Doing the Right Thing (42 page)

Ed backed off, but he didn’t go far. He wandered through the maze of corridors.

His skin itched in dermatology, he limped through orthopedics and his heart hurt in cardiology. When he stumbled across the hospital shop, he looked round for something he could buy Addie. Then he remembered her wrecked room. What could he buy her when she’d lost everything? He wished he’d hit the guy harder. He picked up a little silky-soft, gray teddy bear holding a card that said “I love you” and moments later thrust it to the back of the display. One at the front, just as cute, held a bunch of flowers with no message. He bought that.

When he got back to Addie’s ward, he’d expected to have to hang around and wait for her relatives to leave, but there was no one in the corridor. Ed pressed the buzzer and a nurse let him through.

“I just—” he began.

“I know. I remember you from earlier. Her family have all gone. Do you want to sit with her for a bit, before we transfer her to a ward? Ten minutes, no more,” the nurse said.

Ed nodded. “Is she awake?”

“Not yet.”

Ed’s heart pounded as he drew closer to Addie’s bed. She looked so fragile. There were tiny scratches all over her face. Her hands were bandaged, just the tips of her fingers poked out. He wanted to sweep her into his arms and hold her tight, never let her go. He put the little gray bear beside her in the bed, sat down on the hard plastic chair and reached for her fingers.

“Hi, sweetheart. Everything’s going to be fine. I thumped Spiderman for you. How brave am I?” Ed didn’t know what to say. “Wake up, Addie. You have to be all right. I wish I’d… Do you know how much I care about you?” He lowered his voice to a whisper, leaned close to her head. “I told myself I wouldn’t be hurt again, that’s why I flit from woman to woman, because that way no one gets hurt, only I don’t want to flit from you. I want to be with you forever. I love you.”

When Ed pulled up on the drive of the rented house in Alwoodley, he was surprised to see Will’s Lexus outside. He took a deep breath before he opened the door.

He somehow wasn’t surprised to see Vee in the hall.

“What are you doing here?” she demanded.

She stood with a glass of wine in her hand, glaring at him. Ed had never felt more like hitting a woman in his life.

“You’re not supposed to be drinking. You’re pregnant.”

“Not anymore. I lost it.”

“That was careless.”

She sneered. “That’s just the sort of flippant, unpleasant remark I’d expect from you, Ed Mansell. Don’t you have any compassion? It was your brother’s child as well.”

“If it ever existed.”

Will appeared at the door to the kitchen. “What do you want?”

What Ed had been hoping for was a bed to save him looking for a hotel. He’d been going to keep Addie to himself but now he wanted to shock Will. “Addie’s in hospital,”

he said.

“What?” Will staggered and his shoulder hit the wall.

“She’s been attacked by a burglar,” Ed continued.

“Poor Addie.” Vee tucked her arm into Will’s. He shrugged her off.

Ed could see the fear in Will’s eyes and the pain, and wondered if Will was too blind to see it in his.

“Which hospital?” Vee asked. “We’ll send flowers.”

“Leeds General Infirmary.”

“What happened?” Will asked.

Ed was about to explain when there was a loud knocking at the door behind him.

He was nearest so he opened it. He didn’t recognize the man standing there, but judging by the strangled cry that erupted from Will—he did.

“Addie! Is she okay?” Will asked.

“She will be. Can I come in?”

Ed moved aside. This had to be Addie’s other brother. He looked like David and the brother he never got introduced to at the hospital. Another man followed.

“You must be Ed. I’m Addie’s oldest brother, Finn.” Finn shook Ed’s hand, squeezing it hard. Ed tried not to wince. “Thanks for what you did, helping David, though of course you didn’t use excessive force, did you?”

“He fell over in the scuffle,” Ed said, flexing his sore fingers behind his back.

“Yes, that’s what David said.” Finn turned to Vee. “And you’re Evelyne or do you prefer to be called Vee? I’ve heard all about you.”

“Well, I hope you’re going to listen to the other side of the story. The accident wasn’t my fault. She was trying to grab the wheel, I—”

“Shut up, Vee,” Ed snapped. “Weren’t you listening? This is Addie’s
brother.
”

“I’m not here about the accident,” Finn said in a quiet voice, not taking his eyes away from Vee. “When Addie got home today, she found her room had been wrecked.

