Jessie Shepherd nags Nathan Samms about going to see Vince Wilson despite his opinion that the gossip about him and Wilson’s daughter has died down but when Nathan meets Leonie Ward, it is her attitude towards him that nudges him out of his complacency and he visits Wilson’s house. Danielle Wilson is furious that he has no intention of rekindling their relationship and Nathan sees her for the sort of person she really is. He tells her to pass on the message that he does not want the contract and leaves. On hearing the news, Vince Wilson storms to Nathan’s office, demanding to know what is going on, believing Nathan now wants money to keep quiet. He calms but refuses to accept that Nathan will not take the contract and tells him to give it some more thought. His version of Danielle’s attachment for Lindsay is at odds with what Nathan knows but Nathan decides not to put him right. Meanwhile, Leonie voices her concerns to her mother about Lindsay Wilson’s connection to local gangster, Gerry Bartlett, and Marilyn is worried that Nathan may be involved with him too.

Elsewhere in the village, Helen Marchant is distraught when her cat, Alfie, is badly hurt in a road accident and Kester James almost knocks her down as she runs from the veterinary surgery. He manages to persuade her to let him drive her home but her frostiness towards him is still plain. He loses his temper when she rebuffs his offers of support and Harriet gives her a few sharp words of her own.

Much to her delight, Jessie Shepherd has been immortalised in illustrations that Sandra Mossop has produced for a forthcoming children’s book and is tickled pink that if the drawings are accepted, her face will appear as ‘Mildred Mould’ a witch.

Previously in Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Samms Plant Hire, Oatfield

‘What do you reckon was going on?’ Gemma Hawkins probes with a bitchy half smile and a hopeful gleam in her eye at the idea that Nathan might be in trouble.

‘You heard as much as I did.’ Ingrid Harlow replies curtly, giving her a withering glare from the other side of the office. She closes the bottom drawer of her desk with a bang.

‘Yeah, I know but you were nearer than me. I didn’t catch much of it. You could’ve left the door open a crack’ she grumbles, taking an emery board from her handbag and smoothing a perceived imperfection at the side of one fingernail. ‘You did know who that was, didn’t you?’ she asks as she blows the dust from her efforts and spreads her hand in front of her to inspect the result.

Ingrid sighs at the stupidity of the question. ‘He was a client, Gemma, that’s all that need concern us. If Nathan wants us to know anything else, he’ll tell us in his own good time.’

‘Pwoar, he was a bit narked wasn’t he?’ She grins gleefully.

‘I’d be annoyed if someone came crashing into my office without a by your leave…’

‘No, not Nathan, he’s always shitty about something, I meant that other guy, Vince Wilkins or whatever his name is.’ She reaches for a bottle of nail polish.

‘It’s Wilson, and you should know that, you’ve typed his name often enough.’ Ingrid glares again, her pointed stare alternating between the small bottle and Gemma’s face.

‘I just type the stuff. I don’t remember it. Why should I?’ Gemma replies airily, stilling the progress of the brush for a moment.

‘Strangely, because that is what you’re paid to do’ Ingrid says sarcastically. ‘Have you finished tomorrow’s schedules?’

‘Yes I have’

‘So why aren’t they on the board?’

‘Because it isn’t half past four yet, I do that just before I go home.’

‘Yes, and then when you’ve got someone in two places at the same time, you clear off and it’s me that’s left to sort it out. I want them up there as soon as you’ve done them.’

‘You want, you want. That’s all you ever say.’ Gemma scowls.

‘And I’m sick of saying it. If you took any notice the first time, I wouldn’t have to keep repeating myself would I?’

‘What’s it matter?’

‘It matters’ Ingrid says with tight faced impatience ‘because that’s the way it’s done. Same goes for giving the men a bit of warning for early starts. They don’t want to be coming in here at the end of a long day and picking up their dockets to find they’ve got to be up at three to go back the way they’ve come for another job. You know what Nathan says about overnighters. If it’s easier for them to get bed and breakfast somewhere between jobs then they can. Same as if they’ve got a long job on.’

‘And I suppose I have to sort that out as well, do I?’ Gemma huffs in hard done by tone.

‘Don’t you ever listen to anything?’

‘I sort out a job for them, what more do you want?’

‘For you to engage your brain a bit, do some forward planning, think ahead…’ Ingrid’s nostrils pinch with annoyance. ‘Actually, just thinking would be good! If it had been down to you, Kevin would have been away from home four nights last week.’

‘So?’

‘So, his wife’s due any minute. Something nearer home is best for him right now.’

‘And you expect me to know that?’

‘Yes, I bloody well would after all this time! That is what being a family firm is all about.’

‘You call this is a family firm? Isn’t my family even if it is.’

Ingrid swallows an angry retort and takes a deep breath. ‘Do you like this job?’

‘S’alright’

‘Do you want to keep this job?’

‘Well, he isn’t going to sack me is he?’ Gemma says with mocking confidence.

‘And why’s that?’

‘Because my dad would have him if he did.’

