‘And I’m telling you I’m not standing for it anymore!’ Chris pushes his face into Imogen’s, spittle flying from his mouth as he shouts at her ‘You’ve got away with it up to now but that’s it, enough is enough! What the hell did you think you’d got to gain?’

Unflinching, she stares at him ‘But all publicity is good publicity, isn’t that what they say?’

‘Not when it comes to telling outright lies it isn’t!’ he wags a finger close to her nose ‘And there’ll be no good come of this, I can promise you that. You’re out!’

She blinks her indifference but her face floods with colour ‘Out?’

‘Out of this house and out of my life! And don’t bother ringing your tame editor; I’ve marked his card for him too. He prints one more word about you and how hard done by you are, I’ll hit him with the biggest libel case anyone’s ever seen and I’ll be glad to get the truth out there’

‘You can’t do that’ Imogen holds her ground, arching her neck defiantly.

‘You watch me!’ Chris turns away from her, his breath coming in angry gasps ‘I’ve made every excuse for you, but no more. I won’t be taken for anyone’s fool, not now. I had enough of that with your mother. You’re out of here, I’m selling up’

‘I think you’ll find it’s my house’ she smiles and crosses her legs, striking an unconcerned pose as she sits back in triumph.

‘Oh no it’s not!’ he places his hands on the arms of the chair each side of her ‘Always read the small print. Isn’t that what they say?’ he imitates her earlier sneering tone. ‘This house is still mine; you only have use of it at my discretion. I can throw you out any time I like and I’m not obliged to house you or support you financially in any way whatsoever. My biggest mistake was giving you the money I did. I should have made you get out there and earn it!’ The slap of his hands on the chair makes Imogen jump.

‘But your fans won’t think much of that, will they?’ she quickly regains the momentary loss of control ‘I shall be homeless’ she sounds almost exultant.

‘Without THIS home, yes you damned well will!  As living here is so ‘traumatic’ for you, you’ll just have to buy yourself another won’t you?’ Chris says in the sing-song voice of a point gained ‘You’ve got money enough’

Imogen puts her fingers to the sides of her head, rubbing her temples in a small circular motion ‘You expect me to leave the only home I have ever known?’  Two deep lines crease between her brows.

‘And whose bloody fault is that, eh?’ Chris is unmoved, jabbing a finger at her angrily ‘I hope whatever you got for the garbage they printed was worth it because we’re finished. You won’t get a penny out of me now and that includes what I kept back of your dear mother’s estate to invest for you. I’d rather burn it than let you anywhere near it!’

‘Mummy promised it would all come to me’ she glares at him.

He shakes his head and gives a short and bitter laugh. ‘Then it’s a shame her will said otherwise, isn’t it?’ he says levelly ‘What you got, you got from ME because I thought that was playing fair. I never expected you to be grateful, that’s something completely alien to you, but the way you’ve behaved is detestable!  You wore out your welcome with Lynn and you’ve burnt every shaky bridge there ever was between you and me. From now on, you’re on your own and I don’t care who knows it, you can’t hurt me any more than you have done’

‘But, Daddy....’ Imogen clutches at his sleeve, tears spilling onto her cheeks.

‘Forget the crocodile tears, they won’t work’ Chris walks away from her and starts to leaf through some papers from the document case left on the sofa table ‘I’m no longer your father, I’m your landlord and I’m giving you notice to quit’ he says distantly as he works his way through, scanning the document on top then moving it to the bottom ‘I want you gone by the end of the month so I suggest you get out there and look for somewhere else. You may keep anything in your room and the kitchen equipment’ he looks up to tell her ‘Other than that, it’s all going to auction and the house is going on the market. Someone is coming to give me a valuation this afternoon and the auctioneers will be clearing tomorrow, so you will take anything by way of personal belongings to your room or lose them. I shall be staying on to oversee things but I don’t expect or want to see you again while I’m here’

‘You can’t do this!’ She jumps to her feet, her fists bunched by her sides.

Chris blinks slowly ‘I can and I am. You treat people like shit; you must expect to put up with the stink’

Chapterhouse Mews

Chapter Thirty-six

Rose Cottage, Albans Lane

‘I’m sorry, Mrs. Harris, I really am. Until the case is solved or a relative comes forward, the remains will be stored. I should have known that. I’m sorry if I mislead you in any way’

‘You didn’t, dear’ Jessie says sorrowfully, handing the police officer a cup of tea and offering a plate of biscuits ‘I took it for granted they’d be got rid of in some way and I didn’t want the poor man not to have anyone grieve for him’ At the officer’s polite refusal, she puts the plate down and pours tea for herself. ‘So he’ll sit there until Kingdom come unless you find out who he was and there are any living relatives. I’m the only one left out of our brood so you’ll be hard pressed to find anyone after this long’

‘They wouldn’t necessarily have to be siblings or parents...’

‘Now that would be going some, to have parents still alive’ Jessie shows her amusement by flicking her arm.

‘You never know!’ The girl laughs quietly, glad that Jessie has taken the news well.  ‘My Granddad got free beer  at his local because they’d got a sign up saying they’d give it away to anyone over eighty accompanied by a parent. Quite the local celebrities they were. His Dad lived to a hundred and two and put it down to his nightly tot of whiskey. He never bought one. There was always someone to put their hand in their pocket for him’ she grins ‘Crafty old devils, the pair of them. Gone now, though’ her smile turns to a grimace of regret.

‘That’s the sort of happy memory I would have wished for him, poor soul. People never die if you can remember them like that. That’s the sort of story your grandchildren will hear and pass down. Are you sure you won’t have a biscuit?’

‘No, I’m fine thank you’ she rests her saucer in her lap. ‘I suppose you’ve been asked already if you can remember anyone else going missing about the same time as your brother did?’

‘I couldn’t think of anyone, no. We used to get people come through, gypsies and the like but I wouldn’t know about them...and there was always the Statty Fair. Young lads travelled with them but I couldn’t say if one disappeared. They were only here a few days, used to set up on the green. You don’t see them here like you used to. It’s moved on the edge of Woodbury now. There’s more people there, I suppose. It’s all about money these days’

‘Oh, I know all about the fair’ the officer makes a face and exhales noisily.

‘Fights and all sorts, I shouldn’t wonder’ Jessie clicks her tongue.

‘You’ve got it’ she nods. ‘Did you think any more about trying to find out where your brother went? I was half expecting you to get in touch’

‘I’m still thinking. I’ve a friend who can help me if I decide to do it but I’m not sure yet. I’ve had enough disappointment for a little while’

The officer bows her head ‘I guess you have’

‘Never you mind, I’ll get over it...I’m nearly over it already and I expect you’ve got better things to do than listen to me harp on. You’ll be getting a black mark, you will. That radio thing’s been crackling away for ages’

‘It’s not for me, I’ve got half an ear to it...but I better had get going’ she gulps the last of her tea ‘You sure you’re alright?’

‘I am’ Jessie smiles and stands up when she does ‘Thanks for coming’

‘Thank you for the tea’ the girl smiles in return.

‘You will let me know if anyone does turn up, won’t you?’

‘I’ll be sure to. Bye, Mrs. Harris’