I don’t think she has one possession left intact. Her clothes have been shredded, her books soaked with bleach, her bed ruined and every one of her photographs spoiled.

Even her teddy bear was torn apart.”

“What does that have to do with me? The man who attacked her must have done it,” Vee said.

“He says not. He admits to the assault but not to the destruction. Since there’s no logic in that, I’m inclined to believe him. I understand you spent Sunday night in Addie’s room.”

“I didn’t do anything.” Vee edged toward Will.

“There’ll be fingerprints.”

“Well, I was in her room so of course there will be prints. Lisa let me stay. I slept in Addie’s bed, but I didn’t do anything to her things.”

“Lying to the police?” Ed glared at her.

Vee’s eyes shot to Will.

“All Addie’s brothers are policemen,” he said.

Vee clutched her stomach and swayed. “Sorry. I don’t feel well. I’ve just lost my baby.” She lurched into Will’s arms so he had to catch her. Will helped her into the lounge and onto the couch. The others followed.

Finn stared at her dispassionately. Ed liked him.

“I believe you’re friends with Chris Burton, a teacher at Easyspeak language school?” Finn said.

“Yes.”

Ed had no idea what this was about, nor where it was going, but Vee looked like a trapped rat. Her eyes darted everywhere but Finn’s face.

“You asked for a sample of her urine for some experiment being done by your brother,” Finn said.

“Vee doesn’t have a brother,” Will said.

“Is this Chris pregnant, by any chance?” Ed asked. The Hallelujah chorus started up in his head.

“Very,” Finn said.

Loud drum roll.

Will slumped onto a chair, as though all the bones had been sucked out of his body.

“You were never pregnant? You pretended you were, pretended to lose it? All that collapsing and feeling ill?” Ed could see the truth zinging through Will as everything connected. “No wonder that doctor thought we were nuts.” Will shook his head. “You had a photograph in your suitcase. You said Addie sent it.” He fixed his black eyes on Vee. “You took it from her.”

“Did you destroy Addie’s room?” Finn asked.

Ed wished he could enjoy this. If it wasn’t for the fact that Addie had been hurt, he’d have whooped in delight. He wanted to shout “I told you so” at Will. He could see Vee thinking about continuing to lie, and then the moment it struck her that it was over.

“Yes. It served the cow right.” She stood up.

No contrition, Ed noted. Smug and defiant to the end. The bitch.

“Why?” Finn asked. “Why would you do such a vicious thing? What had Addie ever done to you? She wouldn’t hurt a fly. She’s the kindest person I know.”

“She let my husband fall in love with her.”

For a moment no one spoke.

Will broke the silence. “Pack a bag and get out. I never want to see or speak to you again.”

“Where can I go?” she wailed.

The man standing behind Finn spoke. “To the police station with me. I’m arresting you on suspicion of causing criminal damage to property belonging to Addie Winter.”

Vee’s eyes shot to Will. “Will!”

“You could go to prison,” Finn said.

“Will, help me!”

Ed folded his arms across his chest. He wished Addie was here to see this.

“Will.” Vee cried now. Ed thought the tears might be genuine. “Get me a lawyer.

Ring somebody, please.”

Will looked up at her and shook his head.

“I take it she won’t be coming back here?” Finn asked.

“No,” Ed said.

“Get your things together. After you’ve been charged, you can find a hotel to stay in,” Finn said.

Vee got to her feet and with one last look at Will, she walked out.

Will put his head in his hands. “I can’t believe this. I’ll pay for all the damage.

Whatever Vee has spoiled, I’ll replace it.”

“Any news on Addie?” Ed asked.

“She’s being kept in hospital tonight. Then she’ll have to stay with our mother. I think it’s best she’s left alone. She’ll need time to pull herself together.”

“What about the guy who attacked her?” Ed said.

“Local drug addict. We’ll need a statement from you, Ed.”

“Right. Will Vee go to prison?” Ed tried not to sound too eager.

Finn shrugged. “Probably not, but it won’t hurt her to think she might.”

“What about a solicitor?” Will asked.

“We can get a duty solicitor in.” Finn paused. “Are you two still married?”

“Not for want of trying not to be.”

“Only, I won’t have Addie hurt anymore.” Finn stared him right in the eyes. “She hasn’t had an easy time. I know you care about her. I saw the way you ate her sprouts last Sunday. That used to be my job.”

