‘Ohhh…well I never!…..Mmmm….dear oh dear….well I don’t know………………fancy that…………Oh the poor man….Such dreadful news you read these days…’ Liz sucks a breath through her teeth and shakes her head in dismay.

‘I wouldn’t know…I’m still waiting to pay for mine…then perhaps I’ll find out’

‘Aaaw…sorry, Kath…’ Liz looks up from the newspaper laying open on the counter. ‘I were catchin up with the latest’ she says, straightening almost reluctantly. ‘You know they’ve arrested that lady friend of Christopher James… For that attack on his wife?’

‘They haven’t charged her with anything’ Kath says, holding out the correct money.

‘Helping with enquiries it says here…’ Liz taps the page before ringing in the cost of Kath’s newspaper.

‘Then they’re a bit behind…’

‘Reckon it was a put up job, meself’ Liz counts the coins into the till and closes the drawer. ’Ohhh, she’s a nasty piece of work, that one…’ she says with distaste. ‘Not his friend…lovely girl…I met ‘er, y’know…I meant that wife of ‘is…. ‘ She taps the paper again. ‘Hmm…Christopher was in here not s’long back…He says I can call him Chris…and he calls me Liz…’ She crinkles with pleasure as she goes off at a tangent. ‘Or Elizabeth when he’s teasing………’ She frowns suddenly. ‘What d’yer mean, a bit behind?’

Kath smiles at her sudden interest. ‘I’d’ve thought you’d heard by now…she was let home but then the poor girl was in hospital. They thought she was going to lose that baby of theirs’ she sighs.

‘Nooo…ohhh dearie dearie me…oh that is a shame…how dreadful’ Liz’s face pinches with concern. ‘Poor girl…How come you know that?’

‘Miss Marchant…sorry….Mrs James..Helen…she was looking out some pamphlets for me but she wasn’t there when I went into the library’ Kath starts to explain ‘The other young girl…Marie…she told me Helen had had to rush off. I got it from her…then I saw Kester earlier this morning and asked how things were’

‘He didn’t say anything to me’ Liz looks affronted.

‘Not likely to be something he’d come straight out with is it?…Anyway…fingers crossed…so far so good but they kept her in for a few days, so he was saying. They’re all very relieved’

‘What 'bout this other bus'ness…this attack?’

‘I didn’t ask him about that’

‘Oh well…not t'worry…somebody will know. It didn’t make more 'n page seven when it were new news’ Liz says, folding the newspaper neatly and coming from behind the counter to put it back on the rack. ‘Nobody cares ‘bout ‘er these days. Expect she’ll sack ‘er agent fer not getting it on front page’ she laughs unkindly. ‘As been, she is now…but that Christopher…ohhh I could watch ‘im til the cows come ‘ome’ She settles herself on the stool again.

‘You say he comes in here?’ Kath asks.

‘Reg’lar e does, Makes me come over all unnecessary. More me age, yer see. That Kester’s a bit of alright…but ‘is father…’ She fans her face with her hand and blows a silent whistle through pursed lips.

‘Wonder why Kester never went into acting…’ Kath muses ‘They’re all in show business of some description aren’t they?’

‘Oh…course….you’s a newcomer int yer’

‘Mmm…I’ve only been here twenty years’

‘Then you ought t’know’ Liz admonishes with a slight frown ‘…the lad on’y come ere t’live permanent when e were in ‘is teens. Never got on…you know…not with ‘er. Always ‘ere in the ‘olidays e was. Lovely little chap Bright as a button’

‘Little?’

‘E were once’ Liz laughs ‘E must a growed a foot first year e come, shot up an’ never stopped…’ Her face grows solemn and she sighs. ‘Such a cheeky smile ‘e ‘ad…..when ‘e did. Used t’cry summat wicked come goin ‘ome time. ‘Is granny couldn’t do nothin with ‘im’ She shakes her head sadly. ‘Take some sweets for the journey, she’d say…and ‘e’d cry e dint want t’go. Broke ‘er ‘eart it did, though she dint show it…not front a him. Bet there’s a tale a two could be told there, you mark my words. No kiddie gets that upset at not wantin t’see their mum lessin there was summat goin on’ Liz taps a finger on the counter as though the newspaper were still there. ‘I dunno know what went on and God knows I int religious…but I reckon she’s bein paid back fer it now!’

‘Damned good job if that’s the case, then’ Kath retorts ‘I didn’t realise. He’s always so pleasant and chatty’

‘Lot of ‘eartache there…you bet yer life…’ Liz points a knowing finger before turning her attention to the man waiting patiently to one side of Kath. ‘Yes, dear…just the paper is it?’

