Читать книгу Someone You Know - Olivia Isaac-Henry - Страница 17

Edie: September 1993

‘I followed him for twenty minutes and he didn’t see me,’ Tess said.

It was late morning. Tess was in disguise, wearing a woolly hat and an old green anorak that Dad used for gardening. The sleeves swallowed up her arms and the hem hung well below her knees.

‘Where did he go?’ Edie asked.

‘Only to the newsagents and the chippie. He turned around a couple of times but he never spotted me.’

Tess was taking her detective duties seriously. The investigation log was an A4-sized notebook, which she’d covered in the same cream with rosebuds wallpaper they’d used for their school textbooks. It was filled with diagrams and notes. She’d drawn a floor plan of the Vickers’ house, a mirror image of their own, with the addition of the small utility room at the back and a sketch of Mrs Vickers with her hair in a chignon.

Edie had to admit the likeness was impressive. Less impressive were Tess’s conclusions. Valentina was definitely dead. It was just a case of finding her body. Possible hiding places: under the floorboards, in the freezer, buried on waste ground, submerged in the canal. On the front of the book, in thick black marker pen, was written: THE CASE OF THE MISSING CAKEMAKER.

‘That’s a really stupid title,’ Edie said.

‘Dr Watson always used titles like that for Holmes’ cases.’

‘That’s made up, Tess. Police cases are called things like operation something or other.’

‘Well, you can call it Operation Cakemaker, if you like, but it’s my book. This afternoon I’m going to go through his bin.’

‘What for?’

‘Clues. He might’ve put Valentina’s clothes in there.’

‘She left three weeks ago.’

‘I know,’ Tess said. ‘I wish I’d thought of it sooner.’

Edie wasn’t sure about spending the afternoon riffling through rotting vegetables. Mum rescued her.

‘Becca’s just rung. She’s invited us over.’

‘But we’ve got plans,’ Tess protested.

‘What plans?’ Mum asked.

‘Nothing,’ Edie said.

‘Good, get your coats. Your dad and Ray’ll come along later.’

*

Auntie Becca called it an Indian summer and insisted they sat outside.

‘It may be the last good weather we get this year.’

Edie thought India was supposed to be hot, she was freezing, the low, bright sun was blinding her and the egg mayonnaise sandwich she was eating had fallen apart, its filling leaking down her arm. Mum was in the deckchair opposite, a cup of tea balanced on her lap. She wore black jeans, a camel-coloured jumper and large sunglasses. She’d been quiet since they arrived and sat rubbing her temples. Auntie Becca, oblivious to the cold, was wearing her usual black trousers and black top. Tess had nabbed Auntie Becca’s discarded sunglasses to copy Mum. Edie wished she had some. She moved one hand over her eyes as a shield. Pepe took his chance to jump up and take a bite out of the remains of her sandwich.

‘No, Pepe, bad dog,’ Auntie Becca said.

She didn’t sound like she meant it.

Pepe ignored her and leapt at Edie again. She moved her arm away, then decided she didn’t want the dog-licked sandwich and threw it to him.

‘Don’t give him that. He’s a delicate digestion. It’ll make him sick,’ Auntie Becca said.

‘Too late,’ Edie said.

The dog swallowed it in one gulp and set off running around the garden. Usually Edie liked animals, but she wasn’t sure about this one, all it did was run in circles, bark and eat. It never seemed to lie down or want stroking. A funny looking thing too, a Welsh terrier, with a tan body and black back. She was surprised Uncle Ray had let Auntie Becca have Pepe, she knew he didn’t like dogs. And it was odd that Auntie Becca, who was so fussy and house-proud, wanted one, a dog meant mess. Then there were all those vases and figurines to knock over.

Pepe hurtled towards the flower bed, growled at a rose bush then ran to the garden gate, put both front paws on top of it and started barking.

‘I don’t think we’ll be staying here long, Gina,’ Auntie Becca said.

‘No?’

Auntie Becca and Uncle Ray were always moving and Mum sounded bored. She was no fun today. Edie hoped Uncle Ray would turn up soon. He’d promised her a tape with new tracks and maybe a single on vinyl from the record fair he’d been to the weekend before.

‘The garden’s too small for Pepe and as for that lot …’

Edie knew what was coming: the neighbours, feckless parents and feral kids.

‘They let those children run wild. And the parents are no better. We thought this was a nice area.’

‘They looked nice enough when I saw them,’ Mum said.

Edie had also been surprised on seeing that the neighbours wore clean clothes and combed their hair. The word feral made her think of cats, she’d expected them to have mange.

‘They may look nice,’ Auntie Becca said.

‘Isn’t he a bank manager?’ Mum said.

