For Better For Worse (42 page)

‘We’re doing the best we can,’ Sarah said defensively.

‘Oh please don’t think I’m implying any criticism,’ said Dobbin quickly. ‘I’m here to lighten the load. Kaye left instructions about her funeral and my staff will see to any notifications and arrangements which have to be made. That should leave you free to deal with the repercussions concerning the baby.’

Leaving him to it, Sarah found yet another telegram of condolence on the hall table. When Mr Dobbin said he would make all the arrangements for the funeral, Sarah was so relieved she could have kissed him. She was beginning to feel snowed under with all the telephone calls and letters which had come in the short while since Kaye had been gone. Although she and Vera had buried their mother, that had been a very quiet family affair. Kaye’s funeral was obviously going to have to be a lot, lot bigger and far more than she could have coped with. With one sentence Mr Dobbin had lifted a ten-ton weight from her shoulders.

They tried to make the rest of the day as normal as possible. When Jenny came home from school, they all had tea. Vera had left early afternoon because she had to catch the bus back to Lancing in time to collect Carole from school. Mrs Goodall was just about to go when Bear turned up on the doorstep again.

‘Tell me Detective, did you ever find those people who were running around the garden?’ Mrs Goodall said rather pointedly.

‘What people?’ said Bear, clearly puzzled.

‘The prowlers,’ said Mrs Goodall. ‘I’ve written it down.’

‘You mean there was more than one of them?’ Bear was surprised. ‘Can you describe them?’

Mrs Goodall gave an exaggerated sigh. ‘I already told your colleague, but it looks like nobody listened. What is the point of having a police force if they don’t do joined-up writing?’

‘Tell me.’

‘One was a rather sneaky sort of a person. He wore a raincoat about two sizes too big for him. I saw him sitting on the wall a couple of times. Of course he was trying to look as if he wasn’t there, but I saw him.’

‘And the other?’

‘Younger,’ said Mrs Goodall. ‘Much younger.’

‘If I send a constable round to your house …’ Bear began.

‘That’s what you policemen always say,’ Mrs Goodall snapped, ‘but nothing seems to get done.’

‘I promise I will look into it,’ Bear said.

‘Huh,’ said Mrs Goodall, tossing her head in the air.

‘Any news?’ Sarah asked him as her neighbour walked huffily back down the drive.

‘I’m afraid not,’ said Bear, crossing the threshold. ‘How are you coping?’

Sarah shrugged. ‘Annie has gone home with her parents, which is no bad thing.’ She told him about the abandoned baby.

‘Oh no,’ he said. ‘I could kick myself. I didn’t mention it because I knew it was a girl. I didn’t think about those damn reporters. I’m sorry. I should have told you.’

She smiled. ‘We’re all doing our best,’ she sighed. ‘I just wish it was over.’

‘You and me both,’ he said.

‘Do you want to come in for some tea?’

‘I’d better go,’ he said. ‘I came to give Annie an update, not that there’s much to say. I didn’t realise she’d gone back to her parents. Garfield and I have been looking through those papers we found in Kaye’s suitcase. Tell me, where did you and Henry used to live?’

‘We had a house in Littlehampton,’ said Sarah. ‘42 Pier Road. I loved it there. It overlooked the River Arun.’

Bear felt a frisson of excitement but he kept his face serious. The address on the piece of screwed-up paper in the case was Pier Road. ‘Did you own the house?’ he asked casually.

‘Lord, no,’ she laughed. ‘We rented it and when Henry left me, the landlord put the rent up so much that I couldn’t afford it.’

There was a movement behind her and Mr Dobbin came out of the house. ‘I’d best be off now, Mrs Royal,’ he said, raising his hat politely. ‘I’ve taken the few things I need for now; her birth certificate and Identity Card so that I can register the death, but if it’s all right with you, I’ll come back tomorrow.’

‘Can I give you a lift somewhere?’ said Bear.

‘That’s would be most kind, Detective Inspector Truman,’ said Dobbin. ‘I’m staying at the Ardington Hotel. It’s the Edwardian terrace by the gardens.’

‘I know,’ Bear smiled.

They said their goodbyes and left. Sarah went back indoors. The girls played together nicely until eventually she told them to get ready for their bath. There was an argument about which book they should have for their bedtime story. ‘I want
Babar the Elephant
,’ said Lu-Lu.

‘You had that one last night,’ said Jenny. ‘I want
Millions of Cats
.’