‘Oh don’t be so bloody ridiculous!’ Ingrid laughs out loud. ’It’s about time you got your act together and nobody knows that better than your Dad. You really think he’d have a pop at Nathan and lose his job over you? Get real.’

‘He might’ She tosses her head indignantly.

‘And pigs might fly.’ Ingrid mutters. ‘Right’ she says as she reaches a decision. She opens her desk diary and makes a note against the day’s date. ‘I’m telling you now, officially, that your work is not up to the standard we expect from you after the length of time you’ve been with us. Take this as a verbal warning. Either you pull your socks up or we eventually sack you. Choice is yours.’

‘You wouldn’t dare! And what’s with all this ‘we’ shit? You all of a sudden become a partner or something?’

Ingrid unlocks the small filing cabinet behind her, takes out Gemma’s personnel record and puts it on the desk. She checks the wall clock and carefully marks the time next to the note in the diary. ‘I’ve discussed your work with Nathan, or should I say, the lack of it, and we both think the same.’ She opens the file to enter details of the warning. ‘Either you shape up or ship out. There are a lot of people around that would be only too glad for a chance at your job.’

‘Oh, I get it.’ Gemma sneers. ‘Your daughter after a job is she? She’s just left school.’

‘Not that it concerns you, but she’s got a place as a student nurse so, no, that’s got nothing to do with it.’ She crosses to where Gemma is sitting. ‘Sign next to my name to confirm you’ve understood what I’ve said.’

‘You wait ‘til my dad hears about this!’

‘Your father was sitting in on our discussion.’ Ingrid replies mildly. ‘Just there’ She points and hands Gemma a pen.

‘Yeah, right! And I didn’t see him?’

‘Feel free to ask him.’

‘He never said anything to me.’

‘Take it up with him.’ She waits while Gemma glowers resentfully and signs. ‘Now would you please get those schedules on the board?’

The Village Library

‘When shall we three meet again?’ Jessie Shepherd hunches her shoulders and gives a throaty cackle as her eyes flicker from side to side and she brings a closed fist out from under the table. ‘Eye of newt’ she croaks ‘and toe of frog’

‘Oh, for heaven’s sake!’ Evelyn Knowles sighs wearily.

‘Ok’ Jessie shrugs ‘It’s a gobstopper and a jelly bean but use your imagination!’

‘I suppose this is all we are going to hear about for the next goodness knows how long?’ she snaps.

Kathleen Wishart rolls her eyes. ‘Come on, Eve, where’s your sense of fun? I think it’s a hoot.’

‘It could only have happened to her!’

‘Wool of old bat and tongue of bitch’ Jessie mutters under her breath.

Kath titters.

‘What was that?’ Evelyn demands ‘I know you were being rude about me again’

‘Finishing off me spell. I’ve just changed your Ernie into Julia Inglasses’

‘Julio Inglesias’ Kathleen corrects.

‘No, I meant that woman who works down the doctors. She’s a miserable cow as well. I thought they could be company for each other, give Ernie a break.’

‘My Ernest is perfectly happy, thank you very much.’

Jessie raises a sceptical eyebrow at Evelyn’s retort.

‘And I resent being called miserable…let alone the…other thing.’

‘Cow.’ Jessie provides. ‘Moos a lot but generally doesn’t see the funny side of things. Lighten up, it won’t kill you.’

‘Our Jess is going to be famous’ Kathleen puts in with a grin ‘Don’t you think that’s a laugh?’

‘No, I do not! Pride comes before a fall. It’s not all cut and dried, you know.’ Evelyn says with a sniff.

‘I’m well aware of that.’ Jessie shoves the sweets back in the pocket of her coat. ‘But I’m enjoying it now. This is my fifteen minutes and I’m damn well going to make the most of them.’

‘You call being the laughing stock of the village, fame?’

‘That is very unfair!’ Kathleen takes Evelyn to task with unusual ferocity. ‘Those that have heard, and Jess has by no means been boasting to all and sundry, are certainly not laughing. Not in the way you mean. They are as pleased for her as I am.’

‘Pleased?’ Evelyn replies disdainfully ‘my my, what boring lives they must lead.’

‘And yours is any better?’ Jessie asks

‘Well, I wouldn’t be making such a fuss over such a trivial thing.’

Kathleen watches Jessie as she calmly collects her handbag from the floor next to her feet and stands up. ‘Jess?’

‘Why do you always have to spoil things, Evelyn?’ Jessie’s eyes swim. ‘You never fail to put the dampeners on everything. I for one have had enough now. I may lead a boring life by your standards and maybe my friends do too but at least I’ve got some. You? You don’t even need the fingers on one hand to count yours. Well, I’ve got a finger for you and this is it!’ She holds up the middle finger of her right hand and gestures at her. ‘Get stuffed!’

‘Oh!’ Evelyn fumes her disgust as Jessie rushes out and turns to Kathleen for support.

Kathleen pushes back her chair. ‘That told you didn’t it, Eve? Think on, eh?’ After a reproachful glare at Evelyn, she follows Jessie.

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