‘That means nothing. That boy, I can’t remember his name, kicked a ball right over the fence into my washing. It splattered everything with mud. I had to do it all again. Not one word of apology from his mother, let alone him.’

‘Kids are always making a mess, Becca, and maybe his mother doesn’t know.’

‘How could she not know?’

‘You can’t keep an eye on them all the time.’

‘She should do. That’s how these children turn out so rough, even if their father is a bank manager.’

The way Auntie Becca went on you’d think it had happened for the twentieth time that morning, not once, two weeks ago. And Pepe was worse than any kid, he was still at the gate barking loudly. Uncle Ray had told Edie that Pepe had got out and torn up next door’s roses. When they complained, Auntie Becca said he was just a dog and didn’t mean any harm. Uncle Ray had had to go around and pay for the damage later. It was their secret to laugh about, Edie wasn’t to tell anyone.

‘Yes,’ Auntie Becca said with a nod. ‘Time to start looking elsewhere. Are you alright, Gina? You don’t look well.’

Mum’s head was slumped over her cup.

‘I’m just a little hot.’

‘But it’s freezing,’ Edie said.

‘I’ll go and splash some water on my face.’

She stood up, which drew Pepe back from the gate so he could jump up at her instead. Edie batted him away. He growled back at her.

‘Stay where you are, Edie,’ Mum said. ‘I’ll be fine.’

Pepe continued to circle Mum until Auntie Becca called to him.

‘Gina’s not quite herself, is she?’ Auntie Becca said when Mum was inside.

‘It’s since Mrs Vickers left,’ Tess said.

Edie tried to catch Tess’s eye, to shut her up, but Tess wasn’t looking at her, deliberately, Edie thought.

‘Val Vickers,’ said Auntie Becca. ‘She can’t be much of a loss, if she’s anything like her sister.’

‘She’s always nice to us,’ Edie said.

‘You know Valentina’s sister?’ Tess said at the same time.

Her eyes lit up.

‘I knew her. At school, Lillian Harlith. My God that girl gave herself some airs and graces. You’d think her father was a lord not a trader on the Rag Market. I’m sure some dodgy dealings were going on there. They always had fancy cars, cruises, fur coats. You don’t make that much money selling a few yards of cloth, do you?’

‘And Valentina was at school with you, too?’ Edie asked.

‘No. She’s a few years younger. I couldn’t believe it when she moved in next door to you. I’m sure that’s not what her father had in mind. I’ve no idea what happened there. Rumour had it that her husband was a gambler; it would explain where all the money went. Because I know when their father sold up he gave them a pretty penny. Lillian bought that huge place over by the rose gardens. I don’t know what Valentina did with her money. Whatever it was it didn’t last. A Harlith girl on the Limewoods Estate. I’d never have believed it.’

‘We live on Limewoods,’ Edie said.

‘I know,’ said Auntie Becca. ‘But it’s not forever, is it?’

‘I don’t want to move.’

Auntie Becca screwed up her face.

‘At least our neighbours aren’t feral,’ Edie said.

Auntie Becca turned to her. She looked angry and was about to say something, when Tess asked, ‘Does Lillian still live by the rose gardens?’

Auntie Becca was still looking at Edie when she replied, ‘I don’t think so. I was driving past there not so long back and another family came out of the house.’

‘So you don’t know where she is?’

‘Where who is?’

Mum had returned without them noticing.

‘Nothing,’ Tess said.

‘Oh, they were asking me about your neighbour, that awful Harlith woman or Vickers or whatever she is these days.’

Mum’s forehead contracted.

‘I told you not to interfere, girls.’

Neither Edie nor Tess looked up.

‘So she’s upped sticks, has she, Val Vickers?’ Auntie Becca said.

Mum didn’t reply.

‘I heard she wanted children,’ Auntie Becca said. ‘Maybe he doesn’t. Maybe he can’t afford it.’

‘I really don’t know, Becca. It’s all I can do to keep these two from sticking their noses in.’

She picked up her coat.

‘It’s time we were off.’

‘Not before Ray and Vince get back,’ Auntie Becca said. ‘Ray wants to see you and he’s giving you a lift.’

‘I’ve got a headache,’ Mum said. ‘We’ll get the bus.’

‘But the girls can stay.’

‘No, they can’t.’

Tess was already on her feet and Edie took one look at Mum before getting up. Usually she would have argued, but she remembered Mum’s tears from the week before.

‘Ray will be disappointed,’ Auntie Becca said.

‘I’m sure he’ll get over it,’ Mum said.

Auntie Becca frowned. Mum grabbed the girls’ arms and pulled them towards the door. Pepe, who had barked loudly when they arrived, now didn’t want them to leave. He crouched in front of them, arched his back and growled.