‘Tell you what,’ said Sarah. ‘As a special treat, you can have both.’

In the end she didn’t have to read both books. Lu-Lu fell asleep half way through
Millions of Cats
and by the time she’d finished the story, Jenny was asleep as well. Sarah put out their clothes ready for the morning and crept out of their room

*

After he’d dropped Mr Dobbin at his hotel, Bear had gone to see Annie straight away to apologise for the distress she had suffered because he hadn’t mentioned the abandoned baby and to give her an update on the progress, or more to the point, the lack of it. The Mitchells invited him in but he declined the tea they offered. ‘Being a policeman is a bit like being a vicar,’ he grinned. ‘We’re both awash with tea.’

Judith smiled thinly and Bear made his apology.

‘No news?’ said Malcolm. They all looked exhausted. Annie was pale and had dark circles under her eyes. Her hair was greasy and badly in need of a wash. She wore an old baggy cardigan with frayed sleeves and a skirt which looked far too big for her. Judith didn’t look much better. Malcolm, who was already hugging a glass of whisky, had a five o’clock shadow.

Bear shook his head. ‘Afraid not,’ he said. He paused. ‘Are you planning to stay here now, Annie? I just need to know where I can contact you at all times.’

She was picking at the frayed edge of her handkerchief and nodded dully.

‘No chance you might be thinking of returning to the home you shared with Henry?’ She looked puzzled, so he added, ‘The house in Horsham?’

‘Number 7? I had to give it up,’ Annie shrugged. ‘I haven’t been there since the trial. My old neighbour tells me it’s got new people there now.’

‘Why did you give it up?’ Bear asked.

Annie glanced at her parents. ‘After Edward was born, I was saving every penny I got in the hope that I could carry on with the rent, but without a regular income it was impossible.’

‘I see,’ said Bear.

Annie sat up as a sudden thought crossed her mind. ‘You don’t think Henry has gone back there, do you?’

‘No, no,’ said Bear. ‘Nothing like that.’

‘We could drive over there tomorrow and see, if you like,’ Malcolm said eagerly.

Bear was alarmed to see that the hope that Edward might be in Horsham had brought the family back to life. ‘Please let me assure you,’ he said quickly. ‘My colleagues in Horsham have already checked that avenue of investigation and, like you say, there’s a new family living there.’

Their defeated, despairing expressions returned. Bear left, promising to keep them informed. After his conversation with Mr Dobbin and his visit to Annie and her parents, there was only one other thing he needed to do tonight. Something he wished he’d thought about earlier.

*

During the day, the wind had got up and several items had been blown from the washing line. Sarah looked around the garden. Everything was in its place, but she had an uneasy feeling that she was being watched again. Snatching the washing from the line, she bent to pick up a couple of table napkins and one of Jenny’s socks. The feeling wouldn’t go away. Someone was there, in the shadows. ‘Who’s there?’

She saw something out of the corner of her eye and approached the shed with caution, but no one was there. She went back to the washing but she felt jumpy … scared almost. She paused as she pulled a blouse from the line and turned around slowly. The curtain in the upstairs bedroom of Mrs Goodall’s house dropped. ‘Oh it was you, you nosy old bat,’ Sarah whispered good-naturedly. ‘Back to your old tricks again.’

*

Mrs Goodall had decided to have an early bath and a long soak. The water was running and she decided to draw the bedroom curtains before undressing when she’d seen Sarah in the garden. She hadn’t wanted the girl to think she was spying on her like she used to, but as she went to draw the second curtain, Mrs Goodall saw something else. She nearly fainted with the shock. The prowler! He was back there … in the garden.

*

It was only as Sarah walked back into the kitchen that she noticed a petticoat in the flower bed. It was dirty and would have to be washed again, but as she bent to pick it up, she saw footprints and a cluster of cigarette butts under the window. Immediately, her spine began to tingle and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. Someone had been spying on them through the kitchen window again.

Oh God, it was Henry. He must have come back again. What did he want this time? Surely he hadn’t come for her children as well?

‘Mrs Royal?’

She straightened up quickly and came face to face with a man dressed in a shabby raincoat. Sarah took a sharp intake of breath. He was standing in the shadows, but she could just make out his stubbly chin. He had a trilby hat, which he took off as he came towards her. She was rooted to the spot and trying not to panic.

‘I’ve been trying to catch one of you alone for days,’ he said. ‘I really wanted the other one but you’ll do.’