‘Pack of those small cigars as well, thanks’ He opens his wallet and takes out a ten pound note ready to pay. ‘I don’t know if you can help me…but I was told that Harriet James lives in the village?’ He smiles warmly.

‘Well, blow me down!’ Liz returns his smile with one of friendly surprise as she reaches for his cigars from the tobacco shelves. ‘Weren’t we just talking about ‘er…Yes, dear..she does’

‘Where can I find her…do you have an address?’ The man hands over his money.

‘Well….course I ave…’ She rolls her eyes. ‘Gets the papers delivered ev’ry mornin…..but it int no good you goin up t’Tawny Ouse now…they got ‘nough on their plate wi’out visitors’

‘Just passing through…thought I’d look her up’ He takes his change with a nod and another smile.

‘You’re a friend?…Oh well, tha’s diff’rent. In a car are you?…You want to go out of here…’ Liz gives him directions illustrated by much waving of hands as to left or right.

‘Oh Liz…’ Kath says after the door closes behind him. ‘You think you should have done that?’

‘What?’

‘Let him know her address’

‘E said what e were a friend…’

‘No he didn’t….you said that’

Milliwick Newsagents

Chapter Fifteen

Hill House, Boundary Road

Marilyn replaces the receiver and turns to Kester, grey faced. ‘She’s not at work’ she whispers. ‘Oh God…’

Kester gently brushes her shoulder with his hand and offers a reassuring smile. ‘We’re probably worrying for nothing’ he says, stepping back and shrugging lightly. ‘It seemed a strange thing to have said, that’s all. I thought you ought to know’

‘Yes…’ she says, covering her nose and mouth with a shaking hand. ‘But where is she? I must ring Richard… Richard…yes, Richard…’ Marilyn dithers, turning from Kester to the telephone and back again. ’No, that’s no use…he’s at a conference….Germany…He’ll only be worried. Oh God!’ she groans in a low voice. ‘I thought she was over all this…I thought things were better’

‘She’s been a bit down?’

Marilyn nods ‘Very…but she’s seemed so bright this last little while. She’d spoken to Nathan and he’d given her a bit of a talking to…seemed to do her good. She stopped going on about leaving home…she was going to start sewing again…make herself a little money…you know…like she used to’

‘You could ring round her friends, see if she’s there’ Kester suggests.

‘I wouldn’t know who her friends are now…she stopped going out…no spare cash to do it…so they all faded away…She was very lonely…’ she whispers, sighing as she looks up into his face. ‘That’s why I was so pleased when Nathan… Oh Kester…what do I do…where do I start looking?’

‘Her Nan’s house, maybe? I know she’s not there now but…’

‘Nor is the house…That came down last year…’ Marilyn closes her eyes and swallows, clutching at the front of Kester’s tee shirt with a desperate hand. ‘You don’t think…she wouldn’t have…would she?…Please God……She wouldn’t mean…she wouldn’t mean she wanted to be with her Nan? She wouldn’t do anything silly…please tell me she hasn’t done something silly.  She could be anywhere! She could be anywhere…laying there…Oh God, no’

‘Shusshhh…’ He pats her hand, looking slightly embarrassed. ‘Calm down…she’s not that stupid’

‘You don’t know how she’s been’

‘Would she have gone to Andy’s?’

‘They’ll both be at work so she couldn’t get in even if she had. They’re not as close as they used to be…you know…since her and Helen…’ Marilyn eyes him carefully, cautious of angering him. ‘She was so jealous of her. She…’

‘Never mind that now. Try her mobile’ Kester says, flicking a finger towards the telephone.

‘Yes…yes….good idea…Please God she answers…please let her be alright…please’

He waits, watching as Marilyn presses in the speed-dial number, turning sharply as a blast of a musical ring tone sounds from under a pile of magazines. ‘Shit!…’ he growls. ‘No worries…doesn’t mean anything. She’s just forgotten to take it with her that’s all’

‘Had I better ring the police?’ Marilyn stands with her hand still on the receiver.

‘You could, see what they say’

She hesitates before lifting the receiver once more then puts it down again. ‘But she won’t thank me for making a fuss if there’s no need’ she says, biting her lip. ‘I’ve been walking on a knife edge with her for so long…things are just coming right again….I don’t want to…What do you think?’

‘You’d better ring Andy….see what he says. It’s not my call…and he might have some idea where she might have gone. Check her wardrobes’

‘Her wardrobes?’

‘To see if she’s taken clothes with her’

‘Oh…right…yes…I’ll go do that…’ Marilyn takes a few shaky steps towards the door. ‘Can…can you ring Andy? I don’t know if…I might get a bit….’ She covers her face with her hands. ‘Oh God!’

‘Marilyn, it’ll be all right….don’t worry’