Mum looked at Auntie Becca.

‘He’s harmless, Gina. Just ignore him.’

Edie hung slightly behind Mum. Pepe wasn’t a large dog but his teeth looked big and sharp. Mum walked forwards. Pepe shuffled in front of her, blocking her path and still growling. Eventually, Auntie Becca got up.

‘Pepe, Peps,’ she called.

The dog ignored her. She walked over, grabbed its collar and pulled him back. Edie inched past him with Mum and Tess.

‘Bye, Becca,’ Mum said.

The dog was still pulling on the collar and growling as they left.

*

Edie didn’t dare complain about the cold wind and standing at the bus stop for twenty minutes. It took an hour and two changes to get home. Mum didn’t say a word during the whole trip.

‘Go to your room,’ Mum said when they got through the front door.

‘We only wanted to know if Valentina is at her sister’s,’ Tess said.

‘I’m disappointed in both of you.’

Edie shot Tess a warning look.

‘We didn’t stick our noses in,’ Tess said. ‘Auntie Becca started talking about her. Did you know she used to have loads of money and Mr Vickers gambled it away?’

‘That’s pure gossip.’

Mum’s face was getting angrier. Why wouldn’t Tess shut up?

‘But what if she’s not at her sister’s? He could have done something to her.’

‘Enough, Tess.’

‘He might have killed her. Her body could be in the freezer or under the floorboards. John Christie used to—’

‘That’s enough!’ Mum rarely shouted and Tess looked up as if from a trance.

‘If I find you’ve been snooping around…’ Mum said.

‘We haven’t,’ Edie said.

‘I’m ashamed of you. After I told you to leave that man alone. He’s going through enough.’

‘Mum. He’s… he’s…’

Mum was glaring at Tess, daring her to say the words. Tess closed her mouth.

‘Mr Vickers is a very unhappy man,’ Mum said. ‘And he can do without two silly little girls tormenting him. And if I find out there’s been any more snooping you’ll be grounded till Christmas.’

This time Tess stayed silent.

‘Now go to your room. I don’t want to see either of you right now.’

Edie and Tess slunk off.

‘You shouldn’t have said all that,’ Edie said when they were upstairs.

‘She has to know,’ Tess said.

‘I think Mum does know.’

‘Knows what?’

‘What happened to Valentina.’

‘Then why won’t she tell us?’

‘I’m not sure.’

‘You’re not making any sense, Edie. If she knew where she was she’d tell us and she wouldn’t be so upset.’

It made no sense to Edie, either. But she was sure she was right, that Mum did know something. And despite her promise, she was desperate to find out why.

Edie read her book, the sixth in a series. She’d got bored after the third but wanted to find out the ending. Tess was lying on her bed fidgeting and looking across at her. Edie carried on with her book.

‘Edie?’ Tess said after a long bout of rustling.

‘I’m reading.’

‘But, Edie.’

‘Shut up, Tess.’

‘I’ll find her on my own.’

Edie put her book down.

‘How?’

‘I’ll go to the library. Harlith’s not a common name. There can’t be that many.’

‘She might not even live nearby any more. Auntie Becca said she’d sold her house and if she’s married she won’t be Harlith, anyway.’

‘I didn’t think of that,’ Tess said.

‘I know.’

‘I can still try. If I find which house she used to live in we can get her name from an old phone book.’

‘You won’t be able to do that without asking Auntie Becca, and Mum will find out.’

Usually, Edie was the one to break the rules and she would have gone along with Tess. But Mum’s reaction had upset Edie. It wasn’t like her to be sad or serious.

‘Tess, I think you should forget about Valentina. She hasn’t come back to see us because she’s not that bothered.’

‘She can’t come and see us if she’s dead.’

‘She’s not dead, Tess. Mr Vickers did not kill his wife. She left him. I know you love detective books, but they’re just stories. If she’d actually disappeared, the police would know. You’re being a baby.’

‘Don’t call me a baby.’

‘Don’t act like one.’

Tess didn’t reply. She switched off her bedside light and pulled the duvet over her head. Her breathing was uneven and Edie wondered if she was crying. She carried on reading for a few minutes before turning off her light, then lay back on her pillow and stared up at the ceiling.

They were too old to be sharing a bedroom but there was no choice in this tiny house. It seemed unfair that Uncle Ray and Auntie Becca had five bedrooms to themselves, whilst they were squashed into a two-up two-down terrace. Edie turned on her side and sighed. It won’t be forever, Auntie Becca had said, but what was going to change?

Her eyes were drooping towards sleep when she heard Tess say, ‘I am going to find her.’

Edie was too tired to argue but if anyone was going to find Valentina, it would be her.