They both stood staring at each other. Sarah’s heart was pounding with fear. Who was this man and what did he want? She could see he was muscular and obviously very fit. ‘Are you a reporter?’ she squeaked.

He shook his head. ‘What I have to say is for your ears only.’

*

Mrs Goodall was still watching them from her bedroom window. What should she do? She had to help, but she was only half dressed. If she stopped to put her corsets back on, the poor girl wouldn’t have a chance. Pulling her dressing gown around her shoulders, she ran downstairs as fast as she could. Stopping only to grab something, she tore out into the garden.

*

Sarah felt trapped. She was standing in the flower bed and the only way she could get back into the house was to go past him. She had to keep him talking and hope against hope that someone, anyone, would walk by.

‘You see, I know all about your Henry,’ he said, coming closer.

Sarah backed away. ‘Keep away,’ she cried helplessly as she put her hand up. She could feel the wall of the house coming up behind her. She had nowhere to run. He put his hands up in supplication, but she misunderstood his motives. ‘No, No!’ she cried.

‘I just want to talk,’ he said.

‘Then stay there,’ she quaked. ‘Stay where you are. I only have to call out and someone will telephone the police.’

‘If I was you, Mrs Royal,’ he said, leaning towards her and dropping his voice, ‘I really wouldn’t do that until you’ve heard what I have to say. Believe me, it’s for your own good.’

They both heard a slight footfall and then a voice behind him said, ‘Oh no you don’t,’ as Mrs Goodall pressed her weapon into the middle of his back. ‘I’ll have you know that when I was young I was a crack shot.’

The man’s hands shot into the air. ‘Don’t shoot, don’t shoot!’

Sarah’s relief was palpable because, at the same time, she saw Bear’s car draw into Kaye’s driveway. Bear and Garfield got out smartly and ran across the grass.

‘Right, me laddo,’ Bear was saying as he put handcuffs on the man, ‘I’m arresting you on suspicion of trespassing on private property.’

Sobbing with fright, Sarah fell into Mrs Goodall’s arms.

‘I ain’t done nothing! I was only talking to the lady. Look in me wallet. You’ll see my identification there.’ As he and Garfield were frog-marching the struggling intruder towards his car, Bear hesitated. ‘I meant no harm,’ their prisoner insisted. ‘I came to warn them about Henry Royale. I’m a private detective.’

‘This is the man I’ve seen hanging around the garden,’ said Mrs Goodall triumphantly. She pulled her dressing gown closer to her body, suddenly embarrassed by her state of undress.

By now Garfield and Bear had their prisoner, still handcuffed with his hands behind his back, leaning across the bonnet.

Lottie had come into the garden and was doing her best to comfort Sarah. Bear went to her. ‘Are you all right?’ he said, gently taking her hands in his.

She nodded but her body still juddered.

He took a clean handkerchief from his pocket and shook it out before giving it to her. ‘What’s this all about?’

Lottie looked at the prisoner and gasped. ‘He’s the man I saw looking into the window last night.’

‘It’s not what you think, lady,’ said the man. ‘I was trying to talk to the other one. Annie Royal. She’s in danger.’

All eyes were on the prisoner.

‘My name is Dennis Nelson,’ he said, looking nervously from one to the other. ‘I was employed by Henry Royale to spy on her.’

‘You what?’ cried Sarah.

‘Mr Royale wanted to bring up his son on his own so he wanted to prove that Annie was an unfit mother,’ Nelson went on. ‘I’ve been down here on and off for weeks, but I couldn’t find a thing wrong with the young lady. Mr Royale was very angry and sacked me.’

‘So what are you doing back here again?’ asked Garfield.

Nelson told them about his final meeting with Henry, where he’d revealed his plan.

‘Why didn’t you go to the police straight away if you thought he was up to no good?’

‘I’ve got a wife and kid,’ said Nelson. ‘I don’t trust him. He knows where I live and he’s quite capable of taking it out on them if I went to the rozzers. He never even paid me what he owed. Look Gov, I’m on the level. I just wanted to warn the girl, that’s all. It cost me money to come down here.’

‘Do you think Henry Royale is going to attack Annie?’ Bear asked. He was searching through Nelson’s pockets.

Nelson shook his head. ‘Worse than that,’ he said. ‘He’s got photographs.’ He suddenly felt awkward to be talking about things like this in present company. These were respectable people.