Will cast him a little smile and Ed sank in mud. What chance did he have when Addie’s mother and brothers all thought she and Will should be together?

Vee appeared at the door, her eyes red and puffy. “Will?”

He didn’t even look at her. Ed did. He grinned.

“There’s no need to look so pleased.” She sniffed.

“Yes, there is,” Ed said and smiled harder.

When Vee and Finn had gone, Ed closed the door and went back into the lounge.

Will sat on the couch with his head tipped back and his eyes closed.

“This was supposed to be a nice, simple job,” Ed said. “A change from London.”

“Do you think she’s gone?”

“For now, but if you mean for good, that’s up to you.” Ed paused. “I wish to God I’d let her come upstairs that day and find you with Addie.”

“Only if you’d moved all the knives. She really is crazy.” Will sat up and rubbed his neck. “I don’t know what all this was about. Why would she think I’d want her after all she’s done? I don’t even know why she still wants me.”

“Probably because she can’t have you. She’s not used to people saying no. And that’s your fault. You treated her like a princess when you got married.”

“That’s how you’re supposed to treat the person you love.”

“But you let Vee walk all over you. Addie is fun and kind and she expected nothing in return except to be loved, but you kept walking away from her to sort out your conniving ex-wife. You need your head examined.”

Will glared at him and then sagged.

“You let Addie down,” Ed said.

“I know.”

“I thought you deserved to be with someone like her, but you don’t.”

Will gave a short laugh. “And you do?” He raised his eyes to Ed’s. “You waited until I was taking Vee to hospital and stepped right in. You’re my brother, for fuck’s sake. I’ve never gone after any woman you’ve wanted. I’ve even stood back and let you make moves on ones I liked. Why couldn’t you leave Addie alone?”

The barb hit and Ed swallowed hard. “Addie needed looking after too, but you ignored her.”

“So why didn’t you?” Will demanded. “You could have left her alone. Can you imagine how I felt when I came back to see if she was okay, only to find her in bed with you?”

Ed heard a little voice urging him to tell Will he hadn’t made love to her. He ignored it.

“You’ve done nothing but hurt her,” Ed said. “You’ve run to Vee every time she’s whined and you’ve walked away from Addie. I’ve watched you hurting her and felt guilty letting you do it. When she and Vee got back to the hotel after the car crash, you ignored Addie. She was nearly unconscious from hypothermia. She needed to be cared for. It was her who needed to go to hospital, not Vee.
You
looked as though you didn’t even care.”

“I thought Vee was pregnant. I thought she was losing the baby.”

“But you were supposed to love Addie. I don’t understand you, Will. What were you thinking? I encouraged you to go after Addie because at the start I wanted the pair of you to be together. I thought Vee would fuck off for good. I wasn’t even thinking of Addie, just of helping you. But I saw how she looked at you and the way you looked at her and I thought—maybe this is it for Will, maybe this is the real thing. God, Will, all you had to do was love Addie and you couldn’t even get that right.”

“Was she the only one in the office you hadn’t fucked? Got a full score sheet now?”

Every muscle in Ed’s body tensed. “I like Addie. I didn’t drag her into bed. I got to know her. I made friends with her. Just because you didn’t do the right thing, don’t make me feel guilty for helping her.”

“You fucked her. Who exactly were you helping by fucking her?”

Ed took a deep breath. “I love her.”

Will stared at him. “I loved her first.”

“She isn’t a toy we’re fighting over,” Ed said in a quiet voice.

“But we
are
fighting. I’m not going to let you take her, Ed. You’ve flitted from woman to woman all your life. When you throw Addie away, you’ll break her.”

Ed’s jaw tightened. “Do you know me at all?”

“I know you too well.”

* * * * *

Ed didn’t stay the night in Alwoodley. He couldn’t stand to be near Will. Instead he drove back to the hospital and sweet-talked one of the night nurses into letting him see Addie. Her eyes were closed and Ed thought she was asleep, but as he sat on the chair at her bedside, she spoke. “Hi, Ed.”

His pulse rocketed. “How did you know it was me?”

“Your smell.”

“Oh God, I knew I should’ve had a shower,” he whispered.

Addie laughed and then groaned. “Ouch.”

“How are you feeling?”

“Like someone’s been kicking me. And of course it’s my fault.”

“How do you figure that?”

“Because I should have handed over the pathetic sum in my purse, as my mother will no doubt repeatedly tell me.”