broad smile.

“Nina, please.”

“You’re very welcome Nina,” Sadie repeated and impulsively gave the younger woman a hug.

“You’ve no idea how good it feels to be here,” said Nina with feeling. She liked this warm, hugely pregnant woman immediately.”

“Herne Bay isn’t London,” Sadie laughed, “but we like it, Liam and I. Now, come through to the sitting room. I dare say you’re both starving. Men must drink and women must eat, that’s what I always say…”

As the three women entered the pub by a private side entrance, the two men were already chatting idly over a couple of beers.

“Would you think me terribly rude if I took a bath?” Nina asked. “Whenever I need to unwind, a long hot bath always does the trick.”

“For me too,” said Sadie, “I’ll find you some clean towels and you can borrow my bathrobe if you want.”

“That would be wonderful if you’re sure it’s no trouble.”

“No trouble at all,” Sadie reassured her guest cheerfully and went in search of towels.

“Nothing’s too much trouble for Sadie,” Carol told Nina.

She seems a lovely person,” Nina enthused.

“She is,” Carol agreed and instantly felt guilty for harbouring unkind thoughts of late towards her prospective daughter-in-law. Not, she hastily reminded herself, that she had ever felt anything but affection for Sadie. It was just that…Oh, why does life have to be so complicated?  Rather than attempt to answer the question, she led Nina into the kitchen and made a fresh pot of tea.

Sadie soon joined them. “The bath water is running and I’ve left out clean towels and a robe. The bathroom is upstairs, second door on the right. Oh, and your welcome to my oil of lavender too. You can take a cup of tea up with you if you like as well. Liam always brings me a cup if he’s around when I take a bath. A disgusting habit, I know, but who cares?” All three women laughed companionably, and Nina especially felt more relaxed than she had in ages.

Nina took Sadie at her word and carried a steaming mug of tea to the bathroom, depositing it on a tiled surface within easy reach. Feeling more relaxed than she had in ages, she lay back, inhaling the pungent, curiously invigorating scent of lavender, let the water come up to her chin, and closed her eyes.

Facing her, on a shelf by the window, a circular mirror stood on a stand. If she hadn’t closed her eyes, Nina would have seen the door open ajar quickly followed by Pip’s face and the glazed, hauntingly menacing expression it wore. As it was, she neither saw nor heard a thing. In her mind’s eye she was a little girl again, part of a happy, loving family. She could see her parents and Colin. They, too, were young. They were in a children’s playground. She could hear laughter. Some of it was hers and Colin’s. She was wearing a green dress. He wore jeans and a red sweat tee shirt. They were playing on a seesaw, both parents watching and holding hands like young lovers.

Had it ever happened quite like that, Nina wondered?  Or was this nothing more than wishful thinking, a wistful looking back through a rose tinted haze?

Before Nina could begin to answer her own question, her eyes flew open. The vision disappeared in a cloud of steam. Hands on both shoulders were pushing her down into the water. In the mirror, she saw Pip leaning over her.

First shock, and then terror lent Nina the strength to try and grab one of the girl’s wrists with both hands, but they were wet and she couldn’t get a firm grip. Legs thrashing about in sheer desperation, she tried to scream. But whenever she opened her mouth, her head was plunged underwater again, forcing her to hold her breath.

Nina’s last thoughts before she slipped into unconsciousness were of her mother, father and brother…also how glad she was that, in spite of everything, she had at least made a start at building bridges with her father.

She heard her mother calling her name, and then Colin’s voice, angry and incoherent. Meanwhile, her father’s face had become fixed to a huge wheel. His face, no body attached. She reached up to take it down, but couldn’t quite reach. She tried and tried again, but still could not reach it. Finally, she gave up trying, almost content to let herself sink into an immense, immeasurable sadness. From a great distance, she thought she heard a dog barking. The little girl in the green dress heard it too. She held on to the sound for dear life, much as the proverbial drowning man might cling to a straw.

…………………………………

Downstairs, in the kitchen, old Ben added an uncharacteristic spell of sustained barking to Stanley’s furious yapping.

“That’s odd,” commented Sadie. “Ben never barks. Well, not like that he doesn’t, especially indoors.”

“It must be Stanley’s bad influence.” Carol sighed. “I’ll go and tell him to shut up.”

“He’s probably angling for attention and a cuddle.” Sadie laughed.

“Probably,” Carol agreed and went to the door. No sooner had she opened it than Stanley ran past her to the door that led into the hallway where the little dog continued barking while frantically leaping up and scratching the paintwork at the same time. Ben plodded across the carpet as if to join in the fracas although the ageing Irish setter had stopped barking and was now making low, growling noises. “Stop it Stanley!” cried Carol, “Whatever’s got into you?”

“Stop him,” Sadie cried, “or he’ll wake Pip.”

“Pip’s here?” Carol heard alarm bells ringing in her head.

“Yes, she turned up a couple of hours ago. The poor girl was so exhausted I sent her straight to bed. Sorry, I thought you knew,” she added, and then, “Something’s wrong,” she declared and rose unsteadily to her feet, “Ben has never done anything like this before.”

“Don’t blame Ben. It’s this rascal’s fault,” said Carol, trying to make light of the situation. She attempted to scoop the little dog into her arms. Stanley, though, was for once having none of it. The little dog not only neatly avoided the outstretched arms, but also continued barking and kept jumping up at the door as if trying to reach the handle.

“Let them out,” said Sadie, a tummy spasm forcing her to sit down again. “Stanley is probably missing Fred. He’ll be in his element in the bar with everyone fussing over him. Go on, Carol, open the door. Stanley will be fine. Ben will see to it that he doesn’t wreck the place.”

Weary of the barking, and starting to feel a shade fraught, Carol opened the door. Instead of dashing into the bar, however, Stanley ran in the opposite direction and scampered, barking furiously, up the stairs. Carol chased after him. “Stanley, come here!” she shouted angrily. Then she saw the half open bathroom door and Pip leaning over the bath. For her part, the girl made no sign that she had heard the commotion.

“Oh, my God…!” Carol sprinted forward, but Stanley was already there. The little white dog leapt on to Pip’s back, digging its claws into her shoulders and teeth into the back of her neck.

Pip screamed, let go of Nina and fought off the animal. Stanley dropped to the floor with a yelp and then continued yapping, adroitly dodging Pip’s foot as she kicked out.

Carol burst into the bathroom, taking in the situation at a glance. Ignoring Pip, she dragged Nina to the surface when, almost at once, she began spluttering and spewing out water.

“You murdering bitch!” Carol shouted at Pip. But Pip appeared neither to see nor hear her. Stanley had stopped barking. Nina had ceased to splutter and was now struggling to catch her breath. Clouds of steam were like scented bubbles of silence sucking all three women and dog into a weird vacuum.

“What the devil...?” Winter growled as he appeared at the bathroom door, Liam Brady at his elbow and a distraught looking Sadie close behind.

“I should have expected something like this,” Winter cried and would remonstrate further with himself later. Meanwhile, everyone was taken by surprise when Pip made a sudden, mad dash for the stairs. Only Sadie had the presence of mind to block the girl’s path. “Get out of my way, you fat cow!” Pip yelled at her. But Sadie stood her ground. Pip lashed out with her fists.

Sadie screamed, and tumbled down the stairs.

To be concluded on Friday